Kids on the Coast Magazine - Sunshine Coast - Issue 67

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ISSUE 67 March/April 2015 SUNSHINE COAST

TAKING A STAND Battle of the bystander

Reclaiming the lost years of girlhood

Tackling teen truancy

Grow with yoga

67 Contents ISSUE

March/April 2015

Jakobi, 4yrs

4

FROM THE EDITOR

6

THE SOCIAL GATHERING

8

WHAT’S NEWS

10 FEATURE: Taking a stand 16 CHECK THIS OUT: Let’s party!

18 EDUCATION: Being smarter with feelings 26 THE P FILES: The lost years of girlhood

Elah, 3yrs

32 PARENTS TALK: Children’s party food 34 CALENDAR OF EVENTS: Find out what’s happening on the Coast during March & April 37 SPECIAL FEATURE: Room to bloom 40 BABIES: The miracle of meditation 44 TEENS: Teenage truancy and school refusal 48 ONLY NATURAL: Grow with yoga 52 GOOD HEALTH: Oral health for children 54 DESTINATION: Luxury parents-only escapes 58 PARENTVILLE: The bucket and spade list 60 COAST LIFE 62 CONVERSATION: Meet Jackie Hall

Costumes created by the fabulous Ligre from www.facebook.com/storksnestdesigns

Gold boots from Cotton On

66 REVIEWS

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS: DANIELLE COLLEY, MAXINE ARTHUR, BELINDA HOPPER, BELINDA KURTZ, YOGI BRAHMASAMHARA, LARA CAIN GRAY, STACEY NELSON, ALICE LEE, CAROLYN TATE, NATASHA HIGGINS, ALENEY DE WINTER COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: SPROUT PHOTOGRAPHY. SUPERHERO PHOTOGRAPHY: VERVE PORTRAITS Printed with vegetable/soy based inks on paper supplied using pulp sourced from sustainable forests and manufactured to environmentally accredited systems.

WE ENCOURAGE RECYCLING. Please keep this issue for future reference, pass onto your friends and family, use for craft projects or place into the recycling bin. www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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mother

WELCOME

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kids on the coast | in th

MEDIA PUBLISHED BY Mother Goose Media PTY LTD PO Box 491, Eumundi QLD 4562 PHONE: 1300 430 320 FAX: 07 5442 7253 ABN: 86 473 357 391 WEB: www.mothergoosemedia.com.au www.kidsonthecoast.com.au www.kidsinthecitymagazine.com.au

What a busy couple of months it’s been! For all of you with kids at school, I hope they have settled in beautifully and are heading off each day with a big smile on their faces. For those with younger kids and bubs, well, I hope you’re enjoying lots of magical moments with them each and every day.

EDITORIAL / PRODUCTION

As summer has come to an end, we’ve seen some serious weather in Queensland and we are now turning our attention to some pretty serious issues.

PRINT EDITOR: Natasha Higgins

This edition we’re taking a stand on bullying with our feature article focusing on the battle that bystanders face. As my daughters are getting older this is an issue I’m keen to learn more about. Even when helping in my daughter’s Year 2/3 class the other day I could see how easy it would be for some innocent teasing to escalate into so much more.

SOCIAL MEDIA: Eva Lewis

If you’d like to know more about this very pertinent issue then make a note in your diary to hop onto our Facebook page on Tuesday March 10 at 8:30pm when we will be joined by an expert on bullying and the bystander effect for our first ever live Facebook chat. We’d love you to join us on this exciting occasion!

DESIGN: Michelle Craik & Phoebe Browning

We have a great party focus in Check This Out with lots of gift and party inspiration. Party food is the topic of the day on our all-new Parents Talk page in which some of South East Queensland's best-loved bloggers discuss the topics we all face every day. Their funny and honest responses will make you smile.

- on the coast

- in the city

kids

Also keep an eye out for two exciting eGuides we have coming out soon.

To mark the occasion of our 11th birthday in March, we are celebrating with a comprehensive party eGuide just for you – a guide full of fabulous ideas for party venues, themes, decorations, food, costumes and, of course, the allimportant birthday gift! Then just in time for Easter we will be sharing our Easter Holiday eGuide full of Easter fun as well as details on heaps of activities and events taking place over the school holidays.

We would love to hear what you think. All of our articles are online and we invite you to comment and discuss the topics on our website and Facebook page. We add topical news stories daily as well as blogs, new articles and reviews on products, books, movies and more.

Do you have something that you want to share? Please feel free to contact our team via Facebook.com/kidsonthecoast, our website or email. Don’t forget to sign up for our What’s On eNews that comes out weekly at www.kidsonthecoast.com.au.

AVAILABLE

MARCH 13

Natasha Higgins, Editor

RCH 2015 *

* MA

BEHIND THE SCENES … at our cover shoot

PUBLISHER: Toni Eggleston EDITOR IN CHIEF/DIGITAL EDITOR: Carolyn Tate ADMIN: admin@mothergoosemedia.com.au PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT: Phoebe Browning production@mothergoosemedia.com.au PRINTING: Print Works, 07 3865 4433 All editorial and advertising in Kids on the Coast and Kids in the City publications are published in good faith based on material, verbal or written, provided by contributors and advertisers. No responsibility is taken for errors or omissions and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. All material in Kids on the Coast is subject to copyright provisions.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Feedback/ comments/suggestions? Send to: editorial@ mothergoosemedia.com.au. We aim to reply to all correspondence but don’t guarantee to do so. Letters to the editor may be edited for length or clarity.

DISTRIBUTION Distributed directly to parenting hotspots across South East Queensland.

Kids on the Coast (Sunshine Coast edition) is a free publication circulating over 20,000 copies from Caloundra to Noosa, including hinterland.

Separate editions cover the Gold Coast and Brisbane.

Kids on the Coast (Gold Coast edition) is a free publication circulating over 18,000 copies from Tweed Heads to Coomera, including hinterland.

Kids in the City (Brisbane edition) is a free publication circulating over 20,000 copies from North Lakes to Springwood and covering all suburbs to Jindalee.

For distribution enquiries phone: 1300 430 320 or email: admin@mothergoosemedia.com.au

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Every Wednesday we feature a panel of inspirational bloggers on our website as part of our Parents Talk series. Parents Talk is just that…where bloggers share their thoughts and experiences on various parenting topics in an open forum.

In this issue we introduce our first Blogger Fast 5.

It’s our way of sharing blogs we love to read and in the case of our first blogger Lauren, a blog with some amazing recipes!

Introducing Lauren from Create Bake Make www.createbakemake.com Describe your blog in 25 words or less… A place where you can indulge your sweet tooth and have fun looking through my favourite recipes and ramblings about life.

I can’t start the day without… Coffee, coffee and more coffee!

My favourite easy weeknight meal is… If it’s been a hectic day our go-to weeknight meal is without a doubt something that involves pasta. Both of my boys are huge carb fans and no matter how many veggies I put in their bowls, if there is pasta in there too, they will eat it.

I relax by… As cliché as it sounds, whenever I get the chance I like to slip away for a run (okay, maybe more of a walk) by myself. I particularly like to go in the morning and find it calms and centres me and leaves me better prepared to tackle the chaos of the day.

My next challenge is to… Find the answer to everlasting happiness?!? In all seriousness, I’ve learnt for me it’s easier to set small achievable goals on either a daily, weekly or monthly basis. This month my challenge is to go live with our new website and make a dent in the writing of our next recipe eBook.

to receive our weekly 'What's On' and bi-monthly eNews!

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Whatsnews DID Stay up to date with your local community news. If you have any unique news that you’d like to share, please contact our editor at editorial@kidsonthecoast.com.au

Visit our website for more news, www.kidsonthecoast.com.au/news

ZEDTWELVE HELPS NURTURE HEALTHY MINDS

Children aged from birth through to 12 years now have access to a free mental health service on the Sunshine Coast, under a new program launched by local not-for-profit United Synergies. The ZedTwelve program offers a free, family-friendly service in the heart of Maroochydore for children aged 0–12 years and their families who are experiencing, or at-risk of developing, social, emotional and behavioural concerns. “You don’t need a formal referral to access ZedTwelve,” says clinical services manager Narelle Raeburn, “however your child will need a Mental Health Care Plan from a GP to qualify for up to 10 free sessions.” Ms Raeburn says, “ZedTwelve looks at all of the factors that can impact on a child’s wellbeing, and our team of practitioners work in partnership with the family and child to build social skills, strengthen resilience and coping skills, manage emotions and build healthy relationships.” For more information visit www.unitedsynergies.com.au/program/zedtwelve or contact ZedTwelve on (07) 5409 4950.

GIVING GIRLS WINGS TO FLY A new Sunshine Coast business venture officially launched in February. Founded and run by local Noosa naturopath, Karen McElroy, the Gaia Girls project runs mothers’ and daughters’ workshops and gatherings for girls in age groups from 7 years to 15 years of age. Each age-appropriate program is designed to meet the changing needs of the girls as they grow up and promotes the fostering of a positive self-image and connection to their own unique core self. Gaia Girls also aims to help mothers and daughters to grow together, rather than apart, during these sometimes challenging times. Gaia Girls combines activities and guidance to support girls on all levels from body wisdom and understanding female cycles to emotional development, selfesteem and empowerment. Exploring fun activities from games, nature connection and craft to music and dance, the programmes provide welcome time out from busy overscheduled lives and a space to connect with other girls and mothers.

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Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

BENEFIT 4 BELLA

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KNOW YOUR NOSE AND EARS CONTINUE GROWING THROUGHOUT YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.

The appropriately named

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Footprints and tyre tracks left behind by astronauts on the moon will stay there forever as there is no wind to blow them away.

A GROUP OF TIGERS IS KNOWN AS AN ‘AMBUSH’ OR ‘STREAK’.

BANANAS

CONTAIN A LOT OF POTASSIUM, WHICH MAKES THEM EVER SO SLIGHTLY RADIOACTIVE – BUT DON’T WORRY, THEY’RE SAFE!

Sharks lay the biggest eggs in the world.

Life for the Harry family changed forever in January this year when a scan revealed that daughter Isabella had a 15cm bone tumour just above her right knee, due to a rare form of bone cancer called osteosarcoma. Further tests determined that the osteosarcoma has spread to other parts of Bella’s body, and she is now undergoing a 10-week chemotherapy plan. Bella and her family have been hugely active in the local school and sporting community, with Bella representing her school, her district and region in sports such as netball, cross-country and athletics. Friends and supporters of Bella’s family have rallied together to organise a series of fundraising efforts, culminating in a gala ball at Novotel Twin Waters Resort on Saturday 28 March. The evening will include special guests, lucky prize draws and a silent auction, with every cent raised going to Bella and her family. For an update on Bella’s journey and to secure your table at the Benefit4Bella ball visit www.4bella.com.au

GO BLUE FOR AUTISM IN APRIL Each year on 2 April, World Autism Awareness Day, iconic buildings across Australia and the world turn their lights blue to promote autism awareness. In support of this global initiative, Autism Queensland asks people to Go Blue for the month of April to help raise awareness and funds to help them support Queenslanders of all ages living with ASD and their families. For details on local community events in April, visit www.goblueforautism.com.au.

PROTECTING MARINE TURTLES The TurtleCare program is a great example of council and the community working together to protect the environment. For more information visit www.turtlecare. sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au

KIDS STAY AND EAT FREE AT THE BRISBANE MARRIOTT

Book at the Brisbane Marriott before 30 April 2015 and enjoy up to 30% off, plus your kids stay and eat free!

Take advantage of the fabulous restaurant and buffet breakfast, and use the Marriott as a base for your Brisbane family excursions. Phone (07) 3303 8000 or go to brisbanemarriott.com and enter the promotion code ZJ6 to book. Conditions apply. Subject to availability. www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

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- © and TM Aardman 2015

Meet Skipper from

‘Penguins of Madagascar’ • Saturday 21st March • 11am - 2pm • Outside Fantastic Furniture

Penguins of Madagascar © 2015 DreamWorks Animation LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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• Saturday 28th March • 11am - 2pm • Outside The School Locker. © 2015 Viacom Overseas Holdings C.V.

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FEATURE

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Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

FEATURE

Taking a

STAND The battle of the bystander

by Danielle Colley In 2009, in Richmond, California, a group of young men sexually assaulted an intoxicated 15-year-old female student in the courtyard of the school grounds at a homecoming dance. The girl was found unconscious under a bench before being airlifted to hospital in a critical condition. She was released a few days later.

Six males aged between 15 and 21 years old were charged with the assault, which lasted more than 2½ hours. The incident made headlines across the world, not only because of the act itself, but because it is believed up to 20 witnesses saw or heard the attack, but no one notified the police for two hours.

The bystander effect refers to the phenomenon of people watching something that they know is inappropriate or wrong but they fail to do anything about it. It can happen in any community, any age group and any culture. Research suggests the more bystanders present, the more likely we are to do nothing as we take our lead from those around us, however it often only takes one person to act to snap everyone else out of it and help.

When Sean Binsley*, 10, started at a new school in Canberra, his first friend was an older boy in his class who had repeated a year.

Sean, his new friend and a group of older boys were playing a game, but when a disagreement broke out over the rules, Sean received a blow to the face that knocked him to the ground.

“The boy started kicking into him and kicking him in the head. The other boys stood around and watched, about four or five of them, and it wasn’t until the teacher on duty realised something was going on and intervened that it stopped,” recounts Sean’s mother, Melinda*.

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Those few seconds were enough time for the ten-year-old to sustain considerable injuries.

“He had two black eyes, both his top and lower lips were split, and one of his baby teeth was knocked out. He also had multiple bruises all over his body,” recalls Melinda. “Sean wasn’t fighting back at all, just lying on the ground trying to protect himself. He’s never been much of a fighter.”

Sean was taken to the infirmary, and the attacker was suspended for three days, but the boys who stood back and watched just went back to class. The coming weeks saw Sean’s physical wounds heal but the psychological damage from the assault became apparent.

“The anxiety caused by the assault was great. We got to the point where we were faced with having to either physically force him to go to school or let him stay at home. Eventually, we decided it couldn’t go on and we had to shift schools again,” tells Melinda.

“Now, if we try to talk about it, he clams up and gets defensive and cranky. He’s okay as long as it doesn’t come up. We tried to get him counselling, but he’s a very stubborn kid.”

There is no way to know if there will be permanent psychological effects for Sean, but if just one of the bystanders had intervened, this assault may have been nipped in the bud.

“I think we should be all trying to teach our kids to stand up for other people, and that’s something I’ve tried to teach my kids, especially since this assault happened,” says Melinda. “If you see something that makes you uncomfortable, don’t ignore it. If you’re not comfortable intervening, go and get an adult.”

MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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FEATURE

Bullying. No Way!

Is your school taking part?

The fifth National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence will be held on Friday, March 20, 2015.

This annual day provides a focus for all schools to say Bullying. No Way! and to strengthen their existing everyday message that bullying and violence at school are not okay at any time. For more information visit www.bullyingnoway.gov.au

Teaching kids to work together against bullying, giving them the tools to feel confident in intervening, and together vigilantly saying that we do not accept bullying may hold the key to stopping bullies in their tracks. Parents must also be involved and present.

There is a level of guilt involved with being a bystander, according to Youth Command school liaison officer Senior Constable Denis Goodwin, but standing by does not make you a bad person.

“I think a lot of it is self-preservation,” says Snr Constable Goodwin.

“It is a very human thing to cut and run.”

One of the subjects covered by Youth Command, alongside cyber safety and bullying in schools, is what to do as a bystander. One of the biggest fears bystanders have is that by intervening they may draw unwanted attention to themselves and become the next victim.

“Not getting involved is one of the things police talk about. If you feel safe enough to intervene and tell someone to stop it, just speak up. They might think if I intervene here on this other kid’s behalf, am I going to cop it myself?” Goodwin continues. “Realistically, some of the bystanders will be supportive of the bully; even if they are not great friends with the bully they may dislike the victim. Other bystanders will be ambivalent. That does not necessarily make them morally weak; they are just ambivalent about the bully and the victim.

Then, of course, there will be bystanders that are appalled. We even see it in adults and workplace bullying.”

In 2013, over 20,000 Australian students aged between 8 and 14 years of age were surveyed about bullying. The results published in the Australian Covert Bullying Prevalence Study (ACBPS) showed that 27% of students in Years 4 to 9 were bullied every few weeks or more during a school term. The most common form of bullying was hurtful teasing, followed closely by hurtful lies spread throughout their peers.

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Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

Bullying requires a bully and a victim, however for a bully to get true satisfaction and the feeling of desired power, a third party needs to be privy to the act.

The bystander.

Professor of Psychiatry Stuart Twemlow, MD has been studying the bully–victim–bystander triangle for 25 years and his research supports the theory that there are three types of bystanders: bully bystanders, victim bystanders and ambivalent bystanders.

The bully bystander will follow the bully’s lead, perhaps also targeting the victim in a show of solidarity with the bully. “This bully bystander may be identifying with an aggressor to compensate for deep fear, past trauma or insecurity,” says Twemlow. “The bully will quickly notice this bystander’s support and offer some social status or the illusion of protection and friendship as a way to keep his or her ‘fan base’ committed to sustaining targeted humiliation.”

