Westside MamaMag August 2016 by MamaMag

WESTSIDE

mamamag August 2016

WIN 1 of 4 famIly passes to the sanItarIum lIttle bIg dash Mortgage & mat leave Kindness and kids Time for change The selling trap Burns beware

free Local fun for the Westside mum

Rye St

Silverbush Way

Come in today to view the Centre and all that it offers! Call one of our lovely staff on 8360 5467 to register your child or visit our website.

Perennial Dr ive

Forsyth Rd

• Healthy & nutritious meals prepared daily by onsite chefs. • Quality educational programs. • Amazing outdoor area featuring landscaped gardens, bike track, theatre stage, veggie gardens and more! • Warm, fun and inclusive environment.

Alba Way

Beautiful New Centre Now Open!

Sayers Rd

Childcare & Kindergarten. Open 6.30am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday. Forsyth Park - 2 Perennial Drive, Truganina. Ph 8360 5467. Visit our website to register your interest www.littlelearnersdaycare.com.au

Visit our School For further information and to register, please visit westbournegrammar.com/ enrolments/open-days

FAM FRI ILY & WE ENDS LCO ME

TRUGANINA OPEN DAYS YEAR 9

Friday 12 August 9.30am SENIOR SCHOOL

Friday 19 August 9.30am 300 Sayers Road, Truganina VIC 3029 Telephone 03 9731 9444

westbournegrammar.com CRICOS Provider No. 00355F

hoMe sweet home We’re bringing you a home themed issue this month and it’s packed with great articles. With Spring around the corner (YES!) it’s the perfect time to buy, sell, decorate, and of course Spring clean. To me home is about community too and my girls and I have been getting into the otherworldly fad that is Pokemon Go. This has led us out and about, even in the middle of winter, around the streets of our local area and we’ve had a great time. We’ve rediscovered local street art, Vietnamese pho, Italian cannoli, and revisited parks, the local oval, and more. During the Winter school holidays we visited Gippsland and even braved the beach. The girls were in the water with beanies on and I had a massive wave soak the only shoes I had with me but it’s always great to escape for a while. Our Mama of the Month this month is Julia Day AKA Miss Biscuit and of course we had to head to her store in Seddon to sample the wares and buy some biscuit cutters – a banana and a icicle shape – as well as some fabulous gingerbread. And it’s chilly out but we’ve not neglected one of our most popular features – the team from Mamma Knows West tell us all about the playground at Party Place Point Cook. With a name like that who could resist? Until next time Mamas, enjoy the read!

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Contents Time for change

Do less, enjoy more

Spreading a little kindness

FROM

There’s kindness in the air

Lovely locals

1 of 4 family passes valued at $192 each to THE MAKERS OF

Exploring Highpoint

WIN tickets to the Show

4 family passes to be won

Mortgage with mat leave?

We help you

Saving families money

Top tips from the Oz Super Nanny

Parklife 18 Party Place, Point Cook

This is me

A wife, a mama, a woman

Mama of the month

Daisy from Leo & Bella

Nappy happy

Thankyou launch their baby range

Little Big Dash

Family fun this September

Avoid the selling trap

3 things to avoid when selling

Outside play

10,000 copies monthly in Maribyrnong, Brimbank, Hobsons Bay and Wyndham areas.

Burns and scalds

Colour & WIN

WIN Peppa Pig family passes

Buying a house?

Pre-purchase property inspections

Nursery rules

House Rules winner’s new nursery

Books Fest

By Aly’s Books and Mamma Knows West

MamaMag August 2016

MamaMag is published monthly for the mums of Melbourne’s West by Grizzle Design Pty Ltd.

Your questions answered

Safety series - part 2

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Rain, hail or shine

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Little BIG DASH – a new obstacle adventure, full of colour, fun and guaranteed laughs for parents and kids to enjoy together. 25 September 2016 - Calder Park, Melbourne.

Editor in Chief: Sarah Cavalier Westside Editor: Rebecca Gelsi National Key Account Manager: Justine Whatmore Westside Advertising Sales: Maree Sortino Like to contribute an article submission or products for Facebook giveaways? submissions@mamamag.com.au For advertising enquiries: download our media kit from www.mamamag.com.au or email info@mamamag.com.au 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.

time for change We are all guilty of attempting to fit more into our daily life than there are hours – yet still we invite in MORE. We become ‘soo busy’ in the act of DOING IT ALL, we are left with little time for enjoying MORE. Whether you’re a SAHMum, Work from Home or are employed outside of the home, the juggle between home/work and family life leaves our schedules stretched at the seams. We become passengers in our own lives, more re-active than pro-active. These top tips from expert professional organiser Robyn Arnott will have you rethinking your approach to how you schedule your daily chores, tasks and life! Giving you back your precious time and sanity, whilst also putting you back into the driver’s seat.

Unsubscribe: Before even considering your schedule, consider what you need to let go of: Are you bogged down with stuff that is simply not relevant to you? Take stock and turn off or unsubscribe from anything that doesn’t hold a purpose to your life or the task at hand. Consider what you’re allowing in or taking on and whether it is of genuine purpose to you/ your family or work. The less we take on, the more time we gain back. Let go and focus on what truly has a purpose. DELETE!!!

In our attempts to fit more into our day – we need to do more. Sucking up our time and energy.

Unplug: Switch off from social media, emails or other distractions that suck up your valuable time, preventing you from focusing on the task at hand. Give yourself permission to let go and remove your FOMO.

The trick to a well scheduled life is actually in the act of less!

Learn to say ‘NO!’ – It’s important to understand our limitations.

When working with clients I find the first questions they ask are where should this go, and how do I schedule this into my day? Before even addressing these questions we look at what they are allowing in in the first place.

Establish boundaries on how much you’re prepared to take on each day and stick to them. Say ‘no’ to extra appointments, tasks or invitations. It’s important to even say ‘no’ to yourself. Let go or alter the expectations you have of your environment, on yourself and the expectations you take on or place on others.

We need to re-assess whether or not it’s even relevant to our lives – ask yourself ‘does it have a purpose for me’? We take on the less is more approach to daily scheduling, as opposed to finding a way to cram it all in by retraining behavioural patterns.

Avoid multi-tasking: Do you have those days where your just ‘so busy’ but never actually complete anything? Our ability to efficiently perform a task from start to finish can become impossible, when multi-tasking. Greater productivity is best established when we focus on one task or smaller tasks at a given time.

Outsource: We can’t do it all – so why not outsource some of life’s time consuming tasks. Forking out a little $$cash is worth the time you gain back.

Home: Cleaner, window cleaner, gardener, pool cleaner, birthday parties, babysitter, grocery shopping, car pool with other families and dare I say hire a professional oOrganiser. Business: Book keeping, accounting, social media, blogging, events, automate bill payments.

distraction, so we can focus on the bigger picture tasks which require a greater level of our attention. Be realistic with your ‘to do list’ based on the amount of time required.

