Westside MamaMag May 2015

WESTSIDE

May 2015

WIN 1 of 15 endota spa 1 hour relaxation massage vouchers Homework help School readiness Anxiety in children Feed kids right Investing in education

free Local fun for the Westside mum 1

may it be our month?

Welcome back mamas! We’re getting right into the swing of things here at Westside MamaMag as we bring you our third issue. Our Mama of the Month is the very inspiring and hugely artistic Rebecca Ferguson from Little Creatures Collective, and we pop into Nicholson Street Footscray where we find delicious food offerings and some unexpected surprises. This month we also have a few education inspired articles for you, as many of you start to consider next year’s kinder and school enrolments for the first time, including one from the 100 Story Building about helping your children learn through creativity.

So the school holidays have been and gone. We enjoyed camping at Halls Gap over Easter where I had some of my best market finds ever, including a yellow glass pansy ring vase—swoon. Closer to home the girls decorated cupcakes at the Cupcake Queens in Williamstown and enjoyed acrobatics at Team Adrenalin in Maribyrnong. My oldest made a puppet at the Footscray Community Arts Centre’s amazing holiday program. And we spent hours at Brimbank Park, Williamstown beach, and checking out the Maribyrnong River.

As the leaves change colour our thoughts turn to blankets, DVD nights and soups. Of course May also brings Mother’s Day where we get to pretend that burnt toast in bed is just what we always wanted! Our extended family has an annual picnic where the mums prepare and bring all the food, but it really is lovely to take the time to celebrate mums. My MamaMag sister and I recently celebrated our mum’s 70th birthday with high tea in the St Kilda Botanic Gardens – she gives the MamaMag team, her daughters and her grandchildren so much support and joy.

We also celebrated our daughter’s 5th birthday with the obligatory Frozen cake.

I love making cakes and organising birthday parties—our June issue will be a party issue and I’m really looking forward to putting it all together. If you can’t wait, check out Confetti Fair Junior at Seaworks at the end of this month. @localmamamag

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Contents Homework tips From the Oz Super Nanny

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Ready for school Is your child ready?

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Worklife balance for kids Help build their blueprint

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Mama’s library roundup All the fun at your local libraries

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Anxiety in children 7 tips to help them

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Invest in education How it can work

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Turn the page 18 This months picks from Enchanted Years The exquisite corpse Adventures at 100 Story Building

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Feed kids right Helping our kids eat well

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Mama of the month Beck from Little Creatures Collective

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Parklife 27 Point Gellibrand Coastal Heritage Park

Williamstown

1 of 15* one hour relaxation massages from Endota spa endota.com.au/williamstown Entries open to VIC residents only from May 1st 12.01am until May 31st 2015 at 11.59pm. *5 vouchers available for Endota Brighton, 5 for Endota Port Melbourne and 5 for Endota Williamstown. For further details and full terms & conditions visit mamamag.com.au

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Mama can cook Meatballs and Chia pudding

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

School yard bullying How you can help your child

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Let’s get this party started Birthday party considerations

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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

Family travel made easy Top 10 tips to make it great

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In the village We visit Nicholson St Footscray

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Building bricks to educate Working with Lego

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Living with CF Cystic Fibrosis uncovered

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

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Baby change challenges A dad’s story of a nappy gone wrong

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MamaMag May 2015

5,000 copies are distributed monthly.

Westside Editor: Rebecca Gelsi Creative Director: Sarah Cavalier 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.

homework

By OzSuperNanny Angela Jacobsen My advice regarding ‘homework’ is to start when your child is one! This may sound odd but homework can be classed as any educational work done in the home.

For a toddler ‘homework’ can be spending 30 minutes reading to them, using playdough, colouring with crayons, finger painting, playing with musical instruments or pots and pans if you don’t have any, water play, sand play and the list goes on. The main point is that your child completes an activity that is educational.

Most toddlers will need your help so this is great bonding time and also great practise for you as their ‘ homework’ will only get harder and longer!

When your child starts preschool, kindergarten and then big primary school, they will start to bring home homework. This will start with readers and completing tasks such as colouring in and other activities that were not finished in class, also learning numbers and letters which moves on to writing and tracing. Before you know it your child will have hours of homework every night and there will be lots of arguing with them about finishing it on time!

By starting homework when your child is young they get into healthy habit which will make education fun and not a chore.

The best thing to do is complete the homework as soon as it comes in, or have your child do this if it is not a joint venture.