Conversely, the victim bystander is someone who identifies with the victim. Although they do not like the behaviour, fear of retribution keeps them silent although it comes at a price.

“Like a deer in the headlights, he or she is frozen in fear, quietly experiencing the anxiety and shame of the victim,” explains Twemlow. “There is clear empathy for the victim, yet the victim bystander threatened with victimhood himself is likely to turn his own hostility toward the victim rather than become victimised himself.”

The third type of bystander – the ambivalent bystander – makes up the vast majority of bystanders. They do not side with the bully and want to help the victim but often lack the confidence or the skills to step in and disarm the situation. Although this bystander doesn’t feel strongly about either the bully or the victim, they feel genuinely upset by what they are witnessing but feel powerless to help.

“There is some vicarious benefit experienced by standing by and watching; it is safe and there is little doubt that, given the choice, they would prefer that the bullying stop and that everybody gets along,” says Twemlow.

For bullying to be effective there must be witnesses. Could these ambivalent bystanders potentially provide a link that can put an end to bullying if they are given the tools to confidently intervene?

Twemlow thinks they can. “All this needs are natural leaders and major teacher–child collaboration. Children work together against bullies very easily and inexpensively.”

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MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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FEATURE

When local mum Karen Cooper Adams’ happy and healthy 13-year-old son William began to restrict his food intake, the family just assumed he was getting ready for the upcoming football season.

A successful rugby forward described as a solid lad, William was targeted by a group of boys about his weight. Although it was a small group initially, when they chanted songs about William’s weight, the entire class would chime in.

Multiple counsellors failed to get through to the young man who dropped a dramatic 20 kilos in 6 months, until a psychiatric nurse broke through William’s armour and he confessed to the underlying issue.

“He told me it was endless,” says Karen. “I asked him how did the teachers not know anything about this, and he said they saw it and told the kids to shut up but they didn’t do anything about it. The boys would come up behind him and pull up his shirt and wiggle his tummy in front of other kids. There was lots of social media bullying; he couldn’t get away from it.”

When Karen approached the school counsellor, she was told that they couldn’t help William. No one knew how to contain the external mounting bullying or his internal struggle.

By the time they got William into rehabilitation, the family was told that his heart was failing and there was nothing they could do. But William was a fighter and after 12 months of intensive therapy and medication, he is improving. Although he is far from well, Karen can see her child slowly regaining his light.

A high school teacher herself, Karen thought she knew the signs to look out for.

“It would never happen in my classroom,” says Karen. “If I see a child being picked on, I stop the whole lesson and talk to the kids about the consequences their words can have. I think a lot of the issue is the self-talk. The bully has self-talk that he needs to be more powerful, the victim has self-talk that he is worthless because no one is helping, and the bystander has self-talk that he knew that person was doing something wrong and should have helped but didn’t. I talk about it with them all the time.”

One teacher’s desire to take affirmative action against the cultural acceptance towards bullying that she feels is endemic in this country saw the creation of Stymie in January 2014. Stymie.com.au is a website that allows bystanders and victims to make anonymous notifications about bullying, including submitting screenshots of cyber bullying, which funnels the information back to their schools for them to take appropriate action.

“It is amazing. It is working,” says company director Rachel. “I have principals ringing me saying cases of bullying that have been going on for years have been thwarted and kids have taken snapshots of other kids who have shared their plans to commit suicide and they’ve been able to intervene. In terms of bystander behaviour, kids are using it if their friend is the bully but they don’t have the courage to stand up to them, or to help their friends who are self-harming due to bullying.”

Teaching kids to work together against bullying, giving them the tools to feel confident in intervening, and together vigilantly saying that we do not accept bullying may hold the key to stopping bullies in their tracks. Parents must also be involved and present.

“Parents need to model appropriate behaviour for their kids,” says Rachel. “Life is about relationships, and doing these things for your kids is about forming positive relationships with your school, not a blaming one, and being open to discussing what is going on with everybody. Kids with bully behaviours are often miserable and sad too. You are not born a bully; bullying behaviours are learned.”

People of all ages can become involved in watching others being bullied, or worse. The way in which bystanders respond to a bullying situation could actually be the solution and teaching it early is imperative to saving lives.

Being a bystander can be more damaging than just feeling guilty because they should have helped, according to psychologist Evelyn Field, who was awarded an Order of Australia for her work with bullying.

“There is fear of retribution and fear of standing out and not being part of the tribe – that the tribe will isolate you. One of the worst things for any of us is to be isolated or excluded by our tribe. It causes a form of brain damage,” says Evelyn.

RESOURCES

Australian Psychological Society www.psychology.org.au Parentline counselling and support helpline www.parentline.com.au Bullying. No Way! www.bullyingnoway.gov.au

LIVE CHAT

Join us on our Facebook page for our first ever live Facebook chat on Tuesday March 10 at 8:30pm where our guest expert Rachel Downie from stymie.com.au will be available to answer your questions about bullying and how you can teach and empower your children to stand up for themselves and their peers.

“The issue is we need to intervene and say this is not acceptable and it’s not nice. How would you feel if this happened to you?

That’s what we need to teach kids. Report it, video it, and just say to the bully this is not acceptable and we’re off.”

Children need to understand that bullying can have long-term effects. Anxiety, depression, eating disorders and self-harming can all result from prolonged bullying. The bystander is in a position of power to break the cycle.

*Some names have been changed in this article to protect the privacy of the individuals involved.

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Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

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ADVERTISEMENT/LOCAL BUSINESS

School bullying exposed by I am Jack Jack is smart and funny and 11 years old. Jack is also being bullied and needs help. Unfortunately, Jack’s mother is too wrapped up in herself to see this, and Jack’s teacher, Mr Angelou, is too busy to pay attention to the warning signs. But little does Jack know that help is close at hand.

Adapted for the stage by Eva Di Cesare, Sandra Eldridge and Tim McGarry, and based on the book by Susanne Gervay, the stage production of I am Jack has been very popular among schools and has had great success in the USA in 2014.

A stage play that exposes a pressing issue facing kids today, I am Jack by Monkey Baa Theatre Company voices the effects of bullying and yet fills you with hope as you see how one boy overcomes it.

This show is definitely not one to miss!

It is an excellent one-man show which explores the often overlooked taunting and teasing that bullies inflict on their victims as well as the roles that family and schools can play in responding. Jack will take you on a touching and sometimes comical journey as he moves from being a victim to a victor.

A Monkey Baa Theatre Company Production

Please Note: I am Jack is suitable for young people aged 8 to 14 years. It is not advisable for children aged 7 years and under due to the sensitive nature of the subject matter.

See I am Jack on 19 May at Lake Kawana Community Centre. For information and to book tickets contact 5413 1400.

Tuesday 19 May 10am & 12.30pm

Lake Kawana Community Centre SCvip Members $16.50 General Admission $18.00 Group 4 (min 2 children) $65.00

Based on the book by Susanne Gervay Adapted by Eva Di Cesare, Tim McGarry and Sandra Eldridge

Phone: 5413 1400 www.scvenuesandevents.com.au

I am Jack is a powerful one-man show, which explores the often overlooked insidious taunting and teasing bullies inflict on their victims.

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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CHECK THIS OUT LET'S PARTY!

S ' T LE !

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FUN AND FUNKY SAND ART DIY Kit’s just $7.00 bottle/child Hosted Fun faced $8.50 bottle/child Craft parties $10.50/bottle/child

Using coloured sands fill bottles to create fun and funky designs… Kids love it!!! A fun and creative activity that all ages enjoy. We have a range of affordable birthday party packages for both hosted, craft and DIY kits.

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TESSI CREATIVE MAGNETS RRP $39.00

TEEPEE RRP $99.95

Tessi creative magnets allow your child to create whatever comes to mind, from a crazy shape to a cute creature or anything else their imagination can dream up!

Each 60-piece pack contains enough magnets to create a multitude of patterns, characters and designs. Your child’s creation can evolve as their ideas do!

Read more at www.tessicreative.com

Kids of all ages will have hours of fun in this awesome teepee from Mocka. Designed with windows to catch the breeze and tie down doors for easy entry, your children will love imagining and discovering new worlds inside their teepee. With nine wonderful styles to choose from – from cowboys to floral girly girl to the new black stripe and black cross designs – your little ones will love the colourful and playful prints. Available online at www.mocka.com.au

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Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

CHECK THIS OUT LET'S PARTY!

MODERN TWIST MARK MAT – TREASURE CHEST RRP AU$49.95 Nurture the inner artist in your child even at the dinner table with the fabulous mark mat from Modern Twist. Made from food-grade, BPA-free silicone, these hand screenprinted placemats feature creative, playful designs that entertain and inspire little ones.

The mat comes with a set of dry erase marker pens for kids to use to decorate their mat. Best of all, when dinner is over just wash it off and it’s ready to use again at the next meal. Available online at http://shop.until.com.au

SMILE, LAUGH, PLAY...

IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY!

EZY KIDS PARTIES CHILDREN'S PARTY SUPPLIES

Children’s Party Supplies is a Sunshine Coast-based online shop with a huge range of invitations, tableware, decorations, accessories, party bags and favours, party games and craft. If it’s online, it’s in stock. Order today, and it’s shipped tomorrow, or you can collect to save on postage. If you need an entertainer, cake or catering, Ezy Kids Parties has over 20 themes to choose from. They do the lot so you can enjoy yourself too! Ph: 1300 118 840. www.ezykidsparties.com.au. www.childrenspartysupplies.com.au

Want more?

Download and read our eGuide.

SUPERHERO SOCKS RRP $9.00 Holy fancy feet, Batman! These cotton batman-themed black socks will make you feel like a superhero. Plenty of animal magic can be found in other Neat Feet sock designs including flamingo, llama, owl, racoon and squirrel – perfect for little animal lovers! Find them online at www.squirrelpop.com

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ROCK STAR PLATE, BOWL & CUP RRP $12.95 Peas, carrots and rock 'n' roll! Inspire your future drummer to eat their vegies and drink their milk with these rock star-worthy plates, cups and bowls from French Bull. Bright designs feature four unique rockers with even brighter hair rocking their favourite instruments. Made from 100% melamine, all pieces are bpa-free, shatter resistant and dishwasher safe.

Buy online at http://shop.until.com.au

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www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

17

EDUCATION

by Maxine Arthur

BEING SMARTER WITH FEELINGS Academic intelligence versus emotional intelligence IS EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE JUST A FAD OR CAN IT HELP US LEAD MORE BALANCED, HAPPY AND PURPOSEFUL LIVES? JUST AS NEGATIVE EMOTIONS CAN LEAD TO POOR DECISION-MAKING, CAN HIGHER EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE SKILLS HELP US TO FUNCTION MORE EFFECTIVELY AT SCHOOL, WORK AND HOME? A high intelligence quotient (IQ) has long been associated with academic success and a life of accomplishment and achievement.

But since the 1990s, researchers have been learning about the role emotional awareness plays in our lives. The concept of emotional intelligence (EI) has had a strong influence on the business world, with research suggesting that high EI is necessary for success in business and management. Many schools and school systems are on board introducing social and emotional learning (SEL) programs to teach children these valuable skills.

WHAT DO PARENTS WANT FROM SCHOOLS? Should schools be concentrating purely on academics and better test results? Or could a focus on emotional and social skills learning actually improve academic learning?

Plato said, “All learning has an emotional base.” It seems Australian parents agree. According to The Good Schools Guide, research has shown parents share a “significant level of agreement about what is essential” in schooling, and it appears all of these ideals depend on the emotional and social understanding and skills of students and staff.

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Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

According to the guide, this includes: • a committed and effective teaching staff and a safe working environment – no bullying, drugs or harassment • individual attention given to students; parents want to feel confident that staff will notice and take action should any problems arise • an expectation that the democratic values of multicultural Australian society will be actively present at school • an expectation that schools will take positive steps to create a place in which staff and students treat each other with respect • an environment in which their child can develop social competencies – they want the young adult emerging from secondary school to be articulate, to be able to make and keep friends, and to know how to behave appropriately in different situations.

“In essence,” the guide states, “parents want schools to foster a positive atmosphere that will encourage their child’s intellectual and emotional growth.”

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

FOUNDATION COLLEGE (PREP TO YEAR 2) Specialist early childhood teachers support a strong focus on literacy, numeracy and problem solving.

A warm, stimulating, nurturing environment founded on Christian values, featuring: • Strong parent partnerships • High levels of teacher aide support • A fostering of creativity and imagination PHONE Chris Henschke, College Registrar on 5436 7321 LOCATION Woodlands Boulevard, Meridan Plains 4551 www.pacificlutheran.qld.edu.au

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MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

19

EDUCATION

Educators now believe social and emotional learning facilitates academic learning.

HOW DOES SEL PROMOTE ACADEMIC LEARNING? Educators now believe social and emotional learning facilitates academic learning. The most successful programs involve the whole school community and are driven by school leaders.

Daniel Goleman cites a study by the Ministry of Education in the UK that found school principals who used a more emotionally intelligent leadership style inspired teachers to be more dedicated and motivated so they teach better – and therefore the students learn better.

Goleman says: In the ideal learning environment, children are focused, fully attentive, motivated and engaged, and enjoy their work. Such a classroom climate can be one benefit of SEL. Similarly, caring relationships with teachers and other students increase students’ desire to learn. School-family partnerships help students to do better. And, students who are more confident in their abilities try harder.

SEL IN QUEENSLAND SCHOOLS A Queensland Department of Education spokesperson confirmed that social and emotional learning is now supported in Queensland state schools through various initiatives, including: • Australian Curriculum (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au) • Learning and Wellbeing Framework (http://deta.qld.gov.au/ initiatives/learningandwellbeing)

WHAT IS EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE? In 1983, Dr Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences broadened the notion of intelligence. He identified eight forms of intelligence including interpersonal (‘people smart’) and intrapersonal (‘self smart’). In the early 1990s, American psychologists John Mayer and Peter Salovey introduced the concept of emotional intelligence, which they defined as a person’s ability to perceive, control, evaluate and express emotions.

The research was of interest to academics and educators but it took psychologist Daniel Goleman’s bestseller Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ to popularise the concept. Goleman believes EI can help people make better decisions in business, in education and in their personal life.

CAN EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE BE LEARNED? The originators of the concept differ on this. Mayer believes EI is shaped by genetic inheritance and early experiences. Although Salovey agrees that it is partially innate, he also states, “I’m optimistic that people can learn a richer emotional vocabulary and that they can self-regulate emotions better.”

Theorists may argue over the extent to which IQ and EI (or EQ, emotional quotient) are innate or learned, but educators are finding that SEL programs are teaching children to understand and regulate their emotions better, resulting in both a happier and more productive school environment. Both teachers and parents know from experience that a happy child, confident in himself and his relationships with others, will learn more effectively than an anxious, agitated child.

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Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

• Supporting Students' Mental Health and Wellbeing http://ppr. det.qld.gov.au/education/learning • Safe, supportive and disciplined schools (http://behaviour. education.qld.gov.au).

The Australian Curriculum, now being implemented in all Queensland state schools, fosters social and emotional learning through the teaching of personal and social capability.

Students learn about recognising and regulating emotions, developing empathy for others and understanding relationships, establishing and building positive relationships, making responsible decisions, working effectively in teams, handling challenging situations constructively and developing leadership skills.

DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, DIFFERENT APPROACHES Many schools have developed their own SEL approaches to suit the needs of their school using the various resources available to them.

With funding from the Australian Government, the program KidsMatter is a mental health and wellbeing framework for primary schools that is proven to make a positive difference to the lives of Australian children.

More than 2000 schools around Australia have joined the KidsMatter network with the program tailored to the local needs of each school.

KidsMatter provides the proven methods, tools and support to help schools work with parents and carers, health services and the wider community to nurture happy, balanced kids.

Schools may also choose from a variety of commercial options.

The challenge for schools is to find the program that matches the needs of the school most closely and to embed the learning in all areas, reviewing and updating practices regularly.

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

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MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

21

EDUCATION

You Can Do It! is one program that has proven successful in many Queensland schools: The program’s core purpose is the development of young people’s social and emotional capabilities, including: Confidence (academic, social), Persistence, Organisation, Getting Along and Emotional Resilience. Central to the development of these 5 foundations is instilling in young people 12 ‘Habits of the Mind’, including Accepting Myself, Taking Risks, Setting Goals, Planning My Time, Being Tolerant of Others, Thinking First, Playing by the Rules and Social Responsibility (including the values of respect, responsibility, caring, fairness and honesty).

When principal of Upper Mt Gravatt State School Derek Brady came to the school nine years ago he wanted to develop a strong school culture through a whole-of-school-community approach including children, parents and staff. After an extensive consultation process and research into the best vehicle to achieve a positive, happy and successful school environment, the school decided the You Can Do It! program was right for them.

Success came early with children, parents and staff learning strategies for developing positive, caring relationships and a common language for discussing problems. Now, Derek says, “Social and emotional learning underpins everything we do.”

There is a constant focus on EI, with new learning being incorporated into practice. Early intervention is embedded in the school culture.

Behaviour is better and academic results have improved substantially because of a sense of wellbeing and a positive mindset.

