MamaMag Feb Bayside by MamaMag

BAYSIDE

February 2015

WIN 1 of 16 backpack and lunchbox sets from little urban Starting school Oz super nanny Food allergies Summer loving Yoga for a change

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happy new year And just like that 2014 slipped away, all but a distant memory! December was a blast, let me think... the kinder concert where Miss 4 decided to sit in the audience rather than sing (for the second year in a row), the school concert was fabulous (byo picnic rug and bubbles, need I say more!). We had a blast at the Bayside carols by candlelight and the fireworks show was once again magnificent. Milla’s spinning light wheel however only lasted 24hrs as apparently if you bash your brother over the head with it, it snaps in two! Santa however pulled through with the goods this year with two very excited children. We were blessed with amazing Xmas weather, great family company and much of the day was spent in the pool. So roll on 2015 hey! It marks the beginning of an exciting year for MamaMag as we work on the impending launch of our third publication, Westside MamaMag in March. The fabulous Eleanor Quirk takes the reins over there as Editor and purveyor of all things mumsy in the West and I’m certain it’s going to have the same success that we have in our delightful hometown Bayside. So if you have friends over there, make sure you give them the heads up... MamaMag is coming to town! 2015 also means my little boy is no longer in prep. It seems like only yesterday I was sending him off to school on his first day in an oversized uniform and a big floppy hat. But a year on, it’s grade 1 time already. So to all the mums out there sending their wee-ones off to school for the first time, be proud, take lots of photos, take a tissue and enjoy all that spare time between 9 and 3.30!! Hope you have all survived the school holidays! X /localmamamag @localmamamag

WIN

Contents Family 360 Advice from the Oz Super Nanny

These allergies are driving me nuts 8 We’ve got allergies covered

1 of 16 backpack and lunchbox sets from little urban worth $8o each

Are your child’s eyes ready for school? 10 Their first test should be an eye test Sh*t on my hands 12 A down and dirty companion to parenting Mama of the month 16 We meet Natasha from Make Me Iconic Yoga for a change Work out and make a difference

Starting school Surviving the first few weeks!

Summer Loving MamaMag’s top picks of the Summer

Mama can cook Healthy lunch box ideas for school

Two languages at home? Not such a simple task

MamaMag is published monthly for the mums of the Bayside area by Grizzle Design Pty Ltd.

Turn the page This month’s top picks from Ulysses

Tips for tiny tots teeth Caring for young mouths

ABN: 26 042 138 550 PO Box 8018 Brighton East VIC 3187 Phone: 1300 771 446 Email: info@mamamag.com.au www.mamamag.com.au

Lovely locals We explore Church Street Brighton

Busting the stress of busyness Meditation tips for busy mums

3 tips for returning to work Expert advice from coaching4mums

Parklife 41 Donald McDonald Reserve Beaumaris Exploring mathematics Maths for children under two

Fun for the kids Kid’s crafts and our colouring comp

MamaMag February 2015

Prize includes a Woddlers Kinder Backpack and Lunchbox in either Pirate or Unicorn design. Entries close February 28th 2015. For further details and terms & conditions visit mamamag.com.au

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5,000 copies are distributed monthly. Like to contribute an article or products for review or giveaway? submissions@MamaMag.com.au Like to advertise in our next month’s issue? info@mamamag.com.au or download our media kit from www.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. MamaMag is printed locally (of course) by Fishprint Brighton, using 100% Waterless Printing. Fishprint is a ISO 14024 ‘Whole of Life Cycle’ certified printer. fishprint.com.au

family 36O

with Oz Super Nanny Angela Jacobsen!

Healthy mums are happy mums and too often mums worry about everyone else except themselves! I want to focus on ‘Back To School for the mums’ in order to help create a harmony throughout the whole family. Mums often feel guilty about putting themselves before their family. My concept of Family360 has developed after extensive experience working internationally with families of all cultures and statuses. Family360 focuses on four main target areas Time, Space, Fitness and Nutrition Management. When one or several of these areas are out of balance it can create havoc in your household mainly manifesting in bad behaviour from the kids! Let’s break Family360 down into each area.

Time Management So the kids are back to school and everything will quickly get crazy with new schedules, classes, playdates & birthday parties! Fear not you can stay in control of your Family’s activities by applying some simple organisational structure! Buy a diary for the house. Choose a large one with big spaces to enter all the daily activities. Keep this near the telephone or on the bench so you can easily enter new plans as they pop up. When the school newsletter and invites come home immediately enter all dates into the diary. Buy a wall planner. A blackboard or whiteboard is best so you can easily change the planner weekly or when plans change! The best place to hang this is near the fridge in a common area that everyone can see so they all know what’s happening each week. If you are super

organised you could do this daily! Choose a different colour for each family member including your husband and pets. Enter each family member’s activity in their colour so they can keep track of their own activities, this encourages independence in the children and reminds your husband if you are out! Write up a meal plan for the week from your planner and diary. You can break this into lunch and dinner. You will be able to plan accordingly for playdates and ensure that the kids eat nutritionally all week. From your meal plan you can create a shopping list and shop at the start of each week.

Space Management After Christmas you are bound to have way too much “stuff”! When the kids are back at school you have the opportunity to declutter your house. Here are some easy ways to get some organisation and extra space back! Go through the kid’s wardrobes and remove all the items that are too small, too big, too worn or never worn! Divide these into piles. Store the clothes that are too big and label the box with the size of clothes. Store the clothes that are too small if you have smaller children or plan to. Give to charity anything that is too worn or never worn. Whatever is left needs to be labelled, especially school uniforms. Iron on labels are quick and easy!

Go through the kitchen cupboards and throw out all containers & lids that do not marry up! Label all containers with your surname in a marking pen so the whole family can use them and it won’t wash off in the dishwasher. Be sure to go over your surname each term in case it is starting to wear off.

Nutrition Management

Go through all the toys. Throw out all broken toys. Store any toys that are no longer played with if you have younger children; if you don’t, give them to charity. This is a great time to fill the bath and disinfect the toys, some can also go in the dishwasher. Now divide each child’s toys in half, keeping out the current favourites. Place the other half in containers and label with each child’s name; rotate these toys with the ones you left out every month or so.

Recently I went to a naturopath as we are trying to have a baby, I was surprised how much both our bodies are lacking and how quickly we responded to the natural medicine. Our naturopath also said we were overweight for our heights so we looked for a healthy easy way to lose weight. We turned to Herbalife and now are regulars on shakes and vitamins. My energy levels have sky rocketed again and we are both losing healthy amounts of weight each week. Often mums skip breakfast as they are too busy but a shake on the go will kick start your metabolism to fire you up for the day.