This is helping to teach your child about being organised and prepared rather than rushing at the last minute. Even if the work is not due until Friday get your child to complete the homework the night they receive it so that later in the week they are free for playdates and

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extra curricular activities. Also then if they are given more homework later in the week it does not mount up causing anxiety and stress for you both to get it finished. Doing homework over breakfast, rushed, when your child’s brain is not yet fully awake or functioning to their maximum is definitely not advised.

As your child’s homework grows it is best to have a planner. Most schools provide a homework planner but if your school doesn’t you can simply buy a white board so the homework can be altered from week to week. Your child can wipe off the completed homework to give them a sense of completion and achievement. Small goals should all be rewarded and if your child is using a sticker or reward chart homework should definitely be added to give further encouragement and praise.

For a toddler ‘ homework’ can be spending 30 minutes reading to them, using playdough or colouring with crayons Be sure to help your child when they need and pay attention wholeheartedly, this means phones away and focus on your child, they are little sponges and if you don’t concentrate on them they will not concentrate on their homework. Often a good place for children to complete their homework is at the kitchen bench while you make dinner, this way they are not being ostracised in their room to do homework and also you are there if they have a question or thought they would like your opinion on.

Never do your children’s homework for them, do it with them

tips Let them have their own ideas and creations, as bizarre as they may seem. It’s very easy to read for them and answer the maths questions but your child will learn a lot more if you make them sound it out or add it up themselves, even if they make mistakes praise their effort and encourage them to try again. When they get their homework correct praise them for concentrating and listening in class or to yourself if you were explaining to them.

Make sure you sit with your child or close by if they are using the internet to research their homework.

We all know what pops up on our screens from time to time and one wrong letter or click could have your child experiencing a cyber world you wish they never found! I suggest keeping your computer locked and close observation when your child is using the internet.

Most importantly make homework fun so it is not something to be dreaded and remember soon your kids will be moved on so make the most of this bonding time while you still have them at home.

Angela Jacobsen, Oz Super Nanny www.ozsupernanny.com

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READY FOR As your child heads towards their first school year, you may be starting to think about whether they will be ready to take this next big step. Your child’s kindergarten teacher will also be observing their ‘school readiness’, and will discuss their thoughts around your child’s school readiness with you. So what exactly does school readiness mean?

• express ideas and emotions

A child may be considered ‘school ready’ when they have achieve a certain level of development that will allow him or her to cope with – and even thrive in – the school environment.

• manage tough feelings, such as disappointment or frustration

In the past, it was thought that a child was ‘school ready’ once they had mastered basic academic skills. It is now known that directly teaching academic skills in the early years is not, in fact, helping children develop cognitive skills any sooner.

The more critical building blocks for school readiness have been a topic of much interest in recent years in the fields of child development, education and well-being. With knowledge of these building blocks, caregivers and early educators may feel better equipped to foster school readiness during a child’s pre-school years.

The most significant factor when it comes to school readiness relates to a child’s socialemotional development. This is the part of development that relates to your child’s understanding of who they are, what they are feeling, and what they can expect from others.

Social-emotional skills are at the heart of all social interactions, and directly link to a child’s feelings of self-confidence and the ability to make and maintain friendships.

Healthy social-emotional development is sometimes described as the ability to: • make and maintain appropriate relationships • experience a range of emotions, while feeling that those emotions are manageable

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• be curious and willing to learn, explore and interact with the world Children with well-developed socialemotional skills are also considered to be more able to: • display empathy

• demonstrate resilience • develop self-esteem and feel confident in themselves • become independent with ageappropriate tasks • make friends • succeed in school All areas of development (thinking skills, motor skills, play skills, social interaction skills and language development) are directly influenced by how a child feels about himself and how he or she is able to express his or her own ideas and feelings.

This social-emotional development occurs through a child’s early experiences, particularly through their relationships with primary caregivers. These early experiences and interactions influence a child’s social-emotional development, and how their whole brain develops.

So how can we create early experiences and interactions that foster social-emotional development?

Parents, caregivers and early educators can support development by exposing their child to a variety of materials and spaces where the child can experiment and play, by following the child’s interests, by setting up situations where the child can make appropriate choices, and by providing lots of opportunities for sensory, hands-on experiences. The aim is to allow

children to explore, create and discover, and develop a love of learning – thus securing the necessary foundation skills for a successful education.