Prioritise: Plan ahead by working backwards: Work backwards from a set task or deadline. Block out small amounts of time leading up to the end goal. Group similar tasks or actions together to assist in your ability to become more habitual with regular tasks without having to put it on a ‘to do list’.

Avoid burnout: Taking time out can provide you with the think time you need to re-focus on your priorities in order to reach your end goal. Focus on the tasks along the way rather than attempting to race towards the finish line. Attempting to cram too much into our day not only impacts on our health but also our ability to be alert, focused and efficient in our lives.

Review your week ahead to familiarise yourself and plan. Plan meals weekly so you only shop once.

Start from zero: Avoid playing catch-up: If you’re struggling to keep up, you don’t have time to catch-up.

Simplify: Look at how you can break down the number of steps in a task for greater time efficiency. By simplifying you relieve the pressure/stress and busyness in your life.

Complete set tasks (clear the decks) each day and avoid carrying them over to the next. Finish your day as you intend to start it. You’ll start each day fresh and focused.

Delegate: Do you feel like everything is always left up to you? In life we are essentially all part of a team. Delegate and share the load amongst other family/work members, including the kids. It’s part of living in a household and showcases great team building skills and independence.

Ultimately, we all choose our ‘busy’ lifestyle. So stop complaining about how ‘busy’ you are and start taking action. Give yourself permission to remove the ‘busy’ from your daily life, giving you more time to enjoy the things you love by doing less.

Allocate: We can’t do everything in a day. Allocate separate days of the week for each task. In order to be present, focused and in the moment, I recommend ticking off small, less time consuming tasks first. This frees us up mentally, avoiding procrastination or

Let go of any guilt – we all drop the ball from time to time – YOU’RE ONLY HUMAN! By Robyn Amott Professional Organiser BLESS THIS MESS blessthismess.com.au

Spreading A Little A simple act of kindness can make a tremendous impact on a person’s life. A smile, a card, a coffee or a hug. They don’t take much time or effort but they can make someone feel so good and even make their day. I have noticed over the years that children tend to have this beautiful sense of kindness that is so pure, innocent and instinctive. I guess as we grow up we get busy, we become fearful and maybe even a little awkward. With every part of my being I want to foster these innate responses of children and support them in harnessing and holding on to their visceral kindness for a lifetime. What a beautiful, magical place the world would be. The Early Learning Centre that I work for is completing a project this year relating to Kindness and Sustainability. These may not seem linked at first thought but they very much are. Kindness to one another and kindness to our environment and future generations. The project has taken place over the last five months and so we have truly delved deep into these concepts. We decided to start a ‘movement’. Well, at the very least, try our best to. We have had so many discussions about how kindness feels on the inside and how it sparks a sense of pride, confidence and even peace. Whilst children tend to speak their minds more effortlessly and spontaneously, adults can often find it hard. And so, the start of our movement began here – with the adults. We came up with a creative mail drop system and the children artistically produced hot air balloon mailboxes.

Whilst children tend to speak their minds more effortlessly and spontaneously, adults can often find it hard. Anonymous mail to one another was delivered daily with messages of kindness, love, compliments and compassion. Our centre lit up; people were shining from the inside. There was kindness in the air, excitement in their 8

Kindness steps and adoration in their eyes. It has been truly beautiful to watch unfold. The kindness was infectious and it was ready to burst out of the doors of our centre and into the public. It took some time and some thought, but the children were ready to spread their kindness and practice sustainability. We collected recycled materials over the course of a few weeks and we were so thankful to the families of our centre for being involved. Our next step was to be artistic and creative with our collection. The children painted and drew on our recycled cups and bottles with so much passion and fervour. And so of course, they produced genuinely gorgeous products. Recycling and sustainability became buzz words in our centre. Next, the children had a week of planting. We filled dozens of the recycled, decorated cups with soil and plants. The children did this themselves with so much thought and care. They got dirty, they were enthusiastic, they felt excited and best of all, they did it all with love and kindness in their hearts. The children took care of these plants, watering them, talking to them and watching their progress. The entire process was captivating and the children could hardly wait for the next stage. The children knew the whole time that these plants were not for them, they cared for their plant with selflessness, knowing that these

plants were for an anonymous donation as part of our ‘movement’. Excursion time came and the children were excited to walk up to the local main street with their plants that had been so loved and cared for. We all sat down outside at a local café that so willingly catered for us and our project. And then, they did it. With eyes full of hope and hands full of plants to donate. The children handed their beloved plants to strangers, asking “would you like a cup of kindness”. The children had just one request of the strangers they spoke to – “pay it forward”. It is fair to say that the educators had chills up their spine and a tear in their eye. The kindness, innocence and response was heart-warmingly beautiful. We’ve started small but tried to spread wide. We can only hope that the children have made a difference in someone’s day and maybe even sparked a thought in the minds of others. Kindness is not hard, children are living proof of that. And with that, we can be thankful to them for their inspiration and follow in their footsteps as they pave the way of kindness, love and respect. Pay it forward. Written by Hayley Jones. Hayley works at Bambini ELC.

lovely locals

exploring highpoint 1.

1. The Colour Club Giving you something to do with the kids on Mondays 10am-1pm, The Colour Club is one of Highpoint’s recent attempts to create more of a community feel at the centre, and it’s very welcome! Sessions are often run by local community groups like the Women’s Circus and Footscray Community Arts Centre (pictured). www.highpoint.com.au 2. Bardot Junior

Stylish and often different clothes for babies up to age 16. This is Mama’s go to for the preteen in the family – an age where an individual look becomes really very important. www.bardot.com 3. Build a Bear

Take your children on their own or book a party – kids love ‘making’ their own bear and there are so many cute animals to choose from including My Little Pony, Lalaloopsy, Care Bears, and the more generic dog, cat, lion etc. Pikachu has made a reappearance (apparently brief) on the back of the recent Pokemon Go craze too. www.buildabear.com.au 4. Daiso An amazing export from Japan where everything in store is $2.80. Mum-friendly faves include lots of cute lunchbox accessories, patterned origami paper, and melamine kid’s plates. Also perfect for the ever important stocking stuffers at Christmas time.

www.daisostore.com.au 5. Level 1 dining Not quite food court, not quite restaurant, we’re loving this new dining area. It’s casual enough to take the kids but the food options are really great, especially if you enjoy Asian food. You’ll find Dumplings Plus, Roti Road, Saigon Square and more.