Fitness Management Mums need to stay fit to keep up with their kids! Chasing around kids all day definitely keeps you fit but you can get more fitness in through some simple tips. Get enough sleep, both kids and parents. Force yourself to have an early night at least twice a week. When the kids go back to school they will have a bit of a shock to their system after school holiday sleep ins. To help them adjust quicker bring forward bed time by 5 mins every night so they get more sleep; you can change the clock in their room if need be to trick them.

We all know that kids need fruit and vegetables but sometimes we forget to look after our own bodies. Apart from the basics we can also add to our nutrition through vitamins.

Family360 If you are struggling with your family, especially the kid’s behaviour please analyse your Family360 key areas and see if one or several are out of balance. If you would like me to come to your house privately to help regain your harmony book via my website. We are also seeking more families for the Family360 TV show coming out this year.

Finding You Time! Make sure you spend at least 30 minutes per day doing something you enjoy that involves fitness. Gym, yoga, walk to a coffee shop, endless options and they could also involve taking your baby swimming or to a Gymbaroo class which are great exercise for baby and mum. Whenever possible walk or ride to do the school run, great exercise for both mum and kids.

For more information on our very own Oz Super Nanny check out: Website www.ozsupernanny.com Email ozsupernanny@gmail.com Facebook Ozsupernanny Google+ Ozsupernanny Twitter @ozsupernanny

THESE ALLERGI by Rebecca Billing. Four years ago when our lively and adventurous son Ben entered the world he brought with him pure joy. As days morphed into months (as they do in the early days), we discovered he also brought with him severe allergies to cow’s milk, egg and wheat. The road to his diagnosis was rocky. We watched him wriggle in pain from eczema, bandaged him in wet dressings, endured skin prick tests, held him through blood tests and spoke with paediatricians, GP’s and specialists. We watched him suffer his first three reactions before diagnosis, ranging from a wheezing and coughing fit right up to a reaction that saw him go limp in my arms. Four years down the track I now consider myself a pro at cooking allergy friendly foods and share tips and tricks with some very switched on allergy mothers through various support groups. When researching allergies, it’s alarming that Australia is leading the way in this growing epidemic.

So what is an allergy? According to Allergy and Anaphylaxis Australia, an allergy is when a person’s immune system reacts to different substances in the environment that would normally be harmless. These substances are commonly known as allergens and not only include food, but can also include some medications, dust mites, animals, insects, moulds and pollens. Allergies to any food can occur, however the “top nine” include dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, sesame, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat. Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of allergy and involves a reaction from more than one of the body systems (respiratory, skin, gastrointestinal and/or cardiovascular).

Australia’s top nine allergies are dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, sesame, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat. 8

IES ARE DRIVING ME NUTS What are the most common symptoms? A mild allergic reaction can cause: • Tingling or itchiness in or around the mouth. • Hives or rashes. • Swelling of the lips, face or eyes. • Abdominal pain and or vomiting.

A more severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) can cause: • Swelling of the tongue or airways. • Difficulty talking or hoarseness of the voice. • A wheeze or cough that persists. • Dizziness or collapse. • Pale and floppiness (in young children). • Difficulty breathing.

The treatment? While anti histamines are commonly used for mild reactions, the only treatment for anaphylaxis is the administration of adrenaline via an epi pen. If you suspect anaphylaxis, you should always ring 000.

What causes allergies? There are thousands of “theories” about what causes allergies but no known cause has yet been identified as to why some people suffer allergies, some don’t and some people develop them later in life.

I have received endless “advice” and “theories” from friends and strangers, as to why our son has life threatening allergies. I have heard it’s because I didn’t breastfeed him (I did until he was 15 months old), I limited what I ate whilst pregnant (no I didn’t), because our house is too clean (ask anyone who knows me well, I like tidy and organised but I am most certainly not your cleanest person), because of his immunisations (wrong again, his first reaction was prior to any immunisations), or because he doesn’t play out in the dirt enough (note: we live on a farm, he is ALWAYS outside, in any dirt and mud he can find). Then there are the theories that crop up in the media from time to time. Not taking probiotics whilst pregnant, a lack of Vitamin D whilst pregnant, introducing foods to your baby too late/ too early. Truth is no one knows yet.

Is there a cure? Currently there is no cure for food allergies. The only way to live with allergies is to manage them. This includes having a management plan provided by a medical practitioner, always carrying medications (including epi pens) and raising awareness. For us, daily cooking in designated pots and pans, knowing you can substitute apple sauce or mashed banana for egg in baking, that sunflower butter tastes remarkably like peanut butter, constantly wiping down slides at playgrounds, and negotiating birthday parties with excitement that our little man has been included are all part of daily life.

Support Groups Support and information can be found at: http://www.allergy.org.au/ http://www.allergyfacts.org.au/ Anaphylaxis and Allergy Friends Australia (on Facebook)

Check out page 27 for one of Bec’s allergy friendly recipes! 9

Are your child’s eyeS ready for the classroom? The first test of the year should be an eye test! Healthy vision is important for your child’s educational, physical and social development and to help them reach their full learning potential. Did you know that 1 in 4 children has an undetected eye problem?

Symptoms to watch out for • complaints of blurred vision, headaches, or sore eyes • delayed progress in reading ability • a turned eye, red or watery eyes, and frequent blinking

With 80 per cent of all learning experienced through vision, it is no surprise that children with undetected vision problems often fail to progress well in school.

• poor hand-eye co-ordination

Children’s vision can change dramatically from one year to the next, so a thorough eye examination before school starts is recommended to ensure your child has healthy vision.

Once recognised, these problems are usually easy to correct, which is why early detection and treatment of eye and vision problems are important.

Many children continue to experience undetected and unnecessary vision problems and often they assume that how they see is normal. We need to be able to recognise

the signs of a vision problem, and to ensure children are examined regularly to detect any problems early.

• losing their place or omitting words and skipping lines when reading

Give your kids the right start. Get their eyes ready for the classroom. Schedule an appointment today with your local optometrist to make sure your child is ready for another big year of learning, development and fun!

Written by Absolute Eyes Beaumaris. Phone: (03) 9589 0299

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Sh*t on my hands A down and dirty companion to early parenthood!

