Sydney MamaMag Apr/May 2022 by MamaMag

SYDNEY

Apr/May 2022

WIN A FAMILY HOLIDAY TO NORTH STAR HOLIDAY RESORT Homes & Holidays Inside the House of Harvee Find yourself outside Home Sanctuary Fun with Finances Support and fun for the Sydney mum 1

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AUTUMN AT HOME I always love our home and holidays issue because well, I love both home design and holidays! But I feel like we’ve spent far too much time at home in the last two years and it’s time to get out there and start living. As I write this I’m sitting on a plane on the way to Hobart for the Business Chicks Movers and Breakers event. I’m crammed in this little plane, mask on, wondering if this will be the time I finally catch Covid. Gosh I hope not, there is going too be much fun to be had over the next few days meeting wonderful women and business owners. I’ts been more than 12 months since I’ve sat on a plane but somehow it feels so natural (although I wish the lady two seats up would stop coughing). There is a super cute baby in the row in front peeking through the chairs at me and that subtle pop in my ears reminds me I’m 20k+ feet in the air. This trip means 5 days away from my kids, which as a single mum is no strange feeling, but they are positively jealous I’m off and they are not. Must be time to plan our next big family adventure I think! We’ve got lots of affordable holiday ideas this issue from some camping experts, but if you’d like something a little more luxurious make sure you enter our amazing 5 night holiday at North Star Holiday Resort. We also chat to @houseofharvee’s Krystal who will give you some serious home envy (that pool). So enjoy mamas!

Sarah Cavalier Editor - MamaMag - @thecavaliermama Support andmums, fun for the everyday mum MamaMag is designed and published bi-monthly free for Sydney families and carers.

Publisher: Grizzle Design 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.grizzledesign.com.au Editor in Chief/Creative Director: Sarah Cavalier: sarah@mamamag.com.au For advertising enquiries contact: Olivia Wilson: olivia@mamamag.com.au Want to write for us or have an article idea? submissions@mamamag.com.au

Support and fun for the everyday mum

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CONTENTS The House of Harvee

Krystal’s dream home

Mama, we’ve got this

A disabled parent’s story

Early learning quality

Understanding the quality framework

Home sanctuary

Mama’s picks for home heaven

Find yourself outside

Camping tips and locations

Fun with finances

Teaching kids good skills

Fab family fun

What’s on around Sydney

Love a mother

WIN a 5 night family stay at North Star Holiday Resort on the Tweed Coast, NSW in a Coastal Cottage!

Sydney’s Olivia Rudomino from NooK

Life admin hacks

Lift your admin game

Light up the night these holidays

Scenic World fun these holidays

Express your dinners

Worth

$1340

George Georgievski recipes

Practising simplicity

Jodi Wilson travels Australia

The way of tomorrow

Working mums

WIN 1 of 3 Spacetalk watches

Simply colour to win

Active holidays

Your family’s next adventure?

Some cheeky help for kids

Toilet training tips

My journey to motherhood

Ali Young’s new book

New on the shelf

For resort information visit www.northstar.com.au

For your chance to win enter at www.mamamag.com.au/northstar

Our latest new book picks

Rental property 5 investment strategies to consider

MamaMag Apr/May 22

Entries are open to Australian residents only. 5 nights for 2 Adults and up to 3 Children (0-12years) in a Coastal Cottage. Flights not included. Competition starts April 1st 12.01am and closes May 31st 2022 at 11.59pm. Conditions: This prize is valid for 12 months from date of issue and excludes travel in high and peak periods including school holidays, public holidays or special events. Bookings are subject to availability and vouchers may not be accepted on all dates. The prize is not transferable and may not be exchanged for cash. Any unused portion will be forfeited. Vouchers will not be extended past the expiry date. All other expenses will be the responsibility of the prize winner including but not limited to current passports, spending money, transport to and from departure and arrival points, transfers, activities, gratuities, services charges, travel insurance, pre and post accommodation, optional activities or excursions and all other ancillary costs. Travel insurance is not included in the prize but is highly recommended. Visit www.mamamag.com.au/competitions for full terms and conditions.

The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publishing staff. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without permission of the publishers. 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.5

InsIde the house of harvee If you’ve ever taken a look inside the House of Harvee, you’ve probably had some serious home-envy! Its creator Krystal, wife to Aldo Daharby and mother of three gorgeous kids, has an absolute eye for style and design and her kitchen and new pool area are absolute knockouts. The kitchen has even been featured on the cover of Adore magazine. Krystal’s “day job” is in the beauty industry running her own wedding and events hairstyling business, however her other love is interiors and styling which she documents on her blog and Instagram. We chat to Krystal about the inspiration behind her style and life as a mum.

renovating. Let me tell you, from that first wall rip down, we were HOOKED.

First of all, tell us a little bit about your family.

I think about this all the time as my inbox is filled with enquiries. I am very open to anything that comes my way. If there is an opportunity down that road that inspires and excites me, then yes for sure. I would love to be able to help people make their homes a place they absolutely love!

We are a family of 6, Aldo, Krystal, Vienna, Harlow, Avery and our puppy Alfred. Hubby and I have been together for 14 years and married for 10. We laugh A LOT and we dance even more. We spend most of our time at home, watching movies or having our own dance parties, although we are always up for an adventure.

Your home is now awash with white walls and a stunning neutral/pink palette. What was it like when you first moved in? Ok think browns, lattes and hogbristle walls (yuk)… that was all very IN back in 2010 when we built the home and at the time I wanted it to be exactly like the display homes I had visited. It wasn’t until we actually moved in that I realised, whilst the house was brand new it just didn’t FEEL like US!

Had you done any renovating before? Never! I had been ‘restyling” the rooms in my home for a few years but never actually any 6

Where does your style and inspiration come from? I spend a lot of time of Pinterest and Instagram and I love a good interior magazine. I like to take tiny bits of inspiration from all different images I have saved and put them together to make something unique for my home. I make a lot of my decisions based on how I want to FEEL when I’m in the space.

Any plans to make a career out of property styling/renovation?

What’s your favourite room in the house? Ohh this answer changes daily depending on which room is the cleanest, haha. I think my bedroom is a really beautiful and calm space and it gets gorgeous afternoon light shining through the shutters. But the kitchen and pink loungeroom (pink couch) is also a gorgeous place to sit and have tea and listen to music!

Favourite homeware brand? Ahh I have so many, I love Globewest, Paolo and Joy, Clo studios, Eadie Lifestyle, Norsu interiors and many more.

Best purchase of 2022 so far? I’m going to have to say the STUNNING tiles I have purchased for the bathroom that I am currently renovating! Wait till you see them.

How on earth do you keep your stunning pink couch clean with a dog and three kids?! Haha this is a question I get asked all the time. We don’t eat or drink on that couch (or that room to be honest) but in saying that it did have a little mark on it the other day and I got the Bissell cleaner out quick smart. I am a huge believer in ‘Yes you can have nice things in your home and still teach your children to respect them and keep them looking beautiful’, however this is our home and the memories you make are far more valuable than the items you fill it with.

We’re exploring homes and holidays this issue. What is your favourite holiday destination? We have been very lucky to have travelled quite a lot as a family. We love California, Disneyland (or perhaps it’s me that loves it the most) and we cannot wait to get back to Bali!

And finally, do you have a funny parenting story you’d like to share? I do, I have many!! But one that comes to mind is when I was pregnant with Harlow. I was absolutely exhausted and fell asleep on the couch, leaving 2 year old Vienna to fend for herself. Whilst I was asleep, she went into the kitchen and got the big oil bottle and a bowl and brought it over to where I was fast asleep and decided to play with the oil ALL OVER THE CARPET. There was oil EVERYWHERE when I woke up!! Parenting is tiring, hahah!

MAMA, WE’VE GOT THIS Being a disabled parent is a rebellious act. Disabled people should have the same right to parent as anyone else, but often when we decide to start a family we are met with judgement and discrimination. We are questioned rather than supported. We have to push up against the medical system, which is particularly problematic for disabled people. And we have to confront how ableist society’s model of parenting is, even in the twenty-first century. Yet, despite all this, we still choose to parent. And we are damn good at it too! I became a parent six years ago. I’d always had an innate drive to have a family. As a child, I wrote in my diary that one day I would have children. My parents always hoped I’d have children. When I told them about my desire to be a mother, not once did they discourage the idea; they were excited and supportive of me starting my own family one day. I have a physical disability, a neurological condition called Charcot-Marie-Tooth. It affects the way I walk. I fall over regularly and have muscle and sensation loss throughout my body. Lack of circulation creates freezing cold legs on hot summer days, and I am consistently fatigued and in pain.

When I first seriously considered having children, I spoke to my neurologist. I had the hugest smile on my face: at the time I was in love and elated just thinking about the possibility of children. I’ll never forget his stern and unforgiving look in response; he couldn’t hide his disapproval. Silently he wrote notes on his computer as I waited. After what felt like hours, he lifted his head, adjusted his glasses and began to flood me with questions. ‘Have you considered your options? As someone with Charcot-MarieTooth, you have a 50 per cent chance of passing on your condition. Have you looked into genetic counselling? We could do a panel blood test again? Do you think you will be able to manage?’ I felt like I was crumbling. Shame overcame me. We’re taught to trust medical professionals, so his words really stung. I’m used to discrimination: I’ve had people stop in the street and pray for me. I’ve been stared at and ridiculed. But this was far more insidious: this was someone in a position of authority, someone who I was supposed to trust, suggesting it would be best if I didn’t have a child in case they were like me. It affected me deeply. I can still feel the pain in my chest from that day; it flares again in moments of self-doubt.

In June 2014, we found out I was pregnant. A rush of adrenaline filled my body and I had a rollercoaster of emotions: fear, uncertainty and excitement. The neurologist’s questions haunted me: how was I going to do this? I grappled with other questions too. Would the pregnancy be too hard on my body? Would people judge me? Could I manage? What if I fell over while holding my baby? At times my head was a whirlwind of anxiety. I spent hours searching bookshops for a volume about parenting with disability. I wanted to feel represented, read a story like mine, know it was possible. I needed reassurance, to find a friend on the page saying, ‘Yes, you can do this.’ But there was nothing out there. In all the stacks of parenting books, there were no mums like me. I felt incredibly alone.

Where were the disabled parents? Why couldn’t I think of a movie or TV show that included a disabled parent? More than 15 per cent of Australian households have a parent with disability, yet we are nowhere. I knew representation mattered – so it became my mission to share the stories of disabled parents, to help other disabled people know they’re not alone, and to show it’s possible. I searched for other disabled people worldwide who were parents, and little by little I felt less isolated. It became an obsession, and I created a pool of people who I could reach out to. It began to feel like a community of sorts, a way for us all to feel connected. The common thread was that we all felt under-represented and alone in our decision to parent. This led me to create the audio series We’ve Got This with the ABC. For the series, I travelled around Australia sharing the perspectives of disabled parents. Time and time again, I witnessed that families with disabled parents are just like any other family. Of course they grapple with physical and attitudinal barriers in society, but in their homes all the families I met were thriving. The parents who share their stories in We’ve Got This are ingenious, creative and adaptive; they constantly have to navigate physical, attitudinal and social barriers within society.

They have faced discrimination and they have had their choice and ability to parent questioned. This is especially the case for parents with intellectual disability. What these parents show us, though, is that parenting isn’t black and white. There shouldn’t be a template we all follow to the letter. Parenting as disabled people demands we let go of the ‘standard’ or ‘right’ way to do something; instead, it’s about being creative and flexible – and children are so beautifully open to being adaptive. These stories show us all how rigid the conventional ‘template’ of parenting is, and these parents display an inner strength that any parent would envy and could learn from.

