EASTSIDE
mamamAg Aug/Sep 2019
WIN 1 of 8 FAMILY PASSES TO THE ROYAL MELBOURNE SHOW Food, health & wellbeing Welcome to your period Health and happiness The lunchbox dad Parenting boys
free Local fun for the Eastside mum 1
PENINSULA’S PREMIER CO-EDUCATIONAL SCHOOL SATURDAY OPEN DAY 7 SEPTEMBER, 10.00 AM - 12.00 PM Please join us to hear more from our Principal and to explore how our school can shape the learning journey of your child. Please register your attendance via our website.
www.peninsulagrammar.vic.edu.au
To book a tailored school tour for your family anytime, or for information on our programs, please call 9788 7702 or email us at enrolments@pgs.vic.edu.au.
WE BELIEVE IN GIRLS
ruyton
grit • curiosity
creativity • leadership
integrity • global citizenship the journey starts here …
You are invited to see our School at work from Early Learning to Year 12 open morning Thursday 29 August Thursday 14 November 9am–11am with Principal’s address at 10am
school snapshot tours of school Monday 12 August Tuesday 26 November 9am–10am
information sessions small groups Held throughout the year 9.30am–11am Bookings essential
Contact the Registrar, Mrs Nadine Hibbert, on 9819 2422 or book online www.ruyton.vic.edu.au ruyton girls ’ school
12 Selbourne Road Kew 3101 Victoria Australia Tel +61 3 9819 2422
ruyton@ruyton.vic.edu.au www.ruyton.vic.edu.au
CRICOS 00336J
wInter warmers Mama’s cold, really cold! I’m just not a Winter person! Pop me in the sunshine any day of the week. Of course, I’m getting good at escaping the cold. Snapping up some cheap flights to Cairns a few months ago was clearly the best thing I’ve done all year. Port Douglas is one of my favourite Australian destinations, and I’d never taken the kids there, so a sneaky mid-term June trip was absolutely perfect. Bundled into the long weekend so the kids only missed four days of school, we were spoilt rotten at the fabulous Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort for five wonderful nights. In the Dec/Jan issue I’ll be sharing my Port Douglas adventures with you in full, but for now let me just tell you, there is so many amazing things to do with the kids there. The weather is around 26 degrees all Winter, so my sunshine cup was certainly filled. We snorkelled the reef, we even snorkelled through the rainforest! We zipped through trees, paddle boarded, took a sunset cruise and when we weren’t having all these adventures we were lounging by one of Sheraton’s three acres of amazing pools! Truly the best family holiday I’ve had! I can’t wait to tell you more about it! Two weeks later, when the school holidays actually started, we went skiing at Mt Baw baw and my tan was quickly hidden under thermals and ski clothes as I embraced the cold head on! Baw Baw is such a great spot for kids to learnt to ski. It’s close, affordable and small enough for them to tackle almost every run. Now we’re back in term three. Back to reality. Back to routine. Back to the gym for me, trying to stay fit and healthy! We’ve got lots of great health and wellness goodies for you this issue. It’s so important to take care of ourselves so we can be the best mums possible. It’s also important to help take care of those other mums who are less fortunate than us. I’m thrilled to be able to partner with Hunter Baby this issue to run a giant sale to raise funds for St Kilda Mums. Their clothes are gorgeous and a total steal for 50% off with HB donating a further 10% to St Kilda Mums to help mums in need. So if you’ve got kids under four, please get behind us and shop up a storm! Check out page 13 for details.
@localmamamag
4
Local fun for everyone • Bayside • Eastside • Northside • Westside
WIN
Contents The lunchbox dad
1 of 8 Family Passes to the 6
Insta sensation George Georgievski
Parklife 8 Arcadia Reserve, Rowville
Health, Health and happiness
10
Chats with Lauren Hannaford
Are fairies just for girls?
12
Do we dictate toys for kids?
Welcome to your period
14
Worth
A teen’s guide to ‘that time’
Lovely locals
$80 ea
16
ch!
Toorak Road, South Yarra
The coach approach
18
Do you need a life coach?
Good for mama & the planet
22
Enter at www.mamamag.com.au/theshow
24
Entries are open to Victorian residents only. Competition starts Aug 1st 12.01am and closes Sept 14th 2019 at 11.59pm. Tickets are only valid for use during the 2019 Royal Melbourne Show, Sat 21 Sept - Tues 1 Oct. Tickets may not re-sold or redeemed for cash. Visit www.mamamag.com.au/competitions for full terms and conditions.
Our top lifestyle product picks
Mama can cook Plant-based Nourish Box
Ranger Benny’s World
28
Gumbuya World’s new YouTube star
Turn the page
30
MamaMag is published bi-monthly for the mums of Melbourne’s East by Grizzle Design Pty Ltd.
32
ABN: 26 042 138 550. PO Box 8018 Brighton East 3187 Phone: 1300 771 446 Email: info@mamamag.com.au www.mamamag.com.au | www.grizzledesign.com.au
Mama’s top book picks
Wellness walks over cancer A mum’s cancer journey
Boys are not tough
34
Mothering our boys
Don’t get greenwashed
36
The truth about biodegradable plastics
Family friendly home design
38
XL Built’s top tips
Colour to WIN
43
Tickets to The Cat in the Hat
Social Health Time to phone a friend?
MamaMag Aug/Sep 2019
For more show info visit royalshow.com.au
46
12,500 copies per issue distributed bi-monthly across Melbourne’s East with 50,000 copies in total across all four MamaMag areas: Bayside • Eastside • Northside • Westside. Editor in Chief/Creative Director: Sarah Cavalier: sarah@mamamag.com.au Eastside Editor: Kara Wilson Eastside Advertising Manager: Olivia Wilson: olivia@mamamag.com.au Melbourne-wide Key Account Manager: Clare Betts: clare@mamamag.com.au Want to write for us or have an article idea? submissions@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.
5
THE Lunchbox Dad When Geelong dad, to two gorgeous girls, George Georgievski took over the cooking and school lunch duties from his wife three years ago, he thought he was just doing every parent should do, parent. What he didn’t foresee was him becoming a world-wide success as the “School lunchbox dad”, with live TV appearances, over 120k Instagram/Facebook followers and a new cook book Lunchbox Express which launched recently! George, tell us about that first morning you walked into the kitchen and found school lunch chaos. It was like walking into a war zone. I used to leave for work before anyone was up so I had no idea what happened in the mornings till one day I was off sick. I was in bed when I heard screams from the kitchen, I jumped out of bed and ran to the kitchen thinking someone had been shot. As it turns out is was an everyday normality and my girls and wife looked at me like “what’s up?”. That was the moment everything changed, I remember saying that I love my little family too much to allow this chaos to continue in the mornings. I asked my wife how I could help and she suggested I take over school lunches, fast forward 3 years and it’s a different type of chaos. What do you do work wise when you’re not being a whizz in the kitchen? We recently sold our family business after 16 years, and now I’m a client relationship dude. I look after a key account for a local Geelong business. I used to also give up a day a week to work as a barista for free in the best café called Coffee Cartel. I loved their passion for single origin coffee so much I had to learn as much as possible about coffee, even if it meant working for free! Where did you find the inspiration to come up with these fun and exciting lunches? I found inspiration in a few places, firstly, my cultural heritage is Macedonian, so growing
up I was exposed to amazing soul food from Macedonia. I wanted my girls to experience this so I simplified some of my mum’s recipes and made them my own. For a whole year on every Friday, I also created lunches inspired by different countries around the world. At one stage, when I did Polish food, someone in Poland saw it and I ended up on the front page of the Polish Gazette next to Donald Trump! Adult food is also a source of inspiration, for example, when we’d go out to dinner we’d all enjoy ravioli, spring rolls, dumplings etc. I figured if they enjoy those foods for dinner, how could I create them using simple bread and basic ingredients? So I did just that. Simplifying adult food is something I do a lot! How did you end up on Instagram? Did the girls have anything to do with that? It was about 3 years ago, however I have a dad brain! From what I can remember I think one of my girls came home from school saying that either a teacher or a parent suggested that I put the lunchbox creations on Instagram. Back then, I had no idea what Instagram was, so after some searching I downloaded the app and things went nuts pretty quick. So yes, it was all because of my girls. Your book deal came about after a cheeky Instagram message to publisher MacMillan. Tells us more about how this came about. Yes, very true, one night I noticed that MacMillan Publishers started following me, and I thought that it would be cool if I sent them a cheeky message. The message read something like “hi thanks for the follow, now who can I talk to about a bestseller and cool dad style recipes”. I then got a response, the funny thing was that I thought I was all cool and stuff till the publisher said that they never respond to those type of messages however they thought that my social pages had something special, so we caught up. When I went in for a meeting I noticed they were all women, so right then I knew they’d get sh#t done and that I was in safe hands!