6. Robinsons Bookshop This independent bookstore has moved into Highpoint aiming to fill the void left by the big chains. You’ll find a good sized children’s section and all the usual categories for the grown ups too. Preschool story time is on 11am Mondays during school terms and includes stories and a craft.

win 1 of 4 family passes to the royal melbourne show 2016 worth S85 Each

to enter visit www.mamamag.com.au The 2016 Royal Melbourne Show, Victoriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest and most iconic annual community event, will be held from Saturday 17 to Tuesday 27 September at Melbourne Showgrounds. For great value ticket packages visit www.royalshow.com.au and follow @RoyalMelbShow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more information. Entries are open to Victorian residents aged 18 and over only, between 12.01am August 1st 2016 and 11:59pm August 31st 2016. Entrants must visit the competition page of the MamaMag website and provide their name, phone number and email address to enter. Winner will be announced on the MamaMag Facebook page and notified by phone. The Promoter is Grizzle Design Pty Ltd ABN 26 042 138 550, trading as MamaMag. MamaMag will not share private information provided with any other businesses unless you opt in to the Royal Melbourne Show mailing list. See www.mamamag.com.au for full terms and conditions.

mortgage with mat leave? How are you going to repay your home loan while on maternity leave? This is a question asked by many expectant mothers, so we have some great tips to help you through this challenging financial period. Part of the excitement and joy of planning a baby is buying gorgeous grow suits, cute cuddly toys, prams, cots and all the other stuff that you’ll need for your new family addition. A little bit less exciting, but just as important is planning how to manage your home loan repayments on a reduced family income while you’re on parental leave. Even if you are entitled to receive the government parental leave pay, it probably won’t replace your salary as it’s the national minimum wage amount for a maximum of 18 weeks. It’s vital that you know what your options are before you go on leave, so you understand what strategies can work for you and put the right ones in place. Not all banks are the same, so if yours doesn’t have several options for you, it may be time to talk to your mortgage broker and move to a lender who understands what you need and how they can help you.

Here are some possibilities to explore: Build up a buffer In the lead up to your maternity leave, make additional repayments into your home loan to build up a buffer. This is the most financially responsible solution. Pros: This buffer can sit in your home loan redraw or in your offset account and be used for your monthly repayments. If your loan doesn’t have these options talk to your mortgage broker about putting them in place. Cons: It’s not practical if you haven’t been able to save enough.

Borrow the buffer If you have enough equity in your home, topup your home loan to draw out some cash to give you a buffer to tide you over your leave period. Pros: If you don’t use it you can pay it back into the home loan. Cons: Not all banks will lend you more money while you are actually on unpaid leave, so if this is your chosen strategy make sure you do it well before. Your loan repayments will increase because you owe the bank more, for example if you borrow $50,000 at 4% interest, your monthly repayments will be $240 higher.

Interest only repayments Change your loan repayments to interest only for a year or two. Pros: If you have the right type of loan, you can still choose to make principal repayments, but if you have a tight cashflow month you only have to pay the interest for that month. For a $500,000 loan with an interest rate of 4%, your monthly loan repayments would reduce by $720 every month. Cons: If your loan term is for 30 years, your minimum monthly repayments are calculated so that the loan is repaid in full by the end of the term. So, if you pay just interest for one of those years, then once you go back to principal and interest repayments, they will be calculated over the remaining 29 years. For our example loan above this would be an additional $40 every month for the rest of the loan term. Some banks charge a higher interest rate during the period that you don’t pay off any principal, so make sure you check with your mortgage broker to check whether this would happen with your loan.

Fix your repayments

Let’s talk!

Knowing and understanding your family budget during the unpaid leave period is essential, and having the certainty of fixed home loan repayments during that time could be perfect for you.

As a mortgage broker (and a busy mum) I’ve had lots of experience helping local families with exactly these issues. I’d love to help you work out the best solution for your family.

Pros: If this would help you sleep at night (because your baby probably won’t!) then think about fixing the interest rate of your loan for a year or two. At the moment, fixed rates are actually lower than variable rates, so it could be a great solution.

By Michele Mansfield, Equity Vision. Michele Mansfield is a credit representative. (CR No. 399836) of BLSSA Pty Ltd ACN 117 651 760 (Australian Credit License No. 391237) www.equityvision.com.au

Cons: Fixed rate home loans are not as flexible as variable rate loans, so talk to your mortgage broker to make sure this solution works for you.

Re-finance If you’ve had your loan for a few years already, you should owe less now than you originally borrowed. If you re-finance your loan with another lender, then you re-start the 30 year loan term with a smaller loan balance. Pros: Your monthly minimum repayments will be lower. Cons: Your mortgage broker will help you understand whether the costs of re-financing make this a sensible choice for you.

Loan repayment suspension You may be able to put your loan repayments on hold for a few months. Pros: You have no loan repayments for the arranged period of time. Cons: The bank will still charge you interest and it will be added onto the amount you owe, compounding how much total interest you end up paying. In addition to this, at the end of the period, your loan repayments will be re-calculated and will be more than they were originally.

Returning to work Of course, it’s not just the initial period of leave with reduced or no income that you need to think about. If you return to part-time work your income will be lower, and you may have additional expenses like childcare to pay. So make sure you plan and understand how this will affect your family budget.

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saving families money with the Oz Super Nanny When it comes to saving money in the family home, so many of us already know there are better ways or choices, but it’s not always that easy to implement them in our busy lives. For example, we know it would be a great idea to bake things in bulk for school lunches. But in the real world, where parents are juggling drop-offs, pick-ups, work, sport, swimming classes, and all the rest, sometimes it’s just easier to grab stuff from the shops. When I consult for families that are struggling to fit everything into the standard day, I often look for ways to streamline certain activities that don’t add a lot of value, but take loads of time to complete. Efficient families maximise their time between making money (ie. working) and enjoying time with their families. The same families minimise activities that are essentially a waste of time like waiting for services or unnecessary trips to the shops to name only a couple of examples! Over time and after experimenting with a number of things, I’ve become a big advocate of services that come to YOU. For working families online supermarket shopping is a huge time saver and you can avoid dragging the kids along (and no doubt buying things you don’t need). Many car related services come to you. Using mobile car wash services means that you avoid sitting around for an hour in a busy car wash. Using mobile tyre or windscreen services avoids 2 or 3 hours wandering around the shops and spending money you probably didn’t need to. If you’re careful with selecting these services, the cost isn’t any more. It’s much better to be doing something constructive instead of sitting on a plastic chair sipping an instant coffee, reading three-year-old magazines! In terms of managing my car and all the associated bits and pieces, I’m a big fan of using services like MeFleet who help to save both time and money on everything to do with running my car. 16

Similarly, many parents that I work with have given up the relentless grind of shopping individually for each birthday party invitation that comes home from school in favour of ordering gift vouchers online. This five minute exercise (combined with buying a bulk pack of birthday cards next time you are in the shopping centre) can give you back hours of your life! You don’t spend any more money that you intended to, you don’t have to lug an awkwardly shaped package to the birthday party and the birthday child gets to buy xactly what they want! That’s a win-win situation people! The last thing that I really recommend against is parents taking all their annual leave in dribs and drabs so they can do a whole series of little jobs only to find out later that they don’t have any time for a holiday themselves! By Angela Jacobsen, Oz Super Nanny. Angela has been a nanny to stars including Madonna and Kate Winslet and is also a MeFleet Brand Ambassador. Visit ozsupernanny.com for more tips and offers and use Angela Jacobsen’s MeFleet refer-a-friend code: OZSUPERNANNY

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Parklife

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party place ‘flower pot’ playground Nestled in among the houses and homes in Alamanda Estate in Point Cook is a cute and quiet little community playground. There is a great sandpit, lots of picnic tables and an undercover BBQ area, some small trees for shade and some very unique giant red flowerpots to hide in, climb on and slide down, Mamma loves the musical penguins too! This is a good little park for smaller children.