How do parents who are blind push a pram or measure the right mix of formula and hot water? How do parents who are Deaf know their baby is crying in the night? How does a mother who’s a wheelchair user get her baby in and out of the cot, or out of the car? Ultimately, it’s always about thinking outside the box. Throughout my parenting journey, I’ve learnt ways to be adaptive and innovative. I’m now a mother of two; I have a six-year-old girl, Isobel, and a one-year-old boy, Archie. At the moment I’m in a world of sleepless nights, breastfeeding, pushing prams and teaching my daughter to sound out words while she learns to read. Being pregnant the second time was no easier than the first. When you’re disabled, you’re constantly told by medical professionals and society at large that you ought be fixed or ‘cured’. This fed into a belief that my body was weak, breakable and incompetent. For the whole pregnancy I was riddled with fear that I would lose them, that my body was not stable enough to house a baby. Because of my disability, I also regularly fall over, so this added extra stress. During both pregnancies I visited the maternity ward regularly so I could have the baby’s heart rate checked: sometimes after a fall, other times just because I was anxious. Archie is now a bubbly toddler. He is very different to my daughter. He is a firecracker, full of energy and charisma. At eighteen months, he has only just begun to walk, yet already I have found it challenging to take 9

him outside the house. When I take him to the park, I go with friends or my partner, who I can rely on to chase him if needed, or I contain him in a little trike that I push and he can’t get out of, which my in-laws gave us as a present. Luckily he loves being in it, and it’s a wonderful way for me to stabilise as I walk, similar to pushing a walking frame. At a regular check-up when I was pregnant with Archie, as soon as I waddled in with my large pregnant belly, the obstetrician said, ‘I’m hoping you’re not going to do this again to yourself: no more for you.’ In what world is this appropriate? I should have said something, but I was shocked, so I bit my lip and shrugged it off. What I wanted to say is: how dare you make assumptions, because I’m disabled, about what I choose to do with my body. Instead, the same feeling I’d had when my neurologist questioned me sank in again. The shame washed over me and the immense pain kicked in, causing my heart to feel heavy. It happened again when I was having an ultrasound. The sonographer asked if I could pass on my disability. I said, ‘Yes, there’s a 50 per cent chance.’ Her mouth dropped open like a fish, before she said, ‘Okay, let’s see if we can see anything wrong.’ I gulped. In that moment, I thought, ‘There’s nothing wrong with me’ – but I couldn’t say it aloud.

the stares get longer. People began to ask more intrusive questions: What happened to you? What’s wrong with you? Having children was the catalyst for me embracing disability pride. When I first became pregnant, I was still grappling with internalised ableism. I am not even sure I used the word ‘disabled’ to refer to myself before that. Having children has enabled me to embrace my authentic self. If I’m not proud of who I am, then what is that modelling for my children? I knew if I wanted my children to be proud of who they are, I had to be proud of who I am. Now Isobel knows my limitations. She’s a beautiful child who knows all about disability. She will move toys on the floor in the house out of the way so that I have path to walk along without falling over. I love the feeling of her hand in mine as we cross the road; she will often hold it extra tightly in case I fall. Sometimes she will help pull me across the road so we make it while the lights are red. The first time she noticed I had a disability, she said, ‘Mum, why do you always walk like a penguin?’ How innocent and sweet. We laughed and laughed together about it.

This is an edited extract from We’ve Got This by By Eliza Hull, published by Black Inc Books. Eliza is a contemporary musician, disability advocate and writer based in regional Victoria. I have to be honest: having a 50 per cent She has been published in Growing Up chance of passing on my genetic condition Disabled in Australia and her podcast series on is not something that’s been easy to grapple parenting with a disability, We’ve Got This, was with. I am proudly disabled, yet I have still one of Radio National’s and ABC Life’s most worried for my children. I know what kind successful series of BLACK INC. of world they are coming into; if they have all time. In We’ve MEDIA RELEASE my disability, they will face discrimination, Got This, twentyThis barriers and physical pain, among otherWe’ve Got five parents societal challenges. This knowledge is hard who identify as Stories by Disabled Parents to navigate. Deaf, disabled Eliza Hull (ed.) or chronically ill People may judge me for choosing to parent discuss the highs The first major anthology by parents while knowing this, but who better to make with disabilities and lows of their this decision than someone who’s lived with parenting do two parents who are blind takejourneys their children my disability for decades? I am proud ofHow who to the park? How isand a mother with dwarfism treated reveal that the she walks her child down the street? How do I am and wouldn’t change a thing aboutwhen me; Deaf parents knowgreatest when their babyobstacles cries in the night? I want to instil the same pride in my children. lie inEliza other When writer and musician Hull was pregnant I want them to know that whoever they are, with her first child, like most parents-to-be she people’s attitudes. was a mix of excited and nervous. But as a person it’s okay. with a disability, there were added complexities. Grab your copyShe wondered: Will the pregnancy be too hard? Will people any good The thing is, it’s not my disability that disables judge me? Will I copefrom with the demands of parenting? of Australian households have book shop. me: it’s society. Being a parent affirmed More thisthan 15 per cent a parent with a disability, yet their stories are rarely shared, their experiences almost never reflected in for me. As soon as I had kids in tow, I noticed 10

parenting literature.

In We’ve Got This, twenty-five parents who identify as Deaf, disabled or chronically ill discuss the highs

Release date: Tuesday, 1 March 2022 AU RRP: $32.99 NZ RRP: $37.00 ISBN: 9781760642938

The way families find child care has changed StartingBlocks.gov.au is your first step into early childhood education and care. Now families can find and compare services, fees, and what your family may pay. At StartingBlocks.gov.au, families can:

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find local services and view their vacancies, costs, quality ratings and inclusions

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compare services side-by-side estimate their out-of-pocket costs get info and advice about education, children’s development, and parenting

Having this information in one place helps parents choose the best early childhood education and care for their family. For more information, visit startingblocks.gov.au/find-child-care/ StartingBlocks.gov.au

Brought to you by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority

UNDERSTANDING QUALITY IN EARLY LEARNING Our Australian children’s education and care sector is recognised around the world for its commitment to quality. The National Quality Framework (NQF) keeps children safe while attending services and supports high-quality education outcomes. This sets children up for the best start in life. Research shows that access to quality early education and care leads to better health, education and employment outcomes later in life. In Australia, children’s education and care services are assessed by government regulatory authorities and given ratings for each of the seven quality areas under the National Quality Standard (NQS). They are also given an overall NQS service quality rating based on their results. So, what does quality look like in children’s education and care services? When you’re choosing a service for your child, knowing about some of these quality features might help.

What are the National Quality Standard quality areas? Quality Area 1 – Educational program and practice The service’s program should reflect your child’s interests, meet their needs, and evolve to support their learning progress. You know you’re seeing quality at a service when:

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each child can develop their interests

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children are encouraged to express ideas and participate in decisions about their program

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educators recognise that your child is competent and capable, even if they need extra support

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the diversity of the children at the service is reflected through learning opportunities

Quality Area 2 – Children’s health and safety Your child should feel secure and engaged in learning, and educators will help them learn about healthy lifestyles including nutrition, hygiene, physical fitness and social relationships. You know you’re seeing quality at a service when: •

educators are providing for children’s wellbeing and comfort

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they’re communicating with families about health practices and procedures

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healthy menus and physical activities are built into the educational program

Quality Area 3 – Physical environment Your child should be included in play and learning in spaces that support them to become physically competent, to explore their environment independently, and to learn through play. You know you’re seeing quality at a service when: •

children are exploring, experimenting and creating in indoor and outdoor environments

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rooms and play spaces are safe and in good condition

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there are adequate materials and learning resources for all children.

Quality Area 4 – Staffing arrangements

Quality Area 7 – Governance and Leadership

There are educator to child ratios to ensure your child’s safety, welfare and wellbeing, and to meet their learning and development needs.

Your child ‘s service should have a positive workplace culture, which creates a safe and healthy learning environment for children.

You know you’re seeing quality at a service when:

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there’s a suitably qualified and experienced team

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there’s a a sense of pride and cohesion among management and educators

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staffing practices reflect the philosophy of the service

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educators treat one another with respect and work well together.

there are documents on display at the service, such as the service’s NQS rating, Quality Improvement plan with the service’s current goals and strategies, license

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there’s a clear way to ask questions or raise any concerns

Quality Area 5 – Relationships with children Your child will be supported to build strong positive relationships with other children to play and learn together, and build their skills in problem-solving, negotiation and decisionmaking. You know you’re seeing quality at a service when: •

the atmosphere is generally relaxed and happy

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the children are displaying kindness and compassion

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educators and children are engaged in genuine and meaningful conversations.

StartingBlocks.gov.au is your first step into early childhood education and care. Whether your child is already in a service or you’re still deciding whether to enrol, our Find Child Care tool can help you get started. Visit startingblocks.gov.au to find child care services and learn about their quality ratings, get tips on starting child care or preschool, and learn what can be done at home to encourage your child’s learning and development. Brought to you by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority.

Quality Area 6 – Collaborative partnerships with families and communities Your child’s service should work in partnership with you and engage with the local community to build your child’s sense of belonging in the wider world. You know you’re seeing quality at a service when: •

there are effective enrolment and orientation processes and access to current information

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the educators communicate respectfully with you and tell you about your child’s learning and development

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families are involved in decision-making and can express any concerns freely.

HOME SANCTUARY Create your very own home Sanctuary and use it! Creating your own sanctuary at home may seem a little selfish (it isn’t btw) and completely unachievable especially with umpteen children running around! However, here we show you just a few tweaks that’ll help bring together a space in which to relax, meditate and feel good about your surroundings… Why? Because every Mama deserves a little space of their own!

Sort it A cluttered home is a cluttered mind, and just as the wonderful Marie Kondo says, “if it doesn’t spark joy” get rid of it. Hashtag Best Feeling Ever!! Once you’ve de cluttered, it’s time to organise what’s left into some kind of order. These Rattan baskets from Target are a great natural storage system that will hold heaps and look super stylish in any home. (RRP $30.00)

Clean it Once the clutter has gone, throw open your windows and take some time to clean from top to bottom, using natural, toxin-free cleaning products that won’t harm your health or the planet’s. This gives you the chance to start over with a healthy, chemicalfree, blank canvas minus the environmental guilt. Phew! Zero Co Products are not only the coolest way to ditch single use plastic, (talk about cute #reusable packaging) they’re also toxin free, cruelty free and palm oil free so perfect for a truly ‘fresh’ start!

Colour it When selecting colours for your sanctuary, opt for something that invites tranquility. Green represents healing, harmony, regeneration and love (#cute) so choosing a calming mint green or sage would be ideal. The Porters Paints French Green paint from Bunnings will create that relaxing, natural feel in an instant! (RRP $298.00 10L)

Light it Ever noticed how lights can determine the mood? With just one twist of a dimmer the whole feel of a space can change in an instant! You can create all the comforting feels with this gorgeous Shepa Floor lamp from Temple & Webster. This dimmable lamp gifts you the perfect glow for your mood and portrays a unique modern design allowing it to stand out in any room. (RRP $449)

Cushion it Piles of cushions and blankets soften a room and make it feel a whole lot more inviting. Layering them up will instantly make your room feel more cozy and entice you to spend more time there. This huge floor cushion from Adairs (RRP $229) is everything!! The limited-edition Togetherness x Adairs collection is a joyful, floral explosion designed by Melbourne-based artist, Esther Sandler and is guaranteed to make everyone in the room feel relaxed, happy and carefree. Pair it with the Malmo Honey Throw (RRP $119.99) and embrace the cozy!

