MamaMag February Port Phillip by MamaMag

port phillip

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 at Lady Forster where Miss 4 decided to sit in the audience rather than sing (for the 2nd year in a row), the school concert was fabulous (byo picnic rug and bubbles, need I say more!). We had a blast at the carols by candlelight and the fireworks show was once again magnificent. Millaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 to the kidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s delight. 2015 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. So if you have friends over there, make sure you give them the heads up... MamaMag is coming to town! Next month Kirsty Chick, my right hand (wo)man, will take over as editor of Port Phillip, as I step back to manage all 3 mags from above, and I know she is going to bring you much fun. 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, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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! /localmamamag @localmamamag

WIN

Contents Family 360 Advice from the OzSuper Nanny

These allergies are driving me nuts 8 We’ve got allergies covered Yoga for a change Work out and make a difference

Starting school Surviving the first few weeks!

Mama of the month We meet author Bunny Banyai

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

Are your child’s eyes ready for school? 18 Their first test should be an eye test Sh*t on my hands 20 A down and dirty companion to parenting Exploring mathematics Maths for children under two

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

Tips for tiny tot’s teeth Caring for young mouths

Turn the page 32 Top picks from The Grumpy Swimmer 3 tips for returning to work Expert advice from coaching4mums

Parklife 36 Easter Reserve South Melbourne The write start Writing tips for pre-schoolers

Lovely locals We explore Middle Park

Busting the stress of busyness Meditation tips for busy mums

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

Visit our Facebook page to enter

www.facebook.com/localmamamag MamaMag is published monthly for the mums of the Port Phillip area by Grizzle Design Pty Ltd. 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

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

Alleviate back pain & Stay Tuned have added more Pilates and Yoga classes to their timetable Pilates can help with: • • • •

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12:15pm Clinical Pilates

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8.30am Pilates

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Start the New Year by looking after YOU!

MamaMag Special - a FREE class! Call us on 9531 0909 and mention the code word ‘MamaMag’ and we’ll book you in to any of our Pilates or Yoga classes as a free trial class. Then casual classes are just $22 each or unlimited Pilates and Yoga classes for just $34.50 per week. (Clinical Pilates not included)

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Ph 9531 0909 www.staytuned.com.au 11

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.

Starting school By Emily Weight - B. Ed. Primary

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 14

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MAMA of the month This month we met with Bunny Banyai, a local St Kilda mum and co-author of ‘Mini Me Melbourne’ and the hilariously titled ‘Sh*t On My Hands: A down and dirty companion to early parenthood’!

Quickly tell us all a little bit about your two books…

What was your background before you wrote your first book?

Shit On My Hands was conceived as an antidote to the myriad parenting guides that promote strict regimes and rigid philosophies; or, perhaps even more confusingly, advise parents to just ‘trust their instincts’. SOMH offers practical coping strategies with a good dash of profanity and wit. My co-author and I have no formal baby whisperer training, but we do have five kids between us, and each one has presented their own set of brain melting challenges. My first book ‘Mini Me Melbourne’, which we contributed to along with Michelle Bennett, is a compact guide book filled with great places to eat, play, shop and explore with young children.

I worked a number of pretty middling jobscopywriter, retail management, market research (and a memorable stint as a receptionist in a bondage parlour), before gaining entry to the Professional Writing and Editing course at RMIT in 2006. I finished the degree and promptly fell pregnant to a man I’d known for a perilously short time. Clementine was born in early 2008, and I was a full time mother until I split with her father in 2009. Becoming a single mum provided the impetus to take writing more seriously; I wanted my daughter to see me doing what I loved, rather than flitting from one blah job to another. Both books were co written with Preston mum Madeleine Hamilton. How did the two of you meet? Madeleine and I lived next door to each other in matching mini terraces in Northcote (really, better suited to guinea pigs than humans) and quickly realised we shared a mutual appreciation for vintage interiors and grey pedigree cats. We admired each other from afar (albeit with only one thin wall separating us: I’m fairly sure I heard her first child being conceived), and didn’t get to properly know one another until we became Facebook friends, long after we’d both moved. Your second book has a fabulous title. How did this come about? I posted an update on Facebook when Clementine was a baby that read ‘Upside of being a parent: pure love. Downside: shit on my hands’. It struck a chord with Madeleine, and she suggested that we start a blog of the same name. After a couple of years of blogging, we decided we wanted to try our hand at a book.

