Brisbane MamaMag Apr/May 2023

Apr/May 2023

WIN

A DEEBOT NEO ROBOTIC VACUUM AND MOP FROM ECOVACS

Homes & Holidays

Jimmy Rees

London with kids

Hey kiddo

Easter treats

Support and fun for the Brisbane mum

You’re invited to join us this May for an afternoon of fun, delicious high tea, bubbles, incredible guest speakers and to play your part in ending period poverty

Saturday 28th May 2023 12.30pm - 3.30pm

Sofitel Brisbane Central Buy tickets www.sharethedignity.org.au/dignitea/brisbane

$99 per person or $959 table of 10

HOLIDAY HEAVEN

I'm not going to lie; I've got a few holidays plans up my sleeve which generally come about when I'm doing research on great family travel for MamaMag. And whilst everyone was chatting about what they are doing with their kids over the impending school holidays at the kid's footy yesterday, I got to cheekily explain that I was indeed taking a holiday without my kids! Yep, you heard right... Mama's got 7-nights of Seminyak bliss planned in Bali with six other fabulous mums! Say what!? I think it's important for mums to take time out for themselves, and as much as I love taking my two kids away, the lack of a partner means no adult conversation, so it's exciting to finally be going away with some friends. But don't get me wrong. My kids are not missing out this year. They hit London (see p10) and Italy last year. We had a fabulous trip to the Grampians in Western Victoria just before school went back in January (including a meerkat adventure at Halls Gap Zoo!) and I'm thinking a little trip to the Gold Coast in the July holidays. We've just started working with Destination Gold Coast and they've got some seriously fun stuff for kids of all ages that we need to check out. I've also got a little mama-daughter trip to Singapore planned for September while her brother is away on a fabulous 10-day trip in Port Douglas with school. Tough life being a teen! So where is your next holiday mamas? I'll see if I can rustle up one to give away for you soon!

Sarah Cavalier Editor - MamaMag - @thecavaliermama

MamaMag is designed and published free online every two months for Brisbane mums, families and carers.

Publisher: Mama Creative Group Pty Ltd. ABN: 26 042 138 550.

PO Box 8018, North Road LPO, Brighton East VIC 3187

Phone: 1300 771 446

Email: info@mamamag.com.au

www.mamamag.com.au | www.mamacreative.com.au

Editor in Chief/Creative Director: Sarah Cavalier: sarah@mamamag.com.au

For advertising enquiries contact: advertising@mamamag.com.au

Want to write for us or have an article idea? submissions@mamamag.com.au

MamaMag give thanks to our Supporting Partners.

We love the DEEBOT NEO because it can vacuum and mop at the same time meaning less house work for us! TrueMapping laser-based mapping and navigation technology means it never misses a spot, or goes where it shouldn't, and it's even compatible with your Google Home or Amazon Echo.

The opinions expressed herein MamaMag are not necessarily those of the publishing staff. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without permission of Mama Creative Group. Health related articles are designed to be informative and educational. They are not intended to provide specific medical advice or replace one-on-one advice from your health practitioner. Some articles may contain affiliate links for which MamaMag may be paid a commission when readers shop these links. Shopping affiliate links makes no difference to the price you pay but helps fund MamaMag allowing us to provide our family-friendly resource to you for free.

JIMMY'S GOT THE HOLIDAYS SORTED

It’s hard not to love Jimmy Rees. Originally known and loved by children everywhere as Jimmy Giggle, the pandemic saw him shift his offering to adults becoming one of our greatest sources of Covid-comedy with his real life skits and parodys, as well as allowing us to follow his own parenting adventures across social media. But mum and dad aren’t getting all the laughs. Whilst kids were sad to say goodbye to Giggle and Hoot, today they can all enjoy his clever humour with his picture books, illustrated by Aussie mum Briony Stewart, including his latest title ‘Holiday Sorted!’

Jimmy, your latest book is a tale of a chaotic family (yours!) going on holidays and all the drama that ensues when getting ready with kids involved. Did this story really happen to your family?

Doesn’t this happen to every family? My dad used to say “Anything that you want to come on the holiday, leave it at the front door and I’ll put it in the car”. If it wasn’t there then bad luck, it wasn’t coming. I was one of three boys, so the multiple toilet stops and crazy, high energy of holidays is something I’m familiar with.

Speaking of three boys, who is who in the zoo?

Yep, I've got three boys too, just like my dad. Lenny (7), Mack (4) and Vinny (4).

What’s your favourite part about writing books for kids?

The silliness. Kids’ books can be silly, fun and a bit crazy. Not everything has to make sense. The part I love the most is when our wonderful illustrator Briony Stewart sends back her drafts of all the pages. Briony injects so much fun and humour into the pictures, it’s at that point of the process that it comes alive.

What do you hope readers will take away from Holiday Sorted?

I hope that kids and parents can have a giggle (yes I said it) and realise that for the most parts families are pretty much the same. As a parent you can think, “OMG, is it just my family who are completely crazy”. When you ask around, no, everyone is crazy!

What are some of the biggest mistakes people make when planning a holiday?

Going too far away, ha! I am all for a holiday that is ... well, not just around the corner, but maybe close enough. We have a caravan and hit up a fair few caravan parks for our holidays at this stage of our lives. They are great, so many things for the kids to do. They wander around like they own the place. When we were living on the northern beaches, we would take the van to the caravan park we could literally see from our balcony. Lenny thought we’d gone interstate.

Can you share some tips for traveling on a budget?

Drive somewhere, and it doesn’t have to be far. We like to find the mix of heaps of things the kids can do and maybe a couple of adult things that would be fun. Last summer we went to Bright in Victoria which was only a few hours’ drive from home. The kids loved playing in the river, riding bikes, going in the pool at our accommodation, and the lolly shop; and for us... good food, lots of places to bask in the sun, bike rides and ... the lolly shop.

Where has been your all time favourite family holiday destination?

As a family we loved Sea World. Super fun for the kids. Beach. Rollercoasters. Waterslides. Beers. Wine. Gin. Laughter.

Where is next on your bucket list?

If I could get the family on an international flight somewhere, then that would be awesome. I’m not sure we all have the energy to do it just yet! Give it a couple of years.

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

From the moment your child is conceived you’re caring for their health and wellbeing. When they enter the world, you’re working hard to make sure they’re getting the nutrition their bodies need to develop, the sleep their bodies need to grow, and the love they need to feel nurtured.

When your child enters early education, whenever you choose that moment to be, you want to know they have the right care with nurturing educators that are going to reinforce everything you have already set out to achieve, one that shares your family values and makes your family a part of theirs.

That’s why Care for Kids goes above and beyond to make sure you have all the relevant information to make what could be one of the most challenging but rewarding decisions for your children – the start of their education and care.

across Australia, helping them choose the right childcare.

Throughout 2023, the Care for Kids team will be featuring six families as the ‘Journey Begins’ for them. They'll be there as these families prepare for and reminisce about their experiences leading up to the first day of childcare.

Starting the journey is often the hardest point but Care For Kids understand the apprehension of taking the first step into your childcare discovery and are there to lead you through the minefield with one focus – finding the right care for your family.

Shortlisting services and comparing features is what discovery is all about. Once you have a shortlist of services in your local area, you’re ready to call through – a simple phone reveal on Care for Kids is all it takes to get in touch!

At the beginning of 2023, the Care for Kids team set out on a mission to create something special. Something more than just a platform that would help parents become connected with care, they wanted to show parents that they were right there, connecting with childcare services, asking the same questions, looking into the same rooms, and feeling the same fears because they’re parents too. They have walked the path, entered the rooms, and interviewed the staff – they know what is important in early education.

Care for Kids knows childcare discovery is scary for children, but they also know it’s scary for parents – in fact, in some cases more so than it is for children.

And that’s just why they’re here – to help families make informed decisions and lead discovery to services available for families

Booking the first tour means you’re that much closer to finding a service for your child, but the overwhelming feeling of choosing the right one can be a lot to take in. The Care for Kids team has all the helpful articles, tips, and tricks to cut through the shiny layers and get down to the nitty-gritty of what the right care could look like for you and your child.

For some, childcare means full weeks at a long day care centre, for others it’s a family day care situation with more flexibility, fewer children, and a homely environment. However, it looks to your family, Care for Kids has the solution.

Securing care is the final stage of the journey for discovery, but the Care for Kids team knows that it doesn’t end there. It’s only the beginning!

And that's why Care for Kids intend to continue bringing parents of Australia the simplest possible experience so they can worry less about the search and focus more on their families and ‘The Big Day'.

Care for Kids; where your childcare search journey begins.

"They have walked the path, entered the rooms, and interviewed the staff – they know what is important in early education."

LONDON IN A HURRY

By Sarah Cavalier Editor, MamaMag

I did it. I finally took my two kids overseas. As single mum I've been terrified of overseas travel alone! But now they are getting all grown up (and taller than me), it was time! And just look at those beaming faces at the departures gate, mine included! Technically we were travelling to Italy to go see my step mum who lives there, but thanks to a pesky virus it's not that easy to find good flights into Italy anymore. So we found a cheaper option flying into London first and as they say "When in Rome London!" How could we not spend a few days exploring before we hit our Italian la dolce vita.

By 'a few days' I really mean two days, and boy did we pack it in! London is an incredible destination for families with kids and turned out to be the highlight of both my kids two weeks in Europe. It's got enough similarities to Oz with language, the cars on the correct side of the road, similar brands and the like, that it's an easy intro to overseas travel, but on the other hand it's another world away with so much history, interesting attractions and places to explore. The kids were just gobsmacked at the age of everything and how old and wonderful all the building were.

So let's go back to the beginning. I booked our flights with Etihad through Flight Centre (they

came up with the London idea to save time and money). I'd flown with Etihad before to Italy before and they still had the best offering in terms of cost, flight time and availability. But it got even better as on mention of travelling alone with my kids for the first time, on our departure we were welcomed with a sneaky upgrade to business class on the Abu Dhabi leg which was beyond amazing. What a treat! The Etihad staff were so wonderful and kind, the food was great and the inflight entertainment was spot on, I can't even remember how many movies I watched but they were all winners! Abu Dhabi airport is clean, but very pricey, and the layover was only short so only a few snacks were needed. We landed at Heathrow around 1.30pm and caught the Tube straight to Leicester Square where our Air BNB was. It was so simple! Getting into our Air BNB was not so simple with the cleaner not finished and the key not returned to our pickup point, but we got there in the end and through the jet-lag haze settled in for an early night.