As we support a child’s social-emotional development, the child’s natural interests, curiosities, confidence and brain connections lead them towards developing other valuable ‘school skills’, such as: • speech and language skills such as the ability to express our ideas and emotions clearly, and understand other people’s ideas and emotions • phonological (sound) awareness including listening to language and looking at books • the ability to encounter problems in play, and overcome these through regulating our emotions and communicating with another person.

So what happens when a child requires more support to get ‘school ready’?

For some children, social-emotional development may not occur as naturally as for his or her peers. In these cases, either extra input, or a slightly different type of input, may be required for that child to reach the socialemotional milestones required for school.

Some families find it helpful to access early intervention services in the year leading up to school, to gain ideas around supporting their child’s individual needs. Early intervention

services that may be helpful in preparing for school may include the following: • Screening assessments – a Paediatric Speech Therapist and/or Occupational Therapist will be able to complete a basic set of screening assessment tasks with your child to determine where they are currently performing with a range of social, communication and play skills, in order to guide you around what interventions may be of benefit.

• Formal assessments – when planning to commence at a particular school, some families are encouraged to have formal assessment completed in regards to their child’s language, social, and/or cognitive development.

• Individual therapy – individual Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy, and/ or Psychology sessions are sometimes recommended by a child’s kinder teacher, to address certain areas of need.

• Social Skills Groups – often a child is able to demonstrate a good range of socialemotional skills with supportive adults, such as their kinder teachers or caregivers, but have things ‘fall apart’ when around other children. A play-based social skills group can be a positive forum for practising socialemotional skills with peers.

Written by Alyssa Mann, Speech Therapist, Sensational Kids. www.sensationalkids.com.au

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work life balance for kids It might sound crazy using the term work life balance and kids in the same sentence but childhood really is the time in which we develop the work life balance blueprint for our future.

My Gecko team works with thousands of children across the country every week and I also have a personal training studio dedicated to working with busy mums and dads, so trust me when I say the challenges facing children are not that different to those we face as adults. Children have social pressures of making friends and maintaining existing friendships, academic pressures of consistently getting good marks and making decisive subject choices and of course staying active and healthy with so much of their social and academic existence revolving around screens and social media.

As parents we are always role models in which our children will continually absorb information and mimic behaviours and attitudes.

As adults we continuously feel that there are not enough hours in the day to be able to get everything done. Kids may not outwardly voice this frustration, but they feel the same way.

We need to understand the cycle of work life balance; habits we create for our children are likely to become a precedent for their adult life and equally important is the work life balance we have as parents as this will be perceived by children as the acceptable norm.

I never underplay the importance of a great education for our children. Combined with family environment it is the most critical influence in a child’s life but if you believe, 8

like I do, that balance in all things is a key consideration in quality of life then you should read the following: 1. Take a close look at your own work life balance and make sure you are setting a good example for your kids. If you need to make changes – make them in a transparent manner and talk to your children about the changes you are making and why.

2. Review your children’s current situation and evaluate screen time per day in and out of school as well as minutes of activity per day.

School screen time is a key part of education these days but I recommend a 1:1 ratio of outside hours screen time to activity.

3. Make sure your children are involved in at least one sport all year round. Sport not only ensures our children are active and are developing key motor skills, it also provides imperative social platforms for having fun with friends and is the start of developing healthy habits for later in life.

4. Make sure balance carries over into nutritional choices. The best advice for children is to make their plate look like a rainbow!

It is always harder to change a bad habit later in life than it is to develop good ones as children when we are easily moulded and influenced. …….and remember that as parents we are always role models in which our children will continually absorb information and mimic behaviours and attitudes.

By Sam Wood – Founder and Director of Gecko Sports and the Woodshed. www.geckosports.com.au

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Mama’s LibrarY Libraries are a great place to introduce your child to storytelling and the children’s librarians are expert in getting children involved in the group with singing, stories, and maybe even some simple instruments. There are separate story times for under twos and over twos so there will be something for your child. Libraries also cater for school aged children with programs running during school terms and school holiday activities.

Hobsons Bay Hobsons Bay has libraries in Altona, Altona Meadows, Altona North, Newport and Williamstown.

As well as books you can borrow DVDs, CDs, audiobooks and magazines. You can even borrow audiobooks and ebooks from home!

You can use Xbox, Kinect and Playstation 3 consoles in the libraries or use the free Wi-Fi. The Friends of Altona Libraries, and Friends of Williamstown and Newport Libraries hold regular book sales at Altona and Williamstown Libraries. Williamstown library also has a social enterprise café on site.