Mamma’s special mention: this area has lots of hidden gems to play in about 100 metres away is the popular ‘traffic park’ or around the corner Alamanda Cafe and Alamanda Wetlands playground are great too! The nitty gritty: street parking only, no toilets, BBQ, shelter, some trees for shade, picnic tables, park benches. Party Place, Point Cook.

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19 19

This is me. A wife.

Hudson Jack Calleja was born on Wednesday 8th of June at 2.20pm weighing 3.3kg, and my whole world changed instantly as we became a family of four. After having what I call a traumatic experience the first time around, I wanted to do whatever I could to make sure this second pregnancy was a positive one. From the very first appointment with my GP and every obstetrician appointment, I was in complete control.

There are so many challenges that us mums face once we take our newborn home. None of it is real until we have to do it all ourselves without the help and support of the midwives. The first challenge is taking care of the baby. Then there’s sleep deprivation and recovery from the c-section. There’s also a lot of washing to get through, and washing of bottles. Trying to feed everyone and just settling into a new routine.

It wasn’t until I walked into theatre and sat down on the bed that I started to feel nervous. For anyone that’s had a c-section, you know how uncomfortable it is. You don’t feel pain, but you do feel everything. You feel the initial cutting, the pulling, the prodding. You feel short of breath and nauseous. You feel claustrophobic and panicky. After all, you’re having major stomach surgery, and you’re completely awake and alert throughout the whole thing.

The ‘baby blues’ is also very real. I had it with Ben and I now have it with Hudson. I can go from extreme highs to extreme lows in an instant. Flashbacks of my ‘old life’ bring on a deep dark feeling of regret. Did I do the right thing? Was a second baby a good idea? There’s also the isolation. Staying home all day brings on not only boredom but a feeling of seclusion from the outside world.

It was the most surreal moment when one of the nurses said “Hudson is here” and I heard my little boy cry. This little baby was mine. I was now a mum of two. My beautiful boy Benny was a big brother and just like that, my life was never going to be the same.

The biggest challenge of all though was Ben. I really thought (and hoped) that he would be accepting of Hudson and take on the big brother role with pride. It was the complete opposite though. My perfect little boy turned into a nightmare. He was aggressive. He was crying for no reason. He was whingy and threw

A mama. A woman.

tantrums. He physically hurt us and didn’t want anything to do with Hudson. I knew this was normal but I wanted it to stop.

appreciation I have for him is not something I think I’ll ever be able to put into words. The boys have the best dad in the world!

It wasn’t until we read a blog that Jay found about how bringing a newborn into the family affects the older sibling and how to deal with it, that we started to see progress. We’ve also since tried to stick to our old routine as much as possible and have noticed a huge difference. He’s absolutely loving getting to know Hudson and their new growing bond melts my heart.

Although overwhelmed by the change, my family is complete and my heart is full. I’m excited for this next chapter in our lives and you better believe that I’ll be blogging about it!

The last blog I wrote before having Hudson was an open letter to Ben. I am extremely grateful I did that because I’ll be able to show him once he’s bigger that there was never a moment that I didn’t think about how having another baby would affect him. I guess it’s another reason why I love blogging so much.

Kat x By Kat Calleja, a 32 year old wife, mum and blogger at My Raw Self. myrawself.com Instagram @KatCalleja Facebook @MyRawSelf

I don’t know what the next 10 days will bring, or the next 10 weeks. But I do know that I am the luckiest woman alive to have two healthy beautiful little boys who I am so proud of, and a husband who has been there by my side every step of the way. That man is truly one in a million, and the love, respect, admiration and

MAMA of the month We’d been following Miss Biscuit on Instagram for a long time when we hear the exciting news that she was opening a shopfront in Seddon. Julia Day (or Miss Biscuit to most) created her business from a hobby she loved. You’ll love reading about how she’s involved her children in her business too. When and how did Miss Biscuit start? I have always loved to bake and one day discovered royal icing cookies on Pinterest. I became immediately hooked and started making cookies for everyone I knew. I very quickly saw that there was a demand for this product and had my home kitchen registered and started the business. I worked as a speech pathologist part time and ran the buinesss part time for a couple of years and then the business developed into classes and an online shop. I was still working from home at this point but left my speech pathology career and started running a couple of classes a week in my home kitchen. It eventually grew too big and my poor family were constantly being kicked out of the house whilst I ran decorating classes. They lived with a constant product shop in our lounge room for nearly a year. I eventually discovered a fabulous shop layout for rent in Seddon and in May opened my amazing shop/studio. Having worked from home for so long it’s fantastic to finally have a dedicated space for my business.

What is Miss Biscuit about? Miss Biscuit is primarily a specialist cookie decorating studio. It is a shop focused on the art of decorating cookies offering decorating classes, supplies and cookies for sale. We also sell homewares and other delicious edible gifts. We sell cake decorating supplies and run a variety of cake decorating classes as well as host international teachers in our amazing upstairs classroom. We have started running children’s classes and we will be offering the space for decorating classes and parties for children of various ages.

How do you balance family life with running a shop? So far not very well! At the moment whilst I get the shop/studio up and running I’m working most days with 1-2 days off a month. It’s a challenge to find time to spend with my family. My husband works very long hours and my two children aged 12 and 16 whilst are very independent still need me for lots of things. I try to ensure that I get the house sorted in the mornings and get the slow cooker on so that we can at least have a meal ready for us at the end of the day. I have also set up dedicated space for both my children at the shop so that they can come and do their homework and spend time with me whilst I’m working. That has been fabulous and the shop has very much become a home away from home. My 16 year old daughter works for me in the shop on weekends and so that has been a really lovely way of spending time with her. My son is not quite ready to work for the business but is happy enough to come and hang out with me.

What are your biggest achievements with Miss Biscuit? I’m incredibly proud of the fact that Miss Biscuit started from a hobby and has built into a thriving business. I’ve built the business mostly online and have attracted almost 60K followers on Facebook and 45K followers on Instagram. I teach decorating classes all around Australia and was recently flown to the Middle East to teach in India, Dubai, Oman and Qatar. By far my proudest moment was opening my very own shop in May. It’s been an incredible journey so far and I’m excited about the future.