What’s the best thing that has come about from your new found ‘lunchbox’ fame?
Top five places to hang out with the kids when you visit Melbourne:
The changes that people have made for the better. At times when I get messages from people to tell me how their children’s behaviour has changed and how they’re more attentive just blows my mind. We are what we eat and to see positive change makes the journey we are on so worth it.
1. Queen Victoria Market – get them to pick their own fruit and veggies and make a day of it. Grocery shopping can be fun when everyone is involved. 2. Melbourne Aquarium – The penguins are always a hit, and the sharks always scare us!
Top five items to put in a lunchbox:
3. Melbourne Zoo – Always a fun place to hang out and a great day out.
1. Low salt popcorn, it’s a fun food with a heap of nutritional benefits.
4. V Junior Cinemas – kid friendly cinemas with slides and bean bags.
2. Creative sandwich, turn a boring sandwich into ravioli, dumpling or spring roll.
5. Fitzroy Gardens – there’s the fun of the tram ride there, history with Captain Cooks Cottage, the fairy gardens and heaps of open space to run around.
3. Non watery fruits like stone fruits, apples, and berries. They don’t leak. 4. Mini veggies like mini cucumbers, carrots and tomatoes. 5. Love, always make the lunchbox as though it’s the last. Use the rainbow colours with fresh produce. Inspire your little humans.
Find out more about George and his fabulous creations at schoollunchboxblog.wordpress.com You can meet George and check out his amazing new book at the Pregnancy Babies & Children’s Expo, Oct 18-20 at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC).
Parklife ArcadIa Reserve, RowvIlle Situated next door to the Rowville Scout Hall, this is a super-cute junior playspace, redeveloped by Knox City Council in 2016. It features two main wooden structures. One is a playful teepee complete with rock climbing steps and a small slide, both low to the ground and great for toddlers. The second is much larger with various levels to climb, spider net, chain bridge and two slides. The equipment is all wooden with splashes of colour which is really fun. Wooden beams at different levels are a great tool for youngsters to practice their balancing on. A second teepee holds a sand play area overlooking the large sandpit area.
8
Bigger kids can entertain themselves on the half-size basketball court, kick a ball on the lawn area and the outdoor fitness station is great for both parents and teens to work out at. There has also been a recent addition this year of a few skate jumps, designed by former pro-skate boarder Janne Saario, installed next to the basketball court on a large concrete area, which will also delight bigger kids. There is plenty of seating, lovely planting and large trees around the area too.
Turramurra Drive, Rowville.
KOLEOS Copious amounts of space for the little ones Apple Carplay® or Android Auto® - to play those calming lullabies 458 litres of boot space for those long summer road trips Loads of safety features ...and is available in 4x2 and 4x4.
EXTRA $500 worth of Accessories# FOR CURRENT OFFERS CONTACT YOUR LOCAL RENAULT DEALER: BARRY BOURKE RENAULT Berwick: (03) 9707 2222
WAVERLEY RENAULT Mulgrave: (03) 9550 5888
BRIGHTON RENAULT Brighton East: (03) 9599 2100
WATSON RENAULT Bundoora: (03) 9467 4677
EASTERN RENAULT Croydon: (03) 9723 5555
WERRIBEE RENAULT Hoppers Crossing: (03) 8734 4900
ESSENDON RENAULT Moonee Ponds: (03) 9080 1111
YARRA VALLEY RENAULT Lilydale: (03) 9735 6789
PENINSULA RENAULT Seaford: (03) 9599 2199
Present this advert to one of the dealerships listed above and receive $500 worth of accessories when a new Renault Vehicle is purchased and delivered between 01.08.19 and 31.09.19. †5 year unlimited km warranty applies to all new Renault passenger vehicles ordered after 01.05.19, except Clio R.S. Demonstrator vehicles receive balance of new vehicle warranty. Roadside Assistance terms and conditions apply. Call our Customer Service Team on 1800 009 008 or view the Terms and Conditions statement at www.renault.com.au/drivingpeaceofmind for details. ◊Complimentary 12 months 24/7 Roadside Assist when you purchase a Renault vehicle (balance of 12 months for demonstrator vehicles). Further complimentary 12 month periods of Roadside Assist will be given from the date of each scheduled maintenance service at a participating authorised Renault dealer within 4 years of purchase (within 4 years from registration for demonstrator vehicles). ^ See https://www.renault.com.au/ownership/servicing/capped-price-servicing for details. #
HEALTH, HEART AND HAPPINESS The foods you eat and the lifestyle you lead effects your HEALTH, which directly effects your HEART and how you physically manage to live each day. This in turn effects your HAPPINESS and how you mentally cope from day to day. One doesn’t function without the other and all three have to be in tune with each other to help you become the strongest, fittest you. To be the best parent we need to look after ourselves, but it can be hard to find the time and energy to eat well and exercise regularly. So, let us introduce you to Lauren Hannaford. As parents, we’ve probably all seen Lauren before, you just might not realise it. A former member of The Wiggles, she’s graced our TV screens as Dorothy the Dinosaur, Henry the Octopus and Wags the Dog, and is also lucky to call the Red Wiggle Simon Pryce her husband! You might remember the two of them on Ninja Warrior Australia last year! Once an elite gymnast, Lauren moved into coaching and now runs her own online fitness program, FHIT by Lauren Hannaford, to help others become the strongest, fittest and healthiest version of themselves, full of health, happiness and heart.
Lauren, what does your average day look like? Each working day is pretty different for me, but I always wake up and do my best to beam out of bed for my morning workout. Of course, some days are harder than others, but I know how good I’ll feel once I start moving and get those endorphins going so I always try to workout first thing. My favourite days are when my husband Simon and I can work out together. After I work out, it’s breakfast time, emails and a bit of a social media scroll through. If I haven’t got any interviews or shoots to do then it’s content, content, content creation time. I always try to create as much
content for my FHIT members as I can so we are constantly growing and learning together. Simon is on tour most of the year, so I try to go on the road with him as much as possible.
Tell us about why health and fitness is so important to you. I think it’s fair to say that when we are feeling fit and healthy we tend to have clearer thoughts, and overall a more positive outlook to the day. Healthier choices make healthier decisions whether that be for family, socially or professionally. So for me fitness isn’t just about the physical benefits it gives but more importantly how good it is for my mental health and mental clarity it gives me.
What inspired you to create FHIT? There were a couple of reasons. The first being from the fact that I was doing so much travel with work and I didn’t have a regular routine or access to gyms. This inspired me to create workouts for myself that I could do anywhere, anytime. I then posted some of these workouts on my Instagram (@LozHannaford) and had so many people writing and wanting to do the same workouts. Secondly as my travelling slowed down a bit Simon’s travel continued as he is away 9-10 months of the year. I thought to myself, I want to be able to use technology and create something that allows me to connect with people all over the world and help them become the strongest, fittest and most confident version of themselves. The use of technology also meant that my workplace can be anywhere which gives me freedom and allows me to travel and see my wonderful husband. Hence the birth of FHIT!!
What’s your best advice on finding time to exercise? Schedule it in so you stay committed to it but most importantly don’t over think it. We seem to have this autopilot thought that unless you go and slog it out at the gym for an hour then you’re not really going to achieve anything. Break it down and take the pressure off. Any activity is good activity. You can do it anywhere,
anytime and you are only 15 minutes away from a good mood and improved physical fitness.
What makes your program so suited to mums compared to other online programs? FHIT is so suited to mum’s because it is convenient to do anywhere, anytime and without any equipment. Whether it be when their child is sleeping or playing in the lounge room - each workout in the first three programs are only 15 minutes which is perfect for time poor mums. I so often have members writing saying that they love how invigorated they feel from a workout that is only 15 minutes long AND better still how many mums write to say that their children try to join in and do it with them. It is such a nice way to bond and show your children the positive effects of exercise.
What’s the one health or wellness treatment you can’t live without? Massage!! This is one that has taken me a long time to understand as I always saw massages as just being a luxury treatment which I never allowed myself the time for. I have come to learn over time that just because it feels nice it doesn’t mean it’s about luxury. It feels good because it is good for your body and your body needs it to repair and recover. Just as we need to nourish our body with good food and water, we also need to look after our muscles.
I will graze on nuts and fruit throughout the day if my body is needing a little boost and for dinner I will have protein and vegetables. I tend to go for chicken or fish with lots of carrots, broccoli and zucchini with half a cup of brown rice if I’m extra hungry. On occasion I love a glass of red and some dark chocolate and I am also drinking looooadddss of water throughout the day.