Rhyme time

Chess club

Rhyme time is for babies and toddlers under two years of age. The sessions are super engaging with rhymes, songs, stories and play.

The sessions run for around half an hour.

This friendly club is run by young people and everyone is welcome. Children can play or learn to play.

All libraries except Newport, during school terms.

Story time Story time is run at each of the Hobsons Bay libraries. It is held on a different day at each library. Williamstown’s story times are on Saturdays—perfect for those who can’t take their children during the week. Story time is for preschool aged children. The sessions are a little longer at 45 minutes. In the warmer months these story times go outside to the parks.

On at all Hobsons Bay libraries.

Kinda Kinder Enhance your child’s learning and development of literacy, numeracy and socialising skills through play and fun activities. These sessions are led by Victoria University students doing the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood/ Primary).

Tuesdays during university semesters at Altona Meadows and Altona North.

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Altona Meadows on Tuesdays during school terms.

Monthly Minecraft meets Minecraft meets are for children aged eight to 14. The library provides laptops and the meets are run by young people on the first Wednesday of each month. Bookings open two weeks before each session.

Monthly at Altona North Library.

Bilingual Bilingual children’s titles are available in Arabic, Chinese, Croatian, Greek, Italian, Maltese and Vietnamese. Bilingual storytimes are also available throughout the year.

School holiday activities The libraries run activities each school holidays.

They have an amazing range of activities to suit lots of interests. They even have a reptile display each summer holiday! Some of these activities require booking – you can find the details online or in the libraries towards the end of each term.

ROUNDUP Maribyrnong Maribyrnong has libraries in West Footscray, Footscray, Yarraville, Maribyrnong and at the new community hub in Braybrook. Each library has books for children of all ages, DVDS, CDs, audiobooks and magazines. There are children’s books in languages other than English. You can also borrow audiobooks and ebooks over the Internet. The libraries host children’s movies from time to time and even art exhibitions.

Baby rhyme time

School holiday activities

These story times for babies and toddlers 0-2 years old are led by specialist children’s librarians and are really fun with singing, books and even a bit of dance.

Each library holds activities during the school holidays. These range from crafts to entertainers, even writing workshops. There are often activities specifically for teens too. There are also activities for various cultural celebrations, such as Chinese New Year and Cultural Diversity Week.

All branches during school terms.

Monthly at Footscray, Footscray West, Maribyrnong and Braybrook. Weekly at Yarraville.

Preschool story time Two to five year olds can enjoy stories, songs, rhymes, and a simple craft activity.

All branches during school terms.

Lego club

Bookings are often required – you can find out more in the libraries or on the website.

For more information visit: www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au/library www.libraries.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au

Five to 12 year olds can come along to build, play and meet other lego fans – no need to book.

Once a month during school terms at West Footscray Library.

Kid’s club (all libraries) This is an exciting, fun club for kids aged 5-12 years. They can enjoy craft activities, talk about the books they are reading and be the first to borrow the new books and DVDs. A snack is provided.

Once a month at all branches.

Bookings are not required.

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anxiety in children The Anxiety Recovery Centre Victoria state that the prevalence of anxiety in our children ranging from 7 to 11 years old is now between 5.7% and 15.4%. The rate in adolescents is extremely alarming at between 8.7% and 17.7%. As a teacher in many different primary schools over the years, and many of these years in a Prep classroom, I have all too often come across children that are anxious about the learning taking place in their classroom every day who have not been armed with the skills to overcome this distress.

Here are some great tips to assist your child if they are anxious about school and learning:

1. Don’t talk them out of it As a parent we need to reassure our children that we understand how they are feeling and that the feelings of anxiety affect all people at different stages of life. Phrases like “You’ll get over it” are not comforting or not what children want to hear.

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2. Normalise Anxiety is a normal feeling and it can be experienced in many different circumstances like sitting an exam or talking in front of the class. However, there are tactics that can be used to make it go away.

3. Explain how anxiety feels We need to explain the physical feelings associated with anxiety.

• Breathing can change from slow deep breath to fast little breaths.

• Your heart beats faster to get the oxygen around your body.

• Your arms and legs may feel tense and your muscles tighter.

• You will sweat, that is your body’s way of cooling you down.

• You may have butterflies in your stomach or your mouth may feel dry.

4. Explain how common anxiety is in adults and kids 1 in 8 kids have had to deal with anxiety.

Don’t bottle it all up because there is a pretty good chance that one of your friends or someone in your class has felt the same way, maybe even your teacher!