Plant it It’s no surprise that plants breathe life into any space, big or small. However, did you know that plants such as the snake plant, spider plant and aloe vera naturally purify the air, boosting your mood and creating a truly healthy environment? And hey, you can never have too many plants right? Check out this beautiful selection from Wildspace | Home Ready Plants delivered Australia-wide

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Scent it Burning scented candles fills a room with a gorgeous aroma and adds oodles of warmth. A naked flame is often used in meditation as a focal point as it’s so relaxing and at times hypnotic. This Palm Beach Collection Rosewood, Gardenia & Musk Candle will add the perfect touch to your space and will transport even the most stressed mama to a balmy summer evening. (RRP $32.95)

Feel it There’s nothing better than a body treatment to get you into ‘Maxo Relaxo” mode! Top Stuff Ultra Hydrating Body Creme by Dr Roebucks is a replenishing and soothing body moisturizer formulated to hydrate, protect and nourish the skin. The addition of Lavender in amongst the other awesome ingredients makes this the perfect post shower, pre pj’s kinda luxury. (RRP $38)

Wear it It’s time to ditch the saggy, stained trackies and treat yourself to something new! The Ainsley Knit Pant (RRP $120) and Long Sleeve Knit (RRP $100) from Assembly Label are THE luxurious option for comfort dressing in your sanctuary. This oversized style has a soft, wide waistband for ultimate comfort and is crafted from a cozy blend of natural cotton. Comfort is key when Mama wants to relax and with this set you can definitely do that in style!

Breathe it Virtual Breathwork classes are a wonderful way to heal yourself through the power of your own breath. Once you have your space set up, loungewear on, candles burning and a warm blanket wrapped around you, Virtual Breathwork Meditation Healing with Siobhan Lou can be done via the Zoom app on a laptop or phone. Taking a breathwork class online in the comfort of your own home, just you, Siobhan and the sound of your breath is immeasurably healing and has the capability to change your life. It’s time to make the most of your own private Sanctuary!

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT BY GRABBING A FUN BUN 6-PACK FROM YOUR LOCAL BAKERS DELIGHT BETWEEN 28 APRIL – 18 MAY! WWW.BAKERSDELIGHT.COM.AU/BCNA 17

FIND YOURSELF OUTSIDE For those still not comfortable with international travel, there’s heaps of us taking to the road and exploring what Australia has to offer. With domestic travel well and truly back in action, finding accommodation can be tricky. Camping is a great alternative to avoid the crowds and experience Australia in all its beauty. Below are my top tips for a smooth camping trip. BUT, before you get to any of these tips, my first, and most important tip is to have the right attitude. “Adventure is what you make it”, is something I tell my kids over and over again. No two campsites are created equal and a holiday is what you make of it. Go with the right attitude and you’ll be guaranteed of a great time.

Don’t forget the shovel! If accessing a 4WD only property, don’t forget to take recovery tracks and a shovel. If you’re a beginner, park your vehicle in a safe spot and have a reccie on foot to check whether it’s in your capability to tackle it. I’ve done this many times (and proceeded on down!). Slow and steady wins the race.

Keep things cool Invest in a good quality esky to keep the valuables cold. Beginners start with a good quality ice esky. Those who have been bitten by the camping bug should invest in a cooler that’s plugged into your dual-battery in your 4WD. That’s when you know you’ve reached the camping elite!

Stay extra-hydrated! Know the situation with drinking water, is there plenty of potable water at the campsite? I always take my own extra 40 litres of water from home. Can never have too much water.

Fire ‘er up! (Responsibly) Brush up on your campfire skills and know local fire regulations. Most Hipcamps permit fires all year round (excluding fire ban periods) which is great, but it’s everyone’s responsibility to be fire safe and thoroughly extinguish campfires before you go to sleep at night and before you leave.

Food glorious food! It’s such a special time to share meals with the ones you love - this is where the memories are made. It’s ok to pack those items that aren’t ‘everyday’ foods at home. My kids associate Milo cereal with camping because that’s the only time they get it. Create special memories around food. We also love ‘special drinks’ when camping, quite often the fizzy comes out for a bit of fun

TOP 5 CAMPING DESTINATIONS For those that are new to camping, camping expert, Brooke Wood, Hipcamp’s operations manager has teamed up with Toyota to put together five camping locations for those looking explore the NSW bush this year. Creek Side, Private Swimming Hole

Creek Side is an idyllic campsite on the banks of Crystal Creek. This large grassy site is right next to your very own private swimming hole. They only taking one booking at a time so your group will have the area to yourselves. Hot shower & flushing toilet available for campers. Well behaved pets welcome.

The Meadow at Bluebell Hill

The Meadow is a hidden gem located at the rear of a 100 acre property in the heart of the beautiful Manning Valley. Kids will love the Koala Walk and Enchanted Fairy Forest and playground. The farm is full of horses, cows, calves and wildlife including some very special resident koalas.

Emu Creek Retreat

This property comprises of 2800 acres of pristine hinterland in Tabulam, 69 km from Casino. With 650m high hills and over 200km of tracks for 4WD’s or mountain bike enthusiast. Two creeks run through the property providing over 15 km of clear water suitable for swimming, kayaking, fishing and fossicking.

Boxgrove Campsites

On over 600 acres of Australian bush, this property dates back to the early 1900s and there are numerous historic buildings on the property. The property has breeding cattle, fine wool merino sheep, lavender and loganberries. Camp near the toilets/ showers or choose any spot across the property bringing your own amenities and of course leave no trace.

Fig Paddock Crystal Creek Ranch

Set on a 100 acre property in northern NSW, backing onto Springbrook National Park, with natural bush, walking tracks and fresh water running creeks. This is a well shaded camp site, right next to the creek, with lots of room for large groups of families.

FUN WITH FINANCES: TEACH KIDS MONEY MANAGEMENT SKILLS WITH THESE 5 ACTIVITIES Financial literacy is slipping by the wayside. Schools don’t teach it and because of this, many parents also don’t have the know-how to teach these important skills to their children, resulting in another generation that isn’t fully empowered to flourish. As parents, we want our children to have every opportunity for success. Keeping this in mind, how can parents go about teaching their kids money management skills? Here are 5 great activities that teach children, across age groups, how to work with money wisely. 1. Pay pretend shop This activity is great fun and it’s an ideal method to convey the value of money and the process of exchanging it for goods, especially to young children who haven’t started primary school yet. Choose a number of items from around the home (toys are usually popular) as the “for sale” items. Give each item a numerical value. Using paper, create money that matches the numerical values of the items for sale. At this age, adding and subtracting might be too complex, keep it simple and aim to teach the children about the process of buying. Take turns to be the buyer and the seller. 20

2. Provide a weekly/monthly allowance and give the kids their own “expenses” Children who get a regular allowance are better equipped to learn to manage their money. Whether they want to save up to buy an expensive toy or learn how to budget, knowing how much money they will get each week or month will help them to plan how they will spend their money. Teach them to ensure they always manage to keep some of their money aside as savings, and that they should only buy something if they will have enough money and still have some leftover.

3. Assign chores and give each chore a financial value Washing cars is a common chore that kids do to try and earn some pocket money. Parents can build on this by setting out a number of chores and attaching value to each chore. Children can choose the chores they’d like to do, and they can get paid according to the value of the chores they have chosen. This teaches children that money represents effort and time, it’s not freely available. It also teaches children how much effort goes into acquiring the things they want. Rather than viewing a new toy car as costing $20, they can view it as 4 car washes at $5 a pop.

4. Involve older children in the planning of vacation budgets

5. Use visits to the grocery store as learning opportunities

Planning a family vacation? When you book your hotels and plan your routes, involve your young teens in establishing a budget for your trip. It’s insightful for them to see what kind of planning goes into affording the fuel/ plane tickets, the hotels, the restaurants, and the attractions. Allow children to take ownership in the decision-making processes while you give them a real-life view of how much it really costs to go on vacation. The actual planning process also teaches them important life skills.

Compile a shopping list and enlist the help of your children to find the items on the list. Teach the children about comparing the prices of different brands by giving them a budget within which to complete the shopping. It’s also important to teach them that with certain grocery items, cheaper is not better, while others are entirely selected based on budget.

By Sonia Gibson, Director at Accounting Heart Chartered Accountants Sonia has always loved solving puzzles and empowering people to help themselves. Accounting Heart brings these two passions of hers – her head and heart – together. While figures might send you batty, to Sonia they tell the unique story of your business. It’s her role to translate that story into one you’ll understand so you can then write it your own way. www.accountingheart.com.au 21

FAB FAMILY FUN 1. Scenic World Light Up The Night

4. Skate and Play at Parramatta Park

Let there be light! Experience Scenic World by night with over 50,000 lights installed across the site. See the illuminated Three Sisters from the Disco Skyway, connect to the Katoomba NightLit Walk, enjoy carnival rides, kid’s light maze, insta-worthy light installations and Bite Up The Night food pop-up.

Running throughout the Easter school holidays, Skate and Play (8-23 April) will transform Parramatta’s picturesque Prince Alfred Square into a hub of family-friendly fun ranging from roller-skating to amusement rides.

8—30 April. Tickets from $29 www.scenicworld.com.au/whats-on

2. Sydney Royal Easter Show The Sydney Royal Easter Show is back at the Sydney Showground for 12 days this April with a fab mix of attractions and traditional family favourites. There are over 20 unique pavilions to explore including the Junior Farm Hands, Talk and Taste, Little Hands on the Land, Woolworths Food Farm, Arts & Crafts Pavilion, and more. Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park. 8-19 April 2022. Tickets: Adult $38, Child $23, Family $99.50 www.eastershow.com.au

3. Edward the Emu The award-winning Monkey Baa team brings to the stage a new imagining of the classic Australian books by Sheena Knowles and Rod Clement. Edward and Edwina both wonder if there is more to life than being an emu but after adventures beyond the enclosure, they discover that the best thing you can be is… you! Tickets from $29 9 April – 23 April www.sydneyoperahouse.com 22

“If you’re looking to entertain the kids these school holidays, you can’t go past our Skate and Play event. Get your skates on and go for a spin around our outdoor rink or enjoy the carnival atmosphere with a selection of amusement rides and interactive inflatable dog sculptures,” City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Donna Davis said. Skate and Play | Prince Alfred Square, Parramatta Park – 8–23 April www.atparramatta.com

5. Barbie™ Dreamtopia Afternoon Tea Dive into the magical world of BARBIE Dreamtopia with a beautifully themed Afternoon Tea at Kitchens on Kent at The Langham. Your experience also includes a Barbie doll gift to take home! The Barbie™ High Tea menu includes fairy bread, Strawberry scrolls, Dreamtopia rainbow cupcakes, “snow”-topped popcorn pots, strawberry and chocolate rice bubble crackles, Mermaid doughnuts, unicorn cake pops and more delicious Dreamtopia treats. Kitchens on Kent at The Langham. 11 - 22 April Tickets: $78 per child (from 5-12 years old), $35 per child (4 and under) www.kitchensonkent.com

1. 6. Jurassic World by Brickman The Australian Museum (AM) is creating more hands-on fun for LEGO® fans of all ages with a series of workshops and events to accompany the immersive exhibition Kmart presents Jurassic World by Brickman®. Running from Thursday 17 March to Friday 27 May 2022, this series features masterclasses and intimate meet-andgreets with the master himself, Ryan ‘The Brickman’ McNaught, as well as afterhours brick-building events designed to challenge creative skills and teach new techniques for building with LEGO® bricks. 17 March – 27 May 2022 Australian Museum, 1 William St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010 www.australian.museum/exhibition/ jurassic-world-brickman/#programs

8. Park Sounds Come and see Sydney Olympic Park as you’ve never seen it. Experience the streets alive with singers, food trucks and entertainers. Park Sounds will feature artists who will play acoustic gigs on the streets, in restaurants and in theatres, sometimes with bands too. Come listen as their noise brings the Park to life. There will be over 40 small scale performances with 150 musicians, DJs and comedians. March-May 2022 www.sydneyolympicpark. com.au/Park-Sounds

7. 6.

love a mother Are you even a parent if you haven’t made a fort or cubby out of every piece of household furniture, cushion, pillow and blanket? And all that time at home thanks to COVID certainly made for more home-based play. Spurred by their own children’s imagination and creativity during lockdowns, Sydney parents Olivia and Patrick Rudomino created NooK, a modular furniture system that is also a luxury piece of furniture that kids can actually play with. The Australian design, which recently won a Gold Award at the Good Design Awards, can be used as a seat on the floor, a cubby in the corner, an obstacle course down the hallway or a sleepover bed. It’s a versatile piece of furniture that doesn’t just take up space, it actually complements it. We chat to Olivia about how it all came about…

First of all tell us a little bit about your family and kids. Patrick and I met when we were in our late teens - it’s a good love story! Our busy family revolves around our three gorgeous kids, Charlie, Carmen and Hugo, our two cute puppies, Tashi and Yeshi, and our newest “baby”, NooK!