With only two full days for fun, we were up first thing and straight off down The Mall to visit the Queen. She wasn't at home, but I can't help but think our visit, only weeks after her platinum jubilee, was perfectly timed as it was wonderful

for the kids to experience London during her reign and to reminisce on all the sights we recognised during her funeral procession on TV less than two months later.

So what did we pack into our crazy twoday London adventure and how did we do it? Here are Mama's tips.

Buy a London Pass: The first thing we did was buy a two-day London Pass which is the ultimate sightseeing ticket giving you access to almost all of London's best attractions (except the London Eye, which is overpriced so we didn't bother) as well as a day pass on the hop-on-hop-off Big Bus. The bus was the perfect way to get around the city on our first full day to get our bearings and spot some new places to add to our visit list. We spent approx $450 for the three of us and that got us $575 worth of value.

Hit the landmarks: London is home to some of the most iconic landmarks in the world like Buckingham Palace and Big Ben and their impressiveness was not lost on the kids. Included in the London Pass was entry to the Tower of London, the Tower Bridge, Westminister Abbey and the Cutty Sark (cool old ship in Greenwich). The kids loved seeing the Crown Jewels, the Changing of the Guard at the palace (it rained that day so they were sadly wearing grey coats over their stunning uniforms), and Westminister Abbey was a surprising highlight, with all blown away by its age, history and seeing the coronation chair that King George will sit on shortly. Things we sadly missed due to timing are the view from The Shard, the London Zoo, St Paul's Cathedral and the Sky Garden.

Visit Harrods: Harrods is considered the best department store in Britain and it's not hard to see why. Once again my kids were blown away. The food hall is out of this world, the fashion is above and beyond high-end. It's home to 300 departments, 20 restaurants,

a bank, and even a beauty salon. We jumped off the bus and took a quick stroll through Hyde Park then down Brompton Road to get there and I'm so glad we did just for the experience. Did we buy anything, no!

Use public transportation: London has an excellent public transportation system that is easy to use and very efficient. The Tube can take you to almost any part of the city and at least one double bus ride and a 'black taxi' is a must. We jumped on an Uber Boat (part of London Pass) and explored the Thames as well.

Explore the parks: London is known for its beautiful parks and green spaces, which offer a welcome break from the city's hustle and bustle. Visit Hyde Park, Regent's Park, and St. James's Park (next to the Palace) with it's memorial to Diana and beautiful flowers.

Visit museums and galleries: You'll find some of the world's best museums and galleries here, many of which are free. The National Gallery is home to so many famous artists I studied at university and whilst it was a little lost on the kids, mama was super chuffed to stand in front of Van Gough's Sunflowers and real a Monet water lily.

Get your Harry Potter on: Harry Potter fans will love exploring the locations that inspired the books and movies. We popped by Kings Cross Station, home of platform 9 3/4. There's a fab HP shop there and you can pose with the luggage trolley in the wall. But the highlight would be the HP Warner Bros. Studio Tour which was devastatingly booked out the days we were in town. #nexttime

Visit a West End show: Whilst we were on a tight deadline and didn't fit one in, many of the West End shows are super family-friendly.

So there you have it... A whirlwind tour of London. Don't tell my step mum but no amount of Italian gelato was topping good old London Town in the kid's opinion!

PARKLIFE

Moolabin Park, Moorooka

Check out the colourful new playground at Moolabin Park that opened late last year! This exciting new play space is loaded with play value including swings, a comet spinner, four-way rocker, spiderman net, fun wavy slide and plenty of other climbing elements designed to suit children of all ages.

Brisbane City Council asked for a 'pop' of colour and the team at adventure+ certainly delivered with the bold purple and blue colour scheme.

Previously known to some as the “cubby house" playground, the old bright wooden cubby-like structure may be gone, but the fun is certainly still here in this small pocket park. Moolabin is aprt of a chain of parkland forming a wildlife corridor linking Toohey Forest with Moolabin Creek and you can follow the bike paths linking the nearby reserves like Peggs Park and Mayfield Garden as well.

50 Vendale Ave, Moorooka.

LIVING-APARTTOGETHER

Living-apart-together, a current a lifestyle choice of Gwyneth Paltrow and her husband Brad Falchuk, has gotten some attention of late, but what does it mean for the rest of us? Is anyone doing it and is it as good as it sounds?

My partner and I are currently in a LAT relationship. In fact, we don’t just live apart together, we are long distance LATs, meaning that every second weekend, one of us is on a plane somewhere between Melbourne and Sydney.

Having both exited long marriages, my partner and I wouldn’t have it any other way. We’ve discussed it at length, from every angle and have answered the questions of many of our concerned friends, who use words such

as unsustainable; or phrases such as I like coming home to someone. Which is great, if that works for you, but what it if doesn’t?

What if your greatest fear isn’t going home alone, but your passionate relationship becoming that of siblings or flatmates? For some, companionship is everything, and we aren’t judgemental of the traditional relationships that have dominated our society, but what if there was another wayif two people chose it?

I have two children under ten. In all honesty, I don’t want him here in the middle of the week when I’m making lunches, the kids are fighting and I’m trying to remember which night the bins go out. Similarly, he doesn’t want me in his apartment asking

him what time he’s coming home from work; and neither of us have decided how much he should or shouldn’t be involved in the parenting of my children.

romantics desire nothing more than romance and passion (and will seek it out if it fades). Both can be critical of the other. I am not judgemental of either but in an ideal world, realists would partner with realists, and romantics with romantics. You can imagine the nightmare when one partners with the other.

I don’t enjoy the monotony of a relationship where I see the same person every single day. When I’m living with a partner, I don’t enjoy sex as much, or have it as often. My entire life has been about trying to fit myself into boxes that have never fit me well.

What I do love, is running out of the airport to see him, that every kiss still feels like the first, that when we are together, we are completely soaked in one another’s presence because we know that we have nine days ahead of us where we can work on that report, sit in front of the television or figure out which day the bins go out.

With two children who require help with homework, school drop offs and pick-ups and gymnastic runs, I never feel lonely. What I’m learning, is that it’s not the number of hours in a day that count, it’s what you do with them. Since our marriages ended, people have reached out to us in droves with stories about how they are unhappy, restless, bored, undesired and living in sexless marriages. We hear it all!

Marriage has been idealised and romanticised, but the reality of marriage is that it is really hard work. People underestimate the fragility of marriage and when you throw kids and mortgages and bin night into the equation, it can feel impossible.

I’m not against marriage, a part of me really wants to be good at it, but I know myself well enough to realise that it may not be for us. And that’s okay.

Psychotherapist Esther Perel says there are two types of people in the world: realists and romantics. Realists believe in marriage and are unlikely to leave. On the other hand,

A LAT relationship allows two fiercely independent people to remain so, it allows us to miss each other, it fans the flames of passion, and it has helped ensure that I am present with my partner and my kids. The few times a year, my two worlds collide, I am exhausted from simultaneously trying to be a present mother and a present partner, and I can’t wait for things to go back to ‘normal.’

A LAT lifestyle isn’t for everyone, but I’ve realised that marriage and living together isn’t either.

By Dani Vee. Dani,

a

writer

and

podcaster

met James, a children’s publisher when he signed her first picture book and then a six-book deal. They started dating about six months later, Dani lives in Sydney and James lives in Melbourne. They see each other from Thursday-Monday every second week, and work together on multiple projects. They text and call each other multiple times a day and Zoom every night from 9pm until midnight. They are loving the LAT lifestyle and can’t believe they found each other!

"In all honesty, I don’t want him here in the middle of the week when I’m making lunches, the kids are fighting and I’m trying to remember which night the bins go out"

With two children who require help with homework, school drop offs and pick-ups and gymnastic runs, I never feel lonely.

HELL TO HARMONY

April is National Autism Awareness Month and with an estimated 30 to 40 percent of the Australian population being neurodiverse and 1 in 5-6 children having variations in their brain development, this is something many families are grappling with. These variations include those seen in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism and dyslexia.

Nicola Dore, mother of two neurodivergent children, has experienced her fair share of anxiety and loneliness while her boys yelled, thumped and threw items while she locked herself in the bathroom.

Determined to improve family harmony and help the whole family feel more in control, Nicola created The Brain Sanctuary Family Journal in consultation with psychologists Catherine Thornton and Marnie Holden. It’s designed as a tool to help families understand how each other’s brains work, with the goal of setting family members up for success.

“In helping my boys manage their emotions, I felt there was a gap between therapy sessions and what happens at home. My gut told me that with ongoing communication between everyone in the family, not only would we have a better understanding of each other, but it would allow us to create family rituals with our boys’ specific needs in mind.”

The journal is designed to be used as a family tool and provides space for everyone to put their thoughts and feelings into words. It helps neurodiverse family members learn about their strengths and provides tools to help them get through the part of life that may not make sense to them or seem pointless.

Nicola explains the brain as a house method which comes from Dr. Dan Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson’s book, “The Whole Brain Child”, to creating more harmony in a neurodiverse household:

1. The top floor – my body feels calm

I am happy and safe. This floor is where we can do our thinking and feel happiest. A great thing to ask yourself is what keeps me on this level, is it music, movement, colouring, exploring in nature? Knowing this can help you get back to this floor when you need to.

2. The middle floor – My body feels activated

I feel angry, stressed, anxious and frustrated. This floor is where we go when we feel a threat coming on and where we choose flight or fight. This is the floor you will see meltdowns and very “big” behaviours.

3. The basement – my body feels slow or still

I am sad and numb. This floor is where we go when things are too much, our body shuts down and we can no longer move forward without a break. Someone who is stuck on this floor will seem depressed and withdrawn. As a family, by asking each other questions about when you find yourself at the top, middle or bottom floor you can help each other move between the floors in a calmer, less threatening manner.

It is important to remember that it is completely normal to move between the different levels of the house throughout the day so we don’t always have to “fix” someone. We just don’t want to get stuck in the bottom two levels for too long.

This is just one of many tools provided in the journal to help neurodiverse families create more understanding between each other and family harmony as a result. The Brain Sanctuary Journal is available for $59.95 and can be claimed under NDIS Capacity Building.

You can find out more information here: www.thebrainsanctuary.com.au

HEY KIDDO

We have apps for groceries, ride shares and just about everything else in life. So Queensland mum, and qualified accountant, Rebecca Dredge questioned “why can’t we find a babysitter for our kids online as well”? The answer is “we can” thanks to Bec’s ‘third baby’ Kiddo, an on-demand babysitting booking app that she created to connect parents to verified, trusted and reliable babysitters.

Bec, tell us a little bit about you and your family.