The school’s focus is clearly apparent on its website: At Upper Mount Gravatt State School we enrol the whole family to create an environment where children can thrive… As an emotional intelligence school, we foster happy students, happy parents and happy teachers. This strategic approach has delivered significant gains in community satisfaction and academic success.

Elanora State School also aims to develop the social, emotional, behavioural and academic skills of students.

Student welfare teacher Karen Greenwood describes the school’s approach: Childhood is a time for growing healthy minds, and for the past several years, enhancing the social and emotional wellbeing of students has been a high priority at Elanora. Our student welfare teachers and school chaplain work closely with students and families to support their individual needs.

All students participate in the You Can Do It! program, which helps them learn how to set attainable goals and be happier and more successful in their school and general life. The program teaches children that to change their feelings or behaviours, they need to change their thoughts. It teaches students how to replace confidence-destroying thoughts with confidence building thoughts, which helps them develop a growth mindset rather than a fixed one.

In addition, our Responsible Behaviour Plan, which was developed through extensive staff and community consultation, guides our children to make good behaviour choices and meet their school’s high expectations.

Approaches such as these contribute to promoting positive social behaviours and peer relationships, fewer conduct problems and less emotional distress.

Behaviour is better and academic results have improved substantially because of a sense of wellbeing and a positive mindset.

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Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

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Finding the right school with supportive and nurturing teachers will set your child on a path of lifelong learning.

With outstanding academic results, unique outdoor education programs and great co-curricular opportunities, call us today to find out how your child can be on their way at Immanuel.

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E. info@suncoastcc.qld.edu.au | A. Cnr Schubert & Kiel Mtn Rds, Woombye www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

www.suncoastcc.qld.edu.au MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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EDUCATION

Elanora State School parent Paige Burrage says, “I believe that this program is highly supportive of students, develops their social skills, raises their awareness of the importance of giving back to the community and contributes to Elanora State School being a safe and supportive environment for students and their families.”

A strong focus of SEL programs is on behaviour education.

McKaskill explains an important and positive difference between such behaviour education programs, based on guidance and selfdetermination, in comparison to behaviour management programs, which are based on control and compliance.

Another Elanora parent Tracey Fletcher agrees, “The You Can Do Do It! program provided my child with skills and ideas to use at school and in real life. I saw growth in resilience and persistence and this led to a big improvement in self-confidence. The program equips students with easy strategies and tools they can use and apply to bring themselves success and happiness.”

Behaviour education develops a child’s self-awareness so they see and understand the reasons for their behaviour and empowers them with the knowledge and skills to regulate that behaviour. Behaviour education does not seek to manage and control the child but develop the skills for the child to control and manage themselves.

Play is The Way (PITW) is another program now in use in 20 schools in South-East Queensland. Founder Wilson McCaskill has developed a program of physically interactive games designed to promote positive social behaviour.

Behaviour management uses the principles of operant conditioning. It concerns itself with how an action may be controlled by a stimulus that comes after it rather than before. ‘Do this and you will get that’ will lead to an organism to do this again.

Hence, behaviour management uses rewards and punishments (bribery and threats) to condition and control behaviour.

McKaskill says, “Learning is an emotional experience and PITW helps children to master their emotions so they fully engage with the challenges and demands of learning. An inability to regulate his or her emotions often underpins a child’s disruptive or disengaged behaviour in class.”

The PITW program is used throughout primary school, with classes playing the games three to four times a week. The concepts and self-reflective language learned in the games guide the teacher’s interactions with students and the student’s interactions with each other.

Schools that have implemented successful SEL programs are safe, happy, purposeful and cohesive environments where children can engage with learning.

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Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

Schools that have implemented successful SEL programs are safe, happy, purposeful and cohesive environments where children can engage with learning. Violence and conflict are reduced, and children are confident, trusting and motivated to achieve their best.

They are also much better prepared to succeed in later life – at work and in their social and personal lives – because they are emotionally mature.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE •C ASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning): www. casel.org • Six Seconds – The Emotional Intelligence Network: www.6seconds.org •P arent4Success: www.parent4success.com/14-tips-for-helping-children-withemotional-intelligence

SEL PROGRAMS IN SCHOOL & AT HOME • KidsMatter: www.kidsmatter.edu.au • You Can Do It! (in education): www.youcandoiteducation.com.au • You Can Do It! (for parents): https://youcandoitparents.com.au • Play is the Way: www.playistheway.com.au • Tuning in to Kids: www.tuningintokids.org.au

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

ADVERTISEMENT/LOCAL BUSINESS

What do students really want from their teachers?

by Paul Clegg – Head of Primary – Sunshine Coast Grammar School What do students really want from their teachers? Often memories from students aren’t the tangible experiences of an event or an activity; they are the impactful differences made by a passionate teacher each day.

3. Give me your attention – Sit and talk with me privately, even if only for a second.

What do you think matters most to our children? For 20 years, a teacher has been posing this question to his students at the beginning of every school year. He would ask his students to give him advice on how to be their best teacher. He would ask them to think about the times they felt most successful and to consider what the adults in their lives did to make this success possible.

5. Give me meaningful, challenging, open ended tasks – Show me how to handle it. Teach me what to do.

The classroom would become immediately silent as the students wrote intensely for longer than they had ever written before. Smiles would appear on their faces as they reflected on the happy experiences they were remembering. After reading their responses, the teacher would add to his list all the ideas they mentioned.

Surprisingly, many of the responses were the same. Year after year, in every year level, content area and classroom he was in, regardless of demographics or background, students were saying the same things and had the same message: It’s the small things you do that mean the most. That is what they remembered. That is what mattered.

Here is the list of the 12 most important things that came out of these amazing conversations:

4. Imagine with me – Help me dream of things I might be able to do, not just the things I need to do now.

6. Ask about me – Inquire about my weekend, the game I played, the places I go. It shows you care about my life.

7. Let me have time – Time to let things sink in. Time to think. Time to reflect, process and play.

8. Demand of me – Hold me accountable to high standards that I am capable of. We are different!

9. Notice me – Leave special messages in my desk or locker. Just a quick note that says you notice something right.

10. Let me ask the questions – Even if they are off topic, it will show that I am thinking about new perspectives, curious and willing to learn more. Let me have the chance to show what I am wondering about, not just what I know.

1. Greet me each day – Wish me good morning, and send me off with a ‘see you tomorrow’.

11. Engage me – I came to you in love with learning. Keep me excited. Keep me wanting more.

2. Smile – When you look at me, let me see happiness in your eyes.

12. Trust me – Believe that I can do it. Allow me the chance. I promise to show you I can.

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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THE P FILES

The lost years of girlhood

by Belinda Hopper FOR THIS GENERATION OF GIRLS, FOURTEEN IS THE NEW EIGHTEEN AND TEN IS THE NEW FOURTEEN, ACCORDING TO RENOWNED FAMILY PSYCHOLOGIST STEVE BIDDULPH. AT AN AGE WHEN GIRLS ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO THEY ARE AND WHO THEY WANT TO BE, THEY ARE OFTEN LEFT TO NAVIGATE THESE ISSUES LARGELY ON THEIR OWN, APART FROM INVOLVEMENT BY THEIR PARENTS. WHERE GIRLS IN PREVIOUS GENERATIONS WOULD HAVE SPENT A LOT OF THEIR TIME AROUND OLDER WOMEN – MOTHERS, AUNTS, GRANDMOTHERS – GLEANING WISDOM FROM THEM, THEY NOW SPEND MOST OF THEIR TIME RELATING TO PEERS BOTH IN PERSON AND ONLINE.

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In 1994, Dr Mary Pipher sounded the clarion call for “saving the selves of adolescent girls” with her #1 New York Times bestseller Reviving Ophelia. An anthropologist and psychologist, Pipher says adolescence “is a time of marked internal development and massive cultural indoctrination,” compounded for girls because they stop being the subjects of their own lives and become the objects of other people’s lives – becoming self-conscious about how they appear to others and being accepted, instead of being carefree and free-spirited as in their younger years.

of Australian experts challenging the premature sexualisation of girls by the media, popular culture and society, thinks not. Expert after expert draws a direct link between corporate exploitation of pre-teen girls and the rise of their existential crisis.

Let’s consider for a moment the “massive cultural indoctrination” Pipher refers to. Is it a coincidence that just as marketers discovered the pre-teen girl market was the most vulnerable demographic and began to focus their advertising on exploiting the inherent insecurities of their age and gender in the interest of profit, that there was a corresponding rise in angst amongst girls of that age bracket? Getting Real (2009), a book written by a number

Steve Biddulph also expresses concern in noting a marked increase in mental health problems in recent years, resulting in depression, eating disorders and self-harming for girls between the ages of ten to fourteen.

Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

Pipher’s concern was that cultural pressures force girls today to grow up faster than they did in previous generations, though they are not yet equipped emotionally to deal with such pressures. Rather, age ten to fourteen is now a time when girls need particular nurturing as they undergo a complete personal development overhaul.

It’s important, therefore, to consider the many factors that conspire to rob our girls of a few more carefree years of girlhood and discover how we can support and nurture them through this stage.

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

MISS T ’ N O D PLUS

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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THE P FILES

Introducing strong women role models into their daughter’s life is one of the best things parents can do to help their daughters sift through the noise and expectations of culture and peers.

THEIR thinking SELVES Most early adolescents are unable to think abstractly. They see the world in black and white, leading them to be stark in their assessments of life and people. Biddulph says we shouldn’t believe on face value what teenagers say about any given incident because not only are they prone to overgeneralise and overemphasise events and feelings, they also have a lot of masks they continually try on in an effort to work out the kind of person they want to be.

Open communication should be encouraged between adolescents and parents; although adolescents may be articulate and skilled in the art of debating (particularly against set boundaries), they may not be reasonable or rational in their arguments.

THEIR academic SELVES

THEIR physical SELVES During this stage, girls’ bodies change in size, shape and hormonal structure. They suddenly become aware of, and possibly discontent with, their physical appearance. Due to an increased availability of regular, good nutrition and environmental factors, puberty is hitting earlier than in previous generations and some girls even face a ‘false’ puberty – where they develop breast buds, but not periods – as young as eight. Girls therefore look, and are sometimes treated, older than their actual maturity level and may start to attract attention from the opposite sex that they don’t know how to deal with.

THEIR emotional SELVES The hormone changes during this phase render adolescent emotions intense, extreme and changeable, and the instability of their feelings leads to unpredictable behaviour and responses.

Biddulph says the emotional volatility girls go through during these years sees them revisit the unruly emotional time of the toddler years. A good rule of thumb, he says, is to subtract twelve years from their age, to give a fair indication of their emotional responses. For instance, a thirteen-year-old revisits the overwhelming emotions of a one-year-old, and a fourteen-year-old revisits the tantrums and rebellion of a two-year-old.

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Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

Research shows that academically gifted girls particularly struggle with adolescence, as there is a trend for girls to hide their accomplishments during this time in favour of social acceptance, which usually comes from being pretty rather than smart and popular rather than assertive. But the good news is there is a current push from celebrities such as Emma Watson encouraging girls to pursue careers traditionally seen as male-oriented. A new wave of toys such as Goldiblox aim to steer girls away from traditional girl toys like Bratz dolls – which are focused on fashion, make-up and hair dye – to build problem-solving skills needed for jobs like engineering. The aim is to help girls see themselves as capable instead of decorative.

But not all celebrities are positive role models for young girls, even those who were once pegged directly at their age group, so we need to give our girls the tools to critique culture so they don’t develop a blind loyalty to celebrity. For instance, at the age of 10, girls might watch Miley Cyrus play wholesome Hannah Montana and dream of her life, only to be shocked at 14 to discover that Miley’s real life is not quite so wholesome. Or they may feel it’s okay to follow the antics of celebrities their own age, like Willow Smith, who at 14 is already embroiled in adult issues, such as her recent photograph on a bed with a man, and being photographed wearing full make-up, in a shirt with a picture of bare breasts on it, in support of the #freethenipple campaign. We can help our girls navigate the influence of celebrity by bringing confident women of strong character into their lives, so they have role models grounded in the real world that they can look up to.

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

EASTER APRIL 5TH

Hop to it

FIND ALL YOUR EASTER TREATS & THE EASTER BUNNY TOO! EASTER TRADING HOURS

GOOD FRIDAY EASTER SATURDAY EASTER SUNDAY EASTER MONDAY

APRIL 3 APRIL 4 APRIL 5 APRIL 6

CLOSED* 9:00AM - 5:30PM CLOSED* 10:30AM - 4:00PM

*Birch Carroll & Coyle and some Riverwalk restaurants may trade extended hours. Please check with individual retailers for details.

The Easter Bunny will be making special appearances at the following times: Monday 30 March to Thursday 2 April and Easter Saturday 4 April, 11am to 2pm daily. www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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P FILES

THEIR social SELVES

FINDING THEIR spark

Pipher says adolescence is scripted in a way that builds conflict between teenagers and their parents, particularly when adolescent girls seek to be independent in ways that parents deem unsafe. Increasingly, when there is conflict at home, girls turn to their peers for support.

But just as there is increased conflict at home, girl politics often rears its head in the playground at this age, as girls transition from running around playing to hanging out talking, often about boys or other girls.

Dr Peter Benson pioneered research into helping adolescents discover their ‘spark’, an “interest, enthusiasm, talent or concern – which, if supported, gives them incredible joy, motivation and direction”. Benson says we find their spark by asking, “What activity gives you the most joy, makes you feel most alive, gives you a sense of purpose and excitement?” By helping adolescent girls find their spark, we get to really know them and listen to them, and learn in which ways they need our encouragement to become the woman they dream of becoming. Knowing their spark helps adolescent girls stand against the pressures to conform and please others and gives them a sense that their life is to be lived for their own enjoyment and fulfilment, and not to please or impress others.

This is where Biddulph suggests that aunties and surrogate aunties can step in and bring love, guidance and wisdom to the lives of girls. Introducing strong women role models into their daughter’s life is one of the best things parents can do to help their daughters sift through the noise and expectations of culture and peers. They need someone who will model healthy body image and speak up if they see signs of eating disorders or warn against the dangers of drugs and alcohol – conversations girls of that age may engage in more readily with someone other than their parents.

Diane, a Sunshine Coast mother of two daughters aged 11 and 14 years, says social media compounds cultural and social issues and brings them into the home, making it harder for girls to have any downtime away from peer pressures. “When I was that age, no matter what happened at school, you could walk in the front door and switch off and have a break from friends. But my girls are connected to their friends on social media and seem to always be comparing their lives to the lives of their friends.”

Sheree, a Sunshine Coast mother of two girls aged 12 and 14 years, says kids’ access to internet devices also makes it harder to parent. “It’s a world parents are often not a part of, where kids can make split-second decisions to share information or make comments that have social ramifications they can’t foresee.” The age limits for joining sites such as Instagram and Facebook are 12 and 13 years; smack in the middle of the adolescent years when girls already suffer what psychologists call ‘imaginary audience syndrome’ – where they think they are being watched by others who are preoccupied with the smallest details of their lives.

So what happens when they are actually being watched by others on social media and they feel pressure to divulge the minutiae of their lives to their ‘friends’ or ‘followers’? How does this complicate the feelings of living for an audience instead of living for themselves – or as Pipher says, living “as objects of other people’s lives, instead of subjects of their own lives”?

THE GIRL’S GOT soul Adolescence is a time for us to invite a girl into her soul. Biddulph says, “All that you have is your soul” in terms of knowing yourself.

He is referring to a girl’s inner self where, “if you break your own rules, nobody else will know, but you won’t feel good until you put things right.” Here he is talking about developing their inner moral compass. There are also activities that build soul, and others which are the enemies of the soul. Biddulph suggests that creative and active pursuits build soul, while passive, mindless pursuits like too much time spent in front of the TV or on computer games, destroy it.

Biddulph says that we should not abandon girls to each other to shape and inform their moral compass. They need guidance from older women inside and outside of the family – another reason to find the right people to bring into their lives, particularly other women whom you admire because of their own soul and strength of character.

But the responsibility isn’t solely on the women in a girl’s life.

Biddulph says we cannot underestimate the importance of a strong father–daughter bond at this age. Research shows that fathers have a big job to play. Dads who treat their daughters with respect and spend a lot of time with them help to elevate their sense of worth around boys. Studies repeatedly show that girls with an involved father delay their first sexual experience by about two years. And that’s good news considering latest research shows that in the last six years, the average age of a girl’s first sexual experience has dropped to as young as 14 years of age.

So take heart; there’s a lot we can do as parents to support our girls through their early adolescence, to nurture their soul and help them find their spark. As Biddulph says, “girls from ten to fourteen need more, not less, of our time, interest and availability” so we can encourage them towards becoming capable, kind, mature young women.

Adolescence is a time for us to invite a girl into her soul.

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MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

31

PARENTS TALK

TALK

Some of the best-loved parenting bloggers in South East Queensland join Kids on the Coast and Kids in the City to discuss the topics that matter to you.

Parents

Do you think children's party food should be kept to healthy options, or is that the fun police going too far?

LARA CAIN GRAY This Charming Mum Children’s birthday party food ain’t what it used to be.

Where once stood a proud chocolate crackle, one now finds a fancy fruit platter, but I think this is more a case of moving with the times than being bullied by the fun police. Parents and kids alike are so much more aware now of the negative impact of artificial colours and excessive sugar intake, it’s only natural that this interest in healthy eating might spill over into the party zone.