And finally what’s your top 5 health and wellness tips: Drink lots of water - 3 litres a day. Get plenty of sleep - 8 hours a night. Exercise consistently. You don’t need to flog yourself. just stay consistent. Cut as much sugar out of your diet as possible. You will be amazed how much sugar is in the regular foods we eat. Understand your WHY! Knowing the core reason of why you are wanting to make healthier choices in your life is the key to reaching your goals. Find out more about FHIT at www.laurenhannaford.com.au
What does your day on a plate look like? I eat very simply and clean, but I also don’t deprive myself of the finer things that our taste buds love. When I wake up in the morning (usually about 6am) I have two big glasses of water. Then I have a double espresso as I get ready for the day. I always prefer working out on an empty stomach so after I train, depending on time I will either have a banana or shake on the go or cook some eggs with avocado if I have a bit more time. When lunch rolls around I will either have to graze on the go or I love a good pumpkin salad with lots of greens.
11
Are faIrIes just for gIrls? If we could have a dollar for every time we’ve heard ‘Oh, my boy doesn’t play with fairies!’ we would be fairy multi-millionaires. But gone are the days where boys cannot play with dolls. Gone are the days where girls skip past the John Deere tractor aisle in the toy section. It is time to embrace the concept of gender-neutral toys once and for all. We are living in a generation where genderfluidity is real. Where is it completely acceptable and becoming more prevalent to feel a mix of both female and male. So, in a world of genderfluidity and gender-neutrality, why do we continue to place restrictions and opinions on the toys our children play with? Why are we so stalwart on abiding to gender-specific toys? When we dictate the toys our child play with, who are we considering? Do we take into consideration our children’s needs, or is it our own stereotypes and fear of retribution? Are we afraid that if our sons want a fairy garden set up in their room that they’ll be teased by their peers? Will the little girls at playgroup not want to leave their dolls and join in on a game of construction and demolition? What if our daughters want to dress up as a superhero and not a princess? What if at dress-up day, our boys choose the fairy over the pirate? A US study that examined data over 36 years, with 1,600 children’s preferences for specific toys, found that it is indeed innate and
influenced by social forces. Results showed that boys played with male-typed toys more than girls did, and girls played with femaletyped toys more than boys did. As children aged, social influence play’s a larger role in their toy selection. So, what does this mean? When kids are young, they play with what speaks to them. As they age, what is expected of them in a social setting takes a greater influencing role. So, when they are young, let their own choices and preferences take flight! Let them choose the toys and imaginative settings they wish to create. Take away any preconceived notions you may have of what is and isn’t acceptable. Because before you know it, that creative, free spirit will be exposed to a whole host of environmental and social factors. Our fairy doors are not just limited to those wanting to bring fairies into their world. There is no limit to the imaginative scenes you can create with your child and our magical doors. They could be a dinosaur door, opening up into your child’s very own Jurassic Park. It could be a Monster Door, where all the friendly monsters come out to play at night to keep the evil monsters in the closest at bay. It could be a pirate door, opening up to the world of Peter Pan. There is no limit! So if you have a boy, or even a girl who just isn’t into fairies, think again of the magical worlds you can create – it is just an opening of a door away... By Michelle Kuramochi, thefairydoorstore.com.au
There is no limit to the imaginative scenes you can create with your child and our magical doors. 12
in support of St Kilda Mums presents
The big
BABY & CHILD
super-sale
50% off everything! with 10% of sales going directly to St Kilda Mums
Use the code MAMAMAG50 at www.hunterbaby.com.au13
Welcome to your perIod Back in our day if there was a question about sex, periods or any other embarrasing topic, we just consulted the pages of our beloved Dolly magazine and asked ‘Dolly Doctor’. So what do the kids of today do (besides ask Google or Siri?) Well, if your pre-teen has questions about periods, turns out Dolly Doctor still has the answers for them! Launched Aug 1st, Welcome to Your Period, is the ultimate menstruation manual for pre-teens (9-12 years) and is co-written by funny mama from Yumi Stynes and Dolly Doctor herself, Dr. Melissa Kang! Together they demystify everything from cramps to what to do with a used tampon, giving practical advice on surviving your period at school, at sleepovers or during sport, Welcome to Your Period is a complete guide. Welcome to Your Period takes the weird, mortifying and messy out of getting your period for the first time by offering candid advice on how to handle this bleeding business like a boss! Here’s a little sneak peak of what’s inside:
Before you get your period Being prepared for something that’s never happened to you before is tricky, right? Luckily there ARE some things you can do to prepare for your first period. 1. Sort out your period pack. Having your supplies on hand will help you feel ready for anything! 2. Try on a pad. Place the sticky side of the pad down onto your undies, underneath your vagina. Pull your undies back up and walk around. How does it feel? Pat your bum - can you feel it? Put your outfit back on and take a look in the mirror - can you see the pad through your clothes? Probably not, right? 3. Buy black undies. Black undies are way better than light-coloured ones for hiding leaks and spills (and trust us, leaks and spills are going to happen from time to time). We recommend phasing in LOTS of black ones - you might feel more comfortable wearing these on heavier days.
14
4. Talk about it! Ask your friends and the other period bosses in your life about their periods. We totally understand feeling a bit shy about it, but from experience we reckon you can always find a couple of menstruating adults who are up for a period chat! They may be able to share their experiences and give you some basic advice. 5. Read a book! The best thing about novels is that they allow you to experience something before it happens to you. Here are some of our favourite books that actually deal with periods in a meaningful way:
•• ••
The Last One in the Universe by Chrissie Perry Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Bloom To Night Owl From Dogfish by Holly Goldbery Sloan and Meg Wolitzer And of course read this book! Knowledge is power!
Your period pack should include: Menstruation products: Whether you prefer pads or tampons, include three in your pack. If you’re not sure yet, pads are a good place to start, but it’s nice to keep a spare tampon in there. They don’t take up much space, and one of your friends - or a strangermight ask you for one. Spare undies: It’s a good idea to keep these in a ziplock bag. If you have a period bleed on your undies then you can swap them for the clean pair and pop the stained ones into the ziplock bag to be washed when you get home. Pain medication: If you sometimes take pain medication like ibuprofen or paracetamol for your period, add two tablets to your period pack. Emergency chocolate: Just in case because chocolate is yum. Keep your period pack handy so that you can easily grab it at school, on your way home, out with friends or at your after-school job. A special little bag might seem a bit fancy or fussy, but we strongly recommend it because your period supplies can get really beaten up if they’re bouncing around loose inside your schoolbag. Or they might jump out of your bag when you’re not looking! This is an edited extract from Welcome to your Period by Yumi Stynes and Dr. Melissa Kang published by Hardie Grant Books RRP $19.99 and is available in stores nationally.
lovely locals
TOORAK RD SOUTH YARRA 1.
1. Verve Spice - Where the food is cooked with love Step into this sleek, modern wine and dine venue, and you’ll experience a casual atmosphere and exceptionally friendly service...but once you browse their menu, you know you’re in foodie heaven. Hosting pop-up dinners as well as all-day breakfasts, like parma nights, TGIF pasta nights, middle eastern, yum cha...there’s something to suit every taste! Book their cosy private function room for your next event, or catch-up with friends. They’ll even design you a custom menu and bake you a birthday cake. 330 Toorak Rd, facebook.com/VerveSpice
2. D-spa - Combining modern dentistry with a spa A dental clinic like no other. Here the focus is on creating an inviting, relaxing atmosphere, enhanced with the scent of lovely essential oils. Their oral health therapists are experienced in all areas of kids’ dentistry as well, and the clinic is designed to help your child feel comfortable and enjoy their visit. You can even watch movies or listen to music during your appointment.
2.
3/210 Toorak Rd, www.d-spa.com.au/d-spa-south-yarra
3.
3. Dineamic - Healthy, exciting, and convenient meals Offering great tasting, balanced, and nutritious food without the stress of worrying what’s in it. It’s all good because all the hard work has been done by their chefs and dietitians. They use the best, locally sourced ingredients and prepare them by hand. The Family Fuel Meal Plan will mean you will always have delicious, healthy dinners to hand in-between running around for the kids’ school and activities. Order online or visit in-store. Shop 3A/199 Toorak Rd, www.dineamic.com.au
4.
4. Da Noi - Rustic yet refined dining experience An Italian restaurant that sets the mood for romance for your next date night, with white linen tablecloths and dim mood lighting, complimenting a cosy and intimate atmosphere. Ensuring only the freshest produce is highlighted, Da Noi’s daily changing menu incorporates a wealth of Sardinian influence, carefully crafted into innovative Italian dishes. 95 Toorak Rd, www.danoi.com.au
5. Rise Nation - Hollywood’s hottest workout South Yarra hosts the first clinic in Australia for Rise Nation, which is a 30-minute high-intensity interval training workout for every fitness level. Using the VersaClimber alongside the most state-of-the-art lighting and theatre system, you are able to experience this vertical climbing cardio concept. Find out how you can try it for free. 299 Toorak Rd, www.risenation.com.au 16
5.