I'm a mother of two girls and they are my world. We live in Brisbane, however I grew up in Darwin in a single parent family, so very humble. I know how hard it can be to be isolated from family and also understand first hand the challenges of single parenthood.

An invite to the races sparked the idea for Kiddo. Tell us about this!

It was a last minute invite – we had 5 days to organise a sitter for a lunch at the races. It was a free lunch invite to a corporate sponsored event so we wanted to go.

Unfortunately, my mum still works and wasn’t able to assist. My parents in law are two hours away in Toowoomba, so we asked our friends niece who would normally sit for us. She couldn’t help as she had something on. This was two days of asking and stressing out before we finally found a friend of a friend that could help. It was the biggest scramble and so, so stressful – it got my thinking, surely we needed an app where we could find the best babysitters locally. There wasn’t anything like it – so the Kiddo app idea was born

You were in banking prior to kids and Kiddo. Tell us about the change from corporate finance to CEO of your own business?

It has been complete 180/360? Not sure, but I have had to learn so much! Before I started

Kiddo I didn’t even have Facebook. I've had to learn the basics, research everything and build a tech platform. As a start up, finances are thin, so its working to a very small budget and being as creative as you can be!

Three years later we have won a lot of awards (most recently Brisbane Lord Mayor Award) and are viewed as the leaders in what we do.

What checks do potential carers have to do prior offering their services, to ensure kid’s safety?

We use latest technology. ID facial recognition and Working with Children verifications. We keep the details of WWC expiries on our system and as cards are no longer valid, those carers are removed until their new card is verified.

You’ve added so much more to the Kiddo offering. What other services can we find now?

Kiddo grew very quickly from being a ‘babysitting app’ to much more. We knew once Covid came, that many parents were looking for ongoing care/nannies. So Kiddo can assist in finding a nanny!

We had a lot of parents feedback about our carers and how amazing they were, with so many having experience with special needs care. So we late last year we started offering NDIS care for children. We are so proud to be a service that is there for parents and is inclusive for all their children’s care needs.

What’s been the biggest business challenge in creating Kiddo?

The biggest challenge – its been time! We always wish for more. But honestly, building Kiddo is not just been about growing ‘user numbers’, we are here to care for children. Our children are our EVERYTHING, so it's been about building that trust with families, providing our exceptional service that has seen us grow so much just by word of mouth.

How do you balance a growing a business and being a mum?

I often refer to Kiddo as my third baby, it requires so much love and attention. So I have to be mindful about creating that balance with my children and their needs too. Mum guilt never leaves us and we always want to be doing the best for them, yet also want to be there with them!

I make sure certain days are just for them –Tuesday morning school drop off and Friday afternoons. I think having time apart is fine, it's just when you are together it's setting clear boundaries for family time and really carving that out so you a present as a parent.

Besides Kiddo, what other apps do you recommend to make day-today family life easier for parents?

I love anything that is self service, for example our swim school, everything is managed online. So anything that saves a parent time or stress! Woolworths for online ordering of groceries – as you run out of food, you can save it to your next shopping list and even search for the product via barcode. It’s my lifesaver! (haha no not a paid ad for them either!)

When it comes to organising, I have everything in my phone calendar. Then, I have to confess we still have a family whiteboard on the fridge to plan each week!

We are talking all things Homes & Holidays this issue. What’s your favourite family holiday destination?

My favourite holiday destination is anywhere by the sea – snorkelling and wildlife. We recently went across to Tangalooma Island resort for a birthday weekend. It was incredible, highly recommend for any family holiday. No cars, no car seats, safe beaches with little to no waves, great café and food options and dolphin feeding each night – the kids loved it and it's only an hour ferry from Brisbane so nice and easy.

And what are you doing for a bit of time out from motherhood and business?

Doesn’t happen much, but when I do, I love to be surrounded with friends, a good meal, belly laughs and a dance to some old 90’s/00’s music does it for me!

And finally, do you have a funny parenting story you’d like to share?

Ha! Yes I keep all my funny stories from the kids in a little book “Funny things my kids said” (nice way to reflect back as time goes by), so here’s the most recent one I wrote down last month:

My seven year old daughter recently had a Kiddo babysitter whilst we went out (valentines dinner). I asked her the next morning “how was the babysitter". She said "good mum, but she said she was 21 and I dunno, how can she be when her own daughter is 30!” It was a very cute story!

Visit https://kiddoapp.com.au/ to find out more about using Kiddo ap and making your life easier!!

AUSTRALIA EYES FIRST FEMALE F1 DRIVER

Will the world’s first female Formula One driver be Australian?

Twelve-year-old champion Australian go-kart racer, Oceane Colangelo is racing towards becoming the first female Formula One driver, after exploding into the maledominated track, with win after win.

In June 2020, Ferrari and the FIA announced their innovative ‘Girls on Track-Rising Stars’ initiative created to identify and develop the female racing talent of the future.

Oceane is currently the leading candidate from Australia and her goal is to claim her place within the Ferrari Academy by the age of 14. To get there, the young racing champion will require community support and sponsorship funds to help her on this crucial lap in realising her dream to become the world’s first female Formula One driver; a dream that every Australian would proudly support!

Oceane has won races every year in every class since she began racing at 8 years of age and in just 5 years, Oceane has been awarded more than 55 trophies, scored 130 podiums, 40 wins, 40 fastest laps, whilst repeatedly distinguishing herself as Best & Fairest, Driver of the Meet, Club Champion, and Rising Star!

“Oceane is focused and fearless. She is not intimated by the fact she’s racing against mostly boys. All her fellow competitors respect her. She’s inspirational.” says coach and dad, Danny Colangelo.

12-year-old Oceane was born in Australia to Italian and Canadian parents, who have supported her passion and journey and would love to see the community support her in this worthwhile pursuit given she has what it takes and puts in the hard work.

"My dream is to make my country proud on the Formula One racetrack one day!"

FINDING A PLACE TO BELONG

- Your Playgroup village

Alongside your child, enjoy new experiences and opportunities. The benefits of playgroup extend beyond what the name suggests and can create meaningful ways to engage in life. Play, no matter our age, is a vital component of learning, living purposefully, expressing oneself and nurturing our wellbeing.

After a tumultuous time of change in Australia, we begin to adjust to the new rhythms of daily life. The pandemic shone a light on humanity, on kindness, on togetherness. We rallied and communities sought to take care of one another in subtle and profound ways. There was complexity, uncertainty, hardship, loss and loneliness. There was grief for things we lost- the upside being the comfort and compassion for all that we gained. The latter was often a closeness- to each other and what it is that truly matters when the superfluous is pared back. Our need to connect, to share experiences and be together prevailed above all else, innate to us all.

Like the villages of old, intergenerational and cross-generational relationships interweave, holding us together with varying forms of knowledge, history, ideas and philosophies. New life reaches out and loops through the older threads, all the while growing together. Play, another essential component of life, connects us and provides us with moments of immersion, of challenge, of experimentation and unreserved joy.

Renowned author and paediatrician, Benjamin Spock wrote that, "A child loves play, not because it is easy, but because it is hard". Children love play because it is meaningful and gives their lives meaning.

‘You can learn more about a person in an hour of play than a year of conversation,’ said philosopher Plato. Physicist Albert Einstein said that, ‘Play is the highest form of research.’

Play in and of itself is an intrinsic part of working our way through life.

Play during the early years supports a vital period of development for the brain and the body- and it supports the child’s wellbeing and sense of self. Notably, a child’s play is most enriching when shared with you, their parent or carer. You are your child’s primary educator. Your bond makes play one of the most powerful and unifying learning tools.

Emeritus Professor Karen Stagnitti of Deakin University has been working in the early years for 44 years and studying play and play based assessment since 1991. Over the years, Karen has examined the importance of pretend play and playing together. She has discovered that play shared between child and parent/ carer, can unlock the beginnings, depth and enjoyment of play.

“There is some very recent research that shows that playing together increases the strength of attachment between the adult and the child. It provides a time where adults (parents and carers) can enjoy their child’s company. I think these moments are special because there a lot of time during parenting when we are caring, attending to, supporting, putting boundaries in, and alert to keep our children safe. So much more important then, to play together and enjoy each other’s company, laugh and have fun.”

Karen said that the interaction during play between parent and child can scaffold the child’s language, thinking and social and emotional awareness.

Indeed, play, regardless of age, supports continued growth and development throughout life. In play, we can let our guards down, change our mindsets, unearth new interests or simply, yet not inconsequentially, lighten our loads, enabling us to have fun and discover new interests- often to enjoy and share with family- having a dual benefit to your health and sense of contentment.

Professor Karen Stagnitti said that social connection is very important for our mental health and wellbeing.

“When you have young children, your time is full with looking after them, both physically, emotionally and socially. Playgroup is an opportunity and a space where parents can connect with each other and support each other. Share stories about their children and pick up tips. It is an informal space where parents can have time to chat and connect, while their children play.”

The open nature and form of play and playgroup means that friendships often unfurl instinctively and spontaneously- over shared interests, life’s happenings and stories of your

child. In play there is humour, challenges, intrigue, fun and freedom. In play, we develop different skills needed for life.

It could be at bush playgroup, at a playgroup run at a school, at the park, on an excursion, at a grandparents playgroup, a dads playgroup, at the library or at a local town hall- keeping regular connections establishes a sense of belonging for you and for your child. During the early years when we seek familiarity and comfort, a regular trip to playgroup can be uplifting. The continuity of connection is what life is about.

At playgroup, you will find something that unites you all, which is a love for your child, wanting what is best for them. Together, you will discover more about yourselves and the world around you. Through play, and through the mere act of regularly showing up, possibilities and opportunities await you.

By Sinead Halliday, Playgroup. Find and connect with a local playgroup today: https://playgroupaustralia.org.au/

CALLING ALL CAKE LOVERS!

The International Cake Show Australia returns to Brisbane

April 14 to 16 with UK and US Cake Royalty flying in!

Forget Picasso, Monet, and Warhol – the best kind of art is the kind you can eat! This April, the world’s leading edible cake artists and decorators are heading to Brisbane to show off their talents and compete in arguably the greatest competition there is – the 2023 International Cake Show Australia!

The 2020 International Cake Show Australia (ICSA) will be held at the RNA Royal International Convention Centre in Bowen Hills from April 14 to 16.

In more sweet, sweet news, this year the show is double its previous size and features not only mind-boggling, gravity-defying

sculptured cakes and sugar exhibits, this year there’s baking, cookies and everything sweet, making the event officially Australia's largest Cake, Bake, Sweet & Cookie Show.