BREASTFEEDING Hello, girls. No, not you. We’re talking to your new tits. They are going to occupy a great swathe of your postnatal body, the parts usually reserved for your stomach, armpits and neck. We’re not going to talk about whether you should or shouldn’t breastfeed as we – in the nicest possible way – don’t care. Judgement in all matters parenting related is unnecessary and unproductive. What you decide to do is a matter for you and your family – as long as you’re not putting your baby in headbands with oversized bows. That’s simply immoral. When breastfeeding goes off without a hitch, it’s quite an extraordinary thing. Note: ‘thing’, not ‘achievement’. If it doesn’t work out, you haven’t failed the first test of motherhood. ‘Not working out’ includes simply deciding you don’t much like it. It is an enormous physical undertaking that requires you to be on call 24/7, at least in the early months. Milk supply can also prove problematic – some women simply don’t seem to produce enough to satiate their babies, while others produce so much that their lives become an endless merry-go- round of stuffing pads into bras, changing shirts and changing sheets. Despite what you might read, breastfeeding will not prove the difference between your baby becoming Einstein or Hitler. You are no more or less of a woman or mother if you decide not to nurse. ‘Breast is best’, goes the saying, but there’s also that equally famous ‘happy mother, happy baby’ creed. Do what makes you happy.

Hello, girls. No, not you. We’re talking to your new tits. If you do decide to give breastfeeding a go, you need to know this: the arrival of the milk (around day three) will do things to your breasts you may have thought possible only with a plastic surgeon’s intervention. It can also be quite painful. Imagine a truck full of cement being funnelled into your breasts, and then the truck catching fire. This discomfort usually passes within a couple of days; in the meantime don’t be too proud to pop the pills the midwives offer. You have hosted a human being for nine months in a space where you normally put toast, juice and muffins, so you’ve earned the right to a little comfort. Make sure all of the clothes you bring to hospital provide for easy access to your nipples – tits twisted between layers of neckhigh jersey will frustrate you and your baby to high hell. Once your milk supply has established itself, you’ll be able to start expressing milk so that your partner, family and friends can all have a go at feeding the baby. Watching a nursing mother pumping milk from her breasts via a machine that is a precise replica of industrial dairy machinery is truly a sight to behold. It’s also one of the most powerful passion killers known to man, so one’s milk extractor should ideally reside at a discreet distance from the marital bed.

putting your baby in headbands with oversized bows, that’s simply immoral.

ECO-BABY Every generation of mothers and fathers has to contend with some well-intentioned new child-rearing trend that will inevitably make them feel like a bucket of shit. Perhaps the biggest one of our time is the eco- baby movement. While the core idea – lessening baby’s imprint on the planet and keeping them protected from illness-making chemicals and nasties – is undoubtedly sound, you can be left wracked with spasms of guilt for allowing a pesticide-laden strawberry to pass your poppet’s lips. But hey, let’s keep things in perspective. Giving your kid a chemically enhanced summer berry is hardly akin to putting bong-water in her bottle. Nobody ever lapsed into a coma after eating an apple purchased at a petrol station. There’s also the indelicate matter of money. Glossy magazines smoothly advertise a dizzying array of right-on products with the whispered subtext ‘you are rubbish if you don’t purchase this $2000 handcrafted eco-friendly Scandinavian cot. Go ahead, buy that $100 Toys’R’Us number. Earth hater’.

buying crocheted bunny rugs from your local charity shop is just as ecologically sound as spending 90 bucks on an organic bamboo blanket.

Giving your kid a chemically enhanced summer berry is hardly akin to putting bong water in her bottle. Don’t beat yourself up because you can’t afford the Scando-cage. Small, thoughtful, frequent gestures count more towards doing your bit than helping to prop up the huge not-always-cottage industry of ultra-luxe ecoeverything. There are cheap, environmentally friendly cleaning products for baby and home available in most supermarkets, and buying crocheted bunny rugs from your local charity shop is just as ecologically sound as spending 90 bucks on an organic bamboo blanket. (And while it’s true that organic bamboo blankets make you feel like you’re being caressed by the satin-gloved hand of God, baby doesn’t give a rat’s – she’s accustomed to living in a bloody mass of fluid and placental matter, remember.) If, however, visions of eco-wank nursery gear stubbornly fill your fantasies, eBay does a thumping trade in second-hand baby goods. In fact, reusing and recycling other people’s cast-offs will earn you enough green points to justify a nice roll of deliciously smooth, bleached-to-buggery toilet paper, as well as disabuse you of the notion that having a baby is largely about buying a whole lot of bright, shiny, new stuff.

Taken from Sh*t on My Hands: A down and dirty companion to early parenthood by Bunny Banyai and Madeleine Hamilton, Hardie Grant Explore, RRP $19.95, www.exploreaustralia.net.au

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MAMA of the month This month we met with Natasha Skunca, a Bayside mum of three kids and the creative mind behind local brand ‘Make Me Iconic’. Natasha and her clever team of designers take Australian icons like Melbourne’s trams, Melways and the forever iconic Skipping Girl and turn them into creative homewares, toys and souvenirs! 1. Tell us all a little bit about your self… I am a Bayside mum of 3 kids managing a small business and I work from home a few days a week. I have a warehouse in Glen Waverley and a small team that help me out with order processing, admin, bookkeeping and stock management. I grew up in Sandringham and came back home 6 years ago after a 10 year stint in London. 2. What was your background before you started Make Me Iconic? My background is marketing and branding. I worked in London as a marketing communications manager and brand manager for 10 years. I got my first break into marketing in London. Initially I found it hard to get marketing work in Melbourne and it took a huge city like London to either make or break me when I finished uni. I worked with a few companies in London, the last being Orange which is part of France Telecom and an amazing brand but not well know here!). And yes, I got to travel to Paris a lot and yes I took it for granted. 3. How did you end up where you are today? It all started with an idea…well two actually. We returned home to Melbourne in 2008 after an extended (10 year!) stay in Europe. Immediately we fell in love with the city again. How could you not? The city has so much to offer that is unique, stylish and contemporary. We wanted something in our home that brought those elements to life. Sadly, there was nothing to be found. We had great souvenirs from London, but nothing to represent Melbourne – the city we grew up in and once again call home. We knew we weren’t the only ones that love this city and guessed that we weren’t the only ones that wanted to take a part of it home. So the seed was sewn. We would find the best