When I tell my kids I used to eat jelly ponds, honey jumbles and fairy bread, it sounds like something from an Enid Blyton novel!

But this is not to say that healthy food can’t be fun food.

In fact, I’m more intimidated by the kind of ‘fun police’ who might arrest you for not turning your grapes into rocket kebabs or cutting teddy bear shapes out of a watermelon or recreating Elsa out of salad vegetables and cheese. A plate of chocolate crackles is but a minor misdemeanour in a world where Pinterest makes children’s party planning a competitive sport! And the funniest thing of all? The kids rarely even notice what’s on offer. If they have friends, a few games, a playground or a princess room, they’re golden.

So go forth and make your quinoa crackles! There’s still plenty of fun to be had.

GILLIAN MOODY Champagne Cartel Not sure if it's just me, but GOD I get SO fed up with everyone banging on about what we should or shouldn't be eating.

Whaddyareckon? Do you think we obsess waaaayy too much about our nosh? "Today for dessert we're having a gluten free, sugar free, wheat free, meat free, vegan torte of quinoa, filled with a raw super-food mousse using Guadeloupean coconut water blended with dehydrated kumera and a powder made from the petrified poo of an organic lemur reared on incan corn-free cactus hearts. I threw it together in the Thermomix. So easy."

But (and I'm about to hugely contradict myself now) I do believe we need to consider the topic of kids party food.

We need to remember there's a bunch of kids parties every year and if we all served up loads of junk food then you've got a heap of kids having weekly sugar comas. Less than ideal. Sure, it is little Tallulah-Honey-Lark-Song's special day and everyone wants her to have a good time, but a bit of community mindedness wouldn't hurt.

One thing I'd like to throw out there is: why do we seem to associate having a fun time with craptacular food?

Perhaps it's not the best message to send to kids that parties must involve hardcore overindulgence and a whole lot of stuffing of faces with processed rubbish. I dunno.

In my experience most kids just want to play games and run around at a party, and generally the food plays second fiddle anyway. We're the ones who are pushing the whole party food issue.

What's awesome about kids is that when they are taught about moderation and 'sometimes food' and when they are allowed to make their own food choices sometimes (within reason), most of them make great choices. I've seen them at parties, grabbing a cracker and cheese or some watermelon off the table as they hoon past at great pace with their mates.

So I say yeah, go for it, include a bit of fairy bread or chocolate biscuits or iced cupcakes. And maybe a popper (YES I do know juice in a tetra pack is the devil incarnate). But maybe just a bit more homemade food with identifiable ingredients. And plenty of healthy options.

There's lots of great ways to make exciting kids party food that is relatively wholesome. Last year I did a parfait bar that included big tubs of yoghurt and whipped cream that people could layer up with a berry coulis, fresh fruit and sprinkle with nuts and choc bits. Not diet food, but not that bad. It was very popular. I threw it together in my Thermomix. So easy.

ADAM CLEMENTS Cook and Kid

SARAH AND ROBYNA The Mummy and the Minx Did you have a Kate in your childhood?

Kate was brought up to believe the epitome of a treat was a dried apricot every other Sunday. Bless Kate’s parents.

Remember watching Kate at a birthday party? She would methodically inhale all of the lollies into her pie hole. It always ended in a sick tummy and tears for poor Kate. These days, it’s not just Kate parents have to worry about. Tom has a potentially fatal nut allergy. Richard has a gluten intolerance and Harry can’t eat eggs. It’s no issue to cater for Tom, Richard and Harry (and their parents) but do we have to throw the jelly babies out with the red cordial? A party spread with a good variety of healthy and not-so healthy options still seems sensible.

Have you ever tried to fill a piñata with healthy options?

We both like to think that we have a very healthy approach to food. Food isn’t bad or good, it’s just food. Everything in moderation, for example, cake. Cake is oh so delicious right? And cake in moderation is fine. Cake on your birthday is a must! But cake everyday, perhaps not so great. You picking up what we’re putting down?

Birthdays don’t happen everyday so it makes sense that it is one of those days in the year where party food can be celebrated and enjoyed. We agree that no matter the setting, be it birthdays, Easter, Christmas etc, healthy options should be available. Nothing goes down faster than a plate of watermelon at a kid’s birthday party – children will choose a balance when given a choice. When choice is taken away, they do a Kate. We think birthdays happen once a year and no one should be made to feel bad for eating yummy cake on their birthday.

A lot of kids get to a lot of these parties over the years at school.

Particularly primary school. They are young and impressionable. What message are you trying to send your child in regards to food?

If celebrating means over-eating on a bunch of sugar and salt and additives from a packet, then we need to re-assess how and what we are celebrating. I want to vomit when I see those party rooms at fast food joints and the like.

Plenty of fun and tasty food comes from simple fresh ingredients garnished with a little fun. The best ones I did were at my daughters 4th birthday. Watermelon, strawberry and marshmallow skewers. Tasty and fun. I'm far more concerned about the numbers on the chip packet than the sugar in the fruit, and the marshmallows were there for a touch of fun, without being the star of the show.

It's probably a good idea to list the style of food on the invite also so people know what to expect. You can also get the kids involved and make food an activity (for example, DIY pizza or tacos). If you're game. Or focus less on food and more on activities and togetherness. What's it, 2-3 hours at these things? No-one's going to starve! Make it unique in your own family style and be proud of it. If you're from a different culture, show off some of that.

I don't want to be the fun police, but I don't want to clean up after the kid who overloaded on corn chips and cordial and threw up on the carpet either. There is food and there is non-food. A little non-food is fine as long as it's not replacing a meal of actual food.

Keep it fresh and home-made as much as possible and leave a the surprises for the cake and the goody bags.

Join the conversation...

Look for Parents Talk topics at www.kidsonthecoast.com.au/articles 32

Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

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The day promotes cleaner air, safety on our roads and new skills and confidence for our kids.

Details: www.bicyclenetwork.com.au MARCH 14

MEET SHAUN THE SHEEP

Where: Maroochydore Homemaker Centre Time: 11am – 2pm www.maroochydorehomemakercentre.com.au

MARCH 6

THE WIGGLES LIVE AT DREAMWORLD

Where: Dreamworld, Pacific Highway, Coomera When: 10:30am live performance,

NATIONAL RIDE2SCHOOL DAY

MEET JIMMY GIGGLE

Where: Maroochydore Homemaker Centre Time: 11am – 2pm www.maroochydorehomemakercentre.com.au

MARCH 13

INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY

8

MARCH

Where: Aussie World Time: 9am – 12pm Mention Tiny Tots Tuesday when you arrive and adults and children under 5 will pay just $10 each! While the kids are having fun, adults can enjoy a FREE coffee.

Details: $10 each. www.aussieworld.com.au

MARCH 7

CLEAN UP AUSTRALIA DAY

1

MARCH

Where: Event Cinemas Relax and catch a movie at the Bring Your Baby sessions.

Details: www.eventcinemas.com.au/ EventsPromotions/BringYourBaby

BRING YOUR BABY SESSIONS

MONDAY, WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY

TINY TOTS TUESDAYS

EVERY TUESDAY DURING SCHOOL TERM

LITTLE KIDS DAY OUT

MARCH 21

Where: Maroochydore Homemaker Centre Time: 11am – 2pm www.maroochydorehomemakercentre.com.au

Bullying. No Way! This annual day provides a focus for all school to strengthen their existing messages that bullying and violence at school are not okay at any time.

Details: www.bullyingnoway.gov.au

Where: Model Railway Park, Florence St, Nambour

MINI STEAM TRAIN RIDES

MARCH 22

MEET SKIPPER! FROM PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR

MARCH 21

NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST BULLYING AND VIOLENCE

MARCH 20

Where: Kawana Waters Hotel Time: Friday and Saturday night, Sunday afternoon Enjoy a meal on the deck while the kids are entertained with colouring in, face painting, games and a jumping castle.

Details: Free. www.kawanawatershotel.com.au

KIDS ENTERTAINMENT – KAWANA WATERS HOTEL

EVERY FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY

MARCH

Where: Caloundra Regional Gallery, Omrah Ave, Caloundra Join in the fun with a focus on digital technology where kids can design cool ideas for paddle pop stick creations.

Details: Free. www.gallery.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au

CALOUNDRA REGIONAL GALLERY KIDS CLUB

FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH

Where: Event Cinemas Time: 10am Looking for something to do with the family?

Why not take them to the movies and catch a cheap flick?

Details: $6 a ticket. www.eventcinemas.com.au

Where: Eumundi Square, Eumundi Flying trapeze, bungee trampoline and afterschool circus programs for kids!

Details: www.cirqueespace.com

Where: Maleny Dairies, 70 McCarthy Rd, Maleny Time: 10:30am & 2:30pm Experience life on a real farm and see the whole process of milk from the cow to the bottle.

Details: $9 per person (2yrs & over).

Bookings: 5494 2392. www.malenydairies.

$6 WEEKEND FAMILY FLICKS

CIRQUE ESPACE

MALENY DAIRIES FARM & FACTORY TOUR

SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS

WEDNESDAY TO SUNDAY

MONDAY TO SATURDAY

Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, Shrek Madagascar, © 2015 Kung DreamWorks Fu Panda,Animation Shrek © Studios 2015 DreamWorks L.L.C. Animation Studios L.L.C.

Where: Bulcock Street, Caloundra Time: 8am to 1pm

CALOUNDRA STREET FAIR

EVERY SUNDAY

Where: Big Pineapple, Nambour Connection Road, Woombye Time: 6:30am – 1pm The biggest all-weather market with fresh fruit and veges plus an array of art, amazing food, clothing and more.

Details: www.bigpineapple.com.au/saturday-growers-markets

BIG PINEAPPLE MARKETS

EVERY SATURDAY

Where: QCWA Hall, Beerwah Time: 3pm – 8pm A celebration of all things handmade, bouncy castle for the kids and free craft activities.

Details: www.community.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au

ART AND CRAFT TWILIGHT MARKET

APRIL 7

Where: Noosa Leisure Centre, Noosaville Time: 8am – 11am Everything you need for your baby with pre-loved and new items.

35+ stalls full of toys, books, shoes, clothing, cots, prams, bassinets, breast pumps, bikes, maternity clothes and much more! Stalls are only $35. To make a booking visit our website.

Details: www.noosakidsmarket.com.au. Email: natsmith76@hotmail.com

NOOSA KIDS AND BABY MARKET

MARCH 29 & APRIL 26

Where: Nambour Primary School, Nambour Time: 9am – 12pm Come along to this market to find new and beautiful handmade items for your little one or stock up on affordable pre-loved essentials.

Details: $2 entry (kids free). Free jumping castle, yummy food and bounty bags! www.sunnycoastbabykidsmarket.com.au

SUNNY COAST BABY AND KIDS MARKET

MARCH 15

Where: Kawana Shoppingworld Car Park, Buddina Time: 6:30am – 10am Preloved baby and kids market. Come down and grab a bargain!

Details: www.facebook.com/MultipleBirthCarBootSale

BABY AND KIDS CAR BOOT SALE

MARCH 8

Where: Memorial Drive, Eumundi Time: Wednesday, 8am - 1:30pm / Saturday, 7am - 2pm You’ll find original artworks, sculptures, furniture, handmade toys, home wares, skincare as well as cutting edge fashion and jewellery by local designers, all guided by the ethos “make it, bake it, sew it, grow it”.

Details: www.eumundimarkets.com.au

EUMUNDI MARKETS

EVERY WED & SAT

MARKETS

- CALENDAR -

REGULAR EVENTS

Sun

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Where: Australia Zoo, Beerwah Leaping leprechauns! Australia Zoo GOES GREEN to celebrate St Patrick’s Day with Red Hot Rhythm performing live in the crocoseum at 11:50am.

Details: Prices from $35 for a child ticket. www.australiazoo.com.au

ST PATRICK’S DAY

MARCH 17

Where: Event Cinemas, Sunshine Plaza All your favourite Pixar Films back on the big screen! Receive a special activity book with each ticket plus every week there will be a new collector card for each film as well as prizes for the best dressed person!

Details: $8 each. www.eventcinemas.com.au

PIXAR FILM FESTIVAL – CARS

MARCH 14 & 15

Where: Event Cinemas All your favourite Pixar Films back on the big screen! Receive a special activity book with each ticket plus every week there will be a new collector card for each film as well as prizes for the best dressed person!

Details: $8 each. www.eventcinemas.com.au

PIXAR FILM FESTIVAL – UP!

MARCH 21 & 22

Where: Gympie Civic Centre, Mellor St, Gympie Time: 9am – 3pm A BIG day of fun for you and your little ones!

Heaps of exciting activities including Flipside Circus, dance and science shows, shopping and information stalls!

Details: Free. www.ecta.org.au

Where: Maroochydore Homemaker Centre Time: 11am – 2pm www.maroochydorehomemakercentre.com.au

MEET THE TMNT

MARCH 28

Where: Mons Playgroup Centre, 1 Mons School Rd, Buderim Time: 10am – 12pm Join in the fun at playgroup with lots of activities for kids to explore! Jumping castle, sausage sizzle, free giveaways and plenty more.

Details: Free. www.playgroupqld.com.au

NATIONAL PLAYGROUP WEEK

MARCH 27

Time: 10am – 3pm Kids love riding on these mini steam trains and diesel locos. Bring a picnic and make a day of it.

Details: www.scrms.org.au

WILD WORLD AT DREAMWORLD Where: Dreamworld, Pacific Highway, Coomera Details: See website for details. www.dreamworld.com.au

Where: Aussie World, Frizzo Rd, Palmview Time: 9am – 5pm daily Join in the festivities with our Easter Bonnet competition, gigantic Easter Egg Hunt and get creative with Easter egg painting. Loads of prizes and giveaways and of course a visit from the Easter Bunny.

Details: Easter fun is included in the admission price. Single entry from $33. www.aussieworld.com.au/events/easter-fun

DOWNLOAD

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

Where: Arts & Ecology Centre, Maroochy Botanic Gardens, Tanawha Time: Various Times Geckoes Wildlife present a session on flying foxes. Young artists can learn how create Fairy Wren artworks or learn about the importance of natural habitats.

Details: Bookings essential. $5 registration fee. www.community.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au

WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS

APRIL 7 TO 16

Where: Riverwalk Stage, Sunshine Plaza, Maroochydore Time: Daily at 10am, 11am and 1pm.

Join in the fun at Sunshine Plaza and be entertained by Peppa Pig and George. There will lots of chances to meet and greet your favourite characters, balloon twisting and more.

Details: Free. www.sunshineplaza.com

PEPPA PIG AND GEORGE LIVE SHOW

APRIL 7 TO 11

Where: Queensland Air Museum, Caloundra Time: 10am – 4pm Join the noise with the awesome sight and sound of a 1500 horsepower 14-cylinder engine powering up! Check out the museum while you’re there.

Details: Family pass $35. www.qam.com.au

AERO ENGINE RUN DAY

APRIL 11

Where: Mystery Island Kids Club, Maroochy RSL, Memorial Ave, Maroochydore Time: 7.00pm Head to Mystery Island to celebrate its 6th birthday – Crazy Carnival style!

Details: Mystery Island Kids Club entry fees – members $2.50, non-members $4.50. www.maroochyrsl.com.au/mystery-island

MYSTERY ISLAND 6TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

APRIL 11

Where: Dreamworld, Pacific Highway, Coomera Details: See website for details. www.dreamworld.com.au

SCREAMWORLD EASTER

APRIL 10

Where: Maroochy RSL, Memorial Avenue, Maroochydore QLD Time: 7.00pm Be part of all the antics and laughter as Jungle George takes you on a trek of a lifetime. Dress up in your best jungle gear and join in the fun.

Details: Free. www.maroochyrsl.com.au

JUNGLE GEORGE FAMILY SHOW

APRIL 8

Where: Model Railway Park, Florence St, Nambour Time: 10am – 3pm Kids love riding on these mini steam trains and diesel locos. Bring a picnic and make a day of it.

Details: www.scrms.org.au

MINI STEAM TRAIN RIDES

APRIL 26

Where: Lake Kawana Community Centre, Sportsmans Pde, Kawana Time: 8:30am – 4pm Loads of titles and genres to choose from with over 10 000 donated and pre-loved books. All funds raised help support Lifeline services.

Details: Free entry. www.uccommunity.org.au

LIFELINE BOOKFEST

APRIL 17 TO 19

Where: The Ginger Factory, Yandina Time: 11am daily Ahoy shipmates! Captain Salty is looking for boys and girls to have some fun and adventure on the high seas. Come dressed in your finest pirate gear and get ready to have some fun!

Details: Free. www.gingerfactory.com.au

PIRATES AT THE GINGER FACTORY

APRIL 13 TO 17

Where: Riverwalk, Sunshine Plaza, Maroochydore Keep the kids happy while you shop – let them burn off some energy on the free jumping castle.

Details: Free. www.sunshineplaza.com

JUMPING FUN

APRIL 12

ANZAC DAY

25

Sign up at www.kidsonthecoast.com.au for our weekly What’s On guide. We also have a special comprehensive activity and event eGuide every school holidays, covering all of South East Queensland. You can sign up online to be notified when the guide is launched and to receive the link to download your personal copy.