Celebrity cake sculptor Karen Portaleo is making the trip from the USA, joining ex-air force helicopter pilot, now UK TV personality and extreme caker, Rosie Dummer who shot to fame for creating the life size edible Paddington Bear as a tribute to the late Queen.

Hundreds of cake decorators, cake bosses, professional pastry chefs, bakers, chocolatiers, home hobbyist decorators and food personalities will converge on Brisbane to showcase their skills in multiple categories across the three days, with the general public invited to view and take part in a full program of masterclasses, activations, entertainment and more.

Highlights include:

The Ultimate Australian Cake and Cookie Decorating Competition & Display

Competitors range from children and beginners to world acclaimed cake sculptors, with competitors coming from 27 different countries to enter! It's the largest competition of its kind in Australia. What’s even sweeter – ANYONE CAN ENTER! 9-

The Battle of the Sugar Giants – featuring HUGE Edible Sugar Cake Installation

• A lifesize (6m x 6m) BumbleBee Transformer sugar feature, complete with moving chassis, light & sound

• 3m x 3m Lion King sugar feature

• 3m x 3m Great Egg Heist sugar feature

• On Sunday the Battle of the Sugar Giant features will be cut up by their creators and served to the public.

Live Cake Sculpture shows

Catch celebrity cake sculptor Karen Portaleo (USA) renowned for her life-size edible sculptures for TV, including Downton Abbey, as she recreates one of her masterpieces. Also ex air force helicopter pilot, now UK TV personality and extreme caker, Rosie Dummer, create a smaller version of the life size edible Paddington Bear she made as a tribute to the late Queen. Her demonstration is aptly called "Tea Ma'am".

World’s Largest Cookie Tower!

A great one for the family – learn how to decorate a gingerbread cookie house, then add it to the community build. By the end of the show we're aiming to build the world's largest cookie tower!

Sweet Street

There’ll be shop after shop of tantalising sweet delights to eat or take away, plus a Cookie Zone with all the ingredients you need to make them at home.

International 2-Day Cake-Off ChallengeSuperstar Stage

Team Australia will compete against Team International - 6 of the world's best cake sculptors will battle it out for the world title on Friday and Saturday.

Miss Biscuit Cookie Stage

Cookie decorating has taken the world by storm and Australia's own Queen of Cookies, Julia Day will host this stage where Australia's awarded cookie artists and celebrity bakers will share tips and tricks.

1 Hour Make & Take Mini Classes

Perfect for beginners - master buttercream cupcakes or giant cookies, there’s 18 mini classes available – BOOK!

Haute Couture Wedding Cake Marquee

8 ACADA Australasian haute couture wedding cake designer of the year finalists will be competing. The marquee will be styled by Alysia Bridger, who was named by Lux Magazine as one of the world's top 20 lux event architects.

Shop until you drop! A foodie's dream 60+ pop up vendors all offering the latest tools, ingredients and equipment plus Brisbane's best gourmet food and coffee trucks will be ready to provide sustenance.

International Cake Show Australia is hosted by the Australian Cake Artists and Decorators Association (ACADA).

International Cake Show Australia 2023 Fast Facts"

Friday April 14 to Sunday April 16, 2023 10am to 4pm each day

Royal International Convention Centre, 600 Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills, Brisbane

https://www.acada.com.au

The ultimate eight for Easter!

From a hilarious podcast about the human body, a detective series that investigates killer butterflies and glow worms, to art-curious kids who investigate what freaky snakes have to do with art, an age-appropriate news podcast, Dads reading fabulous books and The Beanies learning how teeny tiny spiders learn to be brave – LiSTNR has just released the top eight podcasts for kids entertainment this Easter, and you are very welcome!

LiSTNR is home to a huge line-up of multiaward winning podcasts for children, many produced in association with education providers, scientists and even art galleries, with the aim to engage, educate and entertain. So, charge your devices and prepare to download, because these podcasts are perfect for car trips, camping, bedtimes, quiet times, giggle times and everything in between! Here’s the ultimate eight for Easter 2023…. ENJOY!

1

Busy Bodies

The award-winning Busy Bodies with Mr Snotbottom is a hilarious podcast all about the human body! Hosted by the famed children’s entertainer and comedian, Mr Snotbottom, each episode focuses on a part of the human body, from the brain (did you know the human brain is more powerful than any computer ever invented!!), to the heart (it’s about the same size as your fist BTW), to bones (yep, all 206 of them). It even explores kids’ emotions – one very special episode is all about YIKES …. anxiety! The new series is called Healthy Habits and is the perfect (and funny) way to engage kids.

The Fact Detectives

Meet two curious kids on a mission to find out all the cool facts about, well, EVERYTHING! In this award-winning podcast, hosts Anika and Esther take their very big questions to some very smart grown-ups who know lots of very interesting stuff… like, do killer butterflies really exist? Why do we fart? Did monster kangaroos really hop all over Australia? Is it ladybirds, ladybugs or ladybeetles? What’s the difference between a glow-worm and a firefly, and where does light come from? PS – parents, carers and teachers everywhere are also hooked on this one!

3

Morning Kids

The Beanies

The award-winning LiSTNR podcasters and ABC Kids stars, The Beanies, bring a combination of joy, song and education wrapped up in glorious rainbow! Each week, Laura, Mim and Michael share a special new episode – it may be a fun and silly adventure, or a Show and Tell. They’ve met a teeny tiny spider who learns how to be brave; visited the super hero training Academy; met a very royal puppy, and found out how unicorns get their horns! They also welcome questions from little podcast listeners!

Outside The Lines

What do slimy frogs and freaky snakes have to do with art? How do you make art that you can’t even see? Outside the Lines is a fun and imaginative podcast for kids, hosted by some art-curious kids as they travel across the country to scratch the surface, peek behind the canvas, open the sketchbook, and dive into the creative minds of some of Australia's most inspiring artists. One episode is all about colour, with Gemma Smith, one of Australia’s most acclaimed abstract artists! This pARTicularly wonderful podcast is produced with the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art’s Children’s Art Centre.

Dadtime Story Collection

A podcast featuring some famous Dads and Uncles reading children’s books, making bedtime a breeze and sharing great voices and stories. There’s Andy Day, an English actor, comedian, singer, dancer, songwriter and television presenter, reading Bush Magic; best-selling children’s book creator Scott Stuart reads his own work My Shadow is Purple, and journalist, TV presenter and musician, Waleed Aly, reads The Month That Makes the Year – a beautiful book about Ramadan told through the eyes of a child by Inda Ahmad Zahri.

Bedtime Explorers

In wonderful news, there’s a new season of the beloved children’s meditation podcast, Bedtime Explorers Magic Glasses! The podcast help children see the world through a positive lens of hope. With their imaginations and ‘magic glasses’, little explorers discover wonderful possibilities in a magic garden, a flying car and a hidden door to another world. The multi award-winning podcast, renowned for helping children drift into a peaceful night’s sleep, has been downloaded more than 23 million times and is loved by children and families all around the world. (PS, there’s more new episodes coming on April 5!).

Fun Fables

It’s the world’s favourite fairytales, remixed for today’s little dreamers – a clever, funny and engaging reimaging of the fables and tales we all grew up with! Rediscover the Three Little Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks, The Goose that Laid Golden Eggs and more, with a cheeky modern twist. It’s a super fun distraction for parents too!!

THE GREAT GRAMPIANS

If you're thinking of visiting Victoria, can I let you in on travel a secret... The Grampains. My last encounter of the Grampians was as a teenager in school. Rock climbing, hikes and chasing waterfalls, I was blow away by its stunning scenery and the incredible walks. It's been on my to-do list with the kids forever and when Grampians Tourism invited us along for the weekend to check it out, I of course jumped at the chance to finally get back there. The Grampians, known to the indigenous population as Gariwerd, is located in Western Victoria and spans well over 160,000 hectares from North to South and East to West.

With a range of differing activities and natural sites, a selection of dining options and accommodation, the area is a haven for hikers, families, and food lovers alike. The natural beauty of the region is complemented by a plethora of activities ranging from rock climbing, camping and hiking right through to luxury escapes, high end food, local produce and boutique wineries.

Our adventure started before we'd even arrived with a visit to Mount Langi Ghiran, a gorgeous winery about an hour before Halls Gap, for some lunch and wine tasting.

Set amongst the dramatic backdrop of the Great Dividing Range with incredible views, we feasted on lamb, straight from then paddock and a delicious cheese board that I got all to myself (thanks kids) and some fabulous cool climate wines. They've got fun garden games to entertain the kids whilst you enjoy your wine on the outdoor tables. This is a super picturesque pitstop to break up the 3hour drive from Melbourne. Make sure you take a few bottles with you as well! The shiraz and riesling were fab! Mount Langi Ghiran. 80 Vine Road, Bayindeen.

On arrival to Halls Gap, the heart of the Grampians, we checked into the Breeze Holiday Parks – Grampians. There are a quite a few holiday parks in Halls Gap but what I loved about this one was it was super relaxed and quiet, they provided fire pits for every cabin (our hosts brought us wood and marshmallows!) and there was wildlife a plenty. Emus wandered past the playground and even our veranda which was also frequented with cockatoos who would eat from your hand. Our Twin Deluxe Cabin that could sleep five was perfect in every way. Breeze Holiday Parks – Grampians. 2223 Grampians Road, Halls Gap.

We then kicked off our adventure and exploration of this cute as a button town by hiring some e-bikes. There are 18 kilometres of shared bike path allowing you to enjoy the spectacular Fyans Valley from the township to Lake Bellfield and return. These were so much fun and surprisingly easy to manage, and we loved passing kangaroos on the track and getting our bearings of the valley. Halls Gap E-Bike Hire. 109 Grampians Road, Halls Gap.

Paper Scissors Rock Brew Co. is a fun brewery right in the middle of town, perfect for a casual dinner, with regular live music and events. Their beer is brewed fresh on-site with a seasonal street food inspired menu. I had a fabulous chicken burger and loved sitting outside watching the town pass by. Paper Scissors Rock Brew Co. 119 Grampians Road, Halls Gap.