young, local designers to help us represent some of the unsung icons of the city. We knew what the icons were but didn’t know much about their history. So we decided to educate ourselves and our customers about the history of each icon and give them facts about what makes the icons unique. So with unsung icons and urban education in mind – Make Me Iconic was born, launching our first range of products in December 2009. 4. What’s the best thing about what you do? Working with some great local talent to create some of the iconic designs that we have. I love the creative part of coming up with an idea for a design, writing the brief and then seeing the young designers work their magic. It’s so good to then see a finished product and of course hearing our customer’s reactions when they fall in love with it too. 5. What inspires you to do what you love in your own creative business? I love being my own boss and setting the work hours and the rules. I can sit at home and work from home without any make-up on. I can also sign myself off over the school holidays and make my own work hours around the kid’s schedule. I also just love complete creative freedom to do whatever I like which is great fun! 6. What does an average day look like for you? Our 2 year old girl wakes first and then the boys are my second alarm clock. Then it’s pretty much showers and get ready for school as I have two older boys in Grade 2 & 5. With three kids and business it’s always a juggle! 8.45am school run then play date with a good girl friend and my little girl. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are my work days so I have Mondays and Fridays to do something with her. 3.30pm school run again and catch up with a few of the mums at school and get the gossip

on what’s been happening at school as I have not read the school newsletter again! Homework with the boys and prepare an easy dinner that may last for 2 days such as chicken soup. 8pm all kids in bed. Jump onto the computer to catch up on 1-2 hours work. This is one of my days where there has not been much time for Make Me Iconic and I have to make it up somewhere. I sign off some packaging designs for some new ranges and send artwork to manufactures. I check the web sales online and send orders for the next day off to my warehouse goddess as well as all the wholesale orders. 7. Any words of advice for other mums thinking of starting a business? The hardest thing is actually just starting and putting a “stake-in-the-ground”. Sometimes you get so caught up in the developing of the idea and how you are going to do it - and just need to press the button and go for it, i.e. spend money! This challenge was the initial stock investment and the uncertainly of not really knowing if you can move it all. I remember when boxes and boxes of stock were arriving in of things that I had ordered and literally sat there with an entire packet of Tim Tams and my Rescue Remedy Stress Relief herbal drops thinking, “what am I doing?” But I had a gut instinct that other people would like my products. Of course you need to have a business plan too and make sure it’s a viable business and not just a hobby. 8. What is the philosophy behind Make Me Iconic? The philosophy of Make Me Iconic is to bring the unsung icons of city to life and into people’s homes. They are there to be loved and be admired. I remember when I was homesick for Melbourne living in London, I would have loved to have had a little piece of Make Me Iconic there with me too! 9. What has been your proudest moment so far? My proudest moment so far is just getting to where I am now. It’s only been a few years and I have managed to pull it all off! Just producing a product and getting it into stores is a real achievement in itself. I feel really humbled that the idea worked and that we have customer’s buying our products. 10. Finally where can we find you Make Me Iconic? On our website www.makemeiconic.com and around 150 stores across Australia.

yoga for a change We all know that yoga can make you feel good, but did you know it can do good for others too? A new social enterprise in Melbourne, So Hum Yoga, takes your feel good vibes from the mat and pays them forward, with profits from their classes and workshops funding local community projects. It started with a simple idea from three Melbourne-based yogis, Anjana Arunachalam, Shantini Iyngkaran and Lani Kaplan – to take yoga out of the overcrowded studio environment, and bring it to the student on a personal level with small, home-based classes guided by experienced local teachers.

Each student gets one on one attention and alignment from the teacher. “Our home class sizes are very small, so each student gets one on one attention and alignment from the teacher” Mel Hanley, So Hum’s Business Manager, explains. “Hosting a class is easy and rewarding. You choose the style of yoga you want to learn, your level of experience and fitness, and the number of friends that will join your group, and we’ll match you with the perfect teacher who will tailor the class to your group week by week.” Members of the public can also sign up for a class or course being held at a teacher’s space, for an intimate, yet professional setting. Rather than replacing regular practice in a studio, So Hum wants to offer yogis something they might not find locally, like the recent Kundalini course in St Kilda. The small class sizes are also ideal for beginners. Add to this the feel-good factor of knowing your practice is benefiting

somebody else, and that’s a whole new motivation to roll out your mat!

The profits are distributed to community projects, like the Cultural Yoga Project, which uses yoga as therapy. A group of dedicated and compassionate yogis, currently volunteer their time to coordinate So Hum’s classes, teachers, workshops and events. The profits are then distributed to community projects, like the Cultural Yoga Project, which uses yoga as therapy. Lani Kaplan, founder of both So Hum Yoga and Cultural Yoga Project, is a passionate social worker and yoga teacher, who is committed to creating a safe and supportive environment for people who have suffered human rights abuse, war and oppression. “Cultural Yoga Project’s current and main focus is refugee and migrant groups. We teach therapeutic, culturally-appropriate classes and most of our students report feeling a sense of relaxation and relief from pain after class. This is so important, especially for those who have come from deep trauma and inevitably continue to experience this stress daily,” Lani explains. “One student said, “we were never taught how to manage this stress. In fact, we thought this (the state of short breath, chest tightness, and a sore body) was normal. We were scared to try yoga but feel so grateful it has come to us.” It’s really rewarding for us to be able to help in some way!” In 2015 So Hum wants to spread this joy even further, with the addition of more classes and courses, plus a line-up of specialty workshops in the Port Phillip area. Kicking off with Creating Your Home Practice (Check the website for dates and locations in your area!), which aims to help yogis of all levels develop a regular practice wherever they are, be it

at home or while travelling, and without the need for a studio membership. More upcoming workshops include Yoga for Digestion, Yoga for Sleep and Kids’ Yoga. Allowing students to go deeper than in a class environment, these workshops will bring together like-minded individuals, creating a community that gives back while learning and doing something fun. If you want to get involved, simply sign up for a class or workshop via the So Hum Yoga website; or if you have space for between 5-8 yoga mats and a group of interested friends, So Hum will bring the yoga to you. You can also donate old yoga mats and props like mats, cushions and blankets to the Cultural Yoga Project, reducing waste in your local area and helping those in need out.

Do you really need any more reasons to roll out your mat this year? For classes, workshop dates and to keep up with the latest So Hum news, visit www.sohumyoga.com.au and don’t forget to connect on Facebook or Instagram. Classes are currently held in Elwood, St Kilda, Port Melbourne and Kew. If you’re interested in donating equipment, sponsoring or want to be involved with the project, send an email to Mel at hello@sohumyoga.com.au.

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Starting school Surviving the first few weeks! So, you’ve bought the fancy new uniform, lunch box and pencil case, taken all the first day photos and revelled in the excitement of a new era for you and your child, but what happens once the routine of school sets in? Starting school is an exciting and emotional time for children and their parents. The change from Kindergarten or Child Care to five full, action packed school days is enormous. Emily Weight, owner of Kinderschool, a school readiness centre in Sandringham, believes that the more confident and prepared your child is for the change the better. Here are her tips for a smooth introduction to school life.