21 SEPTEMBER
PRE PURCHASE TICKETS
2019
royalshow.com.au
– 1 OCTOBER
& SAVE
the COACH approach Have you ever been to a coach? You know, a Life Coach? A Life Coach?! You mean, with high fives and affirmations and jumping on sofas and unlocking your potential and finding your passion?? Ugh, no. Coaching is a goal-oriented approach to finding effective practical solutions to life challenges. It often gets a bad rap and to be honest, bad coaching can definitely be bad. But good coaching? Good coaching can be really, really good. Mums who are busy navigating life with family and friends and work tend to seek evidencebased coaching to help with a whole range of complex parenting and personal challenges. To give you a taste of coaching and how it works, here are Four Big Coaching Challenges for Mums and some fresh and effective ideas to help address them.
The Shoulds So many mums struggle with their own and others’ expectations of how they should live and parent. Deep down, they know what’s important to them but there’s so much noise out there that they find it hard to stick to and stay convinced by their own ideals. If you find yourself battling the Shoulds, you might find the following activity helpful. Activity: Take a piece of paper and jot down all the Shoulds and Shouldn’ts that come to mind. (There will probably be heaps).
18
Stuff like: I shouldn’t be on my phone, I should work, I should spend more time with my kids, I should be more grateful, I shouldn’t get frustrated, I should…you get the idea. Now, put your list aside. When you are ready, return to your list and assess your Shoulds critically, asking: where did you come from; do I agree with you; do I want to subscribe to you any longer; and if not, what do I really believe? The next time you find yourself grappling with a Should, remind yourself of what you really know.
Identity Heaps of mums come to coaching saying that since having kids they just don’t recognise themselves, that they want to rediscover who they are. Becoming a mum is a massive shift. So much tends to change – how you work, who you speak to, what you read and watch, how you think, what you wear, how you feel, who you hang out with, where you go, what you do, and even what you carry in your bag as you head out the door each morning. Coupled with extreme exhaustion and not-much-personal-space, these changes are incredibly challenging to consider, to understand and to integrate into a coherent sense of self. Activity: Take a piece of paper. Imagine that you are 105 and dying and looking back on a life you know you have lived really well. What tells you that? The answers you give reflect what matters to you in life. Even if you don’t recognise aspects of yourself right now, staying focused on what you value can offer a muchneeded personal anchor.
LIVE ON STAGE IN THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS!
ATHENAEUM THEATRE MELBOURNE October 2 - 5 www.ticketek.com.au www.catinthehatlive.com 19
Balance
Self-Doubt
Finding Balance is a HUGE topic among women who come to coaching. Balance is definitely possible but it all depends on your definition.
So many women are crippled by an internal voice telling them over and over that they’re not good enough. In most cases, the assertion is not supported by factual evidence. It’s just a statement fuelled by fear, which has managed to make its way into being believed.
If you’re focused on ensuring a beautifully calm and equal sharing of your time between work and family and community and self then it’s unlikely you’ll ever hit that perfect equilibrium. But if your concept of balance is having a life that you love and that feels rich and abundant and [mostly!] not-stressy, then that is absolutely do-able. Activity: Take a piece of paper and write down the key features of a great month in your life. You might list: playing with kids, time with your partner, exercise with friends, work, creativity, volunteering, gardening, joy, relaxation. Then, over the coming month, consciously build in time for each item you identified.
If and when you find yourself struggling with these negative messages, it can be really helpful to remind yourself that thoughts are just thoughts. They aren’t necessarily reliable and they aren’t necessarily the truth. Activity: Try saying out loud: “I am a banana”. Now, are you a banana? No, you just had the thought that you were a banana. The same is true for all the other thoughts that run through your head. They are simply thoughts. So, the next time you find yourself crippled by an ‘I’m not good enough’ thought, try reminding yourself that it’s just a thought. And that you’re not a banana. By Alex Kingsmill, Upstairs Coaching, upstairs.net.au
20
HE
ER T
UND
BIGP TO
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS VICTORIA
A R A U OR 18 SEPT – 6 OCT
MELBOURNE GARDENS BOOK NOW AT CIRCUSOZ.COM/AURORA 21
good for mama good for the planet Activated Nutrients Grow Up and Top Up. All-in-one daily superfood powders for the whole family, with essential vitamins from organic wholefoods and clinically proven probiotics. Kid’s Grow Up from $29.95 Woman’s Top Up from $24.95. Activatednutrients.com EXYRA Sydney whiskey tortoise glasses. These glasses are specially designed to optimize vision when viewing content on digital screens by blocking blue light. No more sore, dry eyes. $98 exyra.com.au Who Gives a Crap premium bamboo toilet rolls. Made with environmentally friendly materials, and they donate 50% of their profits to help build toilets for those in need. $56 for 48 rolls whogivesacrap.org Thankyou hand wash refills. Refill your existing small bottle again and again to reduce plastic. Clean, soft hands that smell ah-mazing, full of plant-based goodness like nourishing almond oil, and the zingy fragrance of orange. RRP $12.50 thankyou.co Biome stainless steel pegs. Stainless steel wire pegs last ages and save you money. Made from one piece of wire so they never break . You’ll find pklenty of other uses and they make a great gift! From $18.95. www.biome.com.au BioGone plastic bags. Clean up after your pooch and help save the planet. Landfill Biodegradable dog bags that get completely eaten away by natural microorganisms after disposal to a landfill, allowing the contents inside to breakdown. RRP $8.80 www.biogone.com.au Swisse Matcha Tea Anti Pollution Clay Mask. Formulated with green Australian clay for a cool and calming facial treatment. It protects the skin from impurities caused by toxins and environmental triggers, and restores. Great for sensitive skin. RRP $20.99. swisse.com.au Stay Tray. Stay tray is all about simplicity, style and sustainability. Made out of 100% recycled polypropylene plastic and BPA-free, it’s not just for carrying coffee cups, it can also handle drink bottles, juices, baby bottles, fast food drinks and small thermoses. staytray.com.au Pana Organic Chocolate mint. Chocolate that’s full of antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Vegan, gluten free, dairy free, soy free, refined sugar free and preservative free. 60% raw cacao with pure essential peppermint oil. You can’t feel guilty with this yummy treat. RRP $6.90. Available at Coles.
22
Onya Produce bags 8 pack. Convenient reusable produce bags for your fresh fruit and veggies. The bags come in a colourful pouch making it easy to carry them to the shop and reduce your single use plastics. $19.95 www.onyalife.com
Black Chicken Axilla Natural Deodorant Paste. Nasty chemicals in your deodorant is the pits! This unique blend of natural and organic ingredients target and effectively neutralise odour without harmful chemicals or sweat blockers. RRP $18.50 blackchicken.com.au Eco-store Ultra sensitive laundry powder. A healthier, cleaner wash for the whole family. This awesome laundry powder leaves clothes clean and fresh and is perfect for little ones with this sensitive skin option. From $8.99 shop.ecostore.com.au Bamkiki bamboo toothbrushes. In Australia, over 100m plastic toothbrushes are consumed every year. Aussie biz Bambiki have a biodegradable option that gives back to the planet too. 5% of profits go to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. 2 for $13.90 www.bamkiki.com.au Shampoo With A Purpose. This Aussie mum has replaced 6 bottles of shampoo and conditioner with this one, powerful little bar. You can use it on your whole body, saving water, time, money and the environment, with no plastic bottles. RRP $15 www.shampoowithapurpose.com Pod Star Coffee Capsules. Reusable coffee pods are the most eco-friendly way to use your coffee machine. Choose your coffee beans, save money and save the planet. Compatible with Nespresso, Caffitaly and Aldi machines. RRP from $39.95. Podstar.com.au Bendie Straws. Make plastic straws a thing of the past with these funky non-toxic food-grade silicone straws. Your new household staple for both kiddies and grown ups, saving the planet one beverage at a time. RRP $16 www.wemightbetiny.com BBBYO Insulated Coffee & Wine Fix Cup 350ml (2pk). Keep your wine cold or your coffee hot with this good looking 2-pack. Complete with two reusable stainless steel straws, straw cleaners and sipping lids, this set will have you ready for picnics and takeaways in zero waste style. RRP $42 www.biome.com.au Wonky Fruit and Vegetables Playset. Teach kids that veggies don’t need to look perfect and practice cutting with the wooden knife, then stick them back together! The toys are made from PlanWood, leftover sawdust from toy production, natural glue and organic pigments, so the toys themselves are also contributing to less waste. www.modernbrands.com.au Eloments Organic Vitamin Tea. This Melbourne based tea is the world’s first 100% natural, certified organic vitamin tea. Each tea bag contains over 40% of your recommended daily needs of vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, C and zinc, with nothing artificial added. Available at Woolworths. RRP $7.50 PATCH Kids Coconut Oil Bandadges. The natural alternative to wound care and perfect for those with sensitive skin. These strips are made from natural bamboo and enriched with the natural goodness of coconut oil to promote natural wound recovery. RRP $6.99 patchstrips.com Zoku Slide Straw with Case & Cleaning Brush. This handbag friendly, enviro-friendly stainless steel straw has a sliding design and handy case, you can easily pack it with you wherever and whenever! RRP $19.95 www.everten.com.au
23
mama can Cook! BBQ cauliflower tacos Ingredients
Tahini sauce: 3/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper Juice of 1 lemon 1/3 cup tahini 1/2 garlic clove 1 cup fresh coriander leaves, plus more to serve 1 tsp ground cumin Tacos: 8 tortillas, toasted 1 medium cauliflower, chopped into florets 1 tbsp cumin 1 tbsp smoked paprika salt and pepper 2 tbsp olive oil Purple cabbage 1 avocado, sliced 1 lime, cut into wedges 1 chill, sliced
24
Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. To make the tahini sauce combine tahini, coriander, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, salt and black pepper in a small food processor or blender. Blend until texture is similar to pesto. Gradually drizzle in 5 tbsp. water and blend until sauce is light green and creamy. Next coat cauliflower with cumin, paprika, salt, pepper and olive oil. Roast for 25 mins or until golden brown, tossing half way through. Assemble tacos by filling each with roasted cauliflower. Top with shredded purple cabbage, sliced avocado, and drizzle with tahini sauce. Garnish with extra coriander, chilli and lime. Margaritas optional!