My Nook was born in lockdown. What’s the story? Like families around the world, we found the first days of COVID lockdown turned our world upside down! Our kids are extremely active, so having no school, sporting activities or birthday parties suddenly meant we had a lot of time.. at home.. all together! It was an adjustment and it meant a lot needed to change in our home environment. In reorganising our space, we found that we wanted our furniture to work better for this new world – we needed a solution for the kids rooms that was multi-purpose and versatile – and I wanted something that might encourage them to leave my couch cushions in place! This led to a revamp of our living and play area where we trawled the web for a proper solution – something that allowed our children creative freedom, encouraged independent play and was safe and cosy too. We wanted it to be more than simply a piece of furniture – that didn’t just take up space, but actually complemented it. With all this time together, we also found a new way of engaging as a family through NooK – this allowed us to all play together, even our eldest teenager started building with

the younger kids. Patrick, who was working a corporate job before lockdown and travelling often, also found that NooK building helped him engage again with the kids. Deciding to move forward with NooK was about creating something that we needed in our home.. and with over 10,000 NooKs now in homes around Australia, we found that a lot of other people felt the same need we did!

Your three kids love being involved in the family business. How do they get involved? The kids are involved in everything! Both Patrick and I like to be across every aspect of the business and the kids join us in that – whether it is boxing products in the factory, stamping fabric samples or labelling deliveries – we all muck in and get things done! Obviously they love choosing fabrics.. but their favourite activity is definitely working on prototypes for new extensions. We prototype heavily to ensure our products are perfect, so this is such invaluable feedback from both their ideas and watching how they play with items to evolve and perfect them!

You pride yourselves in being not only Australian designed but also made here. How did you find the right suppliers? At the beginning of the business it was necessary to find local manufacturers, however we discovered pretty quickly that if we wanted to ensure we could meet demand and produce a high quality product we had to do it ourselves!

This began a long journey and steep learning curve while we set up our purpose designed NooK factory just near our home in Sydney’s Northern Beaches. We were lucky to be joined by such an amazing team who work tirelessly ensuring our NooKs are as good as they can possibly be! As we head into our third year of operation, we feel we have a really streamlined process and we have managed to keep it both Australia Made and at the highest level of quality – two cornerstones of what we do at NooK.

When you’re not at home making new Nook builds and creations, where do you love to go in Sydney as a family? We are so lucky to live in the beautiful Northern Beaches so we spend a lot of time at the beach in the warmer months. We also love bushwalking as a family and we’ll often be found in one of the many National Parks near us.. with COVID restrictions winding back, the kids are all extra busy with their sport again also (almost makes me miss lockdown!)

Were exploring Homes & Holidays in this issue. What’s your favourite family holiday destination? We absolutely love exploring Australia, we definitely prefer the warmth, so any sleepy beachside up in QLD is always a perfect family holiday.. I spent many holidays at Byron Bay when I was growing up so it’s always about recreating that uncomplicated, salty, sandy family time!

What’s your favourite thing about being a mum? Any funny parenting stories you’d like to share? Seeing the world through their eyes.. showing them your passions and watching them discover their own has to be the most wonderful part of being a mum.. that and their joyful laughs, warm hands slipped into yours and sleepy snuggles!

And finally, where can buy a Nook? Jump onto our website at nook.com.au!

THREE WAYS TO LIFT YOUR LIFE ADMIN GAME Life admin, the homework of adult life, is ceaseless and crazy-making. It starts when you get your first job, it leaps if you buy a property and once you have a child, it bounds to the next level. Birth certificates, Centrelink forms, birthday parties, daycare, kinder and school newsletters, the logistics of extracurricular activities...life admin can very quickly become overwhelming. As a parent juggling paid work and two kids under three, I remember a distinct moment when I was hanging out laundry at 11pm while mentally making a grocery list for tomorrow’s shop, thinking there must be a way out of the chaos. The good news: there is. Getting your life admin under control is not just about being more motivated or organised, it’s mostly about tools, timing your to-dos and templates.

Tech tools Our lives are more complicated, technology has advanced and yet often the tools we use to manage life admin haven’t evolved. The three tools that offer the biggest bang for buck to reduce and automate your life admin are: • A password manager, like Keeper or LastPass, to autofill online forms and apps across all your devices. This will save you time all day every day, offering convenience you have to experience to believe. Identity theft aside, a password manager will change your life by freeing up headspace too, since you no longer have to remember all those versions of your favourite password. • C loud storage, like Google Drive or oneDrive, so you can go paperless and digitally file your bills, tax records and other important documents. No more paper clutter, environmentally responsible, and easy online access wherever and whenever. Bonus: shredding all that stuff in your folders is sooo satisfying. 26

• A shared digital calendar, using Google Calendar or Outlook for example, so there is a single source of truth displaying who needs to be where, when. When everyone in the household has access to a family calendar, it makes it much easier to share drop offs, pick ups, and check your availability and commitments on the fly.

Timely to-dos You probably already have a to-do list, and it’s possibly very long. It’s likely full of tasks that have been there for months, both big and small, and you’re wondering how you’ll find the time to get them all done. Sound familiar? It’s time to rethink your list. roductivity experts suggest categorising P tasks by how long each one will take: • T wo Minutes Too Easy: these are tasks that will take less than two minutes to do, and they don’t actually belong on a list. If one of these tasks comes your way, such as an email requesting you pay a bill or your child handing you a permission slip - do it right there and then. Don’t leave it for later or add it to a pile: it’s most efficient to deal with it now. Once it’s done you don’t have to think about it, procrastinate about it or file it. • T en Minute Time Killers: these are tasks that take up to ten minutes to do, and can be done during downtime or in the white space between other activities. Examples here might be researching your closest indoor climbing centres for an upcoming playdate, reserving a bunch of books at the library or filling out a quote form to get the carpets cleaned. Next time you find yourself standing in a lengthy queue, killing time between meetings or waiting while your child finishes swimming lessons, knock over one of these tasks.

• H our of Power: these are chunky admin tasks where you need to concentrate, such as updating your superannuation investment option, shopping around for a better mobile plan or organising a house move. Add these tasks to a separate list and set aside a time each week that is dedicated to doing them. Schedule a recurring slot in your shared digital calendar, and enjoy the peace of mind that comes when you know you have ample time to deal with each and all of them.

Tailored templates There is a lot of repetition to life admin tasks: weekly meal plans, grocery lists, forms requiring the same information again and again. Instead of reinventing the wheel each time, use templated tables, checklists and reference lists as shortcuts. Create a document in your cloud storage or password manager that includes all the data you usually need to fill out forms: your family members’

Medicare and Centrelink numbers, doctors contact details, emergency contact details, for example. Build a master shopping list on your phone, on a print out on the fridge or within a supermarket app, and use it as a base. Set up a checklist with the steps you need to plan a birthday party, so you can refer to it several times a year. If it’s a task you’ll do regularly, consider whether a template will help save yourself considerable time. Upgrade your life admin tools, lists and templates to reduce your mental load and discover more time for the things that matter most. Mia Northrop is co-host of Life Admin Life Hacks, a podcast that helps you find more time, money, peace of mind and household harmony. If you’d like practical nudges to help you get on top of your life admin and stay on track, subscribe to the Monthly Momentum newsletter at lifeadminlifehacks.com. 27

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT THESE HOLIDAYS As the sun dips below the horizon, Scenic World will be switching on the lights – all 50,000 of them to create a sparkling, illuminous experience as part of Light Up The Night these school holidays from 8th – 30th April. Children and adults alike will be dazzled by the tens of thousands of lights, shaped into Insta-worthy installations. Get ready to race through the light maze, take a spin in the carnival rides and rip up the silent nightclub dance floor, with music mixed by local legends, Hermitude. Ride the world’s only cable car nightclub, the Disco Skyway, with music also programmed by Hermitude. Dance the night away at 270 metres above the rainforest canopy as you travel across the valley to explore the Katoomba Night-Lit Walk, operated by Blue Mountains City Council. The 1.3km familyfriendly illuminated circuit connects to lookouts to view the Three Sisters, Katoomba Falls, Orphan Rock and part of the Jamison Valley escarpment which will be lit up under the night sky. Fuel up at the Bite Up The Night pop up stall and Terrace Café offering sunset views, mulled wine, and a smorgasbord of sweet and savoury bites from around the globe.

Light Up The Night is the perfect excuse to escape to the Blue Mountains for a night or two these school holidays. Take in the fresh air, get amongst the UNSCO World Heritagelisted national park, take a dip in a local waterhole, explore the incredible waterfalls, and tantalise your tastebuds with delicious local produce. Just ensure you save some energy (and some stomach room) for the evening when Light Up The Night comes to life. Light Up The Night Ultimate sessions are from 5pm—7:30pm (arrival time) and the site stays open until 9:30pm. Tickets are $39.90 per adult and $29 per child (3 – 15 years). Children under 3 are free! We also offer a Night Owl experience from 8pm with adult tickets from $29 each and $24 for the first child (3-15 years) and $21 per extra child. Use your NSW Dine and Discover pass for $25 off or your Parents NSW Voucher. Vouchers can be used separately, or multiple vouchers can be used in the one transaction up to a total of $250. For more info on Light Up The Night or to book, go to: www.scenicworld.com. au/light-up-the-night

 Over 50,000 lights installed across the site See landmarks of the Jamison Valley lit up Dance on the Disco Skyway and silent nightclub with music programmed by Hermitude Carnival rides & Kids light maze Explore the illuminated Katoomba FallS Reserve Night-Lit Walk Insta-worthy light installations Bite Up The Night food pop-up

APR 8-30  SCENICWORLD.COM.AU/LIGHT-UP-THE-NIGHT LUTN Mama Mag 138x97.indd 1

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EXPRESS YOUR DINNERS WITH THE LUNCH BOX DAD, GEORGE GEORGIEVSKI Plan your dinners before you shop

freezing them in portions for a later date.

My family used to be shocking at deciding what to eat for dinner. When someone suggested a meal there was always an objection. I realised that I needed to change tack, so I reached for my favourite cookbook and some sticky notes, handed them to Kiki, Anela and Marina and asked them to pick two dinners each. I made a list of all the ingredients, along with any modi cations, such as removing walnuts for Anela’s nut allergy. When I went to the supermarket I only bought the ingredients on the list instead of randomly buying produce to ll the fridge. The results? Bang! Dinner for the week was sorted.