For mini golf lovers, you can't go past the 18 hole adventure mini golf course which is surrounded by beautiful plants, bridges, streams and waterfalls. We had lunch here including some fun mocktails which the kids thought were a hoot and there is even a cute little gift shop you can poke around in. Grampians Adventure Golf. 475-481 Grampians Rd, Halls Gap. A highlight of the trip was the Halls Gap Zoo where we were treated to a Red Panda and Meekat experience. Getting up close and personal with these adorable creatures and having them eat out of your hands was so special. Over 160 species call the Halls Gap Zoo home. Besides our new besties, the meerkats and red pandas, there are giraffes, kangaroos, koalas, Tasmanian devils, snakes, crocodiles, turtles, ducks, owls, monkeys and the list goes on. Grab a bag of deer food on entry as these cuties are roaming free and love nothing more than to graze out of your hand too, but watch they don't steal the whole bag off you! Halls Gap Zoo. 4061

Ararat-Halls Gap Rd, Halls Gap

Another famous Grampains landmark is the MacKenzie Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in Victoria. Whilst most waterfalls here run dry in the Summer, this beauty flows all year round with water cascading over huge cliffs into a deep pool, sending fine sprays of rainbow mist high into the air above the stunning gorge. To see the falls, take the easy one-kilometre path to the viewing platform at the Bluff, or the steep trail to the base of the falls, but beware there are a lot of steps and mama worked out just how unfit she really is! Also, as inviting as she looks, swimming is strictly off the cards here sorry. MacKenzie Falls. 30-minute drive from Halls Gap on Mount Victory Road.

Whilst our Breeze Holiday Park had a pool, in the summer months the Halls Gap public swimming pool, located in the centre of town, will be a life saver for the ones that don't. Next door to the pool is where you will find a very well laid out adventure playground that will keep your children entertained for hours. Pop over the road for and some ice cream. There are two great shops to chose from. Halls Gap public pool and playground. 10 School Road, Halls Gap.

Dinner on night two was at Flame Brothers, a family owned American-style smokehouse, restaurant and bar along side the Stony Creek in the heart of Halls Gap. You'll be spoilt for choice here with an array of drinks, from coffee to cocktails, which is paired with their delectable menu of smoked meats, pizzas and burgers. Flame Brothers.10/97 Grampians Road, Halls Gap.

We started our last day by exploring Brambuk, the National Park and Cultural Centre, where you can discover the Park's exceptional environment and Aboriginal Culture with super informative displays. We also had a fantastic breakfast here at The Brambuk Café & Eatery, the sister venue to Flame Brothers Restaurant & Bar. BrambukNational Park & Cultural Centre. 277 Grampians Rd, Halls Gap.

A trip to the Grampians is not complete without a walk to The Pinnacle (see main picture). There are two access points. Via the Wonderland Car Park,2.1km and about and 1.5 hours, or a similar distance from the Sundail Car Park at an easier 45min. This is easiest and the best route to use if you've got young children, but it was still no walk in the park! However, the views from the lookout point make it all worthwhile and the journey is ever changing and simply stunning along the way. The Pinnacle Walk. Sundial Rd Bellfield.

Just ten minutes from Halls Gap is Pomonal Estate, the perfect spot for lunch on your way home. I grabbed the wine tasting flight to sample a few local varieties and was pleased to discover they had the delicious Mount Langi Ghiran Riesling I'd tried on day one. Pomonal also serve a great sparkling riesling, rose, shiraz and fortified shiraz. Pomonal Estate. 2079 Pomonal Road, Pomonal.

A great last port of call on your way out of Halls Gap is Five Ducks Farm where Anita hand crafts small batches of delicious preserves from the fruits and berries grown on her small farm. She's also got a select range of produce from other local Grampians growers with seasonal preserves, honey and homemade ice-cream available through the farm gate shop. And yes, the farm has plenty of ducks! Five Ducks Farm. 3621 Ararat-Halls Gap Road, Pomonal.

Be it outdoor adventure, indulgent food and wine, cultural experiences, or simply fun family times you seek, a road trip to the Grampians will deliver lasting memories and open you up to some of Victoria's most beautiful countryside.

A big thanks to Grampians Tourism for hosting us and finally giving my kids to opportunity to explore this beautiful place I've been dreaming about since I was a teenager.

To help plan your own Victorian Grampians adventure and start making your own memories visit visitgrampians.com.au

MATER MIRACLE

When Ipswich mum Erika Brown was warned her tiny premature baby boy had only a “slim chance of surviving”, she never gave up hope. And eight months on Oliver Bate-Brown – who was one of the smallest and most premature babies born at Mater Mother’s Hospital at South Brisbane last year – is thriving and tipping the scales at 6kg.

Ms Brown, 20, was rushed to Mater Mothers’ for observation when her waters broke just 23 weeks into her pregnancy last June.

Baby Oliver was born a week later – and four months’ premature. He weighed just 520g, about the same as a tub of butter.

Doctors warned Ms Brown and her partner Lachlan that their son faced a desperate fight for life.

But Oliver had a world-leading team of doctors, nurses, midwives and allied health clinicians on his side in Mater’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, where he received around-the-clock care for four months.

The North Booval couple said it was “touch and go” for a long time, but their brave little boy slowly grew stronger.

“When he was born, my one hand could cover his whole body. He was so tiny and there were moments when I thought he wasn’t going to make it, but I look at him now and can see he’s a fighter.”

During his lengthy stay in hospital, Oliver required various forms of breathing support, received several blood transfusions, and continuously fought off the risk of infection.

Although Oliver has been diagnosed with a chronic lung condition due to his prematurity, which still requires oxygen and regular paediatric check-ups at Mater, he is otherwise a healthy baby and is reaching his key milestones.

“We are just enjoying every moment at home with Ollie. He’s so cheeky and he looks at me in the cheekiest way. He sleeps with his arms straight out like a bird and it’s so cute."

Mater Mothers’ has one of Australia’s largest Neonatal Critical Care Units, providing compassionate and holistic care to seriously ill and premature babies.

Mater Director of Neonatology Dr Pita Birch said babies born at 24 weeks gestation had a 70 per cent chance of survival.

Dr Birch said last year, 1825 babies received care in the Neonatal Critical Care Unit at Mater Mothers’ Hospital, with 18 of those babies born before 25 weeks gestation.

Thanks to modern maternity care and research, the medical, nursing and allied health teams within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit are able to save sick babies like Oliver.

Ms Brown thanked the specialised teams at Mater Mothers’ Hospital for saving her once pint-sized son.

“I walked into the hospital everyday knowing we were going to be taken care of – and that’s exactly what happened. No one understands how gut-wrenching it is to be away from your child when they are still in hospital, but we felt understood.”

LIFE'S TOO SHORT

A month after I turned 50 my ex-husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Eleven months later he was gone. He was 54. He left behind our three beautiful children to try to come to terms with a chasmal loss that they don’t yet fully appreciate. Life is too short.

With the diagnosis of a terminal illness there is no hope. There is just a decline - sometimes slow and sometimes devastatingly quick, where you have to bear witness to the process of death. You are forced to grieve the loss of someone before they have even gone. It is brutal and life changing.

The paramount decision I made after my husband’s death was to stop putting ‘life’ off until later on the assumption that I have all the time in the world. I rejected the idea of creating a Bucket List and instead I have fully embraced the joy of creating a Life List

What is a Life List and why choose it over a Bucket List?

A Life List is a long list of everything you want to achieve or experience while you are still young enough to fully achieve, experience, and enjoy it. It is the exact opposite of a Bucket List - which is generally defined as a list of the things you would like to experience before you die — that is, before you ‘kick the bucket’. It’s time to embrace a Life List over a Bucket List if:

• You are not focused almost exclusively on travel and adventure. What about everything else that’s important to living such as learning, being of service to others, and nurturing your relationships?

• When it comes to travel, you don’t necessarily want to just experience crazy adventures that might actually hasten you kicking the bucket - such as swimming with sharks.

• You are not simply looking to create a list of obligations — the things you never, ever made time for in your life but which now you need to get through lickety-split and

tick them off the list before you die … from exhaustion.

• You are not interested in asking: What do I want to do before I die? Instead, you want to ask: What do I want to do while I am still young enough to enjoy it?

Create Your Own Life List

Pick up a pen. The act of writing your Life List will significantly increase your chances of achieving your goals.

Include 3 types of goals on your Life List:

• Go Big Goals - The big, hairy, outrageous goals that take planning, or are new experiences, or will take you outside your comfort zone (for example, last year I walked The Larapinta Trail in Central Australia; and I have been cold water swimming almost every single morning for 2 years…)

• Go Small Goals - Include a range of smaller, life-affirming, inspiring goals that provide the daily fuel that makes your soul sing. Go Small or short-term goals can be implemented in the near future and generally without extensive planning.

• Go Now Goals - Engage in acts of spontaneity to keep you on your toes.

Life is too short to the point that we need to live it every single day. We need to think deeply about what is most important to us and we need to prioritise those things - today. We need to invest our time in the people we love most. We need to invest our time in creating memories, in being of service to others, in generating happiness and fulfilment and wonder. And we need to start doing this right now. Because later might be too late.

Kate Christie’s book ‘The Life List: Master Every Moment and Live an Audacious Life’ is available from Booktopia and Amazon.

MAMA CAN COOK

Easter egg meringue nest

Prep: 25min Cook: 45min

Makes: 12.

Ingredients:

4 egg whites

1/2 tsp cream of tartar*

1 cup castor sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

To decorate

600ml thickened cream

2 tbs castor sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Crispy shell Easter eggs to place on top of the frosting

3 tbsp desiccated coconut*

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 120°C. Grease 2 baking trays and line with baking paper.

Place eggwhites and cream of tartar into the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until firm peaks form. Gradually add the sugar until it is well incorporated and beat until the meringue holds stiff peaks and is thick and glossy. Fold through vanilla essence. Spoon mixture into a piping bag with a fluted tip and pipe in a swirling motion to form

With the sweetest time of year fast approaching, McKenzie’s Foods has some egg-citing recipes. You can find all their products, marked with an *, in your supermarket baking isle.

a nest approx. 8cm round, ensuring each nest is 2cm apart.

Bake for 45 minutes. Allow the meringues to cool in the oven with the door slightly ajar. Whip cream together with sugar and vanilla until thick. Pipe or spoon cream onto meringue nests and decorate with easter eggs and sprinkle with coconut.

The cupcake batter will look thinner than normal but we promise the outcome is light and fluffy! If you're time poor, top the cupcakes with mini eggs and a sprinkling of desiccated coconut.

Gluten free coconut Easter cupcakes

Prep: 25min Cook: 20min

Makes: 12.

Ingredients:

115g butter, melted

2/3 cup granulated sugar

½ tsp salt

2 tsp GF vanilla extract

6 large eggs, lightly whisked

2 tbs milk

½ cup coconut flour*

1 tsp baking powder*

Buttercream frosting:

200g unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 ½ cups icing sugar

2-4 tbs milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1-2 drops pink food colouring

Bunny ears:

6 white marshmallows

1 tablespoon caster sugar

1 drop pink food colouring

Pink chocolate eggs

Method:

Pre heat oven to 180°C degrees and line a 12 cup muffin tin with patty pans. Whisk melted butter, sugar, salt, vanilla and eggs. Add the milk and whisk until smooth.