What does an average day look like for you? I have a blended family, and nearly every day we have a different configuration of kids. I have two daughters, Beatrix, 2 and Clementine, 7 and a 9 year old stepdaughter, Peppa. So the majority of my day is spent washing pink underpants, and trying to come up with dinner ideas that the girls won’t openly despise. Beatrix will happily eat face washers if that’s what she’s presented with, but the other two are more challenging. What are your favourite local ‘go to’ places, coffee, food etc? Mr Wolf in St Kilda. It’s that rare beast: a restaurant beloved by children and adults alike. The food is fantastic, the cocktails equine-strength, and the crayon supply never dwindles. I also spend a big chunk of every week at the St Kilda library. It has a large play space for kids with rubber mats and toys, which is fantastic for apartment dwellers like me, who don’t have the space to allow their kids to zoom around on ride on tractors. Any more books in the pipeline we should look out for? I’m writing up my experiences of travelling with 3 kids, and hoping to get that picked up by a publisher this year. There are lots travel memoirs around, but mine is notably different, in that I don’t learn any major life lessons or experience a game-changing epiphany. I just eat a lot of cheap German chocolate, cry on aeroplanes, and explore the regional Italian hospital system. Finally where can we buy a copy of your books? All good book shops! Readings on Acland Street had a handsome little stack, last I checked!

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!

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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

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: • • • • •

22 22

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. 23

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mama can Cook! It 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 lunch boxes 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. 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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Tips For Tiny Tots Caring for young mouths 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

turn the page You and Me, by Susan Verde , Art by Peter H. Reynolds $19.99 “Sometimes I think of how things came to be. How we met. How we became best friends. You and me.” This loving story reveals how fate brought two friends together.

Ages 4 plus

The Lion and The Bird, Marianne Dubuc $26.95 On a beautiful Autumn day, a lion finds a wounded bird in his garden. With the departure of the bird’s flock, Lion decides that he will care for the bird. Over Winter the two become firm friends. In Spring the bird rejoins his flock leaving Lion alone. Spring and then Summer pass, and Autumn returns, with the most wonderful surprise ever!

Ages 3 plus

Sleep tight, Digger Dan, Dorte Horn and Philipp Stampe (a goodnight story from the construction site) $16.95 Digger Dan and his friends are working hard at the construction site to build something very special. But what is this project they are building ? And why are they so tired at the end of the day?

Ages 3 plus Flora and the Flamingo, Molly Idle $24.95 In this wordless book, with secret turning flaps artist Molly Idle has created a story full of humour and heart, with emotions that leap off the page, and memorable characters who are worthy of countless standing ovations.

Ages 3 plus

Our monthly children’s books are brought to you by our friends at The Grumpy Swimmer. 110 Ormond Road, Elwood. p: 9525 7488 Twitter: www.twitter.com/GrumpySwimmer Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheGrumpySwimmer 32

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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 company that runs workshops and coaching on many aspects involved in being a mum and working. For more information visit www.coaching4mums.com.au 34

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!