What advice do you have for someone starting a business from home? The hardest thing about growing your business from home is getting word out about what you offer. Spend time finding out what social media your target market use mostly (ie. Facebook , Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter etc) and then focus heavily on building your brand on these media options. It’s time consuming taking beautifull photos and building your following but it’s amazing what social media can do for the growth of your business.

Where can we found out more information about Miss Biscuit? You can pop into our shop at 65a Charles St Seddon from Tuesdays to Saturdays to see our gorgeous biscuits for sale and view our classroom/party space upstairs. It’s always a treat to walk into the shop because of the smell of baking from our registered commercial kitchen. The smell of gingerbread baking is amazing! You can also visit the website at www.missbiscuit.com.au to see all of our current classes and see our products for sale.

nappy happy? Noticed some savings on the purchase of nappies lately? If not already, it’s predicted to come, as the giants who monopolise the baby market aim to flush out an exciting new competitor launching in their market. That competitor is Thankyou Baby and mama is pretty excited about it!

Like their existing brands, 100% of profits from the new Thankyou Baby range will help communities less fortunate than us, this time by funding infant and maternal health programs around the globe. So as a parent, by using Thankyou, you’re not only looking after your child but you’re helping save the lives of other children through safe birth clinics, vital life-saving vaccinations, and many more programs that they will be funding. How awesome is that? Thankyou Baby will sit alongside their existing three categories – Thankyou Water, Thankyou Food and Thankyou Body Care – each of which exist for the sole purpose of funding water, food and hygiene and sanitation training in developing nations. To date they have donated $4.1m to these causes. In March this year they launched an innovative crowd-funding campaign, and successfully raised the target of $600k needed to fund the Thankyou Baby launch, as well as an additional $600k to launch Thankyou in New Zealand, all in 28 days. The name-your-price book used to front the crowd-funding campaign, Chapter One, is a raw, personal and honest account of the Thankyou journey to date, written by cofounder Daniel Flynn. It’s inspiring and relevant to your own personal journey and appeals to the entrepreneurial spirit in us all.

Thankyou Baby products are now currently rolling out on the shelves of Coles across Australia. The cause and movement resonated with many of us. As mothers, if there is something we can do to help out a fellow mama – we will do it. It’s the sisterhood of motherhood. If we can help change that hard-hitting statistic that every 90 seconds a mother dies in childbirth and millions of babies die in their first month of life across the world, than why wouldn’t we? All profits from Thankyou Baby products will go towards funding maternal and health projects to those in greatest need. And providing services which we take for granted such as access to antenatal and postnatal care for mothers and babies, birthing centres with medical supplies and satisfactory facilities, birthing among educated attendants (nurses) and birth centres with access to safe water. $600,000. It’s a pretty small sum when you consider the current market leader spends around $10 million a year in marketing alone! Not to mention that the number one brand of nappies in the world has failed about eight new brand launches in Australia already. But a mere David verse Goliath battle has not deterred the Thankyou team in the past. The movement of people behind them is a pretty powerful weapon! Their game-plan has always been quality product first and foremost. An inferior product cannot support the core purpose of the business – to end global poverty. So with an emphasis on quality product, they’ve already challenged and succeeded in the Water, Food and Body Care categories. Market research has shown that 46% of people who buy Thankyou products don’t know about the impact their purchase makes and on the flipside, 54% of people consume because the product is simply good.

“Every 90 seconds a mother dies in childbirth and millions of babies die in their first month of life across the world” If the packaging of the product is anything to go by of what’s inside, then the switch to Thankyou nappies (and baby products) will be welcome by many. The branding and packaging is aesthetically divine with their funky monochrome look. In the first few nappy sizes, the child is too small to even appreciate the design anyway, so why not make the look more aesthetic for the parents? I wouldn’t miss Winnie the Pooh! The accompanying baby care products include baby ointment, bath milk, bath wash, lotion, shampoo, massage oil and nappy balm. They are bringing dermatologically tested products to the consumer market, meaning high end quality for you at an affordable price point. There’s also set to be a “game changing secret” announced on launch day – we can’t wait to find out what it is! You don’t always need the deepest pockets to shake up a market – innovative thinking, passion, focus and purpose can go a long way. It could even save millions of mums and bubs. What a remarkable gift and impact that would be. It’s certainly a story that we would like to become a part of and a world in which we’d be proud to live.

little big dash Do you love getting out with the kids and doing something active? Well Melbourne families, you’re in for a treat! This September will see the Sanitarium Little BIG DASH™ come to Melbourne for the first time and MamaMag can’t wait to be involved! Little BIG DASH is designed to give you a new experience of family fun! Live in the moment and release that inner-child while having heaps of laughs helping each other through the amazing obstacle course. The event’s aim is to encourage families to embrace an active lifestyle in a safe and non-competitive environment and the event brings people of all ages together. Little BIG DASH features fabulous activities and obstacles which have been designed for kids from age five to 15 and for adults looking to get in touch with their inner

child. With ten thrilling obstacles to challenge participants, kids and parents work together in a team where they can bounce through the Rumble Tumble Tower, twist through the Tangle Tunnel and test their balance on the Bupa Balance Beam! There will be prizes for dressing up — so families are encouraged to find some fun and quirky matching outfits to wear! Every team member will receive a Little BIG DASH participant bib (mailed to you), cap and leg strap,and your special keepsake t-shirts for hand printing. For more information and to register a team, head to www.littlebigdash.com.au and for you chance to win a Family Pass, head over to the MamaMag facebook page.

Sunday 25th September The Thunderdome, Calder Park.

Avoid the selling trap Three things to avoid when selling a property 1. Selecting the agent quoting the highest selling price or on the lowest commission rate Let’s face it – we all like to think that our property is better than the one next door. So when an agent tells you a nice big fat number when you ask how much your property is worth, your eyes light up with glee. Is that really what your home is worth or is the agent telling you what he or she knows you want to hear, so that you will give them the job? How would you know? One of the most common mistakes made by sellers every day is to choose an agent based purely on price. The seller believes the inflated price the agent quotes and then will make their selection based on who has said they can get the highest selling price. Selling a home is expensive. There are a myriad of costs, the largest of which are 1) marketing costs and 2) the agent’s commission. So it is tempting to try and save a bit of money where you can. However, basing your choice on the one offering the cheapest commission is not the best strategy. Selling a home for the best price takes market knowledge and skill. The selection of an agent should be based on the agent’s proposed sales strategy and their ability to negotiate, not on a bargain basement commission. Once your property becomes available for sale, the price the agent quoted you is irrelevant. The buying public will decide what your property is worth. Do you really want the agent that has dropped their commission to get your listing? If they have used that tactic to win your business, what’s to say they won’t employ it again, on YOU, to get you to drop your price in order to make a sale? 28