Shortcuts are okay!

Batch cooking rules Being a parent is taxing and you don’t want to spend every evening in the kitchen, so cook a double batch of a meal that you know the whole family loves and that keeps well (I’m not talking fresh salads here!). You can have it again later in a few days’ time or freeze half for next week.

Love your freezer Most cooked foods can be frozen for at least a month, and I love taking out a frozen curry before I leave for work in the morning, knowing that all I need to do is zap it in the microwave when I get home. Lots of the pies and pastries in my book, such as the Cheat’s Ricotta and Feta Burek and Veggieloaded Sausage Rolls freeze well, as does my Chill-out Con Carne. I also love making big batches of my favourite sauces, such as Satay Sauce and Teriyaki Sauce, and then

You don’t always have to create meals from scratch. Check out Pimp Up Your Roast Chicken in my book to see how easy it is to make ten incredible meals with a supermarket roast chook. Making your own marinades can be fun and if you’ve got the time, go for it, but don’t be afraid to buy store-bought marinades and sauces. Shortcuts can actually be a cool way to discover new flavours.

Prep ahead Make life easier by prepping your veg when you get home from the shops. I give all my produce a wash and store it in plastic containers in the fridge so that it’s ready to use throughout the week. You can also make many of the dressings and sauces in my book a few days ahead and store them in sealed jars in the fridge until you’re ready to use them.

Order online I have to admit that I am a supermarket addict (I often go three times a week), but if you’re short on time, why not shop online? Ordering online saves time, especially if you get it delivered, which means your weekends will be free to hang with family and friends.

Look for bargains I love it when the supermarket catalogue drops in my letterbox. The most expensive items on my shopping list are meat, chicken and fish, so when I see premium beef mince on sale, I’ll buy loads, divide it into portions and freeze. Just remember to take it out the night before to defrost!

Family means everything to me, and some of my best childhood memories are of my mum, dad, sister and me sitting around the dinner table. We’d discuss how many times I had gotten in trouble at school that day or my dad would tell us something funny that had happened to him at work... it was super awesome. Back in the day, my mum was a factory worker, so she’d be home by 3.30 pm and would usually spend an hour or two preparing dinner. We had the best times during those magic hours and, when we were lucky enough, my mum would even whip up a dessert or cake. This time together gave me an appreciation for food and for the family stories behind the meals that my mum would cook. There were a lot of ‘when I was your age’ discussions and it was also a great time to drop birthday present hints, some times more successfully than others (I still haven’t forgotten the year I asked for Adidas runners and instead got cheap knock-offs).

You can also customise any of the recipes to suit your family’s preferences. For example, I’ve used microwave rice throughout the book, but if you have a little more time, you can cook your rice from scratch. The pies and pastries all use puff or filo pastry from the freezer and come together in no time, and there are loads of ideas for including veggies in your dinner in a way that kids will love. I’ve also devoted a whole chapter to creating an impressive meal using a supermarket roast chook and just a few extra ingredients (the Portuguese Grilled Chicken on page 113 is a personal favourite). And because I couldn’t write a book without including some awesome lunchbox inspiration for both you and your kids, I’ve included a month of lunches to give you some new ideas for how to use your leftovers from dinner the next day.

Fast forward to the next generation. My wife Marina and I both work full-time, and we have often struggled to find the time to recreate that special bonding time of our childhood dinners. Our time at home during the week is scarce, with after-school activities for Anela and Kiki taking up most nights. I wanted to work out a way to ease the dinnertime pressure, to make this time as relaxed and golden as it was during my childhood. There’s no chance I can cook the dinners that my mum used to make back in the day, I just don’t have that amount of time. So I’ve worked out shortcuts and other ways to take inspiration from my mum’s cooking and the special memories I have of dinnertime, to make it work in the context of our busy, modern lives. I’ve designed the recipes in my book to take the stress out of your evenings and help you get a fresh, healthy and delicious dinner on the table – one that your family will actually want to eat! Most can be whipped up in 30 minutes and some are even quicker (look for the ‘Ridiculously fast!’ symbol throughout the book).

Smashing Pumpkin Salad Ingredients:

Method:

2 kg butternut pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into 10 cm long slices

Preheat the oven to 220°C and line two baking trays with baking paper.

2 tablespoons olive oil

Place the pumpkin in a large bowl, add the oil, salt and pepper and give it a good mix so the pumpkin is smothered in the oil. Tip onto the prepared trays and cook for about 25 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Set aside to cool.

1 teaspoon salt flakes 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 80 g (1⁄2 cup) pine nuts 400 g baby spinach 300 g cubed goat’s cheese Honey–Balsamic Dressing (see page 30 of my book) Balsamic glaze, to serve (optional; see Handy Hints)

Toast the pine nuts over medium–low heat in a small dry frying pan for 6–7 minutes, until golden brown. Keep the pan moving (if you’re

like me you will be tipping the pan about and spilling a few) or stir constantly, as the pine nuts can burn very easily. Transfer to a plate to cool. Grab your fave platter, add the pumpkin, spinach and pine nuts and give it a little mix. Add the goat’s cheese, but don’t stress if it falls apart or crumbles as we can pass it off as being rustic. Drizzle the honey–balsamic dressing over the whole lot and finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze, if desired.

George’s Wonton Ravioli Ingredients: 400 g microwave mixed vegetables 1 teaspoon salt flakes 2 tablespoons olive oil 1⁄2 onion, finely diced 1 teaspoon crushed garlic 400 g can crushed tomatoes 200 ml vegetable stock 20 wonton wrappers 2 tablespoons grated parmesan Method: Microwave the veggies according to the packet instructions, then transfer to a bowl and add the salt and

1 tablespoon of the oil. Use a fork to mash the veg to a mashed potato consistency. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Next, grab a frying pan and heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft, then add the tomatoes and vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. While the sauce simmers away, let’s assemble the wonton ravioli. Pop a wonton wrapper in the palm of your hand and add about 1 tablespoon of your veggie mix. Using your finger, wet the

edge of the wonton wrapper with a little water, then fold the wonton wrapper in half to form a rectangle and press the edges together to enclose the filling, making sure to press out any air bubbles. Repeat with the remaining wonton wrappers and veg. Drop your ravioli into the boiling water and as soon they start floating to the top use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the simmering tomato sauce. Mix gently to coat in the sauce, then divide among shallow bowls, sprinkle the parmesan on top and start eating!

Midweek chicken pasta bake Ingredients:

Method:

500 g dried penne

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2 tablespoons olive oil

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook the penne according to the packet instructions, until al dente.

1 kg skinless chicken thigh fillets 1 tablespoon salt flakes 1 tablespoon garlic powder 300 ml thickened cream 2 tablespoons grated parmesan 1 tablespoon Vegeta stock powder 125 g (1 cup) grated cheddar leafy salad, to serve

While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Season the chicken with the salt and garlic powder and sear for 5 minutes each side until golden brown (we don’t want to cook the chicken through, as it will finish cooking in the oven). Grab a baking dish and line up the chicken thighs in a single layer in the dish.

Drain the penne and return it to the saucepan. Stir in the cream, parmesan and Vegeta stock powder until the pasta is completely coated in the creamy goodness, then pour it around the chicken in the baking dish. Sprinkle the cheddar all over the pasta, avoiding the chicken, then transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is beautifully melted and the chicken is cooked through. Invite everyone to the table and serve with a leafy salad.

Dinner Express: Fast, easy dinners (+ hacks!) for busy people, by George Georgievski, is the ultimate solution for busy people and families - perfect for those crazy weeknight family dinners. Published by Plum and available in all good book stores. RRP $26.99.

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PRACTISING SIMPLICITY

The theatre was dimly lit, the quiet punctuated by protesting toddlers who had no intention of sitting in their seats. We were one of many sets of bedraggled parents who had spent the afternoon preparing their children for a school performance at witching hour; dinner was early, the baby was unsettled and we had misplaced two pairs of shoes. Together we arrived in a cloud of hairspray and frazzle, calming nerves and mustering enthusiasm for the two-hour performance ahead of us. Our son’s class was dressed in a hodgepodge of costumes pulled from the backs of wardrobes, but together they told a unified story. One by one they recited lines from legendary Australian children’s author Alison Lester’s picture book Are We There Yet?, the true story of her family’s three-month road trip around Australia in a camper trailer. We had owned the book for many years and often read it at bedtime, its pages now crumpled and worn and well-loved. As I watched my firstborn on the stage, my fourth baby was nestled in a sling on my chest, her pout particularly pronounced as

she dozed. I had spent the first three months of her life purposefully soaking her in, memorising the details of her face and her milk guzzle, fiercely inhaling her breath and newness because I knew it was all so fleeting. She would be on the stage in a few short years and I would be the proud, nostalgic mother, in awe of her growth and simultaneously grieving for the years that were behind us, her littleness etched into photos and videos and the pieces of my mind that I had filed away for safekeeping. The story on the stage took us from the coast to the desert, where the sun beat down on the family who travelled on freeways and red dirt roads and into all kinds of adventures. They sat around campfires laughing at bad jokes, gazed out the window on long driving days and spent every waking and dreaming moment together, in all sorts of places all over Australia.

‘We could do that,’ whispered my partner Daniel, eyebrows raised and hopeful. ‘We could go on a road trip around Australia.’

‘Yes!’ I replied, nodding for emphasis in case he hadn’t heard.

I will never forget the pleasant confusion on his face or the undeniable mix of fear and excitement that pummelled through my body as I realised what I’d just said. Could we really do it? Pack up our lives and hit the road with a rough plan and only the essentials? Spend our hard-earned house deposit on a car and a caravan, and trust that my freelance work would keep us going? It was the very opposite of how we currently lived: darting from home to school and back again, juggling city commutes with extracurricular activities, squeezing in weekends with no plans because the weekdays were full and exhausting and I constantly felt like I was playing catch-up. A family of six road-tripping around Australia would be a spontaneous adventure that would free us from the sense of obligation that dictated so much of our lives. But I am not an adventurer. I’m rather risk-averse; I prefer to know what’s coming next so I can have a sensible plan and stick to it. Predictability is always my preference. But still, I wondered: what if? Earlier that same day, we had met with a bank manager about applying for a mortgage. House prices had soared in our part of the world and we were interested to see how much we could borrow. He’d printed out the figures for us and the reality was bleak. After years of saving and months of consideration, we could buy a house that needed significant work, in a suburb we didn’t love, and spend the next thirty years paying it off. It would mean continuing to live like we were: juggling and commuting and existing in a cycle of work and sleep, work and sleep. We struggled to make sense of it. Later that night we carried four sleeping children from the car to their beds and tucked them in tight because it was still cold for late spring. I put the kettle on and wandered over to Daniel, who was already looking at caravan listings on Gumtree.

‘Are we really going to do this?’ he asked. ‘Yes,’I think we are.’

The days that change our lives are sometimes rather ordinary. There aren’t neon arrows lighting the way, or confetti to celebrate decisions made. Instead, there is the simple, profound acknowledgement of change realised—long exhalations, a quickening of the heart, the splendid dizzying of knowing that you’re on a new path. I felt all these things coupled with the persistent hum of fear and overwhelm, but instead of running from a big decision like I usually do, procrastinating till it disappears into the ether, I ran towards it, arms wide, gaze forward, knowing that I was ready for everything this change meant. Scared, but ready.