Don’t miss out on any events!

- on the coast

- in the city

Holiday Guide

April 2015

Easter

“ “ Things to do, places to go!

Where: Australia Zoo, Beerwah Easter at Australia Zoo means stacks of FUN, free face painting and of course you never know what that cheeky Easter Bunny has in store.

Details: Prices from $35 for a child ticket. www.australiazoo.com.au

EASTER HOLIDAY FUN

APRIL 3 TO 19

APRIL 3 TO 17

EASTER AT AUSSIE WORLD

APRIL 3 TO 6

APRIL Autism Awareness month APRIL

Visit www.kidsonthecoast.com.au for more events

Where: Lake Kawana Community Centre, Sportmans Pde, Kawana Time: Saturday 9am – 4:30pm / Sunday 9am – 3:30pm A fan event showcasing Lego creations and sets from Lego history. A play area is open during the event. Where will your imagination take you?

Details: Adults $10. Children 3-15 years $5.

Family (2ad + 2ch) $33. Under 3 years free. www.scvenuesandevents.com.au

BRICK EVENT

MARCH 7 & 8

11:30am meet and greet Have a wiggly good time at Dreamworld with a live performance and meet and greet by the Wiggles.

Details: Free with Dreamworld entry. www.dreamworld.com.au/whats-on/wigglesappearance

KEEP THE KIDS BUSY THIS EASTER HOLIDAY!

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

- on the coast

Nambour Civic Centre www.scvenuesandevents.com.au

THE 26-STOREY TREEHOUSE

JULY 9

Concert Hall, QPAC, South Bank www.qpac.com.au

MISTER MAKER

JULY 7 & 8

The Events Centre Caloundra www.scvenuesandevents.com.au

THE GRUFFALO’S CHILD

JUNE 16

Lake Kawana Community Centre www.scvenuesandevents.com.au

I AM JACK

MAY 19

Lake Kawana Community Centre www.kidspromotions.com.au

* We publish information based on what is supplied to us - to the best of our knowledge all details are correct at the time of printing, however we do recommend you check event details with the organisers

PLAY SCHOOL LIVE IN CONCERT – ONCE UPON A TIME

MAY 14

The Events Centre Caloundra www.scvenuesandevents.com.au

SLEEPING BEAUTY – CLASSICAL BALLET

APRIL 17

Nambour Civic Centre www.scvenuesandevents.com.au

CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS

APRIL 13 & 14

Brisbane Entertainment Centre www.brisent.com.au

WALKING WITH DINOSAURS

APRIL 1 TO 5

SHOWTIME

Where: Ocean St, Maroochydore Time: 5pm – 9pm An evening of art, craft and culture held in the epicentre of Maroochydore.

Details: www.nightsonocean.com.au

NIGHTS ON OCEAN

MARCH 13 & APRIL 10

There is something for the whole family with activities for kids, handcrafted locally made products and art, live entertainment and street theatre.

Details: Free. www.caloundrastreetfair.com.au

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SPECIAL FEATURE

bloom TO M ROO

CLEVER DESIGN FOR CHILDREN’S SPACES

by Belinda Kurtz

WHETHER YOU HAVE A LITTLE ONE ON THE WAY, A TODDLER OUTGROWING THEIR NURSERY OR A TEEN WITH VERY STRONG OPINIONS, A CHILD’S SPACE CAN OFTEN BE A SOURCE OF FRUSTRATION FOR DESIGN-CONSCIOUS PARENTS. IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, CHILDREN’S INTERIORS HAVE BECOME A HOT COMMODITY, WITH BIG BRANDS BRANCHING OUT INTO CHILDREN’S HOMEWARES, AND PARENTS HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE SPOILT FOR CHOICE. NO LONGER ARE BOYS’ BEDROOMS BLUE AND GIRLS’ BEDROOMS PINK, WITH SOME SORT OF YELLOW FARMYARD THEME FOR NURSERIES. Ideally, a child’s bedroom should be both inspiring and calming, a retreat, a place to display all their loved items, a place to play and of course a place to sleep. It should also reflect their personality. Phew!

Then in a few years when your child’s tastes change or they start school, it’s likely you’ll be decorating all over again. It’s no wonder some parents can feel a bit lost when trying to cater for their child as well as enhance the family home décor. Although it may seems like a big task – not to mention expensive – there are a few principles you can follow when planning your little (or not so little) one's space to get the most mileage out of your choices.

FROM NURSERY TO TEEN RETREAT With a few clever design choices at the nursery planning stage, parents can expect the majority of furniture pieces purchased could last a child into their teens. Instead of purchasing a traditional feeding chair, opt for a rocking chair in a classic shape, or a regular armchair that you love. Test it out if you can to ensure the arms are

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at a comfortable height for feeding. In the years to come, the chair could stay in the room to use for reading or be moved to another area of the home.

Nursery design has moved away from anything overly babyish, which is great for parents who prefer to buy key pieces that will last over time. Great colour schemes for boys include grey, black, white and timber with mint and metallics. Girls’ rooms designed around a grey base with raw timber, pastel peach, pink or mint and metallics are a great place to start. If you purchase most of the items for your nursery from ‘non-children’s’ stores, you are on the right path for a classic design that will withstand trends and your child’s ever-changing tastes.

Wall decals and removable wallpaper are great ways to add colour and interest to your child’s room at different stages.

Once your child moves out of their cot, a new bed, bedding and some cushions should be all you need to update your nursery to a big boy or girl bedroom.

Rooms are designed by Belinda Kurtz of Petite Vintage Interiors

MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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SPECIAL FEATURE

WHEN TO SAVE AND WHEN TO INVEST

INCORPORATING YOUR CHILD’S INTERESTS

It’s no secret that your child’s obsession with Transformers or Frozen is a passing phase. So, spending your entire budget on a themed room that they won’t love in a few years is not the best approach. The key to keeping everyone happy is to invest in neutral, quality furniture that will last, and use the remainder of your budget on interchangeable decorator pieces that can be moved on once your child’s next big love comes along.

What do you do if your daughter insists on a Frozen-themed bedroom? There are ways to include your child’s interests into their room without it being floor to ceiling Elsa posters! Consider purchasing some snowflake wall decals and a few ice blue cushions, a throw with silver thread or a white faux hide for a rug.

Etsy (www.etsy.com) sells lots of beautiful handmade creations; you’ll find some can even be custom made in Frozen colourways.

Investment items:

If your child is into horses or karate or boxing, search Society6 (www.society6.com) for amazing unique illustrations. Prints are generally affordable and you will often find artistic interpretations on popular children’s themes that are much more stylish than a Karate Kid poster!

• Bed – A great bed frame in a suitable size for your child is a great investment. Many parents are leaning towards double and queen size beds for their young children to grow into. Metallics, white, black and timber are all safe choices, unless you are looking for a real statement.

• Chair – An armchair or beautiful rocking chair in a neutral colour like grey will last for years. A replica Featherston chair is perfect for all rooms with its sleek modern shape.

• Art – A large piece of beautifully framed art really transforms the look of a room and will always be a great investment. Ensure you choose something that is timeless and really speaks to you, as large-scale artworks can be expensive. You want to ensure that you will still love it in years to come.

Where to save: • Furniture – If you’re looking to save money buying nursery furniture, a chest of drawers with a changing station area set up on top is a great option rather than buying a separate change table. A good quality chest of drawers can last your little one for many years to come, however a cost-saving option is to look for a vintage chest of drawers in great condition. As well as being cost effective, it can be painted or covered in decals to make a statement.

• Wall coverings – Wall decals and removable wallpaper are a high-impact, budget-friendly way to make a statement in any space, and they are ideal for renters and people who don’t want to make a long-term commitment to a particular look.

• Soft furnishings – It is great to invest in some quality cushions and linen, but if you’re looking for an inexpensive way to change an existing room, these items can be picked up relatively cheaply.

You can try those yellow accents for a few months without having to spare half of your budget. When your child’s favourite colour inevitably changes you won’t have invested too much.

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Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

Whatever direction you decide to take, it’s great to get your little one involved in making some of the design decisions, because if they love the space, they will want to use it more.

MORE THAN JUST A SLEEPING SPACE Children need time out from the hustle and bustle of family life as much as parents do, and creating a space within your little one’s room for play, reading or study will encourage them to use their room for more than just sleep. Reading corners with inexpensive shelving or a few baskets beside a chair for books encourages your child to use their room for quiet play. A craft table or small desk for young children and a study desk for older children gives them a quiet place to get creative. After all, if you’re investing the time to decorate a room for them, it’s wonderful to see them enjoy it.

STORAGE OPTIONS A common issue parents face when creating a lovely room for their child is storing all the things they have accumulated in their short lives.

If you’re drowning under a soft toy collection or 50 matchbox cars, the right storage solutions will save you many hours of frustration.

First, decide what special items are to be displayed and what you would like to conceal. Concealing toys doesn’t mean they’re not accessible for play but will help minimize lots of clutter. The IKEA (www.ikea.com/ au) STUVA system is great for storing soft toys and can also be used as a reading bench. The Family Love Tree (http://thefamilylovetree.com.au) make a great storage shelf that could be used for a toy car collection, giving the cars their own storage space while becoming a feature of the room. A few storage baskets that tie in with your decor look great in an unused corner and will catch any stray toys too.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

If they love the space, they will want to use it more.

SAFETY It’s important when looking through inspirational photos on Pinterest to note that a lot of rooms have been styled for a photo shoot and may not always represent the best safety for day-to-day living. Always use qualified tradespeople or people experienced in mounting heavy lights, artwork or shelving. If you love the look of shadow boxes above the bed but your child is prone to climbing, it may be best to put them somewhere else. Remember that cords and garlands hanging near beds can present a hazard; consider removing them before bedtime or hang them well out of reach. If you have purchased a heavy chest of drawers or a shelving unit, consider bolting them to the wall. Be sure to check that all lights meet Australian standards.

HOW A PROFESSIONAL CAN HELP Social media platforms like Instagram and Pinterest are amazing for showcasing lots of beautiful products, designers, stylists and parents who create beautiful children’s rooms and are inspiring more and more parents to create the perfect space for their child. With so many choices available parents can often feel overwhelmed, and this is a where a professional can help.

Demand has seen the birth of a new breed of interior stylist – the children’s interior designer – whose role is to help parents plan out their children’s rooms, designing them to be functional, beautiful and a place that kids want to use, as well as a room that parents no longer want to hide. Children’s interior designers are immersed in the industry and they know all the new products and looks that parents love. They are also great at cutting through all the options

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and helping parents narrow down their choices. If you’re dealing with a particular space, an enormous trophy collection or you’ve just come to a complete style impasse with your child, a children’s interior designer can help. They will also advise on the best layout for a room to make the most of a space and present you with options that you may not have considered. If you’re planning a nursery, they can also assist you to plan for the future.

Whether your budget is $500 or $5000, whether your child has their own room or they share with siblings, whether their room is filled with vintage finds or top-of-the-range everything, a child’s bedroom will be etched in their memory for the rest of their lives.

Remember, there are no rules here. It’s a child’s room and it should be as fun to live in as it is to decorate!

Belinda is a passionate children’s interior stylist based on the beautiful Sunshine Coast whose unique style inspires little ones (and their stylish parents) all over the world. In just two years, her business Petite Vintage Interiors has grown to be the largest children’s interior design specialist company in Australia. For more information visit petitevintageinteriors.com.au

MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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BABIES

THE MIRACLE of MEDITATION Relieving stress and anxiety in mums-to-be

IN THIS ARTICLE, AUTHOR AND MEDITATION MASTER YOGI BRAHMASAMHARA GIVES A WONDERFUL INSIGHT INTO HIS JOURNEY TOWARDS WRITING MEDITATION FOR MOTHERHOOD, AN ESSENTIAL RESOURCE FOR NEW MOTHERS AND MOTHERS-TO-BE LOOKING FOR A HOLISTIC WAY TO ACHIEVE A GREATER SENSE OF WELLBEING. The first ‘clue’ that authentic Zen meditation may be of profound value to women at all stages of the motherhood journey came when a young pregnant student told me that her baby had stopped moving for three days after she had enjoyed a long meditation. Naturally anxious, she saw her specialist who said that they were both fine and the baby was just meditating too.

The second was another student who had recently given birth after practising meditation throughout her pregnancy. She told me that she was so peaceful and calm that she had actually fallen asleep between contractions. After contacting many other new mothers who had practised meditation at the Sanctuary during their pregnancy, it slowly dawned on me that meditation may be significant in other aspects of the pregnancy/birthing process such as increasing the possibility of overcoming difficulties in falling pregnant (including IVF) as well as a vastly increased possibility of a completely natural delivery.

For example, in my admittedly tiny sample of about 35 meditating new mothers, only 13% had intervention of one kind or another at birth – quite meaningless to me until my subsequent research showed that more than 90% of women in Australia do not experience a totally natural childbirth. In fact, 37% of births today are by caesarean whereas only two of the meditating mothers delivered in that way, both for medical reasons.

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Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

In the recently released book, Meditation for Motherhood – Gentle Zen meditation for Conception, Pregnancy and Birth (Rockpool Publishing, $24.99), Australian meditation master Yogi Brahmasamhara (Brahm) provides mothersto-be with a practical guide to Zen meditation throughout conception, pregnancy and birth.

After five years training with an Indian yogi and then three years in a Japanese monastery with a Zen master, Brahm has since practised and taught for almost 40 years. He established the first Meditation Sanctuary in Leichhardt, Sydney, 15 years ago. Since then, and with other teachers, further sanctuaries have been established around Australia. The Meditation Sanctuaries are widely considered to be some of the most authentic Zen teaching centres in Australia, attracting hundreds of students each year. After writing his bestselling book Awakening on the practice of Zen meditation, some surprising comments from pregnant meditation students were the beginning of a writing journey that culminated in Meditation for Motherhood.

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BABIES

Further research worldwide showed that healthcare experts and scientists are now using meditation to reduce stress in IVF (a subsequent 60% increase in success rates) and that a significant number of the world’s 40% of ‘inexplicably infertile’ couples who meditate are becoming mums and dads after all.

Another very important issue drummed its way through in talking to many more mums (particularly non-meditators). A deeply recurring theme was that almost all had experienced anxiety, confusion and even deep distress over conflicting ‘expert’ opinions – not on the scientific understanding of foetal development or the medical side of baby’s basic health but, incredibly, the key natural aspects of the early nurturing of the little one; crying, comforting, feeding and sleeping. I found that the utter naturalness of nurturing a newborn has seemingly gone ‘off the rails’.

Mothers are being conditioned to heed the often ridiculous expectations and false advice saturating modern society. They are beginning to forget the age-old practice of listening first to their own innate wisdom and also to the clear messages every baby conveys from the second of birth. As one mother said to me, “Don’t they know that deep down, we know!”

The key message in the book then became: The greatest wisdom on caring for your little one is inherent in both you and the baby, passed into your very genes through countless generations before you.

Meditation is not a miracle that gives you a golden pass to the perfect pregnancy, perfect delivery and perfect way of positively influencing your baby’s experiences. But it is the most natural and beautiful practice available to drill right into that innate wisdom.

In Meditation for Motherhood, I say that authentic Zen meditation is not a miracle that gives you a golden pass to the perfect pregnancy, perfect delivery and perfect way of positively influencing your baby’s experiences. But it is the most natural and beautiful practice available to drill right into that innate wisdom. Meditation is now proven worldwide to help women become calm, poised, deeply focused, peaceful of being, awake and wiser in all the motherhood situations they may face.

In practical terms, it is the wisest and most successful way to permanently de-stress, through learning how to breathe correctly, let go of tension, damp down the mind worry and apprehension, and deeply focus on ‘just this’. Above all, meditation becomes a complete confidence-building support resource from conception to bonding.

So that mothers-to-be can reap optimum benefits from practising meditation, I have selected some of the loveliest authentic practices for the book. They are presented as a developing programme for the various motherhood stages from pre-pregnancy, through the trimesters, through delivery itself to bonding with the precious one. There are over forty exercises provided along with descriptive pictures of key positions to achieve a sense of calm.

Guidance is also given on how to overcome stress and anxiety, with advice on the correct breathing methods and helpful techniques for visualisation and achieving mindfulness.

To get a little taste of the wonderment of meditation, you might like to try this simple meditation exercise in letting go tension. Even this one practice, done daily, can have great benefit on your wellbeing quite quickly.

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Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

Letting go tension Lie down on your back, arms away from the body, ankles a little apart and hands facing down.

Stiffen your whole body including your face muscles and hold comfortably for 15 seconds.

Take a minute or so to then very slowly release the tension in the whole body – all at the same time.

Then…

We take the relaxation deeper, letting go more tension in little body areas, one at a time. Focus on each area in the following order.

Start with the muscles around your eyes (very important), then the face, scalp, neck, arms (one at a time), hands, fingers – right to the tips – slowly down the body, chest, stomach, lower body, back, buttocks, thighs, calves, feet and toes.

Focus on each part. Be aware of just that part and keep letting go one little bit at a time, then move on. Do this until you are really relaxed.