Be Organised! Organised parents equal organised children. Pack the school bag the night before. Sign and return notices immediately. Develop a morning and nightly routine for reading take home books and any other school related tasks. Purchase a spare hat as most schools have a “No Hat No Play” policy. Label EVERYTHING! Drop off and pick up on time. Children can become quite anxious if they don’t have a certain notice, lose their belongings or if you’re not there waiting at the end of the day!

Stay Calm! Be prepared for a variety of emotions during the first few weeks. A child who has a positive first day or week might become tired and grumpy as the term progresses, especially in the hot Melbourne weather! It is not uncommon for their attitude to change when the reality of the long school week kicks in. Try to remain calm and positive and restrict after school activities as much as possible. Remember, they have had a full day, and after school is a time to unwind. Inviting school friends over is a good way to strengthen the link between school and home, and can be a good idea for a more relaxed after school activity.

Get Involved! There are many opportunities to become a part of the school community. You can help with fundraisers, attend morning teas to meet other parents, help out on excursions or in the classroom. Take advantage of these, as you will meet new people and get an inside view of school life. Your child will appreciate your involvement and you can see how they are interacting with their peers and teacher! Before you know it, Term 1 will be over, your child will now be a fully fledged “school kid” and you’ll wonder where the time has gone! By Emily Weight - B. Ed. Primary Owner of Kinderschool, Literacy & School Readiness Centre 22

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mama can Cook! It’s back to school time, so we’ve got two yummy lunch box ideas for you!

Sweet Potato Pikelets Ingredients: ½ cup cold cooked sweet potato, mashed 2 eggs 1 tsp mixed spice 1 tsp coconut oil Method: Boil or microwave your sweet potato and set aside to cool. Once cool combine the sweet potato, eggs and mixed spice in a bowl and stir until smooth and well combined. Heat the coconut oil in a frypan over a low heat. Spoon generous tablespoons full of the mixture into the frypan, ensuring the pikelets are evenly surfaced. Using the back of a spoon can help to achieve this. Repeat the process until all pikelets are made.

Makes: 6 | Prep Time: 30min | Cook Time: 5min From Stace @ A Healthy Mum’s latest eBook called A Healthy Lunchbox. Stace loves to create healthy recipes the whole family can enjoy, together. She is an accredited health and wellness coach with years of experience in the kitchen developing recipes for both personal and corporate clients. Jump over to her website ahealthymum.com to view her long list of healthy recipes and to download her latest eBook A Healthy Lunchbox. Sweet potatoes are full of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties and fibre, making them perfect for lunchboxes of kids of all ages.

The perfect sugar-free snack. These pikelets are a cinch to make and are amazing served with just a dollop of yoghurt and berries.

Image from melbournefoodfiles.com

Put your muffins in cute, colourful paper patty-pans to help make lunchboxes more fun!

Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 15min | Cook time: 1hr Beer Chasseur Banana & Cinnamon Muffins Ingredients: 1 cup of self raising flour or gluten free flour

Method:

¾ cup coconut oil

Grease a 12 cup muffin tray

¾ cup milk, or milk alternative

In a bowl mix flour, sugar and cinnamon.

1 tablespoon apple sauce

Add coconut oil and mix.

½ cup caster sugar, coconut sugar or rice malt syrup

Add milk slowly, stirring as it is added.

1 tsp vanilla essence ¾ cup mashed, ripe banana Cinnamon, to taste This allergy friendly recipe comes from Bec Billing, author of the allergy article on page 8! Ed note: Bec and I met at sleep school 6 years ago. My kids still don’t sleep through!

Preheat oven to 180 degrees

Mix in apple sauce and vanilla essence. Slowly fold in mashed banana and cinnamon. Place in greased muffin tray and cook for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned. These are delicious warm and are also suitable to freeze making them ideal for school lunches! Makes: 12 | Prep Time: 5min | Cook time: 20min

Two languages at home? Not such a simple task!

Avoid the guilt trap

When my daughter was 21 months old, I sent her over to Dad with a message that dinner would be ready in 5 minutes. As she happily skipped along to Dad, she suddenly came to a halt and stared at him with wide open eyes. After a couple of seconds, she delivered the message to him. Of course, I had spoken to her in Spanish, and she then had to translate the message into English for her father.

The emotional investment that parents make in their children’s upbringing may have no parallel to any other challenges in life. Sometimes children’s home language ability can put yet another pressure on parents’ perceived performance. It is only natural to compare yourself with other bilingual families and feel guilty or inadequate when you encounter what looks like an ideal household of little bilingual chatterboxes. It is not uncommon for people to have very strong opinions about how it should be done and judge or question your choices. The guilt trap is, I would say, the worst enemy of home language maintenance.

Her little head was processing some crucial information that bilinguals deal with in their everyday life: what language to use to whom and in what circumstances. This mental exercise of shifting languages from an early age has been identified with bilinguals’ capacity for problem solving that involves inhibiting information (e.g. choosing one language involves inhibiting the other/s), amongst other advantages such as earlier reading readiness. As the number of Melbourne homes where a language different to English is spoken is steadily increasing (29.1% in the 2011 Census compared to 26% in 2006), the number of children (future Australian adults) enjoying the advantages of navigating between languages and cultures will also potentially increase. Or will it? Unfortunately, being exposed to a language while growing up does not guarantee a bilingual outcome in adulthood; in fact, research into immigrant languages in Australia shows that a shift to English-only occurs as early as the first generation in many recent arrivals. Indeed, maintaining the home language has proven too hard a task for a lot of families, who abandon their dream of raising their children to be competent in English plus their language of choice. Here are some suggestions aimed at helping willing parents to keep the home language alive past the pre-school years:

Count on others to assist Recent studies have highlighted the importance of relatives, and in particular, grand-parents, for language transmission, as opposed to previous beliefs that the immediate family (Mum, Dad & siblings) played the strongest role in language maintenance. Seeking resources outside the home and within the community, e.g joining community clubs or cultural events, as well as having a regular network of acquaintances who speak the language, will not only increase the exposure to the language but will also help create a sense of normality and joint experience in the eyes of your children.

Have a plan and be consistent with it Discussing with your partner ideas on how you both envision your children’s language experience before they arrive is a good starting point to set a family language plan. Acting on an ad hoc basis might result in misunderstandings and, ultimately, inconsistencies that jeopardise the process. Make sure to inform everyone who is or will be involved in some capacity with your children about your plan, i.e. grandparents, carers, close friends, so that everyone is on board with it.