The Nourish Box is Australia’s first plant-based meal kit delivery service!
Thai red curry noodle soup Ingredients
Method
1 tbsp. olive oil
In a large soup pot, heat a splash of oil then add your brown onion. Sweat for 5 minutes and stir often to avoid burning.
1 brown onion, finely diced 1 red capsicum, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 in. cube ginger, skin off, grated 1/2 tbsp. curry powder 1/2 tsp. cumin
Now add your capsicum and soften for 1 - 2 minutes before adding your garlic, ginger, curry powder and cumin. Cook for a few more minutes until fragrant. Add the pumpkin with a big splash of water and put the lid on for 5 minutes until the pumpkin starts to soften.
1 1/2 tbsp. red curry paste
Remove lid, increase to high heat, add curry paste, seasoning to taste, coconut milk, water, crumbled veggie stock cube, tamari, tofu and chilli flakes (if using).
1 400ml can coconut milk
Stir until combined and slowly bring to a boil.
3 cups boiling water
Once bubbling, add your noodles and reduce heat. Cook for another 5 minutes.
1 cup pumpkin, cubed
1 veggie stock cube, crumbled 1 heaped tbsp. nutritional yeast
Serve soup hot, topped with freshly chopped coriander, chilli, red onion and lime wedges to taste.
350g pack of tofu, cubed
Find out more at www.thenourishbox.com
1/2 tbsp. tamari (or soy sauce)
Chilli flakes to taste 200g vermicelli rice noodles To garnish: Fresh coriander, lime wedges, red onion and chilli
25
1 DECEMBER 2019 –– ST.KILDA ENTER BEFORE 8 OCTOBER
+ SAVE $20
carmanswomensfunrun.com.au
Proud Media Partner
ALL TICKET
25
$
CLASSIC KIDS
S
Meeting Mendelssohn WEDNESDAY 25 SEPTEMBER / 12pm Melbourne Recital Centre
Clap, stamp and sing along with the orchestra and special guest soloist Ray Chen at this interactive musical adventure and instrumental petting zoo. Perfect for young explorers aged 5 – 10 and their families.
Book now
mso.com.au
03 9929 9600
SAVE
20
$
P O . C E X O
•
P B
X
Melbourne 18 – 20 Oct 2019 | 22 & 23 Feb 2020
P O M . C O
A
C
U
B
P
•
k onlineet E
U . A
FREE tic
M
C
.
pbcexpo.com.au
MELBOURNE’S BIGGEST RANGE FOR PREGNANCY & BABY
Get more from mama - www.mamamag.com.au | Get social with mama - @localmamamag
27
Ranger benny’s world As more and more children are retreating to a digital world, Gumbuya World are using this as a way to reconnect these young kids to nature, and the remarkable animals that live in it, through their recently launched YouTube Channel. We caught up with the channel’s host, Senior Keeper of the Wildlife Trail Ranger Benny, and chatted about his passion for animals and his new online role.
feeding on a carcass on the side of the road. We pulled up and moved in for a closer look, just hoping to get a quick photo before he flew off. What happened next was so incredible that if I didn’t have the footage to prove it, you might not believe me. Long story short, I was able to climb up a tree and share a branch with a fullygrown adult wedgie and even got to feed him! Easily my most amazing wildlife encounter!
Firstly, tell us a bit about yourself and your family.
We are going to be showing off all the wild and wonderful aspects of the Wildlife Trail and also showing people what it’s like to be a Wildlife Keeper. There will be informative aspects where we teach about the animals and introduce them to their personalities, there will be special guests and it will also highlight some of the great encounters and experiences you can have when you come visit us. Most of all, we just want it to be fun for the whole family!
I grew up as the second youngest of five siblings with mum but I also have another half-sister who lives in England and another handful of step-siblings through marriage. (I refer to it as the “family vine” as opposed to the family tree.) My own family is a little easier to describe. I married my wife Fi over 12 years ago and we have two children: our daughter Lyla who is 10 and son Eagle, 9.
How old were you when you first became fascinated with wildlife? From as young as I can remember! The Aussie landscape is filled with bugs and lizards and all sorts of creepy crawlies and I would spend my childhood hours searching for them all! More recently I really became fascinated by venomous snakes as I would encounter them fairly regularly in the kind of work I was doing and they have become my specialty.
Tell us about your most memorable wildlife encounter! There have been so many but there was a definite standout just last year. I was travelling the Northern Territory with my family and we came across a huge Wedge-Tailed Eagle 28
Gumbuya World’s brand-new YouTube Channel has just launched, and it is fab! What can kids and parents expect when they tune in?
What do your kids think about ‘dad’ being the star of a YouTube Channel? My kids love that Daddy works at Gumbuya World. I even saw that Lyla had written “My Dad is Ranger Benny!” on her hand the last time they visited. I think they are pretty proud.
Have you got a favourite native Australian creature? Absolutely! That would have to be the WedgeTailed Eagle! That’s what made that encounter in the Territory so special. Whenever I come across them, they literally stop me in my tracks. I get a lot of inspiration from the way they live their life. They are renowned for their vision and focus and when they find a partner, that partner is with them for life. It’s definitely an animal that I hope to work with in the future.
What’s your favourite thing about working with the animals at Gumbuya World? Any funny or scary mishaps?
See Benny in action at Gumbuya World where you can get up close and personal with more than 50 species of remarkable wildlife in the Wildlife Trail. www.gumbuya.com.au
My favourite thing is presenting the animals to our guests. I love giving people an up-close experience, especially when you know that you have provided them with an incredibly memorable encounter. It is always a pleasure to be able to provide that. Presenting pythons can sometimes bring a laugh as they can get themselves into some very compromising positions, so let me just say as a recommendation to perhaps think about wearing tight fitting clothes for a python encounter!
When you’re not working with wildlife, what do you love to do as a family? We enjoy the simple things as a family. Going to the park and kicking a footy or throwing a frisbee, having a cuppa at the local café, climbing trees (we should never grow out of that!) or just exploring. The beach is a favourite exploring place for us.
What do you think 10-year-old Benny would think of your current job? He’d be shocked to find out that you can have a job where you get to hang out with animals and go on adventures. That’s why I make sure my children know that their future can be anything and they know that we will do our best to support them.
And finally, can you share with us what working so closely with such magnificent wildlife has taught you? It has taught me to be really aware of the type of person I am. Animals are really good at picking up on the subtleties of our personalities and how we are approaching them. I’ve learned how important it is to be calm and patient, skills that can be invaluable when you have children! You can check out Benny on Gumbuya World’s new YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/ GumbuyaWorldYT 29
turn the page A boy called Bob Becomes an AFL Footballer by Bob Murphy with Tony Wilson This is the story of a boy called Bob. He’s a little scrawny, a little scruffy, and he likes to sniff footballs (weird). But he has the game in his veins and he’s determined to be one of the greats, like his hero from the mighty Tigers, Matthew Richardson. Follow Bob as he gets drafted to the Western Bulldogs at 17, slogs his guts out at training with the big Dogs and, finally, becomes one of the greatest football captains ever. 9 to 12 years. Published by Piccolo Nero, RRP $17.99.