Finally…

Be like an iceblock in the sun. Visualise your whole body melting. Try and keep your awareness in your body and how it is feeling. Allow yourself to relish the enjoyment of the experience of being tension free. Complete this very slowly so you don’t ‘spill the calm’.

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TEENS

TEENAGE TRUANCY AND SCHOOL REFUSAL WHY SKIPPING SCHOOL MATTERS For some teenagers, the school years are anything but the ‘best years of your life’. The combined pressures of peer interactions, parental expectations and academic load can make school feel like something to endure and survive, rather than a place in which to learn, create and thrive. Consequently, many teens experiment with truancy. This may be a one-off bout of rebellion or a long-term pattern of absence. In the extreme, students may simply refuse to attend, leaving parents at a loss as to how to give their teenagers the best education and opportunities for later in life. So, why is it so important for teens to stay at school?

And, as a parent, what can you do to help?

WHY SCHOOL ABSENCE MATTERS Queensland law states that children must attend school until they are 16 years old and be in some form of approved training or education program until they are 17. Legally, it’s the parents’ responsibility to keep children in school. Yet research into absenteeism conducted for Education Queensland’s Every Day Counts initiative (2013) showed that the overall attendance rate in Queensland schools was around 92%. Attendance rates generally start to decline from Year 7 at the start of the teenage years, hitting their lowest level in Year 10, then gaining some ground by Year 12 as students prepare for what comes next. Some of these absences are due to legitimate causes, like illness, but the others are classified in the research as ‘unexplained’ or ‘unauthorised’ and reflect the fact that for some teenagers, secondary school is a place they simply would rather not be.

Research for the Every Day Counts initiative shows that a low level of school attendance is directly associated with poor academic achievement. This may then lead to leaving school early, fewer employment prospects and a lower quality of life down the track.

Absenteeism in the early years of education has strong links with lower reading levels, whilst frequent absences in later years are more closely associated with numeracy deficiencies.

Education is not just about academic achievement; school attendance also provides children with skills in areas like self-discipline,

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Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

by Lara Cain Gray

time management and socialisation. In some ways, attending school also keeps kids safe. Children who are trying to avoid school may put themselves at risk by trying to hide from authority figures or entertain themselves outside the home during the day.

WHY DO TEENS WANT TO SKIP SCHOOL? Despite messages about the importance of education, schools are still faced with regular absenteeism from some students in the secondary years. Unfortunately, there is no simple ‘cause and effect’ model we can apply to teen truancy or school refusal. Let’s face it: not much about life with teenagers is simple. The same heightened emotions and passionate beliefs that can make our teenagers vibrant, energetic contributors to the community can equally leave them vulnerable to peer pressure, anxiety and a lack of direction.

Whilst every case of school refusal is individual, there are a few common root causes, including: • bullying at school • bullying at home or online • being a low achiever • not meeting parental expectations • boredom • lack of career goals or inspiration • not ‘fitting in’ • clinical depression or anxiety • developmental or learning disorders • family factors, such as illness or financial constraints.

Children may experience one or more of these challenges at the same time, and each of these causes can be further broken down into a complex set of reasons and possible impacts. For example, a feeling of not fitting in can be a transient emotional state, associated with changing schools or changes in a friendship circle, or it might be part of a long-term struggle with anxiety that leaves the child in a constant state of uneasiness in social situations.

Brisbane psychologist Raymond Inkpen, who works regularly with

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45

TEENS children and adolescents, says there are endless possible scenarios that lead teens to skip school. From simple boredom to the extremes of mental or physical health challenges, Raymond says that it’s important to look at each case on an individual basis and deal with our kids compassionately. “Know your children,” says Raymond, “and respond to any changes in their behaviour sensitively and in a timely manner. Don’t simply wait for things to get better, but don’t overreact either.” Communication, it seems, is the key. But parents can find talking to their teens is the biggest challenge of all.

Brisbane mum of two Tina says she finds it “hard to tell the difference between illness, anxiety and just plain cheeky”.

Teenagers can be masterful at feigning illness, but can also quite genuinely suffer from complaints like stress headaches, period pains or muscle aches associated with growth and development. It can be tempting to cover for your child if they need a one-off day of rest, but if any of these symptoms become habitual, it’s time for a trip to see your GP or school counsellor.

While some problems may be significant signs of illness or anxiety, in other cases truancy is just a sign of teenage rebellion. Jack, 13, says that the main reason his peers avoid classes is because the classes themselves are not engaging enough. He adds that school counsellors are of no help if it’s the classroom environment a student is reacting against. A feeling of boredom is a strong motivator for not wanting to be at school, from the lowest achiever, who may feel intimidated or embarrassed, to the highest achiever, who may not feel challenged enough. Local mother of four Tracey also suggests that children stay away from school to avoid exams or on days when there is an event on they have no interest in such as sports days or visits from guest speakers. Schools, teachers and educational researchers are working hard to innovate in this area and find new ways to keep kids engaged in the school environment.

WHAT ARE SCHOOLS DOING ABOUT TRUANCY AND SCHOOL REFUSAL?

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION VISIT: Every Day Counts: education.qld.gov.au/ www.everydaycounts Safe Schools Hub: www.safeschoolshub.edu.au Triple P – Positive Parenting Program: www.triplep.net

To find a psychologist in your local area who specialises in children and adolescents, visit the Australian Psychological Society website www.psychology.org.au

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It’s getting a lot harder for kids to skip school without their parents knowing. Most Queensland secondary schools have checking mechanisms whereby parents are notified by text message if a child is not at school. According to most local mums and teens spoken to, the most common form of disciplinary action for truancy is detention. Another popular approach is to link attendance records to important privileges, like the school formal or annual camp. But for children who may be experiencing more significant problems, like mental health issues, bullying or family dysfunction, such punishments may only force the child towards further absence. It’s a huge challenge for schools to find the best approaches to manage individual truancy cases.

Schools may also provide guidance officers, counsellors or school chaplaincy programs, but these are highly variable in their effectiveness and approachability. Claire, 16, reports that seeing the school counsellor at her school is like a red flag to bullies. Kids who are seen to visit the counsellor may be singled out as kids with ‘problems’ and suffer the torment of peers as a result. On the other hand, Brisbane mum Tracey reports a positive experience with her school’s chaplaincy program which offers a relaxed ‘chill out’ space where teens can drop in for a chat without the formality of a counselling session.

The Every Day Counts initiative highlights the importance of high quality teaching and good student/teacher relationships as significant determinants of a positive relationship with school.

Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

Bullying at school is flagged as one of the most important issues facing parents and teachers right now. The National Safe Schools Framework was rolled out in 2010, providing resources to schools, children and parents in an effort to combat aggression and encourage a culture and philosophy of respect in our schools, but its implementation is an ongoing process for school management teams.

Psychologist Raymond Inkpen also works with children who attend flexible learning centres and says these can be effective for kids who continually struggle to engage with the conventional education system. Distance education or vocationally focused programs run by organisations like the YMCA offer a supportive learning environment for small groups of students, run by teachers who specialise in social and academic teen challenges. Raymond points out, however, that while these options are a useful alternative, they will not always be a solution. Underlying concerns for the child, especially in areas like developmental disorders or mental health issues, will still require effective diagnosis and professional guidance.

WHAT CAN PARENTS DO? Knowing the risks of regular absenteeism, most parents do their best to support their teens to stay at school. Although different families will need to work with their own personal circumstances, the following suggestions are a useful guide on ways to help keep your kids keen on education.

• Keep the lines of communication open. Try to talk compassionately with your child about their reluctance to go to school, rather than relying on disciplinary measures alone.

• Take an interest in their schoolwork. Help with homework, ask about their latest experiences or assignments and help them find links between schoolwork and long-term benefits.

• Provide positive role modelling. Parents who have had negative experiences of schooling themselves may inadvertently give negative messages about education. Likewise, covering for your child might be a way of supporting them on the odd occasion, but if this becomes a habit, you may actually be reinforcing their negative relationship with school.

• Work with the school where possible. Attend parent/teacher meeting opportunities and monitor how the school is handling student issues. Don’t be afraid to ask your school about their policies on bullying or the support services that may be available to your child.

• Encourage your child to do their personal best, but remember that not everyone is a maths whizz or spelling champ. Help your teen seek out their unique gifts and talents.

• Help teens see the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ by discussing career options and future possibilities that lie beyond the school gates. In older years, look for work experience or volunteering possibilities that might help teens make links between education and professional life.

Effective parenting strategies can work wonders for children displaying generally defiant or oppositional behaviours according to Raymond Inkpen. He supports the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program developed at the University of Queensland, which can be accessed via trained psychologists or through flexible delivery options across the state if you need further tips in this area. The Every Day Counts initiative and the Safe Schools Hub also offer online parent resources with helpful suggestions about combating barriers to education.

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limits in both areas, which help them to stay fit, positive of mind and on the right path the reaching their full potential in life.

Infinity Martial Arts offers a range of fun and interactive classes for 2–15 year olds that have been designed to make sure every child is challenged and given the chance to reach their full potential.

3. Respect: the instructors at Infinity work one-on-one with the students and strive to ensure all children learn the art of respect - teaching them to behave appropriately and hold a high regard for teachers, parents and other mentors that are present during their life.

With classes starting for children as young as 2, it allows kids to get a head start on learning vital skills such as paying attention, listening and showing self-control. The classes focus on hand and eye coordination, which is extremely important in early learning development.

4. Honour: all children will have the opportunity to progress through the coloured belt rank system. This provides the building blocks for learning how to set and achieve goals. The honour brings a positive social standing and more importantly improves their overall self-esteem.

Their programs not only teach children healthy and active habits from a young age, but also endeavour to give every student valuable lessons for life. All instructors at Infinity are full-time professionals that take pride in teaching quality, child-friendly martial arts that will help tackle selfconfidence, bullying and socialisation issues.

5. Personal Safety: students are trained to defend themselves against bullies in and out of the schoolyard. infinity teach non-violent ways to deal with the bully as well as providing valuable tools to make sure children don’t become a bully themselves.

1. Self-Discipline: research shows that children who train in martial arts develop a high level of discipline that flows through to how they focus and behave on a daily basis, in the classroom or at home.

6. Self-confidence and self-esteem: people that high levels of selfconfidence and self-esteem are less likely to be bullied, or become a bully for that matter. They are more likely to take on leadership roles in later life and have the belief in themselves to chase their dreams. This is the single most powerful life lesson, and one that they focus on most at Infinity.

2. Strength: physical and mental strength can be one of the most valuable components to carry through life. Children are encouraged to push their

“Your child deserves the best start in life - give them that with Infinity Martial Arts!” Call 1300 INFINITY for more details.

The Infinity Martial Arts 6 Lessons for Life:

BE QUICK! OFFER EXPIRES 30TH APRIL 2015 LOCATED IN NOOSA & KAWANA WATERS

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

47

ONLY NATURAL

Grow with yoga

by Stacey Nelson

Yoga is an ever-increasing popular activity choice for adults to help reduce stress levels. But what about our children? They also feel the pressures of our fast-paced world and increasing expectation of what they need to achieve. Children can be subjected to complex social hierarchies and cyber bullying, NAPLAN tests, transitions into new schools, diets filled with additives or diets that make them feel ‘different’. Many children are also affected by the heartbreak of divorce. No wonder we are facing an epidemic of childhood obesity and a generation of highly strung kids.

So, does yoga help reduce stress levels in kids too? Yes! Yoga for children offers the same benefits as it does for adults, and it is considered a holistic form of exercise because it offers benefits in the development of the whole child: physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual.

Physical benefits: • Provides fun cardiovascular exercise in a way that doesn’t deplete their energy • Strengthens growing joints that are susceptible to injury in high-impact sports • Improves respiratory capacity and function through the practice of diaphragmatic breathing (especially good for children with asthma or anxiety, as well as swimmers, athletes, wind musicians and singers) • Builds bone density • Tones muscles and develops core strength • Teaches good posture • Encourages spatial awareness (knowing where the body is in space) • Develops coordination and balance • Lowers blood pressure and stress hormones • Improves sleep quality and the ability to relax

Mental benefits: • Stimulates both sides of the brain which balances the cognitive and creative • Improves concentration, discipline and focus

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Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

• Increases attention span, alertness, memory and retention of information • Builds upon current language skills and encourages creative language through imaginative stories • Teaches how to ‘switch off’ and relax the mind

Emotional benefits: • Provides tools to help self-regulate emotions and stress • Builds self-confidence • Teaches self-acceptance • Encourages patience • Instils resilience • Accepts all emotions and teaches ways to channel powerful emotions into positive responses

Social benefits: • Provides opportunities for teamwork • Develops confidence to interact with new people • Teaches tolerance and acceptance of differences • Offers opportunities to try new skills in a safe and supportive environment

Spiritual benefits: • Yoga is a spiritual practice, but not a religion. Whilst the ancient heritage of yoga is steeped in Hindu beliefs, a children’s yoga class will focus on instilling good morals about being kind to ourselves, others and our world.

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

LIVE CHAT Tuesday March 10, 8:30pm

Caring for women through all stages of their life

Providing services at The Sunshine Coast Private Hospital, Buderim

- on the coast

facebook.com/ kidsonthecoast - on the coast

Guest expert Rachel Downie from stymie.com.au Answering your questions about bullying and how you can teach and empower your children to stand up for themselves and their peers.

Suite 18, Building B, Nucleus Medical Suites, 23 Elsa Wilson Drive, Buderim, 4556 Phone 5444 4433 info@drkylieisaacs.com.au • www.drkylieisaacs.com.au

maternity, newborn & family photography

memories are worth preserving josette@sproutphotography.com.au www.sproutphotography.com.au

Dr Julian Paxton MB, BS, FRACP Dr James Scorer MB, ChB, FRACP Dr Anthony Morosini MB, BS, FRACP new! Dr Sonia Shah MB, ChB, FRACP Sunshine Coast Paediatrics is delighted to welcome Dr Sonia Shah to the practice. Dr Shah began her paediatric training in the UK and recently completed her training in Queensland at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Gold Coast Hospital, Caboolture Hospital and Nambour Hospital.

Dr Shah will be providing neonatal care as well as consulting in our speciality clinics.

She is happy to consult in all areas of General Paediatrics, her main interests include neonatal care, developmental problems, respiratory and endocrinology issues.

SPECIALISED CARE FOR TREASURED LITTLE PEOPLE

• Assessing and treating health problems such as Asthma, Eczema, Diabetes and Epilepsy in children of all ages from newborn babies to adolescents • Development, learning and behaviour problems including ADHD and Autism assessment • Short waiting times are available for urgent problems • Consulting rooms at new Buderim rooms for your convenience • Caring for newborn babies at Sunshine Coast Private Hospital

Nucleus Medical Suites –Sunshine Coast Private Hospital Suite 2A, 23 Elsa Wilson Drive, Buderim Qld 4556 | Ph (07) 5406 1270 Fax 5301 8100 www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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ONLY NATURAL What is the yoga breath?

It is easy to get excited about the incredible benefits yoga offers for the development of the whole child, but before you ask your child to turn into a pretzel shape or expect them to be ‘Zen’ when you sit in a cafe with a friend, there are some important things to consider.

SET AN INTENTION Think about what you want your child to get out of their yoga practice. Different yoga teachers will focus on different aspects of the practice. Some classes are super fun and engaging, filled with storytelling, games and imaginative play, while others spend more time in stillness and quiet. Check with the teacher first to know whether their class will suit your child to give them maximum benefit.

YOGA PRACTICE AT HOME

The science behind the yoga breath relates to the two different modes of the autonomic nervous system: sympathetic and parasympathetic.

The sympathetic nervous system is triggered by threats to our survival. Known commonly as the fight or flight mode, the body’s response includes increased heart rate, shallow breathing, activated muscles, high adrenaline levels and heightened emotions. When the nervous system is in parasympathetic mode, the body is in a state of calm and information can be processed.

When we breathe deeply, the lungs expand and press onto the diaphragm, a muscle that runs horizontally through the torso separating the lungs from the digestive organs. When the diaphragm is pressed, the vagus nerve in the front of the torso is stimulated, and it switches the nervous system from sympathetic to parasympathetic mode which sends a message to the brain to calm down.

Young children are natural yogis. They live in the present moment and their bodies are flexible and move easily into most yoga poses.

Resources to guide you at home DVDS Light Up Little Lights www.lightuplittlelights.com.au Cosmic Kids - www.cosmickids.com Yoga Kids - http://yogakids.com

FLASH CARDS Yoga Pretzels: 50 Fun Yoga Activities for Kids & Grownups Yoga Omspiration The Kids Yoga Deck: 50 Poses and Games

BOOKS ABCs of Yoga for Kids (by Power) My Daddy is a pretzel (by Baptiste) The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Yoga with Kids (by Komitor & Adamson) Yoga Kids: Educating the Whole Child Through Yoga (by Wenig)

Growing bodies need some slight adaptations to the practice, so it’s not safe for parents who practise yoga to simply teach their child what they do in their adult yoga class. Older children need more specific alignment cues to keep their joints safe. They will be at an age where they want to explore more adventurous poses like headstand and arm balances. It is important that these more risky poses are taught to them by a certified children’s yoga teacher.

Facilitate a space at home for their natural yoga practice to develop.

Roll out a yoga mat, put on some calm music, do some sun salutes and meditation next to them and let them follow you. Young children also love to follow DVDs and copy the pictures on flash cards.