In the eight months between that day and the evening we left our house in the suburbs towing our 7-metre caravan, there were countless moments when it felt too risky and too daunting and just too big. Honestly, I wanted to cancel our plans on every single day of those eight long months. But I’d said yes and in that moment there was no fear and insecurity, just the profound, affirming sensation that it was good and it was right. Was this my moral nerve? A stubborn act in defiance of my anxiety: the fear that had kept me complacent and unchallenged for over a decade? Was this being fed up with the mundane, the very thing I had basked in, even celebrated, for as long as I could remember? I wasn’t sure, but what I did know was that I was in a golden pocket of time—a real moment of choice and change— an opportunity that would pass me by if I didn’t grasp it. This was the ‘big magic’ that Elizabeth Gilbert talks about in her book of the same name—the idea that wafts into your life with intention and purpose, plants itself in your mind and your heart, and waits for you to take hold of it with both hands. It really was surreal, a mere moment of magic, but it was also digging down and sitting with my deepest, truest self, which is never not confronting. I listened, I resisted and then I acted. Every single time I thought about cancelling the trip, I reminded myself that much greater than the relief of letting this big life change go was knowing that I would

be ignoring my intuition to do so. There may have been fear but there was also an undeniable truth and a rousing belief that this was the only way forward. Road-tripping around Australia was a surprising choice for me at the time, my fourth baby in my arms, dreams of home ownership almost realised. But if I consider the whole picture, the idea had been floating around since I tore a page from a magazine and stuck it on my bedroom wall fifteen years earlier. It was a photo of a girl, standing in a small, vintage caravan, a linen tea towel hung over the door, a wooden broom leaning against the window. It was a picture of simplicity and adventure, albeit styled, and it enraptured me. I was so enthralled by the idea of simple travel that I spent far too many hours researching books when I should have been stacking the shelves of the bookshop I worked in. I ordered stories on nomadic living and the Romanies and added the biographies of female travellers to my reading pile. Years later, in our first family home, there was a pink pinboard in the kitchen so when I was unpacking boxes and came across the girl in the caravan, I pinned it to the board and occasionally looked at it while I stirred dinner, my firstborn perched on my hip. I had ruminated on that picture and what it meant to me for close to two decades before I acted on it. Some may say that I’d unintentionally created a manifestation board; perhaps it was just a charming coincidence. Mostly, I think the concept of caravan travel had been there for years and while it hadn’t been front of mind for a long time, it sat just below the surface, waiting for an opportunity to be realised. I think we’ve all got these dreams tucked away somewhere, brewing. They may come to mind when we’re thinking about what could be or what we most want. When we reach those points that push us to think about our true purpose, that’s when we tap into the ideas and inspirations that we’ve filed away for another time. Choosing new adventures for ourselves seems like such a frivolous, childlike notion, but I honestly believe it’s how we instinctively navigate the world. But, as with so much of our childhood—tree climbing, mud pies and 38

make believe—we lose sight of it as we grow. We get caught up in the rush and the race, carried along without awareness, until the day when something shifts and we step back to see where we’ve landed. When people asked me what we were doing and where we were going, I would rattle off my flippant, highly unresearched plans, which, in retrospect, were the largest and wildest overestimations of my life. But what I really wanted to scream to all those people who asked questions was: I have no idea what we’re doing or where we’re going but we’re doing it anyway and if I think about it too much I won’t do it! So I just focused on the beginning, getting there one step at a time. In the words of the great explorer Amelia Earhart: the most effective way to do it, is to do it. So, I did. I adopted the mentality that we’d work it out as we went along, which I now know is the very essence of nomadic living. As with most adventures, it was never about the destination but about letting go, shedding our possessions, practising simplicity on a new level of less and simply spending time, together.

Saying yes to this adventure meant also realising that I was responsible for my contentment. The adventure wasn’t so much about where we were going or what we were doing, but it had everything to do with the way I saw the world, the way my perspective shifted, the way I settled into my body as I stood barefoot on the sand, the ocean in front, the van behind, a gaggle of kids shrieking as they raced towards the waves. It has always been about these moments—some lasting mere minutes, others stretching out for days—a strange time capsule of experience and

adventure that’s now a collection of memories. We didn’t follow a path but zigzagged instead, pulled by curiosity and consequence, invitation and community. It didn’t really matter where we were going, it was the act of heading off to somewhere, anywhere, and having the freedom to do so. That was our adventure, that’s where I needed to be, in the space where spontaneity lives—the breathing space that’s free of obligation and plans.

It was when we landed in the red dirt of Uluru that I learned the most pertinent lesson. The traditional owners, the Anangu people, encouraged us to connect with the land instead of attempting to conquer it. It was a simple and polite plea borne of a deep, ancient knowing of and reverence for the land, and yet it’s never been more pertinent as we experience the brutal repercussions of a conquered world. If I have gleaned anything from slowly travelling Australia and taking the time to sit in the landscape, sit with nature, be still and quiet and listen, it’s this: connection is how we make sense of the world. It’s also how we make sense of ourselves. For me, bearing witness to the land, carving out the time to be with it, brought me back to my centre. It slotted all of my priorities into place. It allowed me to realise what I most want and need. And while I changed my entire life to come to this realisation, I also believe it’s something you can discover in your own way. Ocean swimmers, weekend hikers, backyard gardeners—they know this feeling, and it’s why they return, again and again, to the sea and the mountains and

the patch of dirt beyond the back door, to connect and be and reshuffle their priorities, which so easily get muddled in the daily juggle. This is practising simplicity in a world that champions productivity: establishing daily rituals, getting grounded, connecting with nature and then moving forward intentionally, buoyed by a sense of purpose and belonging. These are the simple things in life, the ordinary yet remarkable things we pine for when we feel overwhelmed by uncertainty. My family road trip was a steep, joyous, messy, life-changing experience. It also proved to me, time and time again, that the greatest adventures are the ones we embark on personally: to dig deep, confront our fears and move forward, often in a ‘three steps forward, two steps back’ kind of way. It is not a linear path. There are often hurdles, but leaping to the other side is always worthwhile. For us, that meant letting go of everything that was comfortable and predictable in our lives and embracing spontaneity and the unknown. When I reminisce about all our unforgettable experiences and the moments that shine golden, I also see the life that happened between those peaks. Among the postcard captures of family adventure were all the mishaps, arguments and tantrums you would expect from six people living in a caravan on the road. The highlights carried us along, rejuvenating our desire to explore and experience, but the gritty life on the road that left us covered in sand, salt and red dirt was where I felt most content. And it was here that I realised: we get to write our own story. If we have choice, we can make change. This is an edited extract from Practising Simplicity by Jodi Wilson, photography by Jodi Wilson. Murdoch Books RRP $32.99.

THE WAY OF TOMORROW

WORKING MUMS AND AN OUT-DATED STRUCTURE

Whether you’re a working woman or a stay-at-home mum, we can all attest to the pressure society has placed upon us to chase a career and become a mother. Many women have sacrificed starting a family or spending time with their loved ones in pursuit of titles, recognition and money, while others say they’ve lost their identity by leaving the workforce to raise children. Women have been led to believe that they can “have it all”, but while this is not totally impossible, the ability to commit yourself 100% to both is. I’ve held many conversations with friends in my network, and one thing is for certain: women want purpose and flexibility. According to an annual survey conducted by MBO Partners in 2017, 74% of women state that flexible work conditions are far more important to them than earning high sums of money.

As the founder of Spotz – the marketplace to sell and find products, services and resources that enhance mums’ lives, I am constantly in awe of how much women are able to manage in their careers while fulfilling the demanding role of mother. But is this the only way?

Jobs are costly! Are you a mum who’s gone back to work so you can contribute to household expenses? Have you calculated how much you are spending each week just to maintain your position? When you do the math and discover much of your salary is being spent simply on the ability to work, the reality can be jarring. For many, living near to work or in an area that offers sufficient public transport means residing in a suburb close to the CBD; this of course means higher rent and house prices if you’re looking to buy.

That second car you bought so both you and your partner can travel to work daily is an expense. Now add tolls, petrol and parking costs. Don’t forget the necessary CTP and comprehensive insurance. But if you’re not a driver, you’re more than likely spending a lot on public transport. Childcare is by far the biggest expense in many family budgets. With the fee for long day care averaging around $129 per day per child, and a typical household raising two children, I leave it to you to do the math! Calculating these expenses made me realise I was paying to work! While this will vary from family-to-family, I do strongly advise women to work out the numbers on this one. Unless you’re earning a decent salary that makes it worthwhile to be a working mum, you may feel differently about working when, like a close friend of mine, you realise you’re only earning $60 per week once childcare costs are deducted.

Work requires sacrifice Regardless of where or how you work, you’ll be familiar with feeling drained at the end of your work day, with little left for your family come hometime. And if there’s no time for your loved ones, when will you ever find time for you? Sometimes it feels our dreams are impossible to achieve, and this is if we even have time to formulate them in the first place! The rat race can make us feel like we’re living to work, and forgetting what life is really about. For many women and mothers, the only time to work on a Plan B with regards to your career is late at night once the kids have fallen asleep… when you’re typically exhausted. It feels like the only thing you can do is switch off your brain and consume Netflix and Instagram for hours on end.

they can thrive, achieve their purpose and positively impact the next generation instead of what is offered to women in our current society. This is not what life is about and we have the power to change this for ourselves.

We can do better I envision a world of tomorrow that is ripe with opportunity; where people become entrepreneurs, freelancers and contractors, selling specialised services at their will. While at first being your own boss can cause great anxiety when you suddenly realise you are entirely responsible for the income you generate, every person I know that dared taking the leap of faith has been 100% happy with their decision, because taking control of how they earn their income and discovering the flexibility a 9-5 job does not provide is definitely an empowering experience. My dream in this 9-5 world is that all women and mums in need of better alternatives have the ability to earn money on their own terms, and in turn have time, flexibility and purpose drive them towards a life where they can thrive and not only survive. With Spotz, women can work towards regaining control of their lives while supporting other mums to do the same. If you feel that you are living to work and not working to live, it is time to take your power back. Regain control of how you earn money and enjoy the flexibility of working how and when you want - join the Spotz tribe! By Oriane Juncker. A loving Sydney mum to two Orinane has harnessed her lifelong questioning and curious nature to create Spotz - a platform connecting and empowering mums. spotz.com.au

It’s time we questioned whether the sacrifices we make are actually benefiting us and our loved ones. According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace, 85% of employees say they are not engaged with their work, which tells me it’s time to start questioning the status quo. It’s time that women and mothers are granted their deserved place in society - one that empowers them to create a world where

Host a morning tea your way on Thursday 19th May to raise essential funds for people impacted by cancer.

“When my daughter was diagnosed, I stopped working and money was tight. Cancer Council assisted us financially so we could be by her side during treatment.” – Alexandra received financial assistance from Cancer Council to pay for accommodation, so she could be with her daughter Emma through her treatment for tongue cancer. Sadly, Emma passed away in February 2021, aged 34. Alexandra wants to raise awareness of tongue cancer to prevent other families from going through the same experience. Support Almost 150,000 Australians are diagnosed with cancer each year, meaning there are many families who need practical information and support. Our cancer nurses and trained volunteers on 13 11 20 help them understand treatment options, prepare for medical appointments or organise legal and financial advice. All these services are made possible by you and others like you. “I grew up with Slip Slop Slap, and I’m intelligent enough to know the dangers, but I always thought it wouldn’t happen to me.” – Principal Matt Kean is living with melanoma and is passionate about breaking down misconceptions about sun protection and raising awareness by talking about his first-hand experience. Matt has spoken to many school and community groups about his story in the hope it creates a positive prevention message. Prevention Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer, causing more than 1500 preventable deaths a year. If

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Download colouring in sheet here See www.mamamag.com.au/competitions for terms and conditions. Parent’s email will be added to our monthly MamaMail. You can opt out at any time.