Parklife EASTERN RESERVE -

Corner of Park St & Eastern Rd South Melbourne Eastern Reserve is two triangle parks either side of Park Street, the Northern side reserved for dogs, whilst the Southern side, for lucky residents, has been redeveloped into a fabulous little playground. Almost fully fenced, this great park has been beautifully planted out using gorgeous natives, attracting lots of bird life. We saw two rainbow lorikeets frolicking in the red flowering gum until a neighbourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ginger friend came to say hi and scared them away! The playground has new barbeque facilities in a great pergola with tables and chairs. There are the ever important toilets, a basketball square for the older kids and a lawn area for a mini game of cricket. Fun for the littlies include swings, monkey bars, chain bridge, spider climbing net with adjoining slide, quirky cubby house, roundabout and some of those fun spring based rocking bikes. This natural looking park is the perfect spot for a Summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s BBQ. Get the whole family down there!

MamaMag park of the month!

MOTHERS Group $20 lunch special at the exchange hotel Every Wednesday 12 till 4pm Lunch includes a glass of house wine, sparkling or soft drink

39 Bay Street Port Melbourne theexchangehotel.net.au

PORT MELBOURNE

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Plenty of room for prams! Bookings recommended. Phone: 9810 0058 37

Find the perfect gift for your little ones with complimentary gift-wrapping and lay-bys welcome. Port Melbourne Store Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm & Sunday 10am to 3pm 293 Bay Street • Phone +61 3 9676 2532

Mentone Store Open Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm & Sunday 10am to 3pm 132 Balcombe Road • Phone: +61 3 9585 7814

Perfect gifts for babies, boys and girls www.tinypolkadots.com.au

- Annual Walkathon It’s difficult to say, but harder to live with Mastocytosis/Mast Cell Activation Disorder. “Masto” is very rare and affects both children and adults. In fact, it’s so rare that most medical practitioners haven’t even heard of it. Without any support from the government, The Australasian Mastocytosis Society (a not for profit organisation), are trying to raise funds with the goal of finding a much needed cure and we need your help!

Join the “March for Masto” Walkathon on International Rare Disease Day Saturday 28th February 2015 - 9am registration for a 10am start Catani Gardens, St Kilda. Please get involved. If you can’t join us on the day, you can make a donation.

Visit www.mastocytosis.com.au for more information or call the Fundraising & Event Manager on 0424 103 505. Live Local - Shop Local - and don’t forget to mention MamaMag!

THE WRITE START! Learning to write takes time, but there are many things your child can do to develop this skill even before they hold a pencil. Here are Five Tips for getting your pre-schooler ready to write!

1 2

3 4 5

Use LOWER CASE letters - This helps to model the correct letter formation. Even though capital letters are easier to write, when your child starts school they will need to learn the lower case so it’s best to teach them early. Only use capitals for the beginning of their name. Make it TACTILE - Draw a letter on a sheet of paper and use sticky dots, pasta, buttons, play doh etc. to stick on in the writing direction. Try finger tracing it with them a few times before they begin. By using finger paint, shaving cream or sand your child can practice writing freely, without the frustration of getting it wrong. You can always smooth it over and try again! If you don’t want so much mess, whiteboards are also a great option.

TRACING - When they are ready to hold a pencil and attempt to write on paper, start by drawing the letter in dots and have your child practise tracing first. You can use a dotted font on the computer to print out letters (or their name) in large type. Make it MEANINGFUL - When you are teaching your child to write a particular letter, talk about the sound it makes at the same time. If your are teaching your child their name, make sure they understand that you must write it from left to right and all on the one line!

BE POSITIVE - Praise all attempts and encourage your child to have a try. The more confidence they have, the more likely they are to want to learn to write. If they are not interested, don’t push it.

And remember, it’s very important to make sure children have developed their fine motor skills sufficiently before expecting them to be able to hold a pencil correctly and start to write. For more information about your pre-schooler’s literacy development, speak to your child’s Kinder teacher, maternal & child health nurse.