Welcome to your Period by Yumi Stynes & Dr Melissa Kang Getting your period for the first time can be mortifying, weird and messy – and asking questions about it can feel even worse. But it doesn’t have to be like that! This little book is packed with honest advice on all the things you need to know: from what cramps feel like to whether you can feel it coming out, to what you should do if your pad leaks onto your clothes. Welcome To Your Period is a frank, funny, age-appropriate guide for pre-teens about getting your period, from Dr Melissa Kang (a former Dolly Doctor) and Yumi Stynes. Published by Hardie Grant Books. RRP $19.99
Into the Wild: Wolf Girl by Anh Do When disaster separates Gwen from her family, she must fend for herself, all alone in the wilderness. Luckily, she’s not alone for long… When a wolf puppy, a Labrador, a Chihuahua, and a greyhound want to make friends, Gwen discovers talents she didn’t know she possessed. It will take all her new skills and strength just to survive. Does Gwen have what it takes to be leader of the pack? 8+ years. Published by Affirm Press Kids. RRP $14.99
Argh! There’s a Skeleton Inside You! by Idan Ben-Barak and Julian Frost A funny picture book about a fascinating concept in science, by the highly successful duo who brought us Do Not Lick This Book (it’s full of germs) the award-winning author of Small Wonders, and the animator behind the wildly successful video ‘Dumb Ways to Die’. An interstellar exploration of hands and what’s inside them! Published by Allen & Unwin. RRP $19.99
There’s Only One Dad Like You by Jess Racklyeft There’s only one dad like you, Dad. My hero, friend and guide. You teach me about this great big world and how to enjoy the ride. Wise dads, caring dads, daring dads, creative dads – each dad brings their own sense of fun. Joyful, tender and heartfelt, There’s Only One Dad Like You is a celebration of the merry magic of dads. The perfect book for celebrating the magic of Father’s Day! Published by Affirm Press Kids. RRP $19.99 30
Ignite your child’s passion for sport!
Book a free trial now Enrol Now for Term 3!
We are Australia's largest and most reputable multi-sport and exercise program for kids (aged 1.5-6 years) • Learn the basics of 10 great sports • Indoors, physio-designed, structured and FUN • Sign up now for a FREE trial! Get Ready: 1.5-2.5yrs Ready: 2.5-3yrs Steady: 3-4yrs Go: 4-6yrs Your local locations: Ashburton Balwyn North
Box Hill Bulleen
Doncaster East Glen Waverley
Hawthorn Oakleigh
readysteadygokids.com.au 1300 766 892
Templestowe Knox
Franchise opportunities available
SUMMER SUMMER SWIMMERS SWIMMERS ARE ARE
MADE MADE IN IN WINTER! WINTER! FROM 4 MONTHS TO ADULTS, LET US MAKE YOU A SAFER, MORE CONFIDENT SWIMMER THIS SUMMER!
CH
+ K 0 3
WE
TEA
ERS MM SWI WEEK! A
LEARN FROM THE SURVIVAL SPECIALISTS Paul Sadler Ringwood Yarra Valley Grammar, Kalinda Rd, Ringwood (03) 9879 9136 ringwood@paulsadlerswimland.com paulsadlerswimland.com
Paul Sadler Rowville Rowville Secondary College Paratea Drv, Rowville (03) 9764 5759 rowville@paulsadlerswimland.com
Get more from mama - www.mamamag.com.au | Get social with mama - @localmamamag
31
Wellness walks over cancer Melbourne mum Atalanti Dionysus was living a busy, happy life when a diagnosis of breast cancer changed everything. With no history of breast cancer in her family she was completely in shock and found herself suddenly needing life-saving surgery and treatment. After surgery to remove the tumour, her prognosis was chemotherapy over five months, followed by radiation therapy, with more surgery to follow. Life as she knew it had dramatically changed. A cancer diagnosis brings with it significant anxiety, uncertainty and emotional upheaval. Surgery, treatment, appointments, tests, scans and results all create stress for both patients and families. It can change you as a person and you often start to think about what really matters in life. You can feel vulnerable and misplaced. Atalanti felt like she was faced with her mortality and started evaluating her entire life. But beyond traditional surgery and treatment, wellness programs can help support patients through this difficult time. Austin Health’s Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre (ONJ Centre), where Atalanti had her life-saving surgery and treatment, offer a wide range of wellness and supportive care programs to help cancer patients, and their families, to manage this challenging time in the best way possible. These sessions are only made possible because of funds raised by the ONJ Centre community through events like The Wellness Walk and Research Run (WWRR), taking place this year on Sunday 6 October around the iconic Tan Track.
32
The ONJ Centre offers wellness programs like music therapy, oncology massage and gentle yoga through to specialised support groups, financial advice and information sessions, and Atalanti particularly enjoyed the massage and art therapy. “I really can’t believe that as a public patient I have access to so many wonderful programs which are helping me manage my treatment. I had an oncology massage which was so gentle and helped my body to completely relax. Since losing my hair I haven’t allowed anyone to touch my head, but the care taken was extremely relaxing and wonderful for my entire body.” Participating in art therapy also helped Atalanti to understand the feelings she was having. “At first you don’t realise the impact art therapy is having on you. As your hand starts to draw and release your feelings on paper, you soon realise it doesn’t really matter what you are drawing but you know you are letting things go. It’s very powerful. I feel very lucky to be able to have access to the services and treatment offered at the ONJ Centre. I think these programs are incredibly valuable to the recovery of patient’s health and should be part of every hospital!” If you’d like to help raise funds to support these amazing programs, join Olivia Newton-John for the Wellness Walk and Research Run on Sunday 6 October, Alexandra Gardens Register and start fundraising today! wellnesswalkresearchrun.com.au www.onjcancercentre.org
THE
THE WELLNESS WELLNESS WALK AND WALK AND RESEARCH RUN RESEARCH RUN Alexandra Gardens, Melbourne Engineers Lawn, Boathouse Drive 5km & 10km walk or run
TOGETHER WITH YOUR FAMILY SUPPORT PEOPLE WITH CANCER
WellnessWalkResearchRun.com.au Media Partner
University and Research Partner
Premium Partner
Premium Partner
Premium Partner
Show Up At Open Week! For one week only, trial our outdoor training sessions Register Today - it's FREE! www.stepintolife.com.au/openweek DO IT FOR YOU, FOR THEM AND WITH US.
Get more from mama - www.mamamag.com.au | Get social with mama - @localmamamag
33
Boys are not tough Male vulnerability in terms of health and wellbeing has been well-researched. This research continues to bring forward evidence that little girls develop faster and more thoroughly than little boys from conception. Even before I became a mother of my four awesome sons, I spent a childhood with my little brother who was much gentler and often less brave than me. Maybe this helped me to realise that boys are not inherently tough, even though they have a larger amount of muscle than girls. Physical strength is one thing but mental and emotional strength that can impact cognitive abilities and linguistic capacities is something else. Twenty-five years ago, Steve Biddulph wrote his first book about boys called Raising Boys and in it he explores this same notion of fragility, especially in little boys under five. Statistically, boys die in-utero at a higher rate than girls; they die at birth at a higher rate than girls and they die in the first 12 months of life at a higher rate than girls. This situation continues through life, however, there are lots of other reasons why this discrepancy happens so let’s start at the very beginning of life. Technically, every embryo starts off female and sometime in the first 12 weeks of life, the massive flooding of hormones stimulates the embryo to either stay female or become male. Fascinating information to start with.