The most important part of yoga that you can share with your child at home is the yoga breath.

FUN WAYS TO TEACH YOUR CHILD THE YOGA BREATH • Blow onto a feather. Do 5 fast and strong breaths to release anger, followed by 10 slow and calm breaths. Blowing onto a feather is a great strategy for children as young as 18 months.

• Blow bubbles into a cup of water using a straw. Ensure that you specify that this game is only played at designated times, or with the special straw or cup that you give them, so this activity isn’t practiced at the dinner table!

• Blow bubbles using a bubble wand.

• Imagine each finger is a candle then blow them out.

• Blow onto pinwheels.

• Blow pom poms along the table using a straw.

• Blow onto dandelion flowers.

CLASSES WITH A QUALIFIED CHILDREN’S YOGA TEACHER Having your child join a yoga class taught by a qualified children’s yoga teacher means that they will learn the correct techniques for the yoga breath – the secret to what makes yoga a calming practice.

A lot of children ‘reverse breathe’ where their belly recedes on the inhale. A yoga teacher will be able to help correct this breathing style and teach children to calm down using their breath.

A qualified children’s yoga teacher will safely guide the poses that are appropriate for your child’s age and development. They will have a wealth of creative ideas and resources to draw upon so your child will stay engaged while they learn.

When children are in a yoga class they tend to listen more and respond better to the guidance of a teacher than they do to their parent. A class environment will provide the opportunity for them to interact with other students and to learn how to create a space of respect, patience and tolerance of other people’s differences.

Children will usually spend longer in the relaxation phase of yoga when under the guidance of a teacher, especially if they are given an eye pillow and a head massage! Children often say that the still and quiet time is their favourite part of the class.

In whatever way you choose to share yoga with your child, ensure that this is a time for them to play, explore their body and find the balance of movement and stillness. The tools that yoga can teach them will translate into tools they can use to cope with the stresses of everyday life, and that is an invaluable gift to offer your child.

Stacey Nelson has over 20 years’ experience working with children in various contexts including the school classroom, early childhood, fitness, dance, sports teams, yoga and TV. She has taught children’s yoga for 10 years, facilitates kids yoga teacher training, is a yoga therapist at the Nambour Hospital Children’s Ward and has co-produced the kids yoga DVD ‘Light up Little Lights’. www.yogapalette.com.au

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Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

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Restoring your confidence with bladder control Dr Petra Ladwig from Suncoast Women’s Centre understands the problems most women face after giving birth. One of the most embarrassing side effects is often incontinence which can occur due to weakened pelvic floor muscles. A lot of women simply put up with this as the natural course of being a woman after child birth but this need not be the case. If addressed early these problems can be managed, improved and even cured by something as simple and painless as sitting in a chair, fully clothed for 20 minutes!

The pelvic floor controls your urinary, bowel and sexual functions yet these muscles are your most neglected. The new ‘Wave Brilliance’ Magnetic Pelvic Floor Stimulation chair (magnetic chair) uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve impulses which rapidly flex and tighten your pelvic floor muscles.

This is the equivalent of approximately 200 pelvic floor contractions every minute at 20 times greater the intensity than the patient can do themselves!

It is the ideal way to kick start or regenerate the pelvic floor and surrounding muscles to restore strength, endurance and continence.

Treatments are tailored to individual patients but a typical therapy program consists of two 20 minute treatments per week for eight weeks. Of course children are most welcome to attend with you and can simply sit and play whilst you undergo your treatment.

For more information about the new Wave Brilliance magnetic chair treatment phone the Suncoast Women’s Centre on 5437 7244 or visit Suite 5, 5 Innovation Parkway, Birtinya (Kawana). Medicare rebates available.

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www.petraladwig.com MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

51

HEALTH

ORAL HEALTH FOR CHILDREN ORAL HEALTH THERAPIST ALICE LEE FROM AVENUE DENTAL KAWANA JOINS US FOR A Q&A ON CHILDREN’S ORAL HEALTH. When is the best time to take my child to the dentist?

An early introduction allows children to get used to the dental environment. The first visit may simply involve a ride in the chair and seeing the instruments the dentist uses so that they feel confident with visiting the dentist. This should first occur about the time the child’s first baby tooth erupts. An anxious child can even have their early examinations while sitting on their parent’s lap.

After the first visit, regular examinations and cleans are recommended every six to twelve months in order to maintain healthy gums and to catch any small areas of concern early on that could potentially cause problems later. Regular visits to the dentist or oral hygienist will help parents gain a better understanding of their individual child’s needs to ensure they develop healthy habits and keep their teeth for life.

How do I maintain good oral health, especially when my child refuses to have her teeth brushed?

Children up to the age of eight often require parental help.

Dental professionals recommend that children brush their teeth twice daily, morning and night. Do not hesitate to help your child brush to make sure there is no soft plaque left behind. Children up to the age of eight often require parental help.

The simplest way to ensure that all surfaces are covered is to follow a three-step brushing method.

1. Brush the ‘outsides’, including all the sides facing the cheeks and lips.

2. Brush the ‘insides’, the surfaces closest to the tongue and roof of the mouth.

3. Brush the top surfaces of the teeth, making sure to brush as far back as possible to the last tooth visible in the mouth.

Always use a circular motion when brushing and angle the toothbrush so that both the sides of the tooth and the gums are brushed.

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Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

If you are unsure whether your child’s tooth cleaning efforts are effective, ask your dentist for some disclosing tablets. These tablets show areas of missed plaque, by staining any germs left on the teeth red. This is a great tool for both parents and children to learn the correct and most effective brushing technique.

What problems can children have with their teeth?

Tooth decay is the most common preventable disease that may present itself in the form of discolouration (brownish, black or yellow) or an open hole, and this will often cause pain and discomfort when well progressed. Look for signs of a pimple-like lesion, also known as an abscess, as this may indicate that the nerve of the adjacent tooth is dying which requires urgent treatment from a dentist. Your child’s dentist may take x-rays to check for decay during regular check-ups.

What is the best toothbrush and toothpaste to use for my children?

With so many options available, it can be overwhelming for parents to select the right products and tools to effectively maintain their child’s oral health.

When choosing a suitable toothbrush for your child, look out for specially designed children’s toothbrushes, which have a small head and a larger handle for a better grip. There are many electric toothbrushes on the market that are designed to make brushing fun.

Use a children’s toothpaste suitable for your child’s age as these have reduced fluoride content.

When the teeth no longer have significant spacing between them they will require more than just brushing alone to effectively clean them. Interdental brushes can be introduced as an addition to the daily brushing routine. These are tools used to clean between the teeth such as floss or various types of picks designed to squeeze between the teeth and clean areas the toothbrush cannot reach.

There are many types of interdental products on the market that work well for children, and trialling a few to get the right one could prevent the need for a filling later on.

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

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Maroochydore 5443 8111 60 Wises Road MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

53

DESTINATON

home CLOSE TO

Luxury PARENTS-ONLY SPECIAL SPOTS FOR PARENTS TO REFRESH AND RECHARGE Spicers Tamarind Retreat.

by Carolyn Tate & Natasha Higgins WHERE DOES YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR PARTNER FALL IN YOUR LIST OF LIFE’S PRIORITIES? PRETTY HIGH? MOST OF US WOULD SAY SO. BUT HAVING CHILDREN OFTEN MEANS GETTING CAUGHT UP IN THE DAY-TO-DAY AND FORGETTING ABOUT PRIORITIES IN YOUR LIFE THAT MATTER TO YOU. Kids are easy to prioritise: they’re noisy little people who constantly make demands and let you know when they are unhappy. But your relationship is different. It sits quietly in the corner, happy when you feed it, of course, but it can also quietly wither away if you neglect it.

front of your own wood burning fireplace or being pampered at Spa Anise, the beautiful day spa. You won’t be able to resist trying out some of the signature spa treatments with delicious sounding names like ‘Glace Ginger Sugar Smoother for Her’ and ‘Total Time Out for Him’.

That’s why we think getting away for kid-free time is so important.

And we’ve gathered together some of our favourite escape spots in South-East Queensland to do just that – relax, reconnect, and remember why you fell in love with each other in the first place.

The award-winning restaurant The Tamarind will wow you with its intimate setting and innovative Modern Asian cuisine. The restaurant has recently received two chef hats in the 2014-2015 Queensland Good Food Guide awards and two chef hats in the 2015 Australian Good Food and Travel Guide Chef Hat awards, so splash out and sample the delights of the five-course degustation menu which combines Asian flavours with fresh local produce.

Sunshine Coast

Serene lush green rainforest and beautiful rolling hills embrace the Asian-inspired Spicers Tamarind Retreat. There are many beautiful places to explore from this idyllic pocket near the hinterland town of Maleny, but when you arrive and experience the tranquillity, you will just want to kick back and relax.

A Luxury Falls Villa is an indulgence where you can relax in the cedar hot tub on your deck while listening to the soothing sound of nearby Gardner’s Falls. Relaxation is assured whether you are snuggling up in

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Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

Add a touch of learning to your time away with a Thai, Italian or French cooking class at the retreat’s own cooking school, where you will spend the day being taught by the talented chefs and creating delicious dishes before enjoying your creations with a glass of wine.

If you can, time your stay over a Sunday to enjoy live music at the regular Sunday afternoon jazz session. And keep an eye out for their new wellness weekends incorporating yoga, cooking, spa treatments and more.

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

REGISTER NOW TO BE IN TO WIN A free term’s worth of fees, personalised Kiddie Kicks soccer t-shirt & kids soccer ball (valued at $155). QUOTE ‘KOTC’ WHEN YOU REGISTER.

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TALK Parents

Some of the best-loved parenting bloggers in South East Queensland join Kids on the Coast and Kids in the City to discuss the topics that matter to you.

Join the conversation...

Look for Parents Talk topics at www.kidsonthecoast.com.au/articles

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

55

DESTINATON

THE KIDS ON THE COAST TEAM AND OUR FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS SHARE SOME OTHER FAVOURITE SPECIAL SPOTS CLOSE TO HOME...

home CLOSE TO

• Treetops – Montville • Alaya Verde luxury nature bed & breakfast – Ringtail Creek • Freestyle Escape luxury properties The Arthouse and The Escape + cooking and art classes – between Montville and Mapleton • Peppers Ruffles Lodge & Spa – Willow Vale • Spicers Peak Lodge – Maryvale, Scenic Rim

Have you discovered any hidden gems close to home?

Please share them with us on our Facebook page.

Mouses House

New Farm Park

Gold Coast

Brisbane

If you can bear to leave your chalet, there is plenty to experience with a soak in the retreat’s oak hot tub and a hit of tennis on the half-size court. The World Heritage listed Springbrook National Park awaits discovery on foot with the nearby 4km Twin Falls circuit. End the day by indulging in a private in-chalet massage before meeting the native possums who regularly visit the chalets in the evening.

Located by the Brisbane River, close to everything, and with gorgeous city and river views, the Brisbane Marriott is a great choice for a city getaway. Even better, they are offering a Couples Retreat Package to Kids on the Coast readers:

Just 30 minutes’ drive from the Gold Coast is a special place nestled in peaceful rainforest, perfect for romantics of all ages.

The Mouses House Rainforest Retreat at Springbrook offers 12 timber chalets linked by walkways and suspension bridges across cascading streams. The chalets have everything on hand for an indoor hideaway with a fully equipped kitchen, fireplace and double spa bath.

Correction: Oops! Did you spot the mistake in our January/February edition? In our destination article, we said that Coober Pedy is in Western Australia, when it fact it is in South Australia.

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Brisbane River

You’ll find it hard to leave this magical rainforest paradise.

Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

Brisbane is often overlooked as a retreat, but there is so much to see and do when you are without children, even for those who live there. See a show at QPAC; eat out at some of the wonderful restaurants in the city, Woolloongabba or Paddington; hit the eclectic cocktail bars and clubs of Fortitude Valley and West End, or just relax in a luxurious hotel room, leaving only to hit the day spa, the in-house restaurant or the pool.

Stay for one night in a city view room, and enjoy a bottle of Mumm champagne on arrival, valet parking and a delicious buffet breakfast for two. This package starts at $360. Use the checkout code Z17 when booking.

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

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And in what can only be described as the ultimate family holiday amenity, the resort offers Zone 4 Kids Club – a fully supervised kids club offering separate play spaces ensuring age appropriate care and activities for kids aged 0-12. Unlike any other kids club in Australia, every accommodation package includes up to four hours of supervised care each day in the famous Zone 4 Kids Club for all kids 0-12 years, which allows parents time to escape the daily routine and indulge in some holiday sightseeing or precious down time.

For the ultimate in Gold Coast family fun, Paradise Resort Gold Coast has it all. Voted ‘Best Family Resort in Australia’, it’s been described as a mini theme park or a cruise ship on land. The resort offers a range of accommodation options throughout its 358 guest rooms, with family comfort paramount, including themed King and Junior Bunkhouse rooms with gaming consoles and free game hire.

The entire central resort area features a giant lagoon pool, large heated spa and two enormous Zone for Kids (Z4K) water park attractions. Both the 0-5 year and 5-12 year water park attractions sport a myriad of slides, water

Paradise Resort Gold Coast also has its own ice-skating rink, PLANET CHILL – the only permanent ice skating rink within a resort in the southern hemisphere. Designed to thrill and chill resort guests of all ages, PLANET CHILL is a unique drawcard for families travelling to the Gold Coast.

A memorable holiday is never complete without good food at economical prices, and to help the holiday budget the resort offers a ‘Kids Eat for $8’ offer valid at Bistro Zagame’s, the Poolside Café and Bar or the Zone 4 Kids Club.

With an indoor and outdoor playground, a range of free daily activities and entertainment, and an exclusive adults only bar and spa area, Paradise Resort is the perfect choice for your next family holiday.

Packages start from only $179* per room per night for travel on selected dates until 31 March 2016. Visit www.paradiseresort.com.au for full details. *Conditions apply

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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PARENTVILLE

The bucket and spade list

by Aleney de Winter

My kids are ‘helping’ me to research a travel writing project that will see me traversing (via paper) 64 different destinations around the world. And by helping I mean they are trashing my piles of travel books and brochures.

But their ‘research’ has resulted in some seriously itchy little feet.

So much so that just as I am about to paddle board down the Brazilian Amazon, my biggest little explorer hands me a list – an addendum to his bucket and spade list. The original came about after he’d heard the term – sans ‘spade’ – in conversation, and despite his previous concerns about his bucket leaking, two years later nothing seems to have spilled from it. He still wants to do everything on the list, with one small exception. You see, at the age of six he thinks it would be ridiculous to climb the Eiffel Tower dressed as Spiderman. He wants to do it dressed as a Ninja.

Awaiting a list of candy-coated, cartoon-themed destinations I am again gobsmacked by my boy’s picks.

“I want to go to Alaska because the Northern Lights look like magic. I also want to meet a moose and see polar bears, but not if they eat me.”

I concur, Raffles. Being brutally devoured by a polar bear would be a bit of downer.

“I want to go to the Tomatino festival in Spain to get splattered.”

Bags not doing the laundry afterwards, Sunshine.

“Then to India because they’d have so much curry there and I love Hindu gods… especially Hanuman.”

Indeed food. And flying monkey gods. Let’s go!

“I want to see those monkeys with doodle noses that live in Borneo. And orang-utans too Mama, because they remind me of you.”

Right! And your hirsute orange-hued mother wants to spend the afternoon listing you on eBay. Oh, and I’ve been there, so can confirm that they’re generally referred to as proboscis monkeys.

“I want to go exploring the Amazon to see cool animals and discover a new civilisation of people who will make me their king.”

Whoah! Aspirational much, dude?

Two cute little ears attached to an even cuter little head have been listening in on our conversation and soon my three-year old daughter is pleading to be let in on the bucket and spade list action. Given her age and the fact that she’s currently clad in an ensemble of candy-striped tights, purple tutu, dragon wings, baby Blundstones and tattoos that she’s inked on herself with pen, I’m expecting her list to be a rainbow-hued list of fairylands best reached on the back of a Harley. But no, she has far bigger aspirations.

“I want to go to Arendelle to visit Elsa because they opened up the gates for ice skating.”

I know they opened up the gates because I saw it in the movie too. About 87,594 times. Hopefully they’ll have a bar with frozen margaritas. If not, the talking snowman gets it.

“I want to go to the Amazon; they have anacondas there. I’ll take my pink handbag to put treasures in.”

I suppose if one is going to trek through unexplored snake-filled jungle, one does need to accessorise.

“I want to go to Africa to pat the big kitties and doggies.”

And the ‘kitty cats’ could rip your arms and legs off whilst the doggies, or hyenas as they’re sometimes known, laugh uproariously.

“I need to go to Japan so I can get green Kit Kats.”

Hmmm… I could go some green tea Kit Kats myself.

“I want to go to Gran and Grandad’s house to play.”

A lovely idea, little one – let’s mark it off first!

Aleney de Winter is a travel, food and parenting writer. For more hilarious antics from her globetrotting six-year-old foodie son and daredevil three-year-old daughter, visit her blog www.boyeatsworld.com.au

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Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

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30% of children have some type of eye condition that affects vision?