WHY AN ACTIVE HOLIDAY SHOULD BE YOUR FAMILY’S NEXT ADVENTURE

With Australia’s borders reopened, many families are excited about the possibility of creating new holiday memories together. So now is the perfect time to venture outdoors after spending so much time inside over the two years. According to Brett Mitchell, Managing Director at Intrepid Travel, there has been a surge of interest in active trips since the end of lockdowns last year. 44

“We usually experience a rise in people booking active holidays in the warmer months, but we dont expect that to stop now, even as we head toward winter. After being stuck inside for over a year, Aussies are excited to get out and explore the unfamiliar, and active holidays definitely fit the bill for that,” he says. “Trips that incorporate walking and cycling are a fantastic opportunity for families to experience Australia in a completely different way, while getting exercise and fresh air” For those looking to get off the beaten path, here are the top reasons to consider an active holiday for your family’s next adventure.

Get out of the city: After spending so much time stuck in our cities last year, people are looking to visit smaller towns rather than holidaying in metro areas. Not only do we want to slow down, but staying in more remote towns makes it easier to practise social distancing, with the pandemic risk still not gone. If you’re stuck on ideas for where to go, Intrepid has a range of active holidays in Australia to help people discover places in rural areas. Whichever state you’re in, there are walking and cycling tracks of varying difficulty to suit any family with kids above the age of 14.

Stay safe outdoors: Since the very beginning of the pandemic, we saw a rise in active commuting across cities with more of us walking, cycling or scooting around to avoid public transport. We expect this to continue while people practise social distancing when they travel. Particularly for those visiting regional areas, getting on a bike or going for a hike means you can take in the scenery while you get some fresh air, rather than being stuck on a bus or in a taxi.

Support local tourism: Over the last two years, there has been a greater emphasis and need for Australians to support local businesses, initially in light of the bushfires and now COVID-19. One of the most effective ways to do this is through domestic travel, which provides a boost for

the local economy. In 2019 Australians spent about $65 billion on overseas travel. With more of us travelling locally and exploring our own backyard, this can be injected into the domestic tourism market, helping support regional communities.

Being outdoors makes you happier and healthier: There has been extensive research showing the benefits of being outdoors and engaging in physical activity. A recent study of 20,000 people from the UK found that spending just two hours a week in green spaces substantially improved participants’ physical health and psychological wellbeing. This is particularly important for children, with research published in September 2021 highlighting that spending time in nature encouraged more physical activity in kids, and improved their mental health, helping them cope through the COVID-19 pandemic. Viewing awe inspiring imagery, such as beautiful landscapes, also releases endorphins in your body, so an active holiday with your family will be sure to leave everyone happy and rejuvenated. Walking and cycling tours are low-carbon alternatives to traditional holidays, so you can ensure you are being responsible on your trip, and also teaching your kids to be ethical travellers.

Teach your teenagers to be ethical travellers: With great travel comes great responsibility. In recent years we have seen more awareness of the negative impact that tourism can have, including stress on local land use, depletion of natural resources, pollution, waste and more. Active holidays encourage sustainable travel, with the aim of leaving the smallest footprint possible on your chosen destination. Walking and cycling tours are low-carbon alternatives to traditional holidays, so you can ensure you are being responsible on your trip, and also teaching your kids to be ethical travellers. For more information visit www.intrepidtravel.com.au.

SOME CHEEKY HELP FOR KIDS Let’s face it – toilet training is hard work. Just when you are about to celebrate throwing away the nappies, giving away the change table and thinking you are on your way… you suddenly hear from the toilet room the inevitable “Mum… I’m finished!!!!!”… yep – you have forgotten to teach them to wipe their own bottom. Sigh! The last hurdle in toilet training is learning to self-wipe. Here are a few tips to assist you with teaching this process:

1. The toilet paper – firstly, it’s important that they learn how much toilet paper is just the right amount – a whole roll is probably too much and yet once square is not enough. Show them the exact ratio of bottom-to-toiletpaper they require (usually 3-4 squares). It’s also important to teach them how to hold the toilet paper, while the world is divided into ‘scrunchers’ or ‘folders’, generally a folded, flat surface makes it easier to wipe.

2. The reach around – we all know it is essential to learn to wipe from front to back (especially for girls) but this does require a slight weight shift onto one butt cheek and the ability to reach around. Practice this with some reach around games – not quite pin the tail on the donkey but games that involve 46

removing or applying post-it notes on top of shorts/bottom (or similar) might be just the ticket!

3. Keep wiping – it’s important to teach perseverance here, as well as knowing when to finish. Talk them through the process of wipe, fold, wipe, fold, wipe until they don’t see anything on the toilet paper to wipe anymore. That’s how they’ll know they’re finished and ready to flush.

4. Beware the “flushable” wipes – although the marketing on many toilet/ bathroom wipes would indicate that they are “flushable”, and thus safe to flush down your toilet… your water service provider and your sewage system probably have a different opinion. Up to 75% of sewage blockages involve wipes. So maybe err on the safe side and dispose of those wipes in the bin. If you are needing some further assistance in those easily toilet training skills or learning to wipe – the therapists at Kids that Go may just be the answer you are looking for. Feel free to contact us on 07 3087 1904. By Kids That Go, Paddington Central. Helping families boost independence and wellbeing through knowledge, nurture and play. kidsthatgo.com

local

fun fo

r the

everyd ay

mum

- JOHN BOWLBY 47

MY JOURNEY TO MOTHERHOOD My journey into motherhood was an unplanned but much-longed-for surprise. A wedding night baby, in fact. I know… totally ironic for the health professional to have that happen, but hey, apparently it’s a thing. Leading up to motherhood, I sold my practice of eight years to my best friend, got married (and pregnant) and shortly afterwards my husband and I moved to Malaysia for a work opportunity for him. Massive life change. I was exceptionally grateful for the opportunities it offered, but it was a turbulent time too. We moved to Johor Bahru just after my 20week scan, with everyone telling me how lucky I was to be gifted all of this time off before the baby came to prepare for their imminent arrival. Even though I’d spent the preceding 12 years working with mums, in retrospect my preparation was, ironically, not exactly what I needed. I was highly focused on the birth and trying to dispel ingrained beliefs that I couldn’t birth vaginally due to an offthe-cuff comment from a radiologist who had looked at my spine films when I was 15. As you can imagine, being hyper-aware of the role that our inner-language can play in our birthing outcomes, I was genuinely focused on shifting that. I worked with a hypnobirthing instructor and a doula, and when I was in Australia, chatted to the midwives and an OB, relaying my fears and concerns, and acknowledging the place I was coming from prior to my baby’s birth. Needless to say, the concept of motherhood at the other side of the birth didn’t really cross my mind. Not even once did we have a conversation as a couple or even within my inner circle of what to expect in my motherhood journey. I find it so interesting that I seriously spent more time worrying about the pram I chose than I did about how to parent and mother once our babe was born. 48

I know I’m not alone in this. On reflection, and chatting with thousands of mums since, this isn’t a solo story. Many mums out there definitely go in with a similar thought construct: if I birth this babe a certain way, then all will be perfect. This strongly feeds into the ‘perfect mother’ myth. My journey into motherhood was definitely not what I expected. I travelled from Malaysia back to Perth by myself at 35+6 weeks — that is, one day before I would no longer have been allowed to fly because of the gestation of my pregnancy. I left my husband behind in Malaysia, and had three weeks by myself. The fear of going into labour and him not being able to get there in time was big. I’m sure that this led to a heightened stress response on my way into the birthing experience, and possibly the outcomes of birth too. My birthing began with a hind water leak (a small water leak, not a massive gush) at 40+5 (so 5 days over the expected due date) that went on for a few days. I was in and out of the birthing centre for check-ups over those days. I was trying my hardest with everything to avoid an induction as I understood so intently the cascade of intervention that can happen after that time. Nevertheless, I ended up being induced, and having a long labour. My doula was present, and every time she left the room to move her car (it went for 18 hours), someone would come in and check me. All the pressures of time were placed on me, and the experience was pretty much the complete opposite of what I had envisaged. While I ultimately avoided a caesarean, the trauma, the use of forceps and ending up in a stark theatre prepped for a caesarean really impacted my initial bonding with my child. As soon as she was placed on my chest, I felt appreciation for her safe arrival. I felt an element of love, but I didn’t feel that overwhelming, life- changing ‘kapow’

moment that everyone told me I would. I had super protective instincts around my child, yet I didn’t feel the love-bubble gush I expected. This alone was enough to start my mum-guilt journey. At the time, I didn’t realise I didn’t have it, but on consideration, my love grew and grew rather than rushing in. Over the next couple of weeks, we packed up our house in Perth so we could rent it out when we repatriated overseas again, navigated new parenthood, had both sets of parents visit from interstate, celebrated Christmas and then flew back to Malaysia with a 20-day-old child. It felt ‘normal’ at the time, but on reflection it was pretty bloody crazy. No wonder I felt a little lost. To top it off, I had all my people trying to help me with advice on what they perceived was or wasn’t working with my newborn. Why is she feeding so much? Why is feeding taking so long? Why is she so small? You should be doing… You shouldn’t be doing… You do this with a nappy… You do this other thing with a dummy… You wrap her this or that way… I was thrust into discovering that my own personal, good-enough mother concept was based on external elements of the newborn phase like sleep, poo, feeding and settledness. And I pretty much felt like a bit of a failure because, while for years I’d been able to support mothers with the health of their kids, my own child didn’t fit the perfect ‘box’ of what a ‘good’ baby does. This common societal measure of a good mother being reliant upon how her child shows up for certain benchmarks really fuelled my unhappiness at the time.

Moving back to Malaysia was isolating. Comparatively, I imagine it was a little like birthing during lockdown and remaining home all the time, with minimal community connection and support being offered. I haven’t had to live through significant lockdown in Australia, but in conversation and while supporting women who have, it feels like I had the same brain-based trauma response they experienced. I began doing the things that I thought good mothers did. I exercised, I cooked, I responded to my child as she needed and I ‘wifed’ like a champion. And yet, I felt like I wasn’t a good mother because my daughter thought sleep was for the weak. There wasn’t a sleep book I didn’t read, there wasn’t a friend I didn’t lean into, there wasn’t advice I didn’t think to add to my daily ‘should-do’. But not much helped. Ironically. And yet, here I am, writing a book on supporting mums to choose their own adventure. I am so thankful for the crazy early introduction to motherhood, as it certainly shaped my journey, my learnings and my passion for mums. This is an edited extract from Work.Mama.Life. From motherhood burnout to abundant health, joy and wellbeing (Wiley $29.95), by Ali Young. Ali is a highly sought after speaker, chiropractor and online coach who helps mothers the world over rediscover joy in their world, health in their body and connection with their families. For more information visit www.draliyoung.com 49

new on the shelf

kids

CEREMONY: WELCOME TO OUR COUNTRY

Ceremony: Welcome Adam Goodes and Ellie Laing, To Our Country illustrated by David Hardy by Adam Goodes and Ellie Laing Allen & Unwin 9781761065064 | $24.99 | HB | Picture Book

Pub Date: April 12, 2022 A joyful celebration of family and culture, the Welcome to Our Country series introduces First Nations history to children—from former Australian of the Year Adam Goodes, co-writer Ellie Laing and Barkindji illustrator David Hardy.