34
In Steve Biddulph’s latest, updated edition of his book, Raising Boys in the 21st Century, he explores a 2017 review of empirical research from highly regarded neuropsychologist Alan Schore, which suggests that the marinade of testosterone in-utero seems to slow down the growth and development of the male baby’s brain. On top of the influence of hormones and social experience, Schore presents evidence that something else is happening in our baby boys’ development. His ground breaking work has shown that the delay in brain maturation makes boys more vulnerable in the long run to social stress (attachment trauma) and physical stress via endocrine disruptors or toxins in the environment. He goes on to say this “negatively impacts” their right brain development. Basically, this impacts our boys’ social and emotional functioning, and their capacity to cope with stress. The first thousand days from conception to the age of two are incredibly important and we need to nurture all babies and care for them as lovingly and calmly as possible. For our boys, though, it seems they are even more fragile, especially when it comes to attachment and bondedness — which influence our primary driver in life, human connectedness. Belonging is another way of explaining attachment, which is the relationship between a key adult and a child, and then their wider community. Babies, toddlers and children need
to have primary attachments – ‘big people’ they can trust to nurture and care for them. These people help guide and teach them all that they will need to know in life so they can become independent, capable adults. It is helpful for parents of babies and toddlers to have a circle of caring adults who can share in raising children. This allows for support, guidance and respite, which helps every parent, especially tired mummies, cope with this intensive time. For children who are in long-day child care, the early years’ educators who form a loving, caring connection to them are technically a source of primary attachment, often called secondary attachment figures. If you take a look on YouTube at videos from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, they explain the concept of ‘serve and return’ interaction between a child and their significant adults, where children reach out for interaction and, when adults respond, it assists essential brain wiring to occur. Attachment is the ‘super glue’ that holds a child in close proximity to a parent/caregiver. A child is meant to pursue proximity, which means being close to their big person so that they feel safe and are safe. Attachment is as important to healthy child development as eating or sleeping. Indeed, in much of the most recent research, strong attachment and bondedness can be shown to be the most significant influence
on emotional wellbeing, mental health and physical health for life and so if our little boys have a tendency to be more prone to the damaging effects of poor attachment, then this needs to be the number one focus of all parents of new baby boys. Maybe this needs to be spoken of in the prenatal classes given that we know the long-term negative consequences of this in our sons’ lives. This new review of interdisciplinary research by Schore supports the major premise that Biddulph made 25 years ago, where he wrote that he believed our young boys were more prone to separation distress and anxiety, and that they could become emotionally shut down as a result of feeling abandoned. This is also supported by research that shows that male adolescent violence is now strongly linked to neglect in early childhood, particularly a lack of physical and emotional nurturing (and, indeed, a lack of play). These are things that we can fix with awareness, knowledge and, most importantly, action. When we invest heavily in nurturing them, helping them to understand big, ugly feelings and teaching them ways to make better choices warmly and compassionately, we can change the future lives of tomorrow’s men. This is an edited extract from Mothering Our Boys: A guide for mums of sons by Maggie Dent. Maggie is one of Australia’s favourite parenting authors and educators, and host of the new ABC podcast, Parental As Anything. www.maggiedent.com
35
Don’t get greenwashed Not all “biodegradable” plastics are created equal Going green is one of the fastest growing consumer trends today. Good news for the environment with eco-friendly consumers putting pressure on brands to create sustainable products. But extremely damaging when companies simply jump on the band wagon by using misleading labelling and packaging.
Buyer beware Be wary of any claim of being “Biodegradable” if there are no details on where it will biodegrade and how it will biodegrade. Ask yourself “where is it going to be disposed of for it to biodegrade? In a landfill? In a home compost? Or in a commercial composting facility?” And if it claims to be “recyclable”, ask yourself if it can be mainstream recycled – meaning it can go into your household recycle bin for council collection. If the answer is NO, then don’t buy it.
Know what the labels mean With no national requirement for product labelling, consumers are easy targets for misinformation. Let education be your best defence and learn what the labels mean. Bioplastics are made from plant-based materials. Only a small portion of bioplastics are biodegradable, most of which require a municipal or commercial compost facility to biodegrade and they cannot be recycled. Compostable plastics refer to “biodegradable” plastics made from plant-based materials like corn and wheat starch which will only biodegrade if composted in a municipal or commercial compost facility. PLA or Polylactide for example is a compostable plastic. Unfortunately, there are not many composting facilities available or accessible in Australia. In fact, there is no existing infrastructure to separate
36
compostable plastics from other waste or to transport them to such facilities, resulting in them going to landfill. “Compostable plastic” will not biodegrade in landfill as the environment there is too cool. They also cannot be recycled. Degradable plastics have nothing to do with biodegradation and microorganisms. “Degradable” or “oxo-degradable” plastics use a metallic additive that sets off a slow chemical reaction and over 12-24 months which causes the plastic to fragment into little pieces. So, instead of one piece of plastic we end up with hundreds or thousands of little pieces of plastic which may not be visible, but create a worse result for the environment, particularly when marine animals easily consume these fragments. “Degradable” plastics cannot be composted or recycled. Landfill biodegradable plastics incorporate an organic food source additive in the plastic at the time of manufacture. When disposed to a landfill they attract naturally occurring microbes that exist in there. The microbes seek out the food and in the process the enzymes they secrete break down the long polymer molecules where they can be digested too. The resulting products of the biodegradation are a biogas and a biomass (humus). There is no plastic residue left or any toxic constituents. “Landfill biodegradable” plastics can be recycled. They can also be composted in a municipal or commercial compost facility. Their results are verified by various ASTM testing methods. NOTE: No plastic is good in the ocean. There are no microbes present there to biodegrade the material away. By Dr Ross Headifen, educator of responsible plastic use and co-founder of Biogone. biogone.com.au
THE PROGRESSIVE ALTERNATIVE
Kindergarten and Primary Campus Open Morning: Friday, 2 August Kindergarten and Primary Campus Tour: Friday, 16 August Bookings: preshil.vic.edu.au/register-attendance A: 395 Barkers Road Kew E: preshil@preshil.vic.edu.au T: 9817 6135 W: preshil.vic.edu.au
TAKE CARE OF MOTHER EARTH Biogone landfill-biodegradable plastic products naturally decompose into 100% organic material in a microbe rich landfill. • Nappy waste bags • Garbage bags
• Dog waste bags • Ziplock bags
• Gloves • Cling wrap
Shop online biogone.com.au Get more from mama - www.mamamag.com.au | Get social with mama - @localmamamag
37
FamIly-FrIendly Home DesIgn
When planning a home, people often aim for a magazine-worthy look, a stylish interior they’ve seen in a home improvement blog or publication. Everybody wants their home to look great and nowadays we have all the resources to realise even the most ambitious and sophisticated projects. However, as anyone who has actually built their home, finished a big renovation or a home extension knows, finding the right aesthetic and designing a beautiful environment is probably the easiest part. What’s difficult is creating a design that not only looks good but is also practical and functional, capable of withstanding the everyday wear and comfortable for the whole family. This last part is what we’re talking about today. Kids test the limits of our designs in ways that can be difficult to anticipate. It’s true for families that have outgrown their homes and want to extend and for young parents who usually need to make adjustments to their home to make it safe for children. Analysing other people’s experiences can give you at least some ideas of what to expect. Let’s look at some of the provisions that you might want to put in place.
From babies to toddlers – making your home safe Let’s start with the youngest and most vulnerable kids and their needs. It’s common for expecting parents to start by setting up a 38
nursery, buying a cot, a change table and other necessities. However, before you get carried away choosing wallpaper patterns and mobiles, there are some important practical details. 1. The location of the room. You want the nursery to be close to the master bedroom, so you can hear if your baby wakes up in the middle of the night. At the same time, you need to minimise loud noises and any other potential interruptions – a good night’s sleep is going to be a rare enough luxury as it is. Choose a room that doesn’t get direct sunlight in the morning and is far enough from the front door or the entertainment area. 2. Draughts and cold floors. Young children can get sick really easily, from too much heat and not enough fresh air just as well as from the cold. So, climate control is essential. Don’t skip out on proper insulation and buy a soft and comfy rug for when your baby starts crawling. At the same time, make sure that the nursery doesn’t get too hot and humid and don’t forget to regularly air it out. 3. Allergies. Choose hypoallergenic materials for the items that your baby will be in direct contact with. This applies primarily to clothes and toys, but it is also true for the crib, the carpets, the wallpaper and the paints that you use.
4. Ample storage. Clothes, nappies, bottles, toys, prams and rockers – there are many new items that you are going to use every day for the next year or so. Take care to install convenient storage items ahead of time – including open shelves for stuff you need often and drawers to protect dummies and chew toys from dust. 5. Safety measures. Before you know it, your baby will become a toddler and start exploring the world around them faster than you can keep up. Plan ahead and install safety gates on the stairs, window guards and padding on sharp corners.
Kids – all the fun and games If you’re looking to extend or renovate your home to make more room for your kids, you likely already know just how much of a menace they can be when they play. Once your children learn how to walk, it doesn’t take them long to start running and from then it is a very thin line between having to protect them from everything that can potentially hurt them and having to protect your home from being completely destroyed. Here are some useful adjustments for this period. 1. A play area. It probably won’t prevent your entire home from becoming a playground, but it is still a great addition. You may even want two separate areas – indoors and outdoors. Use softer flooring materials to reduce the risk of falling and have fun with colours and decorations you use there. 2. Washables. It also makes sense to make your home easier to clean. Buy slipcovers for your furniture and use easily washable materials for your flooring and walls. This includes removing rugs in high-traffic areas in favour of simple laminate or vinyl floors and picking wall colours carefully. 3. Cool designs. Designing a room for a young child can present some unique challenges. On the one hand, kids aren’t too picky about interior decorating and you can make them happy by simply sticking their favourite cartoon characters here and there. On the other hand, children grow and change very fast, so you’ll need to find some ideas that will keep their rooms interesting for at least a few years. We recommend keeping the walls somewhat neutral – perhaps using bright colours but avoiding anything that’s
only relevant to a particular age – while bringing more character through curtains, furniture, carpets, posters and other items that you can easily replace as time goes on. 4. The right furniture. These are the most formative years and it is important to give kids everything they need to grow up healthy. This includes researching desks and chairs that encourage the right posture, finding the best mattress for a healthy sleep and so on.