2. Not presenting your home for sale in the best possible way Have you ever walked into a home for sale that is full of someone else’s “stuff”? The home will feel cluttered and not terribly appealing. Alternatively, the owners have moved out and the house is totally bare with not a piece of furniture. Compare the above to a home that has been beautifully prepared for sale with care and attention paid to even the tiniest detail. Cupboards are sorted. Clutter has been removed. The home will feel welcoming and inviting to a potential buyer. Staging involves dressing your home to present it in the best possible light in the eyes of potential buyers. This includes arranging flowers in an attractive vase, use of scatter cushions, to the correct placement of furniture to open up a room, staging your home for sale can literally add thousands to the price a potential purchaser is willing to pay. By creating an inviting experience, the buyer can become emotionally invested in a property. This heightened desire to acquire a property can lead to a higher sales price for the owner. Ever noticed how a room can appear smaller when it is void of furniture? Some people find it hard to visualise how to fill a space or are unsure whether their own furniture will fit. So make it easy for your potential buyers to see themselves living in your home. You want to invoke emotion. When looking for a home, a buyer needs to be able to visualise the space and imagine what it would be like to live there themselves. Through the clever use of furniture, you can paint the picture in your buyer’s mind of how their own furniture will look and feel in the space. You want them to start to imagine living there.

3. Setting yourself an unrealistic selling price Ever noticed a home languishing on the market and wonder what is wrong with it? Chances are, probably nothing. It may just be a case of an unrealistic vendor asking too much for their property. One of the biggest mistakes a seller can make is to put the wrong price on a home. Not meeting the market on price can mean your home can remain unsold far longer than it may have done had you researched the market and been honest and realistic about just what your home is worth. Failing to check or compare prices of homes sold within your area means you may have unrealistic expectations of what your home is actually worth. The market will always decide the value of your property. Speak to two or three real estate agents that know your area. Be aware of agents who quote high to win the business, then quickly employ “seller conditioning” tactics, encouraging you to drop your price in order to secure a sale. It’s far better to seek a recommendation as to which agent to use from a trusted friend or a no cost Professional Sellers Advocate such as Amalain Vendor Advocates. We offer impartial advice so that you can remain realistic about what you can expect a buyer to pay for your home. By Wendy Chamberlain Buyer & Vendor Advocate | Amalain Get your EBOOK, “The 16 Most Common Real Estate Mistakes When Buying Or Selling Property” at www.Amalain.com.au

outside play Why your kids should play outside rain or shine As the days are getting shorter, darker and colder many of us unconsciously go into hibernation mode. We mistakenly believe that staying inside is best for our families. But for children, outside play is essential to their health and wellbeing regardless of the weather. We believe that there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes! Here’s some reasons why we think you should you embrace the weather – even if it’s cold and wet!

1. A little ray of sunshine – Get a dose of Vitamin D Vitamin D is crucial for helping your child’s bones grow strong. Children get most of their Vitamin D from the sun which is easy during the warmer months but from May to August this can be more of a challenge. Experts recommend that children need 20 minutes of sun a day during the cold seasons. Ensuring they have plenty of outdoor play every day is one way to make sure they are getting their essential dose of Vitamin D.

2. Feel good - Staying fit and healthy Like adults, physical activity is something that needs to be maintained. A regular routine of outdoor play promotes healthy growth and wellbeing in your child. If kids stop being active simply due to the weather this can have a negative impact on their health. According to The Department of Health, children aged from 0 to 5 years need to be physically active at least three hours per day (spread across the day) and children aged 5 to 12 years should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day.

Worried about your kids catching a cold? As long as they’re properly rugged up experts say that playing outside in the cold can actually improve their immune system. An age-old myth that colds are caught from the weather is far from the truth.

3. Dream big! Boosting creativity and imagination As well as creating healthy bodies, outside play in the colder seasons provide a whole variety of new challenges for kids to nurture happy minds and create exciting experiences. Rainy days are the perfect opportunity to splash around in puddles wearing gumboots. Colder weather also brings a changing environment and new growth in nature. Why not go for a walk and notice these changes together? Once you get creative with your play ideas and you’ll soon find that weather is no longer a limitation.

Best of all, all of the above reasons also apply to Mum and Dad! So why not get the whole family involved with your next outside play activity? Ensuring they get the opportunity to play outside every single day is something we actively endorse at YMCA Children’s Services centres. Find out more about what we offer at our YMCA Children’s Services centres at childrensservices.ymca.org.au

AFRAID YOU’LL MAKE MISTAKES WHEN SELLING? We act solely for you, the home seller. We guide your sale from start to finish at NO ADDITIONAL COST to you.

Call now for a confidential no obligation chat on 8609 1234 or email enquire@amalain.com.au

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mama can Cook! Persian Chicken Ingredients: 2 kilograms chicken thigh, diced 5g ground cinnamon 30g fresh ginger, finely chopped 25g ground cumin 10g paprika 1/2 teaspoon dried chilli

4 cups chicken stock 40g garlic, chopped 2 small onion, diced 100ml lemon juice 5 tbs lemon zest Salt and pepper 1 1/2 tbs tomato paste 3/4 tbs honey

2 cups pre cooked puy lentils 1/2 bunch parsley chopped 1/2 bunch coriander chopped 1/2 cups green olives, pitted 3 teaspoon gluten free corn flour Serves 4

Method: In a large bowl mix cinnamon, ginger, cumin, paprika and chilli with a small amount of water to make a paste and coat the chicken. Marinate while preparing remaining recipe. Fry off chicken (either on grill plate or in the large saucepan to be cooked in). Remove from pan and add oil and fry off onion, add garlic and fry off lightly. Add stock, lemon juice, zest, salt and pepper, tomato paste and honey. Return chicken and simmer till cooked through. Add lentils, parsley, coriander, olives. Thicken with gluten free cornflour if required.

This monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winter warmers are brought to us by the team at whats4dinner.net.au

Nothing shouts out winter comfort like a warm chicken pie!

Chicken & Leek Pie Ingredients:

Method:

1kg diced chicken thigh

Saute leek in a little butter until soft, add celery and cook a further one minute. Remove leek and celery, brown off diced chicken until just cooked. Add to celery mix.

1 leek washed and sliced 2 sticks celery washed and sliced 50g butter

To make veloute, melt butter and add flour to make a roux. Gradually add stock, cook until thickened, allow to cool slightly and add to chicken mix.

50g flour

Season with salt and pepper, add soy and cream, mix well.

1 tbs soy sauce

Grease a 22cm pie dish, line with puff pastry, allow pastry edge to overhang. Fill w chicken mix. Place another piece of pastry over the top and trim edges evenly. Seal by pinching together. Make two small cuts in the top of the pastry to allow steam to escape. Brush with eggyolk and a little cream. Bake in a hot oven for 35-40 mins until golden brown.