A joyful celebration of family and culture, the Welcome to Our Country series introduces First Nations history to children—from former Australian of the Year Adam Goodes, co-writer Ellie Laing and Barkindji illustrator David Hardy. Welcome, children! Nangga! Nangga! Yakarti! Tonight will be our Ceremony.

Joyful and full of fun, Ceremony invites you to celebrate the rich traditions of dance, family, community and caring for Country from the world’s oldest continuous culture.

Our family gathers as the fire burns. The smoke rises up as we take it in turns . . . Then clapsticks tap—one, two, three— but a stick is missing! Where could it be?

Joyful and full of fun, Ceremony invites you to celebrate the rich traditions of dance, family, community and caring for Country from the world's oldest continuous culture. For ages 4-8.

Published by Allen and Unwin. RRP $24.99.

Adam Goodes is an Adnyamathanha and Narungga man, and a former Australian Rules Footballer. He is co-founder of the GO Foundation, which supports and inspires the next generation of First Nations leaders. Ellie Laing is a former political adviser. David Hardy is a Barkindji illustrator. Please contact Yvette Gilfillan, Children's and YA Publicist on yvetteg@allenandunwin.com or 0431 584 091 for more information.

My Shadow Is Purple by Scott Stuart My Dad has a shadow that’s blue as a berry, and my Mum’s is as pink as a blossoming cherry. There’s only those choices, a 2 or a 1. But mine is quite different, it’s both and it’s none. A heartwarming and inspiring book about being true to yourself, by bestselling children’s book creator Scott Stuart. This story considers gender beyond binary in a vibrant spectrum of colour. Published by Larrikin House. RRP $24.95.

Keeping Up With The Dachshunds by Carla Fitzgerald Keeping up is RUFF! As Jet the dog discovers in this hilarious parody. Jet only has three biscuits and a joke to tell. After trying unsuccessfully to keep up with the Dachshunds, she realises this is more than enough to make a true friend! With billions following the exploits of the Kardashians worldwide, this is the parody that was begging to be written. Debut author, Carla Fitzgerald, has delivered, with exquisite style, this laugh-out-loud picture book exposing the secret lives of three trend setting Dachshunds. Published by Larrikin House. RRP $24.95.

Rainbow the Koala by Remy Lai Rainbow the Koala follows a young koala trying to survive the Australian bushfires, with important lessons about climate change to be learned. ‘For Rainbow the Koala, through research and visiting koala conservation centres in Brisbane, I learned that animals and trees can’t physically adapt when bushfires are too intense. With climate change, bushfires are becoming so much stronger.’ Published by Allen and Unwin. RRP $14.99.

t(w)een A Sprinkle of Sadie by Lana Spasevski The Sadie series follows seven-year-old Sadie Le, superstar baker and creative problem-solver, as she pursues her passion for baking and finds that her sweet endeavours don’t always go to plan. Three books in one, it features wholesome storytelling, strong female role models in Sadie and her police officer mum, and gentle underlying themes around the importance of community and compassion. The multicultural cast of characters reflects the reality of contemporary Australian neighbourhoods while Sadie’s resourcefulness and keen sense of empathy make her the poster child for early primary school kids around the country. Published by Affirm Press. RRP $14.99.

Treehouse Tales: Too SILLY to be told ... UNTIL NOW! by Andy Griffiths There are lots of laughs at every level in Treehouse Tales: too SILLY to be told ... UNTIL NOW! From the bestselling Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton. Climb the storeys with thirteen, never-before-read, fully illustrated adventures starring Andy, Terry and their friends. Featuring laugh-out-loud stories such as: Terry and the Magic Wand, Chairup-your-nose Day, The Day Terry Flushed Me Down the Toilet, The Mystery Case of the Missing Doodles ... and many, many more! Well, what are you waiting for? Come on up! Published by Pan Macmillan. RRP $14.99.

Spotlight Please, It’s Stevie Louise by Tanya Hennessy For Spotlight Please, It’s Stevie Louise, Tanya was keen to have Stevie’s friend Alex, a young queer kid, be the star of the show this time around. Stevie and the Brooke Street crew are hard-up for cash. Going viral doesn’t last forever, you know, and killer costumes are expensive. To keep their show-biz dream alive, the kids are competing in a local talent quest. But the competition is stiff (I mean, have you ever heard four goats sing a capella?), and Alex has a unicorn horn glued to his forehead for at least the next three weeks. Published by Allen and Unwin. RRP $14.99.

League of Liars by Astrid Scholte Four teenagers charged with the illegal use of magic get together to devise the ultimate jailbreak. Ever since his mother was killed in a freak edembased crime, seventeen-year-old Cayder Broduck has had one goal: to have illegal users of extradimensional magic brought to justice. Cayder dreams of becoming a prosecutor and, when he secretly accepts an apprenticeship under the city’s best public defender, he plans to learn every legal trick he can to one day dismantle defence arguments. Then he’ll finally be able to make sure justice is served. Published by Allen and Unwin Childrens. RRP $19.99. Age 14-18.

adults The Women’s Circle - How to Gather with Meaning, Intention and Purpose by Anoushka Florence The Women’s Circle is your practical guide to hosting women’s circles with intention, purpose and meaning, making them a healing and empowering experience of gathering community. A women’s circle is a gathering of women in order to share, experience and relish in each other’s company. They are the ultimate ‘safe space’, a place where women can commune, open up and feel seen and heard. Sacred Space Holder Anoushka Florence invites you to reclaim the women’s circle by exploring and remembering the true power of your feminine. Published by Hardie Grant Books. RRP $32.99.

The Most Important Job In The World by Gina Rushton Should we become parents? It’s a question that forces us to reckon with what we love and fear most in ourselves, in our relationships, and in the world as it is now and as it will be. Drawing on the depth of knowledge afforded by her body of work as an awardwinning journalist, Rushton wrote the book that she needed, and others need, to stop a panicked internal monologue and start a genuine dialogue about what we want from our lives and why. The Most Important Job in the World is a powerful, compelling and forensic analysis of the role of motherhood in society today, and the competing forces that draw us towards and away from it. Published by Macmillan. RRP $34.99.

Life Admin Hacks by Mia Northrop and Dinah Rowe-Roberts A super-practical guide to cleaning up your admin load and freeing up head space. You have no idea what’s for dinner tonight. You need a gift for that party next week. You still haven’t consolidated your super. You’re out of contract on your phone and paying who knows what. Those cupboards won’t declutter themselves. The kids need a plan for the next school holidays. It’s time to get the gutters cleaned. You still haven’t made a will. Sound familiar? Then this is the life admin guide you’ve been waiting for. Published by HarperCollins. RRP $34.99

The Uncaged Sky by Kylie Moore-Gilbert On September 12, 2018 British-Australian academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert was arrested at Tehran Airport by Iran’s feared Islamic Revolutionary Guards. Convicted of espionage in a shadowy trial presided over by Iran’s most notorious judge, Dr Moore-Gilbert was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Written with extraordinary insight and vivid immediacy, The Uncaged Sky is Kylie Moore-Gilbert’s remarkable story of courage and resilience, and a powerful meditation on hope, solidarity and what it means to be free. Published by UltimoPress. RRP $34.99

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

Saturday 21st May 2022 12.30pm - 3:30pm Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Wentworth Ballroom Tickets $99 per person or $950 for a table of ten Buy online - www.sharethedignity.org.au

RENTAL PROPERTY: 5 INVESTMENT STRATEGIES EVERY NEW PROPERTY INVESTOR SHOULD CONSIDER Investing in property isn’t just an upperincome hobby. It’s a great way for Australians to add an extra stream of revenue to their income, create a nest egg for retirement, or leave a safety net for their kids. Plus, you don’t have to be an expert to invest in property! As long as you do thorough research and have the capital, anyone can do it. When the topic of property investment comes up, the first thing that jumps into most people’s minds is the single-tenant rental property. As a first-time investor, this is likely the main strategy you’re considering. And while it can be a great choice for new property investors, there are many other ways to make money from property investments.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to property investment. As a first-time investor, the idea of REIGs or REITs are often attractive because they require the least time and effort. But some investors prefer the tangibility and higher level of control involved in buying to rent or hold. When it comes down to it, you should choose the strategy that works best for you and that you feel most confident in. But a thorough understanding of all the strategies available is essential in making an informed decision so that you can continue to reap the rewards further down the line.

Each strategy we explore below requires varying amounts of expertise, is more or less hands-on, and produces varying rates of return.

Below, we outline five investment strategies you should consider as a new property investor.

1. Buy-To-Rent

2. Buy and Hold

Rental properties are the first thing that comes to mind for most people when you mention property investment. And for first-time investors, they are a good option because they are easy to set up, fairly simple to run, and don’t require a whole lot of expert knowledge.

Also known as rehabbing, this is a step up from the simple buy-to-rent approach. It involves fixing up the property just enough that it can perform well as a rental property. From there, you can rent your property and potentially sell it when the market is favourable.

Plus, they provide a regular passive income in the form of rent. On the other hand, they don’t offer incredibly impressive returns, and it can be pretty tedious to manage tenants. If you do go this route, make sure you’re clued up on the best locations for rental properties as well as how to correctly price rent.

This approach relies on the idea that properties generally appreciate in value over time, and your renovations will pay off down the line. The key to successful buying and holding is knowing the right property to buy, which involves careful research. You need to understand your target market, what appeals to renters, and how to increase your property’s value over time.

3. House Flipping Although there is usually some rehabbing involved in house flipping too, the difference is that you sell the properties quickly instead of holding onto them. The key is doing just enough renovations so that you can sell the property at a maximum profit without having spent too much on the rehab process. This strategy also relies on appreciation— you buy the property at a time of rising values, and sell in the same market. Note that house flipping is not a passive investment, and is therefore not generally recommended for inexperienced investors. To be successful, it relies on a whole host of factors, such as a way of procuring materials at affordable rates, a crew you can rely on, and significant knowledge of the housing market.

4. Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) A REIT is created when a corporation uses the investor’s (your!) money to purchase and operate income properties. Instead of buying and managing the property yourself, you buy it on the exchange like any other stock.

5. Real Estate Investment Groups (REIGs) An REIG works by pooling your finances with other investors to invest in property, whether it be buying to rent, buying and holding, or even house flipping. It’s not just getting your mates together and buying a house, though— there are established REIGs that offer varying degrees of participation. Unlike a REIT, and REIG is not a taxable corporation and is governed simply by private agreements. The flip-side of this is that it can open the door to unscrupulous managers. But joining a trusted REIG can be a great option for new investors, as you can learn from others with more property investing experience. It also gives you a stake in physical real estate, as opposed to a REIT which operates more like a stock. However you go about investing in rental property, make doing your homework your number one priority. It’s not as simple as buying a house and finding tenants. You need to consider all angles, from fluctuations in the housing market to landlord’s insurance and everything in between. The time you spend learning about the topic will pay off down the line.

Although a less traditional option than buying to rent, this strategy also offers Aussie investors a reliable stream of passive income, without the hassle and time commitment of managing the property yourself. Plus, REITs offer the ordinary investor entry into nonresidential investments, such as malls and office buildings. The downside is that like any hands-off investment, returns are generally lower than for properties you actively manage.

By Margot Mora. Margot is a content champion for a variety of online publications. She often covers topics that cater to business owners and entrepreneurs with a strong focus on legal finances, business management, and a few other topics. 55

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Sydney MamaMag Apr/May 2022

Articles inside

My hourney to motherhood

Some cheeky help for kids

The way of tomorrow

Practising simplicity

Active holidays

Express your dinners

Light up the night these holidays

Life admin hacks

Home sanctuary

Find yourself outside

Early learning quality

Fun with finances

Mama, we’ve got this

The House of Harvee

Love a mother