By Emily Weight - B.Ed. Primary Owner of Kinderschool Literacy & School Readiness Centre 40 40

2 Armstrong Street

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lovely locals

1. Pram friendly coffee and food - The Armstrong Street Food Store Take in the slower pace of Armstrong Street from the outside tables at this local’s favourite. Well-priced café mains look delicious and are made with care. And take some pastries home for later! 30 Armstrong Street. 2. Gorgeous homewares and gifts - Turner and Lane Their motto ‘just surround yourself with the things that you love and then be amazed at what you end up with’ rings true here. Turner & Lane is a homeware shopper’s paradise with something for every room of the house. Interior decor and giftwares, baby gifts, clothing and some beautiful one off vintage and antique pieces. 99 Canterbury Road www.turnerlane.com.au 3. Fresh produce - Gum Tree Good Food A little foodie haven in Middle Park, this place just makes you smile! It is a relatively small space but it has so much good food to be found. Fresh flowers and fresh produce plus fridges filled with pies, quiches, frittata, pizzas, pastas, cheeses, sauces and ready to go meals for lucky families with no time to cook. 36 Armstrong Street. 4. Kids toys and clothes - Cookie Kids The lovely Anna at Cookie Kids believes in sourcing quality, cutting edge, fun and comfortable gear for kids to hang out in, and toys to play with. Where possible, she supports local labels, and is proud to offer many unique ‘Made in Melbourne’ items. 253C Richardson Street www.cookiekids.com.au 5. Pamper time - Scope Skin and Care Scope’s passion is keeping up to date with the latest treatments, whilst providing their clients with the best possible advice in skin care and wellbeing. Facial treatments, mani & pedis, waxing, massages, make up, spray tans, skin advice and much more. 274 Richardson Street. www.scopebeauty.com.au 6. Date Night - The Middle Park Hotel Grab your hubby and head out for some sophisticated (but not pretentious) pub fair. The joy of eating real food is rediscovered at the Middle Park Hotel with their chef’s focus on bringing the best Victorian produce from ‘paddock to plate’. Join them for their weekend roast special in Feb. Entre, roast and dessert for $45! 102 Canterbury Road. middleparkhotel.com.au Each Each month month MamaMag MamaMag visit visit one one of of Port Port Phillip’s phillipillip’s bestbest shopping shopping precincts precincts to bring to bring you you new new ideas ideas for for coffee, coffee, lunch, lunch, shopping, shopping, fashion, fashion, kid’s kid’s clothes clothes and and more. more. Drop Drop us us an an email email at at submissions@mamamag.com.au submissions@mamamag.com.au if you’d if you’d like like usus toto visit visit your your favourite favourite spot. spot.

A place of laughter and discovery, our living classroom weaves planet friendly practice into creative parties and playtime. Apples & Jam believes the first step in caring for our world is to help children understand what makes it so special.

• playgroups • workshops • children’s parties 217-239 Montague Street South Melbourne • Ph 9682 6367 • applesandjam.com.au 42

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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

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.

By Sarah Fletcher, Quiet Mind Meditation www.quietmind.com.au 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) • Texters/ 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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win! WIN one of two Gooie lunch box and pencil case sets* from Tiny Polkadots - 293 Bay Street Port Melbourne. Simply post your entry by Feb 28th to MamaMag. PO Box 8018 North Road LPO, Brighton East VIC 3187 *Prize/design to be chosen in-store, designs subject to availability.

Name: Address:

Age: Postcode: 45 45

SPORTS AND EXERCISE FOR KIDS AGED 2-6

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1 October - 31 March • PUBLIC COURT HIRE • SOCIAL COMPETITION • COACHING

Bookings and enquiries: 9593 8188 www.albertparktennis.com.au

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live local– shop local MamaMag is a FREE magazine for the mums of the Port Phillip area. Without our local advertisers, MamaMag wouldn’t be able to bring you this little mag of monthly fun FREE. And without MamaMag you might not have known about the multitude of great local businesses and services available in the Port Phillip area. There might be a lot of ads in here, but we believe they are all businesses and services that local mums will love or need. And we wouldn’t be here without them. So... Live Local + Shop Local! Then you will be a true Local Mama! For advertising enquiries visit www.mamamag.com.au

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