1 litre chicken stock

1 tbs cream Serves 4

starting childcare One of the most debatable questions related to early childhood education and care is: “When should my child start childcare?” My answer might surprise many of you. A child should only start going to childcare when the parents are 100% ready for this. Yes, dear parents and parents to be, you have to think about yourselves first. The key aspect is for a child is to see absolute confidence in their parent’s decision. Your words are not enough for your children, children have strong intuitions. From birth a child can detect their parent’s mood, for example, if a parent is uneasy and sensitive when taking their child to childcare, what reaction should we expect from the child? I would say that most commonly children under 12 months overcome separation anxiety from their parents better than parents themselves. Experience tells us that for children at this stage, the key to a happy and positive child is a good routine, including meal times spread out appropriately and well-organised sleep. When you first leave your child at a childcare centre, it is important to continue their usual routine. It is best for children under 18 months to adapt to a consistent routine, be flexible and take an individual approach to each child. Only after a child turns one, they may begin to adjust to a more general routine, transitioning to one daytime nap.

When a child starts at childcare after 18 months, it is important to take into consideration that your child is more aware of their surroundings, and more advanced in their skills. It is not just a fixed routine that is important for your child to feel comfortable in child care at this age. You need to understand the psychology of your child, be able to explain what is happening to them, and know how you should behave when dropping your child off. If you are able to show your child that your decision to start child care is the right one, and the child feels that you are confident and relaxed, you are well on the way to success. Isn’t this better than running back and forth and asking for “one more kiss” or “just wave bye-bye to mum” when your child is already occupied in an activity? The older a child is when starting child care, the more patient the parents have to be, the more certain in themselves and their decision. Do not show any dissatisfaction or concern (you can always discuss any issues with the carer or centre manager later when your child is not present). If your child is misbehaving or upset, don’t let your child sway your emotions. You have spent a lot of time in selecting the right centre for your child, now rely on the staff in that centre to look after your child. Don’t remain in the room longer than necessary to acquaint your child with the staff and the room. It is easy to think that by spending more time, you are easing the transition for your child, but unfortunately, it is often the opposite. If the parents can find the strength to leave confidently, the child will automatically pick up that confidence and will adapt to their environment faster.

Sensory Products for Special Kids with Special Needs

Filled to the brim with amazing sensory, educational and fun products to delight the senses, tickle the imagination and bring smiles to little faces. Shop online or visit our new retail store!

3/216 Blackshaws Road, Altona North (Located in the Bay Children's Clinic)

www.sensoryoasisforkids.com.au

We provide psychology services for children, adolescents and their families 33 Military Road, Avondale Heights 3034 3/216 Blackshaws Road, Altona North 3025 Also consulting at Complete Children’s Health Moonee Ponds and Keilor T 03 9318 7848 www.bloomchildpsychology.com.au Live Local - Shop Local - and don’t forget to mention MamaMag!

We provide assessment and therapy options to address a range of issues, including; • Anxiety and fears • Mood problems • Behavioural and conduct problems • School difficulties • Family difficulties • Resilience • Self-esteem and confidence • Communication and assertiveness • Sleep difficulties • Eating difficulties • Risk taking behaviours • Attention and learning , including cognitive and academic assessment. We specialize in comprehensive diagnostic assessments and therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorders. • Individual therapy sessions • A range of group programs, including social skills, social thinking, and school readiness. We are a registered FaHCSIA provider. Medicare rebates available. We provide staff development and training, consultation and parent education sessions.

35 35

safety serIes Burns and scalds - safety prevention and first aid for families Burns and Scalds are one of the most common accidents that can happen in your household and cause serious injury to your child. A burn is where the skin has been damaged by something hot which includes hot water, steam, the heater, oven and also from electricity, friction, chemicals and radiation (sunlight)! The most common burn for children is scalds which is caused by hot liquids.

Things you can do to prevent burns and scalds Hot water in domestic homes is usually set at 70°. The ideal temperature should be set at 50°. Hot water burns like fire, and even small adjustments to its temperature can be the difference between a minor or severe burn. At 60° it takes one second for hot water to cause a life threatening scald to an infant. At 55° it takes ten seconds and at 50° it takes five minutes. Hot surfaces around the home include cooking surfaces, hot liquids and hot surfaces such as the heater and iron. Ensure these items are out of reach from children, that they cannot be pulled down by accessible cords and pot handles and that they are turned off after use. “I had left my room to do something in the kitchen and for a period of time I could not hear my little one around the house. When I found her she was in the bathroom and had put the hair straightener on her arm. It was on and she had not removed it so it was just burning through her skin” – Family First Aid Parent Story. 36

Part 2 Burns & scalds

Electrical burns are very serious and caused by electrical sources, sockets, cords and open outlets. It is important to cover up outlets that are not in use and to protect your child from pulling out cords that are in use. It is essential to do an assessment and tidy up any potential dangers to make sure that areas of risk are safe for your child. “I found my child sucking on the USB cord for my phone charger which resulted in some burns in his mouth, and a few days of discomfort when drinking milk and eating food” – Family First Aid Parent Story. Chemical burns are caused by corrosive and causative agents around the home such as cleaning products, chlorine and acids. “I was at park one day, and my young child decided to go down one of those tube slides. As she came down the slide there was a mist of dust that flew out the other end. She was screaming and the closer I walked towards her the stronger the smell of chemicals appeared. It turned out that chlorine powder was poured down the slide. My daughter had chemicals burns over her body and her genitals”.Founder of WONDERWOMAN Children. Be sure to call poison information hotline on 13 11 26 to find out more advice.

Radiation burns are most commonly caused by the sun. There is a strong message about being sun safe in Australia and we can reinforce this by ensuring that you as a family are aware of how to keep safe in the sun, by using sunscreen and staying out of the sun during the hotter periods of the day.

First aid management for all burns and scalds If the child has collapsed, stopped breathing, is fitting or non-responsive, commence airway management. 1. Cool the burn for 20 minutes under cool running water. This treatment is useful for up to three hours after the incident. 2. Cool the burn, not the child. If the burn is large, stop cooling after 20 minutes (no less, unless recommended otherwise). Children are more prone to hypothermia. 3. Cover the burn with a sterile, non-stick dressing (if not available use cling wrap/ cotton sheet). 4. Call an ambulance 000. If the burn is to the child’s face, airway, hands, joints or genitals or if the burn is larger than the size of the child’s hand. 5. Go to the hospital or doctor if the burn is larger than a 20 cent piece, looks raw or the child is in pain.

What not to do: Do not apply ice, iced water, butter, creams, oil or powders. Do not use a hydrogel for the first aid treatment of burns. Do not cover chemical burns with cling wrap or hydrogel dressings.