Written by Viqui Gras. Viqui is director of Bilingual Stories Australia. www.bilingualstories.com.au

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Because languages matter

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turn the page The Book with No Pictures, B. J. Novak, $19.99 A book with no pictures? What could be fun about that? After all, if a book has no pictures, there’s nothing to look at but the words on the page. Words that might make you say silly sounds ... In ridiculous voices. You may have seen the YouTube video that brought this book into the limelight last year, but if you haven’t I highly recommend checking it out. Age 3 plus Maisy’s Castle, Lucy Cousins, $24.95 The “Maisy” books are one of those classic picture book series that never date and that children today like as much as when my children were younger. In this new book in the pop-up and play series, children are introduced to medieval life with archery, jousting, and at the end there is a castle that pops out with little Maisy and friends characters to play with for hours of fun. Age 3 upwards Glenn Maxwell #1: Lucky Break, Patrick Loughlan, $14.99 I’m sure this new cricket series will be popular this summer with our young cricket fans. It features Will Albright who is a batting whiz and captain of his local cricket team. But when his coach nominates him to attend a T20 training camp, Will soon discovers that standing out in a sea of young cricket talent isn’t easy. Especially when Darren ‘Killer’ McKinnon, a super-quick pace bowler, has taken a deadly dislike to him. Luckily, Will’s hero, Glenn Maxwell, is on hand to provide some much-needed advice. Suitable for Grade 2 and above

Silver Shoes: And All That Jazz, Samantha-Ellen Bound, $14.99 There hasn’t been very many books for younger readers with a dance theme so it’s great to have this new series, “Silver Shoes”. In the first book, we meet Eleanor Irvin who is ten years old, and dancing is her everything. Tap, ballet, lyrical, and ballroom – she’s tried it all. But her favourite style, by far, is jazz. Ellie is very excited when Miss Caroline, the owner of Silver Shoes Dance Studio, announces she will be selecting dancers to perform in the upcoming Jazz Groove Dance Competition. The only problem is that Ellie is not so good at auditions and new student Ashley is very talented. Suitable for Grade 2 and above

Our monthly kid’s books are brought to you by our friends at Ulysses Bookstore. They are passionate about their children’s books with an extensive range, informed staff, and they love nothing better than to inspire children’s reading with their programme of taking children’s authors to visit local schools. In addition, they have an extensive range of fiction and non-fiction titles for their adult customers. Ulysses Bookstore, 33 Melrose Street, Sandringham Ph 9521 8020, www.ulyssesbookstore.com.au 30

UNTIL to 31.03.15) NOT IN CONJUNCTION WITH ANY OTHER OFFER. Live Local - Shop Local - and (VALID don’t forget mention MamaMag!

Tips For Tiny Tots Caring For Young Mouths - by Bayside Family Dentistry 1. Teats

6. Treats and snacks

For good oral development in young babies we recommend breastfeeding if you can. Bottle teats come in all shapes and sizes so choose carefully to make sure the teat is an appropriate size and shape for your baby’s mouth. If the shape is wrong, your baby will swallow more air.

A regular supply of sugar rich foods and sweets should be avoided, particularly those which stick to the teeth. The mouth’s saliva is its natural defence against tooth decay but that needs time to work. Frequent snacking and drinks other than water are not recommended. Tooth friendly snacks include dairy, nuts, fruit and vegetables.

2. Toothbrushes Small head and soft brushes are best. Make a game of cleaning teeth initially. Have a toothbrush in the bath to provide gentle cleansing of gums and teeth. No need to worry too much about how they brush their teeth until several baby teeth are present.

3. Toothpastes Basically ‘soap for teeth’ is useful but not essential for children under six years of age. Any you use should have a reduced level of fluoride. Some brands have zero to three year old and three to six year old varieties with minimal additives, milder flavours and less foaming.

4. Thumbs, fingers and dummies The sucking reflex is there before birth and sucking can be very soothing and calming. However, prolonged sucking habits can cause distortion of front teeth, supporting bone and even the nose. If the habit persists beyond two to two and a half years, professional dental advice should be sought.

5. Teething Commonly associated with some pain and discomfort and may include a mildly raised temperature. Often, infants chew on fingers and other objects as pressure appears to relieve the discomfort. A clean, cold teething ring can give some relief. Teething gels should be applied before feeding to make eating more comfortable.

7. Trauma Infants and toddlers fall from time to time and can put their teeth through their lip or tongue. Mostly, after the initial injury is coped with, the tooth or teeth show minimal damage. Sometimes if the trauma is more severe and provides intrusion or tooth damage, professional attention is recommended.

8. Teaching Littlies learn most things by example. If mum and dad are slack with their oral hygiene then it is difficult to instil good habits in the littlies. Routine cleaning after breakfast and before bed should be the norm and mouth care should be as important as other hygiene procedures. It is a good idea to obtain a plastic mouth mirror (your dentist will have one), get a small torch and regularly check for any issues. Your dentist can guide you around what to look for.

9. Treatment Dental treatment may become necessary including follow-up visits. Modern developments make dental visits much less traumatic. Find a caring, family oriented dentist who enjoys having children in their practice and makes it as pleasant as possible from the first visit.

10. Trial and error No one is perfect. Develop a trust with your child. Use a hand mirror to show them their mouths. They will learn by experience. Don’t be too concerned too early. Be more insistent from two and a half years on, when most of their primary teeth have arrived. Even clean fingers or a wet washer can help.

Teeth

Discover our ‘Top eight nag-free teeth cleaning strategies’ to have your kids loving cleaning their teeth morning and night. For more information visit: www.baysidefamilydentistry.com.au Dr Thomas specialises in family dentistry with a particular focus on early preventative dental care for children. He has been practising locally in Beaumaris for over 40 years and caringly nurtures little mouths for big lifelong smiles.