In another bowl, sift the coconut flour and baking powder twice. Add to the wet ingredients and stir to combine.

Divide between patty pans and bake for approx. 20 minutes.

Cool for 5 minutes in the pan

before transferring to a rack. Frosting: beat the butter with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add vanilla, sugar and 2 tbs of milk and beat until smooth. Add a little more sugar or a little more milk a drop at a time to adjust the consistency. Lightly tint buttercream with 1-2 drops pink food colouring (if desired) Pipe buttercream swirls on each cupcake and then decorate with marshmallows bunny ears. To make the ears, combine sugar and food dye in a small bowl and mix until the sugar is tinted pink. Cut the marshmallows in half and dip the cut side into the sugar. Arrange the marshmallows on top like bunny rabbit ears. Enjoy!

Yum!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Prep: 25min Cook: 20min

Makes: 12.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup wholemeal spelt flour*

1/2 cup plain flour

¾ cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder*

½ tsp bicarbonate soda*

1 tsp ground cinnamon*

½ tsp ground nutmeg*

1/2 tsp salt

2 extra large eggs

½ cup (125ml) canola oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

150g carrots, finely grated

For Cream Cheese Frosting

125g soft/diced cream cheese

40g butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tbs lemon juice

2 ½ cups icing sugar mixture

To decorate

Crispy shell Easter eggs

Chocolate flakes

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160° fan-forced) and line 12 patty pans into a muffin tin. In a large bowl, whisk together well, the flours, sugar, baking powder, bicarb soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add eggs, oil, vanilla and grated carrot. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Evenly divide batter into patty pans (approx. ¾ full) and bake for 20 minutes or until

a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with just a few crumbs visible. Cool completely, before decorating with cream cheese frosting, chocolate eggs and chocolate flakes.

Frosting

Beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla extract and lemon juice with mixer on low, gradually add in icing sugar until all combined, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed.

Dollop a tablespoons of frosting onto each cupcake, top with chocolate eggs and chocolate flakes.

SUPPOrT

HOME STYLING TRENDS FOR 2023

As an interior stylist, serial renovator, and allaround lifestyle enthusiast, I see design trends come and go. This year is no different, 2023 is bringing in a hot new refresh and it’s all about earthy tones, sustainability, textural feels and a nod to nostalgia.

Earthy colour schemes

Make way for tan, taupe, ivory, beige and brown! Soft, natural colour schemes will be dominating the forecast for 2023. We will be seeing a shift away from the oh-so-common monochromatic colour scheme in exchange for a backdrop of versatile and comforting neutrals. This warming palette of colour will be complemented by curves and softer finishes such as mushroom-like colours and shapes.

And for those who will forever be ‘big, bright & bold’ devotees, we are set to see splashes of tranquil blue, luscious red and orange. As for pastel hues, delicate waves of apricot and lavender will be used as a pop of colour alongside a predominantly neutral setting.

Soft shapes and textual feels

Gone are the days of sharp, defined edges. This year we are welcoming a much softer aesthetic with gentle curves and arches. Furniture, lighting fixtures, oval dining tables, and mirrors, it's about the softness and femininity of design to exude a more relaxed feel.

Layers and diverse fabrics will be used to fill the home with warmth and character. Mixing materials like wood grain finishes, leather furniture, sheer curtains, and coloured rugs will create a unique and textural space.

Indoor outdoor oasis

This year, we are bound to see a strong merging of inside and outside. From harmonious al fresco arrangements to bringing more natural materials inside such as leather, cane, ceramics, and rattan.

We can also expect to see a warm embrace of our “natural environment” with interiors reflecting that of an organic oasis showcasing plants, fresh greenery, handcrafted wood and natural stone.

Natural stone in travertine and marble will take centre-stage as a timeless material for feature fireplaces, statement walls and sculptural stoneware side and coffee tables.

Sustainable design

There’s no denying sustainability has been a hot topic for quite some time, but in 2023 this trend will be merging into our home decor more than ever before. Think, preserving original designs, upcycling, and using enduring sustainable pieces with permanence as the focus. “Fashionable fabs” are no longer a trend; we are now delving into the “influence of the natural world” and celebrating nature's colour palette, rooted in the warmth of wood and natural stone.

Vintage treasures

Hold on to those collectables! Celebrating timeless antiques for their intricate design and craftsmanship is very much on trend this year. Expect to see homes designed to emanate an aura of historical decadence. Mixing the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ will be a hot trend to create a stylish, elective feel. This contrasting union of contemporary and vintage works transforms any space into a special and unique haven bursting with character.

By

Tina

Nettlefold.

Tina Nettlefold is the creator and founder of T.House, an online platform that sells a philanthropic range of unique, limited-edition homewares. She is also an interior stylist, serial renovator and philanthropist, living the dream empty nester life. As a professional interior stylist, Tina brings an unparalleled level of design and durability to her creations. Tina aligns with 3 main charities, Eat Up Australia, the Robert Connor Dawes Foundation and the Lighthouse Foundation.

new on the shelf

Hello, Emma Memma by Emma Memma

Here she is! The wait is finally over, beloved children’s entertainer Emma Watkins’ next chapter post Wiggles has been unveiled as she makes a joyful transformation into Emma Memma. Emma Memma, with her love of dance, sign language and music, brings visual communication to the forefront of the children’s media space. She is empowering the next generation through movement, creativity, inclusiveness and friendship.

Published by Puffin Books. RRP $19.99.

Prank Queen by Zoe George & Dani Vee

Big Brother contestant and social media sensation Zoe George (The Subtle Mummy) joins forces with Dani Vee, host of the hugely popular Words and Nerds Podcast and author of My EXTRAordinary Mum, to create storytime chaos! Pranking and family games are a great way to connect. This book will light up imaginations and be read again and again whilst making you want to reconnect with your inner child and share the lighter side of life with the children around you. Published by Larrikin House. RRP $19.99.

Pasta! by Felice Arena and Beatrice Cerocchi

Pasta tastes delicious, but do you know that pasta names are also fun to say? Grab your fork and spoon and get stuck into this rhyming feast. It’s enough to make anyone hungry for PASTA!

From bestselling author Felice Arena and award-winning illustrator Beatrice Cerocchi comes a joyous ode to the food that everyone loves to eat. What stands out about this title is that it’s not just a counting book or A-to-Z of the dish—the children are actively involved with food, and perhaps controversially, playing with it!

Published by Affirm Kids. RRP $19.99.

The Incredible Tail of Little Roo by Ross Knight & Matt Weston

Better known for driving a bulldozer and fronting Australian seminal rock band Cosmic Psychos, Ross Knight can now add the unexpected achievement of children's book author to his list of talents. The Incredible Tail of Little Roo was inspired by an encounter Ross had with a slow moving kangaroo hopping 'up the guts of the road' while driving late at night. He woke the following morning with the idea for a story that involved a curious kangaroo, a pot of paint and a wild adventure across Australia where the loveable, yet wayward marsupial causes chaos far and wide.

Published by Love Police Books. RRP $24.90.

A Tale of Two Princes by Eric Geron

Edward Dinnissen leads a charmed life. He’s the Crown Prince of Canada, gets the royal treatment at his exclusive private school, and resides in a ritzy mansion. Billy Boone should be happy with the simple life. His family’s ranch is his favorite place in the world, he loves his small town, and his boyfriend is the cutest guy at Little Timber High. So why does it feel like something’s still missing? When Edward and Billy meet by chance in New York City, they discover that they are long-lost twins, and their lives are forever changed. Together, will these twin princes — ‘twinces’ — be able to take on high school, coming out, and coronations? Or will this royal reunion quickly become a royal train wreck?

Published by Harper Collins Young Adult. RRP $19.99.

The Breakfast Club Adventures: The Ghoul in the School

by Marcus Rashford and Alex Falase-Koya

From #1 bestselling author Marcus Rashford comes another exciting adventure full of fantastic friendships, high-stakes mysteries and strange goings-on! The Breakfast Club Investigators haven't managed to solve a mystery in months – and, even worse, Marcus is worried that the group is going to break up! So when Gbenga, the captain of the school basketball team, comes to ask for their help Marcus knows this might just be the Investigator's last chance to prove themselves.

Published by Macmillan Children's Books. Out April 26. RRP $16.99. Ages 8-11.

Huda Was Here by H. Hayek

Huda hatches a bold plan to help her dad get a job - which lands her and her brother in all kinds of trouble. A delightful and hilarious story from a CBCA award-winning author, about a lion-hearted girl who just wants the best for her family. When her dad loses his job as a security officer and has to work interstate, Huda convinces her brother Akeal to sneak out at night to make mischief, hoping to force their dad's bosses to hire him back. As their misdeeds escalate, will the daring duo be able to outsmart the authorities? How much are they willing to risk for family unity - and what else might they uncover along the way?

Published by Allen & Unwin Children. RRP $16.99.

Miss Mary-Kate Martin's Guide to Monsters by Karen Foxlee

Miss Mary-Kate Martin might be anxious, but she's not scared of monsters. Travelling the globe with her famous archaeologist mother, Mary-Kate helps solve legendary problems in this fun fantasy adventure suitable for fans of the Travelling Bookshop or the Magnolia Moon series.

There are those who hunt monsters to harm them and there are those who hunt monsters to help them. Which one are you?

Published by Allen & Unwin Children. Out May 31st. RRP $15.99

Be Here Now by Meredith Gaston Masnata

Be Here Now will show you how to discover your ‘now’, building resilience and nurturing your own inner sanctuary by treasuring the world, just as it is now, in all its simplicity and authenticity.

The present moment, still and dynamic all at once, is the only moment we truly have. The past has gone and the future is not assured. Wonderful things worthy of our appreciation happen within and around us in every moment. And yet, all too often we seem to decline our timeless invitation to be here now — to be present. We can find ourselves lost in our thoughts of yesterday or our dreams for tomorrow, wishing to be elsewhere or other than ourselves; becoming consumed by distractions, or simply too busy to savour our lives.