Teenagers – give them a little privacy You’d think teenagers would have the least special requirements – they are almost adults, after all, and aren’t likely to try chewing the wallpaper or throwing a football at the window. This transition, however, proves difficult to cope with for many parents who still see them as kids. Plus, teenagers in general aren’t all that easy to understand a lot of the time which often leads to conflicts. Let’s try to figure out the best ways to meet their needs and curb the worst of their attitude. 1. An extra bathroom. As teenagers start paying more attention to their looks and spending more and more time in the bathroom, tensions start to rise around who’s taking the longest time in the shower and who’s holding up whose morning routine. This is a pretty clear indication that your home needs an additional bathroom. Consider adjusting your home’s layout to add one. 2. A study nook. High school is not easy. And getting into university can also be incredibly stressful. Help your child by setting up a convenient study nook with shelves for their textbooks, good lighting and minimum distractions. 3. Room for growth. In some ways, teenagers change even more rapidly than younger kids. And, unlike when they were young, they are no longer happy with you making design choices for them. When designing a room for a teenager, make it neutral enough to let them bring in their own creative touch, allowing them to change it as their interests and tastes evolve over the years. Written by XL Built, Registered Builders, Built for life. Ringwood North. xlbuilt.com.au
39
PARTY VENUES SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAM TODDLER MUSIC CLASS HOLIDAYS PROGRAM VARIED SESSIONS $60 9AM - 3PM EVERY DAY AT BOTH LOCATIONS DETAILS & BOOK ONLINE
9 YERTCHUK AVENUE ASHWOOD & 1171 BURKE ROAD KEW - NEW! PHONE 0452 239 920 PRICES, PACKAGES & BOOK ONLINE WWW.CARNIVALFORKIDS.COM.AU 40
Live Local - Shop Local - and don’t forget to mention MamaMag!
Ringwood
MUSIC
DA NCING
DRESS -UPS
NOW REOPENED CHECK OUT OUR STORE IMPROVEMENTS NEW PARTY ROOMS
MUFFIN BREAK NOW OPEN IN STORE
CROC’S PLAYCENTRE RINGWOOD Rear of 481 Maroondah Hwy, Ringwood, VIC 3134 (Behind VW dealership) Ph: 03 9879 1491
Book your next birthday party www.crocsplaycentre.com.au
Do you live in or around Richmond?
We can help your child with:
speech pathology
dietetics
occupational therapy Experienced staff
Low cost or free
All your child's health services in one place
Help with the NDIS
For more info: www.nrch.com.au/ndis (03) 9418 9965 41
www.wildaction.com.au
1 Hour
Fun!
Pa r ty sh ow
13 liv e a n imals!
at i
no al
E du c
Tr ain
Mos t
me
m o ra
-on
e r!
E n g agin
g!
b le part y ev
ds
Eth ical
Han
ed Z o o logi st s
PH 0419 385 245 42
LI VE Di AN re I Yo ct MA u! To LS
THE PERFECT WAY TO CELEBRATE YOUR NEXT CHILDREN'S BIRTHDAY PARTY!
WIN
a family pass, a meet and greet plus more to: Join two bored kids, one rainy day and one crazy cat wearing a red-striped hat, live on stage this Sept/Oct! We’ve got a Family Pass to the show of your choice, an exclusive VIP Meet and Greet on stage after the show with The Cat and cast plus an official tour laminate. PLUS you’ll also get a $100 merchandise pack! www.catinthehatlive.com Simply colour to WIN! Tota
l value
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.
$350
Post your entry by Sept 25 to: MamaMag, PO Box 8018, North Road LPO, Brighton East 3187.
Child’s name:
Age:
Parent’s name:
Mobile No:
Suburb:
Postcode:
Email: 43
Is your house bursting at the seams? Are you desperate for more space? A home office, a playroom for the kids or just some additional storage space? Why not convert the attic space you already have! BEFORE
Skylights | Storage | Conversions | Extensions Give us a call for a free quote today.
AFTER
0451 124 112 www.aboveandbeyondattics.com.au
GET CREATIVE AT
KIDS ART & CRAFT WORKSHOPS
- Mini maker workshop (Tue-Thurs) 11am -12 noon, suitable for 3/4 year olds - After school and holiday workshops for primary school age children - Calligraphy, resin jewellery making and bullet journals for older children - Host a Birthday Party To book, visit our Facebook page or call us on 8838 8818 JoyStationeryPinewood
3 CENTREWAY MOUNT WAVERLEY (PINEWOOD SHOPPING CENTRE) 44
Live Local - Shop Local - and don’t forget to mention MamaMag!
Get more from mama - www.mamamag.com.au | Get social with mama - @localmamamag
45
SocIal Health Could the answer to long term health be found at the end of your phone line? When it comes to living well and living long, there is one aspect of our lives which has a tremendous impact – Social Connection. Good friends are essential for long term positive health and wellbeing. Having good quality friendships is important for longevity. The impact of social ties to your lifespan is twice as effective as exercising and has the same impact as quitting smoking. Having good friends has also been linked to better overall health. In particular, your emotional wellbeing is closely link to the quality of your friendships and your perception of level and quality of support available to you. Unfortunately, modern motherhood lends itself to feelings of insecurity, isolation and loneliness. The quality of social connection in mothers (particularly working mothers) is often strained. A recent Galaxy Research study of 1000 Australian mums found 54% of mums felt most upset by criticism from family and friends. This leaves many mothers feeling insecure in their current relationships and in being judged by potential new friends. An added difficulty modern mothers face is the fact that many mums wait until their careers are settled to have children. They are busy working, managing finances, raising children, rushing to
46
meet work demands, whilst trying to make time for friends and family; let alone taking some down time for themselves. Making time to create new connections at your child’s school or kinder can be the last thing mums feel like doing.
Am I the only one? One of the positives of social media is that it can provide connection, particularly with close friends and family who live too far away from you to visit. However, the downside is that it perpetuates social comparison of other mothers. This comparison often leads to assuming other mothers are socialising and living fun, organised and happy lives. Whilst this is far from reality. In fact research tells us that most Australians do not feel socially connected, at least not like Australians felt in the 1960s. Times have changed and life is busier than in was in the 1960s, but our need for social connection remains. The impact of being socially isolated is significant and mothers are feeling this most of all.
Being more connected is in your hands We know being socially connected is vitally important to our health. We also know times have changed and technology, busy lives, modern apartment living and social media have made it more challenging to make long lasting friends.
So how can you ensure you’re living a connected life? The answer is three-fold: 1. Increase social connection in daily interactions Every day you encounter people. When you walk around your home, office, supermarket, public transport, schools, cafes and so on, you pass people. Every interaction or transaction provides you with an opportunity to connect. In the 1960s people knew their local merchants. Today most people just shop with a singleminded focus and don’t engage with their surroundings. This is where markets, butchers, café staff and grocers are wonderful places to connect. If you create local and regular shopping experiences, you can develop deep and personal friendships with people you encounter on a regular basis. My husband and I have been shopping at the same butcher in Melbourne for over 10 years. The staff have seen our daughters grow up and as a result, we have involved them in this social connection too. Likewise, over the years the friends we have met in regular cafes have become lifelong friends. These friendships develop organically, without pressure and are usually light and fun.
2. Remember those old friends you have been neglecting? As new mums we often think we need to have similar friends or ones that have children like ours so they can play together. Whilst it is a good idea to connect to other parents to make organising play-dates easier, here we are talking
about YOUR play-dates. Often we neglect our friends we invested in before having children. So take time to pick up the phone or even send a text to reconnect with those who have in the past showed you how much they care and support you for who you really are – not just because you’re a mum.
3. Categorise friendships and family and create appropriate boundaries and expectations based on these categories It’s common to assume all friends are equal, but this is not the case. We can’t expect new friends to put our needs before their own, or those of their close long-term friends or family. We can’t expect things to never change in large social groups that are prone to gossip and potential bullying. We need to see these groups for what they are. Place them in perspective and be mindful of how much to invest in these groups in return. These groups generally are not the ones to tell your deepest secrets to, or to confide in when you feel down, stressed or angry. These are generally the groups to keep things light and fun. Your closest friends, with whom you have built trust over time, are the ones to confide in and invest in for the long run. If you are mindful of these three things, you will do wonders for your wellbeing and overall happiness right now and in future years to come.
Often we neglect our friends we invested in before having children. So take time to pick up the phone or even send a text to reconnect with those who have in the past showed you how much they care and support you for who you really are – not just because you’re a mum. By Lizzie O’Halloran, counsellor and life coach, founder of Help For Mums, Malvern and author of Perfect Mums and Refresh Your Life. www.helpformums.com 47