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1. Family friendly coffee and food - Brighton Schoolhouse Set in the original 1842 Brighton Schoolhouse of St. Andrew’s Church, this great cafe specialises in organic food & produce along with great St. Ali coffee. And don’t forget the children’s play area and fabulous outdoor dining. 15 St Andrews Street. www.brightonschoolhouse.com.au 2. Dinner made easy - SteakOut Meatworks and Cellar SteakOut not only specialise in matching great meats and wines, but they also have a great range or pre-seasoned meats and vegetable packs available, so all you have to do is throw it in the oven! Just what every mum needs! 39A Church Street. www.steakoutmeatworks.wordpress.com 3. Healthy juice - Pressed Juices Melbourne’s first cold-pressed juice bar, a process that ensures more vitamins, enzymes and minerals are maintained from the fruit and veg. Their focus is all about nourishing your body and the team can guide you through the benefits of each different juice and make suggestions for a cleanse. 25 Carpenter Street. www.pressedjuices.com.au 4. Gorgeous children’s boutique - Rokabye Rokabye provides clothing and accessories for newborn to 8 year old boys and girls. Their labels include Bebe, Alimrose, Plum, Sookibaby, Kaboosh, Marquise and many more. You are guaranteed to find a beautiful gift for a child of any age. Shop 16, Dendy Plaza. www.rokabye.com.au 5. Treats for mum and the kids - Waikiki Peach For delicious frozen yogurt and crepes, get troppo in Waikiki this summer! Kids love the soft serve machine and choosing their own toppings. Or try a decadent Nutella crepe. 31a Church Street, Brighton 6. Date Night - Half Moon Grab your hubby and head out for some sophisticated (but not pretentious) pub fair in the lovely restaurant of this trendy Brighton institution. Be sure to book and make sure you share the dessert tasting plate, its amazing! 120 Church Street. www.halfmoon.com.au Each month MamaMag visit one of Bayside’s best shopping precincts to bring you new ideas for coffee, lunch, shopping, fashion, kid’s clothes and more. Drop us an email at submissions@mamamag.com.au if you’d like us to visit your favourite spot.

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Busting the stress of busyness Being a parent is (at times) mega-stressful. Especially after a long bout of school holidays! From the moment you bring home that angelic newborn, who refuses to sleep, to the incredibly confronting and argumentative teenage years. Being a parent requires a constant supply of patience, wisdom, attention and love. Stress is a normal part of life, something that everybody experiences and which can be helpful in motivating us to achieve goals and get things done. However unresolved or chronic stress can be debilitating, reducing our ability to listen and retain information and making everyday tasks appear overwhelming. The best approach to managing stress is a proactive and ongoing one. Introducing: Meditative Exercises Meditative Exercises are brief, simple and practical exercises based on key elements found in longer, more traditional meditation practices. They give our mind something to focus on for a few minutes, so we cultivate our ability to remain calm, focused and anchored in the present moment. Here are two simple and practical Meditative Exercises that you can implement into your life RIGHT NOW! Three Part Breath Exercise This exercise is a wonderful ‘circuit-breaker’ to reset our breath into a relaxed and even flow. Make yourself comfortable and close your eyes if you wish. 1. Start by taking just 1/3 of a normal breath (imagine breathing into just the lower third of your lungs) .. and pause a moment 2. then taking another 1/3 of a breath (imagine breathing into the middle of your lungs) .. and pause a moment 3. finally, taking another 1/3 of a breath (imaging filling to the top of your lungs) .. and pause a moment

By Sarah Fletcher, Quiet Mind Meditation www.quietmind.com.au 36

4. And when ready to exhale, release the breath with a big audible ‘ahhhhhh’ You can repeat this practice 3 or 4 times before returning to your day. The Pause Exercise In this exercise we simply pay attention to our exhalation, noticing the very brief ‘pause’ that naturally occurs at the end of the exhalation. 1. Sit comfortably and close your eyes and bring your awareness to your breath. 2. If your breath is fast, let it be fast .. if it is slow, let it be slow. Just notice. 3. As you begin to slow down and relax, your breath will also slow down, and you may begin to notice that at the very end of the exhalation there is the slightest ‘pause’ before your body asks you to breathe in again. 4. Just notice this ‘pause’ for a few minutes. Notice how peaceful and quiet everything is in that moment. 5. Continue to just watch your breath, and notice the ‘pause’, for as long as you feel comfortable. Remembering to DO IT! Meditative Exercises can be done whenever the opportunity presents itself. While the kids are at school, or having a nap, while waiting in the car or at the park. The more you practice these exercises, the more you will build your ability to release tension and stress and connect with that feeling of calm. Having a regular meditation practice has allowed me to be quiet, to listen deeply and to be patient. I have a greater tolerance for behaviour that might otherwise ‘push my buttons’. I also know that I am a more attentive, present and loving parent, partner, daughter, friend and colleague.

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3 tips for returning Is 2015 the year to get back into work for you? Getting back in the saddle of work can be pretty tough for anyone, especially when the break has been a couple of years. But when you throw into that mix the reason for absence as being having children it can get even more complicated. Guilt about ‘abandoning’ your children and loss of confidence gang up together to make you feel terrible, confused and frustrated. Other people’s choices cloud your judgment about whether you are doing the right thing for you and for your children. Added to which the dog has got used to you being home all day. So before we get too far into this spiral of despair lets pause, take a breath and work through just some of our tips to help make this easier.

Tip Number One: Motivation

First of all the choice to work, not work, work part time is entirely personal. It’s important to understand what you want both for yourself and your family. Not what your mother-in-law thinks or your best friend who might secretly be hoping you are going to always be available to have coffee. Start off with understanding your motivations for returning to work. Write down on a piece of paper the 5 biggest reasons for going to work. These can be entirely practical like “we need the money” to more emotional needs such as “I’m bored building train sets all day”. Be totally honest with yourself. And be honest about the reality. There is no point writing “I was happier at work because I had a great team and we socialized a lot together” if the new reality is that you are lucky if you and your partner leave the house together to do the shopping never mind have a drink. You are not returning to work just as a career woman, you are also a mum and the days of post work drinks every week may no longer be a reality for you. Be truthful. And then share them with your partner or trusted friend to help check they are true to you.

Tip Number Two: Confidence

There are lots of things that get in the way of returning to work and one of the biggest is lack of self-belief. Within a week of leaving work we convince ourselves we are no longer in touch, incapable of performing the tasks we used to do and struggle to remember how the coffee machine worked, never mind the spreadsheet of weekly financials. The net effect of a prolonged absence is these little doubts build up and quite often mums find when they decide to return to work they pitch themselves way too low in the job market and accept roles and pay below their true abilities. Therefore it is important to start building your confidence back up quickly. Writing or updating your resume is one good way. Initially it feels hard to talk about yourself but remembering all the things you have achieved and succeeded in is a real confidence boost. Ask friends and old colleagues to take a look and you will be amazed how high an opinion of your abilities other people have of you. Your resume quickly starts to reflect the real you and not the one your inner gremlin tells you is you.