Published by Hardie Grant Books RRP $34.99

We Only Want What’s Best by Carolyn Swindell

We Only Want What’s Best follows two very different women, Bridget and Simone, who aren’t friends, but as their daughters are in the same dance troupe –Expressions – they must keep up appearances as they fly to Los Angeles to support the girls in performing at Disneyland. Simone’s daughter Zahra is indisputably a leader in the group and knows how to wield her power over others, while Bridget’s shy and naive daughter, Becky, is a talent on the rise. This tense morality tale, set entirely during a 16-hour flight from Sydney to Los Angeles, deliberates what crosses the line when it comes to art.

Published by Affirm Press. RRP $34.99.

Time Magic by Melissa Ambrosini and Nick Broadhurst

This groundbreaking book will help you discover the surprising ways you’re losing time, the simple but genius techniques to reclaim it… and even how to make more of it.

It’s a refreshing, realistic, whole-picture approach that’s designed to help those who are tired of feeling time-poor and stressed out — including parents, entrepreneurs, employees, creatives, and anyone hungry for a more spacious, meaningful life.

Published by HarperCollins - Out April 5. RRP $34.99.

Mum jokes By Jessica Rowe

Definition of mum jokes? Like dad jokes but a lot smarter. Over 500 eye-rollingly funny, family-friendly, witty jokes, ready to bring out at any occasion. Over 500 eye-rolling, hilarious jokes, ready to bring out on any occasion.

We all know about dad jokes but isn't mum just as funny? Absolutely, she is. She's running circles around those lame dad jokes. Jessica Rowe has compiled an awesome collection of quick and funny jokes, already road-tested and 100% guaranteed to embarrass anyone's kids. An ideal present for any mum, any time.

Published by Allen & Unwin. RRP $19.95.

TIPS TO BOOST YOUR FAMILY FINANCES

Family budgets are in sharp focus right now with many parents trying to manage the impact of rising costs of living and higher interest rates.

Many households are about to come off fixed term mortgage rates onto higher variable rates too. Now is the time to make a plan. Getting the fundamentals right still matters, so let’s look at 5 strategies to make the most of what you have.

1. Revisit the family budget and focus on value

Regardless of how much you and your partner earn, the ability to manage what you earn and spend makes a big difference to the financial planning strategies you can use. Earnings are also the biggest driver to helping you reach your short, medium, and long-term goals.

Now is a great time to list out your income and expenses. Family budget management is about understanding where your money is going and making sure you get the best value out of the dollars you spend. Unfortunately, we can’t take it for granted that we’re always getting fair value for our hard-earned dollars when we buy something. It requires us to shop around. It’s worth the effort for all those re-occurring costs too like telephone and internet, electricity and insurance costs. Budgeting should never be thought of as a diet or denial. Budgeting done well is all about getting maximum value, and never about going without.

2. Understand your cash flow

Cash flow considers your earning and spending, but it’s also about time. It’s about making sure you have the money available to pay the bills at the time that they arrive.

All families have annual bills like car rego and home and contents insurance, quarterly bills like electricity and monthly bills like phone and internet. But have you ever stopped to think about when these come in? By doing that, you give yourself the best chance to put something aside, perhaps in a savings account to earn interest, or an offset account to reduce your home loan interest.

It's a great strategy for parents who want to take more control of their financial lives and live less worried lives about larger expenses arriving.

3. Reduce debt as quickly as you can

By understanding your family budget and your cash flow, you can make a plan to reduce debt as quickly as you can. It’s really important if you have credit card debt. Many online savings accounts aren’t paying much in interest right now, perhaps just 1%-2%. At the same time, you might be paying perhaps between 18%-20% on a credit card. It hardly seems fair, so make a plan to get rid of credit card debt. You might switch credit cards to a lower rate card or personal loan, while you pay it down, so you pay less interest.

There’s also an opportunity to do something with your home loan. You can ask your bank to look at your current interest rate that you’re paying on the mortgage. If you’ve reduced your outstanding loan after the last five or ten years, and the value of your property has gone

up, you might be able to secure a better deal. If your current lender doesn’t want to help you get better value, then find a lender who does.

If you find yourself in real financial stress, consider switching to an interest only home loan and talk to your lender sooner rather than later. Your lender may be able to assist you in ways you don’t understand like repayment holidays and re-draws. A good lender will help you through tough times too.

4. Get creative in doing stuff with the kids

The cost of keeping kids occupied can be costly. A back-to-basics approach can work well here too. Many of us grew up with a humble back yard veggie patch so why not give your own kids that learning experience too. Setting up a patch doesn’t take much cost, but it does take some time and can keep young minds and bodies occupied. And any food you grow saves a little on your grocery spend too.

Another idea is to get the kids involved in cooking. While they might be too young to use a cook top, they can mix a cake, kneed some dough for bread or scones or help cut up some fruit salad. These are important life skills too and are relatively low cost.

5. Make a plan to reward yourselves too

It’s easy to forget about yourself as a parent as the responsibilities are always front and centre. A great way to reward yourselves is to link a reward to achieving a financial goal. It might be reaching a savings goal, a superannuation savings goal, a home loan reduction goal (at different milestone amounts) or perhaps even paying off the credit cards.

The reward should be proportionate and doesn’t need to be too extravagant – it could be taking yourselves out to dinner, going to the gold class movies or perhaps buying show or concert tickets for a night out without the kids. Grandparents, aunts and uncles are great low-cost babysitters too!

The economy and the costs of living will always impact family budgets but there are things you can do to take control of your financial life for your family. Remember you have options to consider, even if times get tough. Make ‘fair value’ your mantra.

By

Luke

Smith.

Luke is a licensed Australian financial planner and author of the new book, Smart Money Strategy – Your Ultimate Guide to Financial Planning (Wiley, $34.95), published by Wiley. Luke is also the host of the popular podcast ‘The Strategy Stacker –Luke Talks Money’ and appears every Friday afternoon on Canberra’s 2CC. Found out more at www.thestrategystacker.com.au

A MOTHERLESS DAUGHTER

I grieve my mum every day, but especially on Mother’s Day

This year will be my fourth Mother’s Day without my mum, Bronwyn. And despite having made it through so many key milestones without her, the pain of missing her is still as heavy as it was the day she died.

Mum passed away on Thursday, 8th August 2019 after a long battle with PrimaryProgressive Multiple Sclerosis, and a shorter fight with Scleroderma — which in the end was what claimed her life.

I remember the day Mum passed away so vividly — the stillness of the early morning, the sun rising as I sat by her bed holding her hand, her warmth when I kissed her goodbye for the final time, and how peaceful she looked after so many years of suffering. The memories of that day will never leave me.

Mum was an incredibly proud and private person who never wanted anyone to know the extent of her suffering. However, with Mother’s Day fast approaching I feel it is important to shine a light on my own grief, not for pity or attention, but in the hope that it may help someone else feel less alone.

Grief affects everyone in different ways, and we should never assume someone is ever ‘okay’ after suffering a huge loss like the loss of their mother. The impact of Mum’s passing reverberates through every corner of my life, and I wish the people around me would understand the level of pain I carry with me every day, particularly on Mother’s Day. It is unlike anything I have ever experienced.

If you are fortunate to still be able to spoil your mum on Mother’s Day by buying her a gift, taking her to breakfast or giving her a bunch of her favourite flowers, understand what an incredible privilege that is. And while you’re out enjoying this special time with your mum, spare a thought for all the young women and girls who no longer have a mother to celebrate this day with.

Throughout my grief journey, I've been so fortunate to have the support of Motherless Daughters Australia - a beautiful, not-forprofit organisation that provides support for women and girls whose mum’s have died. Each year in the lead up to Mother’s Day through their Mother’s Day initiatives, they give us the opportunity to remember and honour our mum’s, uniting as one big, griefstricken, but grateful community.

So this year, I’ll be buying a Motherless Daughters Australia ‘Mother’s Halo’ Cyclamen as a way of honouring my mum and to keep her memory alive this Mother’s Day.

"Grief affects everyone in different ways, and we should never assume someone is ever okay"

To my fellow motherless daughters, I am sending all my love to you. Not only for Mother’s Day but for every milestone and every other day we have to live through without our mums’.

And to my courageous, elegant, inspiring Bronnie — I hope it’s beautiful where you are, and you are at peace. But, most of all I hope you are proud of me.

Lauren Kavanagh is from Brisbane and is a proud supporter of Motherless Daughters Australia, the leading organisation in Australia for mother loss support, research, and awareness. www.motherlessdaughters.com.au

WIN A

$100 Smiggle Voucher! 5 to be won!

Hip, hip hooray, it's Smiggle's 20th birthday!

Celebrate 20 years of Smiggle with their limited edition collection filled with stacks of poppin party fun! The giggles and play will be in store from 2 May - 30 May.

That’s just a few weeks to secure a bright bit of Smiggle history!

To celebrate their 20th birthday we've got 5 x $100 vouchers to be won! Enter online at mamamag.com.au/smiggle and send us in your best colouring in for 5 bonus entries!

DIY VEGGIE PATCH

After a long hot summer, the crisp mornings and mild days are a welcome relief as Autumn sets in, with the cooler weather providing the perfect opportunity to buildyour-own vegetable and herb garden.

Growing your own fresh food is a great way to kick-start your love affair with the outdoor room, while providing your family with quality produce direct from the garden to the kitchen table.

Jason Hodges, celebrity landscaper and Adbri Masonry ambassador provides top tips to building your own vegetable garden using versatile and durable concrete blocks.

“Choosing concrete blocks enables you to be creative, adding dimension and aesthetics to your yard. This is a great weekend project that the entire family can be involved in,”

Before you begin, Jason suggests considering the position for the veggie patch and making sure it receives enough sunlight, as this will impact the fruit, vegetables and herbs you grow. Also, consider layering your veggie patch by bringing in different heights which will add dimensions and interest to your yard. This could mean building your walls at different heights or layering with the produce you plant – taller fruit trees in the centre and work out towards the smaller vegetables and herbs. Lastly, consider the finished height of your walls surrounding the garden. If it’s high enough, it can double as a great garden seat. Here Jason provides a step-by-step guide to building your veggie garden using Adbri Masonry’s Miniwall garden blocks, perfect for building straight, curved or circular walls.

Mark out the shape of your veggie patch

Determine what size and shape your veggie patch will be, with consideration to what fruits, vegetables and herbs you wish to plant. Once you have a rough idea, mark out the shape of your veggie patch. For square shapes, set up a

string line, for curved or circular areas you can use the garden hose. Once you have defined your shape, use marking paint and mark a line around the shape.

Excavate a trench

Remove turf and debris from the area to avoid it growing back through your veggie patch. Then excavate a trench approximately 50-100mm wider than the block and approximately 200mm in depth. Top tipplace turf in green bins but save the soil so you can reuse this in the first course of your soil mix in the raised veggie patch.