Free pair of sunglasses

In most cases if the eye condition is detected early enough, exercises can be given to avoid it developing into a vision problem at school. In some cases vision problems exhibit themselves in children who have short attention spans but often are undetected by the parents or carers.

(Up to RRP $19.95) for each of your children when they have an eye examination with a Looking Smart Optometrist.

(Age Limit from 6 months - 12 years)

At Looking Smart Optometrists we recommend a vision test for every child who is 6 months of age or older.

Easy parking

We bulk bill all eye tests so it costs you nothing to have it done, and you can feel secure that you are looking after your child’s eyesight.

Tests are fun for children

The test takes approx 15 minutes

All staff hold a current blue card Looking Smart Optometrists bulk bill

All eye examinations provided the patient has a Medicare or DVA card

Phone: 5439 7844

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

Near Coles at Pelican Waters Shopping Centre, Pelican Waters Blvd, Pelican Waters Email: info@LSOPTOM.COM MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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COAST LIFE

Coast Life shares exciting products and services by businesses that cater to Sunshine Coast parents and families. We think local kids and parents deserve just as much choice, style, fun, innovation and value for money as those living anywhere else. So if you agree, please join us in helping these ventures by taking a look at what they’ve got to offer.

And if you’ve got a business you want to spread the word on, let us know!

KIAH PARK Ph: 07 5486 6166 www.kiahpark.com.au

BLI BLI OSHC Ph: 5458 2130 or 0448 582 130 bliblioshc@bigpond.com Looking for a terrific holiday for your horse crazy child? Horse Riding Camps are a great way for your child to enjoy a week of outdoor fun! Camp includes: arena lessons, trail rides twice a day, learning to keep and care for your pony, a gymkhana and fun night activities. For ages 6yrs - teens. Children are allocated their own horse to suit their riding ability. Book this Easter Holiday: April 4 - 11 & 11 - 18.

Bli Bli Outside School Hours Care works to provide for families a safe, happy, welcoming and nurturing place where children are encouraged to undertake new adventures in a fun and relaxed environment. We welcome children from all surrounding schools as well as our local Bli Bli State School.

TEEPEA KIDS (07) 5455 3890 www.teepeakids.com.au

SJ DANCE STUDIO Ph: 0431 203 410 sjdancestudio@gmail.com | www.sjdancestudio.com SJ Dance Studio is a new exclusive and private dance studio, providing high quality dance training with beneficial personal tuition. With first class facilities and state of the art studio, each class is limited to 12 student’s maximum so NO CHILD IS LEFT BEHIND. Variety of classes available from 3yrs to adults come try your First Class FREE today!

Spotlight your business in

Coast Life or City Life

Includes: • Business name • contact details

(web address, phone number)

• 65 words • horizonal image 60

* $200 per issue

Teepea Kids, the Coast’s newest home of all things RAD for kids! Top quality from must-have labels from Australia and across the globe! Including: Minti, Littlehorn, Bella and Lace, Mini and Maximus, Bandit Kids, Tutu Du Monde, I Dig Denim, Kip & Co linen, Of One Sea, Peggy, Sunday the Label and Duke of London. See, try and buy locally!

AMBER JEWELLERY COMPANY Ph: 0412 618 687

Australia's original, most trusted and leading supplier of genuine Baltic amber is now on the market for sale. This fantastic home based online business would be the perfect business for stay at home parent/s wishing to work school hours for a total of 10-20 hours per week. Please call 0412 618 687 for more information

* 3 term minimum 6 term discount Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

- on the coast

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Whats coming up MAY / JUNE ISSUE

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Tiptoe & Co $150 voucher

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MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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CONVERSATION

by Natasha Higgins

Meet Jackie Hall FOUNDER OF THE PARENTAL STRESS CENTRE OF AUSTRALIA One life-changing day when her son Cody was just 22-months-old – and acting up as toddlers often do – Sunshine Coast mum Jackie Hall was so angry that she slammed a knife down on the bench so hard that it bounced off and narrowly missed Cody’s head. She ran to her bedroom screaming how much she hated her life, all the while with 6-month-old baby son Ryan clinging to her hip.

It was in that moment Jackie realised it was not just life that had to change, but she had to change, and learn how to mentally handle the difficult times of parenting.

She began her own learning and healing journey to understand, absorb and finally teach the principles of change that she found were necessary to overcome her parental stress, depression and anxiety.

Today, eight years later, Jackie lives in the Sunshine Coast hinterland with her husband Steve and sons Cody (now 10) and Ryan (now 8), and is the founder and director of The Parental Stress Centre of Australia (PSC). Through her work, Jackie has helped thousands of parents and their families find peace and self-worth.

The Parental Stress Centre (parentalstress.com.au) is an online resource that provides programs, books and information on how to understand the thinking that lies behind parental stress, child behaviour and relationship conflict. They provide online and offline training programs that assist parents to identify the key thinking lying behind their stress, and how they can change that thinking to feel calmer and happier in their family relationships.

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Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START THE PARENTAL STRESS CENTRE?

HOW CAN STRESSED PARENTS GET HELP FROM YOU?

My own depression and anxiety when my children were young was a huge catalyst. My life had become a repetitive cycle of loving motherhood, hating motherhood and stuck in a cycle of anger, guilt and self-hatred.

We have something for everyone and all financial situations. All of our programs are affordable and come with payment plan options to help those who may need it. Our signature program, the 28 Day Tame your Temper Parenting Challenge has helped over 10,000 parents, plus we’ve had over 5000 more parents come to us to do various programs or purchase books.

It was in the moment immediately after ‘the knife incident’, when Cody and Ryan were still babies, I realised I had to change. The reality was that my kids were going to whinge, fight, have their moments, go through their developmental stages, and I needed to learn how to mentally handle that.

I couldn’t find anything out there that would help me with my mindset, right now, in the thick of raising children and experiencing the enormous challenges that come with that, so I decided that I would train myself to change and wrote about it as I went. I formed Self Help for Mums, which later turned into The Parental Stress Centre, after appearing on Sunrise with our signature program ‘28 Day Tame your Temper Parenting Challenge’ and having a lot of dads emailing me to ask for help too.

More research, more application to my own life and more working with clients (both on my website and at health retreats dealing with clients with depression, anxiety, and drug and alcohol addictions) led to more programs and the outcome of what you see now on The Parental Stress Centre.

We have self-paced programs that help you deal with depression, anxiety, anger, guilt, lost identity, time management, relationship issues and more. We also run all of these programs live online over four weeks so parents can participate in learning the information and getting an enormous amount of support.

I am the author of five books – The 28 Day Tame your Temper Parenting Challenge, The Happy Mum Handbook, What’s In It For Me?, A Parent’s Guide to Balance and Getting More YOU Time and A Parent’s Guide to Finding Your Lost Identity.

We also run live full-day workshops twice a year in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane. In August this year, we’ll be running a three-day workshop right here on the Sunshine Coast.

HAS YOUR OWN PARENTING STYLE CHANGED SINCE STARTING THE PARENTAL STRESS CENTRE? Of course. I have completely changed my whole mental approach to parenting over the last eight years. www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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CONVERSATION The benefit of doing this as a job is that I repeat this information over and over again, and it is solidified through my own experience of parenting. There are times that I’m saying something to someone and that little voice in my head says, “Hey, you know that applies to you to at the moment, don’t you?” So I also get to learn as I teach.

I make it very clear to my clients that there is nothing that I teach at the PSC that I don’t have to apply to my very own life. This material was definitely not written, nor presented, from a pedestal of perfection, but I think that’s why parents resonate with it so much, because it’s not someone who’s trying to be better than them, judge them as being wrong or trying to be a guru. It’s a parent, just like them, who is going on this journey with them. It’s real and not some warm and fuzzy unrealistic expectation of parenting that’s never going to be met.

Real support. Real solutions. No judgement.

That’s our mantra.

DO YOU HAVE ANY POSITIVE CASE STUDIES THAT YOU COULD SHARE? Yes, with her permission, I would love to share Mel’s* story: After having two boys through difficult IVF, Mel found out that she had conceived a little girl naturally. She was surprised, but excited. However, when her baby was born, she found she didn’t want anything to do with her. She hated her daughter, would yell at her and even once told her that she hated her. Mel hated her life. When her daughter was just seven weeks old, Mel took her to the hospital and, while sobbing uncontrollably, told the staff to, “Get her away from me; I can't handle it anymore.”

A few weeks later, Mel’s depression turned into panic attacks so bad that she took an overdose of sleeping tablets. Although Mel wasn’t intending to take her life, she did take more than prescribed to escape from the pain she was feeling. The next morning, when her husband realised what she had done, he sent her to the hospital to get help.

Mel says: I was put on medication and tablets to help me sleep. I had my mum and mother-in-law come up and stay each night for at least three weeks to help us with the kids as I felt like a zombie.

I couldn't wait for the days to end so I could get to bed and cuddle my boys. They were my security blanket through all of this. I was getting help here and there, and I was so grateful that my postnatal depression was taken seriously.

Then one night I stumbled onto The Parental Stress Centre Facebook page; they were running a 28 Tame Your Temper challenge.

I remember thinking this couldn't hurt, so I signed up the night before it started.

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After doing the Tame Your Temper Challenge, Mel signed up as a personal client of mine and continued on to do other PSC courses at the same time to further increase her knowledge and understanding of what was going on for her.

Here’s the outcome of where Mel is at now. She says: Jackie has taught me about changing my mindset as my thoughts create my stress, and that everything has value. I can now look at the darkest part of my life and see the light.

My daughter is nearly six months old and we have bonded beautifully. I still have slight anxiety but I work on exercises out of the PSC books each day, and along with the webinars, one-on-one sessions with Jackie and the support from family and friends, I will come out of this awful postnatal depression.

I am determined to work on upgrading my thinking so I find the hidden good in the notso-good and learn to roll with life's ups and downs. I'm not saying it’s easy, but Jackie has the best tools for me to do this and I am so grateful I came across the PSC. There have been a few people who have given me hope and Jackie is one of them.

Mel is one of many clients who tell similar stories of postnatal depression or anxiety and finding understanding and value in the tools we teach. (*Name changed)

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST REWARDING PART OF YOUR WORK? Knowing, and even seeing, the results of parents taking on our information and how it’s affecting kids. It’s so heart-warming to hear how kids are feeling heard and understood, how their behaviours have made huge turnarounds, how parents are enjoying their kids more and how relationships are reconnecting and walls are breaking down. I love knowing that the effect of families making these core changes to their mindset and approaches to life are really going to ripple out to multiple generations. It’s a real joy to be a part of.

TELL US ABOUT WINNING THE 2014 AUSMUMPRENEUR RISING STAR AWARD. HAS THIS HAD ANY IMPACT ON YOUR BUSINESS? I think as well as the on-flow of more people knowing about the Parental Stress Centre, the award was more about what I personally got from it. I didn’t realise how many people the PSC had really affected until that weekend, and I think in my mind that’s when it really went from hobby/passion to the drive to get this information out to every parent on the planet!

It motivates me to take it to the next level because when we can teach parents to understand stress, how to deal with emotion and how to handle life’s

Jackie with Peace Mitchell, AusMumpreneur founder.

ups and downs without depression and anxiety, we will literally change generations. Children will grow up with this knowledge by default and the world will move closer to the harmony we are all seeking.

I think that weekend is what brought me to the fuller realisation of why the PSC needs to grow to ‘Tony Robbins level’.

HAVE YOU BECOME MORE CONSCIOUS OF THE WAY YOU PARENT YOUR CHILDREN WHEN YOU ARE IN PUBLIC? That’s so funny. We have a sign on the back of my car, so we are always conscious of what we are doing in public and often make jokes about how we are ‘on show’. But at the end of the day we are a normal family and I like to keep it real. Everyone who works with the PSC knows that I’m just like them. There’s no pedestal there, no façade.

We have a lot of fun with the concept in public.

Funnily enough, my husband has been stopped a few times in a carpark, but I haven’t as yet. Just the other day, my husband had someone pointing to the sign, then pointing to the kids who were in the back playing on their iPods. It’s like they were saying, “Ahh, so that’s your secret to parental stress – give the kids a phone!”

We also have a laugh when putting the hubby’s carton of beer in the back of the sign-written car and the irony of alcohol as a substance often relied upon to alleviate stress.

HOW HAS HAVING CHILDREN CHANGED YOUR LIFE? It has opened me up to personal development like you would never believe, and it’s allowed me to discover a truly fulfilling purpose in life. In addition, of course, to absolutely adoring my children and having the privilege of watching them grow and getting to experience that kind of love.

WHAT LIFE MESSAGE DO YOU MOST WANT YOUR CHILDREN TO LEARN? No matter what they do, who they are or what mistakes they make, they are always 100% worthy.

Who they are is always enough!

To read more about Jackie and her valuable work, visit www.kidsonthecoast.com.au www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

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MARCH / APRIL 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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BOOKS, MOVIES, APPS, GAMES

REVIEWS BOOKS MAGPIE LEARNS A LESSON Sally Morgan & Ezekiel Kwaymullina, Omnibus Books, RRP $24.99

MOVIES HOME In cinemas March 19. Rating: TBC When Earth is taken over by the overly-confident Boov, an alien race in search of a new place to call home, all humans are promptly relocated while all Boov get busy reorganising the planet. But when one resourceful girl, Tip, manages to avoid capture, she finds herself the accidental accomplice of a banished Boov named Oh. The two fugitives realise there’s a lot more at stake than intergalactic relations as they embark on the road trip of a lifetime.

THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE OUT OF WATER In cinemas April 2. Rating: TBC SpongeBob SquarePants, the world’s favourite sea dwelling invertebrate, comes ashore to our world for his most super-heroic adventure yet. Life is dandy in Bikini Bottom for SpongeBob Squarepants and his friends, but when a diabolical pirate steals the secret Krabby Patty recipe, they must travel to the surface in order to get it back.

TINKER BELL AND THE LEGEND OF THE NEVERBEAST In cinemas April 2. Rating: TBC Return to Pixie Hollow for a heart warming adventure which explores an ancient myth of a fabled creature whose distant roar sparks the curiosity of Tinker Bell’s good friend Fawn, an animal fairy who’s not afraid to break the rules to help an animal in need.

But this animal – massive and strange with glowing green eyes – is not really welcome in Pixie Hollow, and the scout fairies are determined to capture the mysterious beast before it destroys their home. Fawn, who sees a tender heart beneath his gruff exterior, must convince Tink and the girls to risk everything to rescue the NeverBeast before time runs out.

APPS LEMON TREE – INTERACTIVE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN (iPad, iPad Mini) $2.49 Perth author and mother Tracey Regan has developed an iPad app that contains a mini library of eight Lemon Tree Book Company personalised stories, written with 3 to 7 year olds in mind. After entering their own name and their friends’ names to be the main characters in the stories, young readers can travel with a secret agent teddy bear, be a daring dinosaur or solve mysteries as a private detective.

The books appeal to children’s active imaginations and encourage the joy of reading.

CLEAN & GREEN KIDS

(iPhone, iPad) $3.79 Released by two young Gold Coast mums Yolanda and Renee, the Clean & Green Kids app has 90+ simple and delicious homemade recipes that make eating fruit and vegetables fun. The app is a great resource for families with specific dietary requirements with each recipe clearly marked where appropriate as nut free, dairy free, gluten free, meat free, seafood free and egg free. Users can filter recipes using personalised settings and search for recipes by ingredients already available in the fridge or pantry.

Best-selling Australian author Sally Morgan and Ezekiel Kwaymullina have penned a story with a theme that is much too common in young friendships today. The story is about two Aussie animal characters, Magpie and Brown Falcon, and has a subtle underlying theme about how jealousy can make trouble between good friends. Magpie often admires her friend the Brown Falcon and his ability to soar to great heights, the way he drops from the sky like a stone and his ability to see for miles. But Magpie was jealous that she couldn’t do these things and didn’t realise that Brown Falcon loved listening to her sing every evening. Magpie’s jealousy moved her to doing mean things to Brown Falcon to make him look silly and her antics eventually drove him away into a different woodland. One day, Magpie got into some real trouble and Brown Falcon, a loyal friend, came to her aid. Once free, Magpie realised how much friends really do need each other. With beautiful pictures that bring the two characters to life, this book is cleverly written in a way that relays an important message to young readers about the effects of teasing and bullying and the importance of friendship.

Review by Eva Lewis

RAISING COMPETENT TEENAGERS Dr Linda Friedland, Rockpool Publishing, RRP $27.99 Tackling the tricky teenage years is challenging for most parents. In the age of sexting, cyber bullying and drug experimentation, it’s tougher than ever to keep an active dialogue with your teen. So how do you remain a strong and compassionate parent and keep communication open as they face these challenges?

Bestselling author Dr Linda Friedland, a Perth-based mother of five, distils the wisdom of prominent parenting educators and draws upon her own knowledge as a medical doctor to provide a practical guide for parents. Dr Friedland provides practical solutions for over 100 issues such as dealing with brain and body changes, parent–teen conflict, implementing rules and family values, how to say no, teen narcissism and entitlement, and helicopter and tiger parenting.

To see more reviews visit www.kidsonthecoast.com.au 66

Kids on the Coast – MARCH / APRIL 2015

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au