Written by Vanessa Potts from coaching4mums Vanessa is co-founder of coaching4mums, a Bayside company that runs workshops and coaching on many aspects involved in being a mum and working. For more information visit www.coaching4mums.com.au 38

to work Tip Number Three: Networking

It’s amazing how much fear that word can generate in people. “You mean go and approach people for a job? Oh I couldn’t”. Well no I don’t mean walk up to someone you met at a party 4 years ago and haven’t seen since, and ask them to employ you. What I mean is think about the areas of work you might want to return to and map out who in your network of friends family and colleagues would be worth buying a coffee for in exchange for finding out more about what the reality of jobs in their sector is. Are there any companies that are great to work for, what is the culture on hours? Is there someone you can shadow to get a feel for a potential job area? Are there any skills gaps that need addressing before applying for roles? In other words do your homework. By understanding the reality of work in your chosen field it helps bring you up to date and make decisions about where you want to work before the formal job hunt starts. This is empowering and useful to make sure you set yourself up to succeed. And don’t be surprised if a job offer does come out of this informal approach. We recently had a lady practice her networking skills two weeks after attending our course only to be offered her ideal job. Finally, remember you are a capable woman who has worked before and has enhanced her skills in negotiation, time management and budget control whilst raising her children. Good Luck!

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Parklife

MamaMag park of the month!

Donald McDonald reserve Beaumaris

Nested off Keating Street, near the corner of Stawell Street, Donald McDonald Reserve provides heaps of space and activity options for the entire family. We visited on one of the lovely 30 degree days and found a dad and kids hitting in the cricket nets, quite a few dogs taking their owners out for a spin (off leash area at all times) around the footy oval, some kids playing in the stand alone sandpit with cubby structure and teens hitting the skatepark on the other side of the club rooms. The skate park will host the Bayside Youth Services Skate Comp in March. We love the feeling of ‘escape to the bush’ that this reserve gives! There’s plenty of tea trees providing both shade and somewhere to run around and hide, something little Miss Two couldn’t get enough of! The play equipment consists of a large wooden structure with two levels catering to different ages, handy when you have a toddler and older siblings who can all find

fun. However the high end is very high, leading to a steep wave slide. But there is also a spiral slide on the high end that is a little less daunting! Toddlers will love climbing through the ground level tunnel and flying up the chain net to zip down the smallest slide. A few open spaces on the play structure meant following the toddler around to ensure safety. Older kids can take inspiration from the almost commando-course nature of the park. The park provides lots of adventurous climbing to challenge the kids, with a scrambling wall, curved ladder and some monkey bar rings and a flying fox for added fun. There’s also four swings. Under the pavilion next to the playground, there’s a table and bbq. Don’t forget the basketball because there’s also a ring to shoot some hoops. An older park, but plenty on offer to keep kids of all ages active and entertained.

Exploring Mathematics For children 2 years and under Maths is considered one of the hard subjects to both learn and teach but it really isn’t that hard. Next time you’re out and about, stop and have a look around you. I am sure you will find mathematics everywhere. Have a look around you right now; what do you see that can be used as mathematical education? There are many areas where young children are involved in mathematics. Sometimes parents and educators aren’t aware that what they are teaching the children in their care is mathematics. So lets take a look at some of the ways children are exposed to mathematics everyday and we can work together to help develop this skill at home.

Let’s first take a look at how children learn!

Children learn in many different ways, there are influences all around them, it: • • • • •

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involves having secure and loving relationships with parents and caregivers. involves the balance between anxiety and curiosity to promote confident and responsible action is about playing, taking risks and putting in effort. is about making mistakes needs an appropriately stimulating environment.

Heuristic Play

Abstract Thought

Drop objects from a height? Empty objects out of containers? Pile objects into ‘towers’ & then knock them down? Line up objects?

• the difference between little and big and heavy and light • that little fits inside big but big does not fit inside little • that flat objects can be piled up • that things are the same and different • that round things roll and some round things bounce • that some things are long and some are short • that shiny reflects; • the ability to know one, a few and many • that objects can float and sink.

Does Your Child…

Collect similar objects and group them into containers? Shake and bang objects together? Screw or unscrew lids? Look inside or through objects? Drape things around their necks such as necklaces and ribbons? If you answered YES to any of these then your child is participating in Heuristic Play! Children pay attention to what adults are doing • when we make something • drive a car • work • even a cup of tea They are always observing, and in their play they mimic what we do.

What can ‘Abstract Thought’ teach your child?

Meal Times

Heuristic Play and Treasure Baskets promote ‘Abstract thought’ (The ability to think about and interpret information in one’s imagination without the concrete.

Cooking: There are hundreds of videos on YouTube that give easy to follow instructions for cooking things from pizza dough to fried rice, a lot of them explaining the maths that is incorporated into the recipes eg. teaspoons, tablespoons, cups, litres, grams.

Treasure Baskets

Just ask your child a million and one questions and get them involved in pouring, measuring, cutting, rolling. All of these things are mathematics!

Treasure Baskets are a solitary play based activity that requires no input from adults. It involves placing a variety of objects inside a basket for a child to explore. This type of play promotes investigation into the mathematical world. Some ideas to put inside a ‘Treasure Basket’ are: • items made from metal, wood, leather, rubber, raffia & bristle as well as other natural items. • a pebble • a leather purse • a chain and plug • a pinecone • a new (unused) shaving brush • a bunch of keys • a fresh lemon • a hair roller etc. Treasure baskets normally contain 80-100 items.

Dinner: Many experiences during dinner can be completed using counting: How many mouthfuls? How many peas do you have? How many people at the table? Having a family dinner encourages social interactions, talking about what happened to each other during that day, what they may need help with etc. Songs such as “5 Fat pea pods” could be used to not only count but also encourage children to eat their vegetables. Setting the table: Allows children to come in contact with different shapes (circles, cylinders, rectangles etc.). Measurement is used to pour drinks, gravy etc. Patterns, routines and sequences are used to remember the order that items are placed on the table.

Written by Sue Connolly. Sue is a kindergarten teacher with a bachelor degree in Early Childhood Education and has worked in the Early Childhood Industry for 12 years. 43

fun for the kids send a hug February, the month of LOVE!! This is such a cute idea for the kids to do and then send it to someone special. My boys have sent theirs to their grandparents to thank them for all the fun they had in the school holidays with them.

What you need;

• A big roll of paper (the Ikea paper is perfect, but brown wrapping paper will work too) • Textas/ pencils/ crayons • Scissors • Red paper • Envelope • Postage stamp

How to make it

• Roll out your paper on the floor and lie your child down, like they are about to hug someone, making sure their arms and head are on the paper. • Trace around their torso. • Kids can then decorate their hug however they like. • We added a red paper love heart to the hand. • Carefully cut around their hug. • Fold the hug up and pop into an envelope and post! Here at Lizzy Ann we offer craft to not only kids, but adults too. February we have our beautiful Craftlicious High Tea. Where you can come along and eat from an amazing afternoon tea buffet while learning how to make a secret garden terrarium. Lizzyann.com.au facebook.com/lizzyannstudio

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