Use recycled roadbase for the footings

Spread the roadbase throughout your footing to a depth of approximately 50-100mm. Once you have covered the entire trench, compact the roadbase using a plate compactor. Go over the area a couple of times to ensure it is well-compacted and flat. Using a recycled roadbase for your footing is better for the environment and can be cheaper too.

Spread a sand and cement mix over the road base

Prepare a sand and cement mix of 4:1 and using a timber float, spread the mix over the road base to a thickness of approximately 30mm. It is very important to get the sand and cement mix level. Use a spirit level and work in small sections through your trench constantly checking level both ways, side to side, front to back. Your base needs to be level! If your wall starts level it will finish level so this step is important to spend your time on.

Begin laying the first course of blocks

Start at one end and place blocks onto the screeded sand and cement mix. Using a rubber mallet, gently tap the blocks into position, and using your spirit level, check that each block is level with the one before it, side

to side and front to back. After you have laid the first block, continue laying blocks around the trench. Blocks should be ‘butted’ against one another so they gently touch together. Continue laying blocks and checking for level until you finish the first course of blocks.

Continue laying blocks

You can continue laying blocks by simply stacking them on top of one another. Make sure you have a small hand broom to sweep dirt and debris off the top of the course below to ensure your laying blocks on a nice flat surface. Continue laying blocks to the desired height, noting the maximum unreinforced heights allowable.

Installing the capping units

Use a suitable landscape grade outdoor adhesive (like landscape liquid nails) and place four ‘blobs’ of adhesive on the top of each block. Once you have done this, firmly place the capping into place. Repeat this step until all capping units are firmly secured to the top of your wall blocks. Continue to check the level on this final course. You will finish with a nice, clean, flush looking garden wall and the blocks won’t move from position.

Bring in the new soils and mulch

Use a wheelbarrow to bring in your soils, mulches and potting mix. Consider using organic soils so your family’s fresh fruit and veggies are of the highest quality. Spread the soil evenly throughout your new veggie patch. You want the soil to come to about halfway up the top of your capping unit.

Planting out and finishing off

Autumn is an excellent time of the year to sow vegetables and herb seeds that love cooler conditions. These will be ready to harvest throughout winter and spring. Don’t forget to consider layering things, start with taller fruit trees in the centre and work out towards your veggies and herbs.

“If you have kids at home get them involved. If the kids are involved in growing the good stuff, they will definitely eat it. It’s also fantastic, uninterrupted family time in the great outdoors with natural light, and no distractions of TV’s, phones and computers. Some of your fondest memories will be made in the new garden, the kids will love it and you will save a few dollars on the grocery bills.”

For more information, visit www.adbrimasonry.com.au

BY NEGOTIATION

5 negotiation tactics to grab crazy property deals in a slowing market.

Rising interest rates have started to put the handbrakes on Australia’s runaway property market, and that’s good news for homebuyers who are now in a far stronger position to negotiate on a property than they have been over the last few years.

One of the most apparent advantages for buyers in the current market is the reduced levels of competition. Fewer buyers mean that prices aren’t being driven higher, and if you’re a good negotiator, it’s possible to swoop in and find yourself a bargain.

If you’re new to negotiating for property or unsure where to start, here are five tactics that will help you achieve a strong result at the negotiating table.

1. Know the market

You can’t succeed in a negotiation if you don’t know the value of the asset that you’re trying to buy in the first place. That’s why any good negotiator will always start by doing their research. You need to know the market better than your competition and don’t get caught up in any hype or opinions from a sales agent.

Start by finding what comparable properties are selling for in the market. Look for the last three months of sales around your property. The sales should be of similar property types, sizes, ages, and land components. Another good way to get an idea of the price is to speak with local agents in the area. When you have a fair market value, you then know your “walk away price,” and you won’t find yourself getting emotional and overbidding.

2. Understand the vendor’s motivations

In any negotiation, there is a saying that whoever needs the deal least will likely be the one that comes out on top. When looking at potential properties to buy, you can be the world’s best negotiator, but if the vendor doesn’t need to sell, they will likely either wait for their price or walk away.

Whenever you start looking at a property, try to ascertain as much information about the vendor as possible. That will give you an understanding of how motivated they are to sell, which will then impact how much you initially want to offer.

3. Be the strong bidder, not the highest

In a property transaction, price is just one piece of the puzzle. When a vendor weighs up an offer on their property, they are interested in the price, but the terms can also play a big part.

For example, if you’re a cash buyer who can settle quickly, that might be far more appealing to a vendor than a higher offer that needs three months to settle. Similarly, a larger deposit could give a vendor more certainty that the transaction will occur.

As a buyer, getting your finances in place ahead of time and then tailoring your terms to suit the vendor might give you an edge in a negotiation even if you’re not the highest bidder. Ultimately, the vendor wants their problem solved, and your job is to find out what it is and then make a strong offer that addresses those immediate needs.

If you are ever tempted to make an unconditional offer, be sure you’ve done extensive due diligence and can secure finance, as there could be significant costs if you have to back out of the deal.

4. Unique offers

A great way to make your offer seem stronger than it might actually be is to come in with an odd-numbered amount. An offer price of $596,200 instead of $590,000 or $600,000 reflects that you’ve taken the time to do your due diligence, making your offer stand out.

Another approach is to make a written offer with a deadline. That way, you can speed up the negotiation process, and it might prevent the sales agent from pitting your bid against another buyer to drive up the price.

5. Know the property

It’s critical to clearly understand what you’re buying before entering any negotiation. While you might have done your comparable sales analysis and have an excellent overall picture of what similar properties are selling for, you still need to investigate this particular property.

Several things can impact the property’s value, which can help you negotiate. For example, if an awkward tenant occupies the property, it will be less appealing to many homebuyers, which you can use to your advantage. There may also be issues with the property, such as problematic zoning, service locations, or even large trees that can alter its value.

The most obvious factor to consider is the state of the property and whether it needs renovation or repairs. In the current market, homebuyers are less interested in buying a property that needs work due to the cost of materials and difficulty finding tradespeople. That will give you a strong starting point to negotiate around the price.

While getting a great deal is essential, it’s crucial not to compromise on the property’s quality. Quality is more important than a bargain, and a property’s performance will ultimately determine its value.

A slowing real estate market presents an opportunity for buyers to negotiate and secure a great property deal. By understanding the local market, paying attention to the vendor’s motivations, and putting forward intelligent offers, you can potentially grab an excellent property deal in a slowing market.

Rasti Vaibhav is the author of The Property Wealth Blueprint (RRP $39.95) and Founder of Get RARE Properties, a bespoke independent buyers' agency that has been helping hundreds of clients across Australia secure their financial freedom through property. For more information, visit getrare.com.au

HOME BRAND HEROES

Do you buy home brands? What are your thoughts?

If you read the label, you may be pleasantly surprised!

The cost of groceries in Australia has skyrocketed this year. So people may be tempted to switch to home-brand foods to save on their weekly food bill.

Home-brand foods are certainly cheaper. But are they healthy?

Here’s what we know about the nutrients they contain compared with the more expensive named brands.

What are home-brand foods?

Home-brand foods have various names. You might hear them called supermarket ownbrand foods, private label, in-house brands, store brands, or retailer brands.

These are foods made specifically for a supermarket (you cannot buy them at a competing store). They are advertised as lowpriced alternatives to more expensive items.

Home-brand foods are widely available in Australi, making up to 30% of what you can buy at a supermarket.

Some people once viewed these as inferior products. But their nutrient content, and wide availability in supermarkets, may play a role in boosting population health. Some evidence shows home-brand foods increase availability and accessibility to more affordable food options, and contribute to improving food safety standards.

Why are they cheaper?

Cheaper prices associated with home-brand products are possible due to lower costs associated with research and development, marketing and packaging. This means we cannot assume lower prices mean cheaper or inferior ingredients.

In fact, supermarkets can influence the ingredients and processing of home-brand foods by benchmarking against named brands.

Before a home-brand product is made, stores will also specify to manufacturers what it should cost to consumers. Manufacturers often choose to use the same ingredients and processes as name-brand products to reduce costs through economies of scale.

This means not having to clean or reprogram equipment between making the different products. It also means most home-brand products are very similar to branded products, aside from the packaging.

However, for mixed foods, such as breakfast cereals and pre-made sauces, the manufacturer may change the ingredients, such as using cheaper or fewer ingredients, to help reduce costs.

How much can I save?

Home-brand products can be up to 40% cheaper than named brands. So yes, homebrand products can make a real difference to the total cost of groceries.

However, some products have bigger cost savings than others.

Home-brand products can be up to 40% cheaper than named brands.

Most labels on supermarket shelves show the cost per 100g (or equivalent) for an item, which can help shoppers choose the most costeffective option, especially useful when items are on sale.

But are they healthy?

For simple, unprocessed products such as milk, eggs and pasta there is virtually no difference in nutritional quality between home-brand and named brand foods. There is very little the manufacturers can do to modify ingredients to reduce costs.

But sometimes cheaper ingredients are used in higher concentrations in home-brand products. For example, home-brand premade pasta sauces may have less of the vegetable ingredients, and greater amounts of sugar, sodium (salt), and additives (such as stabilisers, colours and flavours). This may change the quality and taste.

Very few studies have explored how homebrand products may differ in nutritional profile.

Overall, serving size, sodium and other nutrients appear similar across home-brand and named brand food. But there are some differences with certain food types.

Serving sizes

For instance, serving sizes are generally smaller in home-brand pizza, canned legumes, grains, biscuits and ready meals. In fact, edible oil is the only type of food where serving size is greater for home-brand foods.

Salt

Sodium levels of home-brand breakfast cereals, cheese and bread are generally higher than branded products. But sodium levels of cooking sauces, frozen potato products (such as oven-baked fries) and biscuits are generally lower in home-brand foods.

Other nutrients

For energy and fat intake, again it seems there are inconsistent differences between homebrand foods compared to branded foods.

How about sugar? Unfortunately, the studies didn’t look at this.

In fact, overall, Australian home-brand products are not consistently nutritionally different to branded products.

Health star ratings

On a related note, unhealthy home-brand products – such as juices, meat pies and muesli bars – are more likely to include a health star rating, compared to nutritious foods. This may incorrectly imply they are a healthy choice.

This means no matter which brand you choose, remember to check the food label to make sure you are getting the quality of food you like for the price you are comfortable with.

By Lauren Ball, Associate Professor and Principal Research Fellow, Menzies Health Institute, Griffith University and Katelyn Barnes, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Griffith University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.