Want to learn more? LEARN the skills of airway management and what to do in an emergency by joining one of our family first aid classes or hosting one of your own with your family and friends! Visit www.wonderwomanchildren.com. LISTEN to the interview on burns and scalds, safety and first aid of Nataly Tormey from WONDERWOMAN Children on Little Rockers Radio. READ the most up to date information bought to you by Kidsafe on all things safety. www.kidsafe.vic.com.au. Proudly bought to you by Little Rockers Radio and WONDERWOMAN Children.

“Burns and Scalds are the third most common injury for babies and toddlers” The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2009.

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WIN

1 of 2 Family Passes to:

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

Peppa Pig Live! Big Splash! is back by popular demand in 2016! Join Peppa, George, Mummy and Daddy Pig, along with Danny Dog, Pedro Pony and Suzy Sheep in this interactive theatrical performance filled with singing, dancing, fun games and, of course, muddy puddles! • Melbourne, Athenaeum Theatre - Thu 15 September. • St Kilda, National Theatre - Tue 13 September. • South Morang, Plenty Ranges Arts Centre - Fri 16 September. • Dandenong, Drum Theatre - Sat 17 September.

Worth $200 each!

m t fro Direocndon’s ! L End West

Post your entry by August 31st to: MamaMag, PO Box 8018 North Road LPO, Brighton East 3187.

Child’s name:

Age:

Parent’s name: Email: Address:

Postcode: 39

buying a house? The ‘ins and outs’ of pre-purchase property inspections. Buying a home is likely to be one of the biggest investments many of us will make in our lives. It’s surprising how many people don’t think about getting a pre-purchase building inspection or even contemplate forgoing one for the sake of saving a few hundred dollars. And then there’s some people who don’t even realise they exist! So let’s take a look at what pre-purchase Inspections actually entail and the benefits of having one done when you’re looking at buying a home.

What is a pre-purchase inspection? As the name suggests, a pre-purchase inspection is a written report that outlines the condition of a property. There are two main types of reports that can be completed: 1. Building Report: The purpose of this inspection is to provide advice to a prospective purchaser regarding the condition of the property at the date and time of the inspection. Areas of inspection generally include roof and gutters, hot water system, exterior of the home, garage/carport, stairs, interior of the home, roof void and any pergola or balconies. 2. Timber Pest Report: In this report, the inspector will outline any evidence of timber pests, the existence of visually observable damage caused by timber pests and the susceptibility of them within the home. They will look for live or active termites, damage caused by wood decay, excessive moisture and visible borer of seasoned timbers.

What to look for in a building inspector. Believe it or not, in Victoria, there is no strict legislation around who can conduct pre-purchase inspections so it’s extremely important that you do your research in finding someone reputable. We suggest you look for the following: Someone who has building or construction qualifications and has worked in the industry Someone who has indemnity insurance Someone who is a member of an association (eg. HIA or Master Builders) Someone who will offer a post report phone call for you to ask any questions

What are the benefits of having a pre-purchase inspection?

How much will an inspection cost?

1. Uncover any defects: By law, the vendor needs to disclose any defects that they are aware of, but in many cases, defects can be unnoticed, particularly if the seller or buyer doesn’t know what to look for. In many cases, structural defects or termite susceptibility can’t be seen by the naked eye.

This really depends on the size of the home and whether you want just a Building or just a Timber inspection. Often, combining the 2 inspections will offer you significant savings. Look for a business that is upfront about their prices and get a price before the report is done. Pre-Inspection Building Reports should cost anywhere from $250 to $500 Pre-Inspection Timber Pest Reports should cost anywhere from $200 to $500 A combined Building and Timber Pest should cost anywhere between $400 to $800

2. Save money: The report itself might set you back a few hundred dollars but it might also be your negotiation tool when purchasing a property. If the report finds an issue, it’s your bargaining chip to pay less! 3. Peace of mind: A pre-inspection report may also uncover that there’s nothing wrong with the property you wish to purchase. In this case, it’s the peace of mind you need to know you’re purchasing a quality home.

John Sortino has worked in building and construction for over 20 years and runs his own Pre-Purchase Building and Timber Inspection business, Safeguard Home Inspections. Visit www.safeguardhomeinspections.com.au for all the details and mention MamaMag for a 10% discount.

nursery rules What happens when past winners of renovating show ‘House Rules’ have a baby? They design a to-die-for nursery of course! Hailing from Melbourne’s outer-eastern suburb Donvale, Adam Dovile (you may know him now as a presenter on Better Homes and Gardens) and his gorgeous wife Lisa Lamond gave birth to baby Arabella in May. The DIY masters, known for their interior finesse (26.4k Insta followers can’t be wrong), added their signature style to a classic nursery when they recently collaborated with CNP Brands. The stunning nursery features a bebe care imperio cot, rocking chair and change table among other things. Drawing inspiration from her time on House Rules, Lisa recommends for expecting parents to begin their research online. “Sourcing products online was the perfect or me throughout my pregnancy, and making purchases at the click of a button was a life-saver.” Lisa said. For bebe care details visit www.cnpbrands.com.au Follow Adam and Lisa’s journey on Instagram @adamnlise

Photography by Martina Gemmola

Books fest A free big day for little people Well, it is time for Book fest again! Mama loves books and local westie talent, so during the annual Children’s Book Week festivities, local publisher Aly’s Books and our freinds at Mamma Knows West have teamed up again to bring another special book event to the Altona Library. The ‘Mamma Knows West and Aly’s Books Fest’ is a free event for the bookworm in everyone, giving keen bibliophiles a chance to meet authors and illustrators, as well as the opportunity to purchase their books and take home your own signed copy. The festival will be from 12-3pm on Saturday the 20nd of August and thanks to the Hobsons Bay City Council it will be in the fantastic Altona Library. It’s shaping up to be a whimsical world of words, wonder and wit - not to mention a great way to spend some time with the family to hear some great kids’ tales read aloud, straight from the voices of the talented authors themselves – awesome. With workshops and activities added in the program, there’s sure to be a little bit of bookish heaven awaiting your family when the fest breaks out its best. The day will offer an opportunity to meet your favourite local authors and illustrators

as well see some new terrific emerging talents on the Melbourne literary scene. The program will include storytellers, musicians, craft and all sorts of performers for the little ones to enjoy! “It is such a joy to see the kids being inspired by local authors and illustrators and to see that in their local library.” Aly Walsh, Aly’sBooks. Both ourselves and Aly have a passion for books and a love all things literary. This event coincides with the start of Book Week and is a great way for us to celebrate this. We feel that this event gives families a very unique opportunity to actually meet people who live ‘next door’, who are bringing their stories to life and with Aly as a book publisher and author too she can maybe even help bring out a story in you!” Sammi, Mamma Knows West. Aly’s Books is an independent book publishing company located in the West. Founded by authors, the mission of Aly’s Books is to provide any writer the opportunity to have their book published. In this way, your book becomes their mission. For more information about how you can make your dream a reality contact Aly’s Books at www.alysbooks.com or visit Mamma Knows West at www.mammaknowswest.com.au

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