5. Give it a name Get your child to give the feeling of anxiety a name. Also allow them to picture what they think the anxiety would look like. Externalising this feeling can help children to see that something else is the problem, not them.

6. Now get them into position You need to feel like the boss again. Breathe deeply and slowly, hold your breath for a second and breathe out. Make sure you are breathing right down to your belly, not just into the chest. Do this about 5 or 6 times.

Anxiety in children ranging from 7 to 11 years old is between 5.7% and 15.4%.

7. Practice mindfulness Being aware of the present moment. • Close your eyes and notice your breathing.

Concentrate on the belly rising and falling and how the air feels inside. • Listen to what you can hear? What can you feel on the inside and the outside of your body? If your mind starts to think about other things, focus on how you are breathing again.

Anxiety is very treatable, but it requires practice and time to assist your child to feel comfortable and confident. The most important thing is to talk about it with your child and to normalise it! At Kip McGrath tutoring centres we assist students to become more confident, organised and capable learners. We cater for all students.

Those who may need a little extra assistance in understanding the daily learning taking place in the classroom, to those students who are wanting to achieve more than standards require.

By Kylie Egar Kip McGrath Education Centre

Anxiety in adolescents is between 8.7% and 17.7%.

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Reading confidence What makes a confident reader?

Have you ever seen a child who is able to read a passage of text aloud only to be stumped when it comes to explaining what they have just read? A child’s reading development is a gradual process and as parents, being there to support them every step of the way can ensure your child becomes a confident reader with a love of books.

Here are some tips to support you in modelling a love of reading to your children:

Many parents think that their bed-time story ritual is over as soon as their children are able to read by themselves. But reading doesn’t just mean saying words out loud, it means understanding what the text is trying to tell us.

1. Pre-read the book first. This will help you to know when to show emotion and how, whether it be surprise, suspense, sadness etc. It also gives you time to practice different voices for different characters.

While being able to recognise and pronounce words from what is seen on the page is an impressive feat, it does not always mean the child understands what the text is trying to say. It would be similar to reading a different language that uses the English alphabet – we can read it but we can’t understand it.

2. Read with enthusiasm. Take the mindset that you are telling a story, not just reading.

Telling a story requires an element of performance; changes of voice or hand gestures are a good start, you don’t have to be an Oscar winner to hold your children’s attention.

One significant element which makes a confident reader is the skill of comprehension.

Children who are able to comprehend what they read will start to see fantastic stories where they can escape to another world rather than seeing words as text in front of them. So what can we do to support our children towards understanding what they’re reading? The answer is almost as old as a book itself.

3. Engage your child in the story. If your children can read, ask them to do one of the voices of the characters.

Reading to our children has always been recommended but how we read to our children may be just as important. It’s not always easy after a long day but the next time you read to your children, think about reading a book as telling them a story. This might mean changing your voice to signify a character is speaking or creating drama by whispering a secret.

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By modelling story-telling techniques, your child will understand and enjoy books more and more. And, as we know, children are quick to copy what we do so you can expect to see your child trying to read with expression and gain a greater understanding of the story in the process.

4. Check your children’s understanding of the text with questions like, ‘how do you think this character is feeling?’, ‘what do you think will happen next?’, ‘what happened to that character?’

5. Continue to share books and stories even if they can read alone. Reading development is a journey that continues well after a child can pick up a book by themselves. Make your next book choice easier by visiting www.readtogether.com.au.

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invest in education What better investment can you make than in your child’s education?

Parents and grandparents with the means to do so, often wish to set aside money to help their children or grandchildren with the costs of education, the purchase of a home or car, or overseas travel.

However investing on behalf of a child comes with its own complications and considerations.

For instance, do you know that children under the age of 18 and not earning an income are taxed at the highest marginal tax rate? This means that if you make an investment under your child’s name, he or she will lose almost half of their investment gains in tax. This seems unfair, I know, but the tax office established these rules specifically to prevent wealthy parents from investing their money in their children’s names to avoid paying tax. So it makes sense.

Not only that, there can be potential issues for adults should they invest on behalf of children but in their own name. Often the adult will still be regarded as owning the investment (their money was used to fund the investment after all and the investment is in their name) and this can potentially impact their Centrelink benefits.

There are also gifting rules around the Age Pension that must be considered.

How about Estate Planning considerations?

If the adult were to die (a particularly important consideration for grandparents) and they are still the legal owner of the assets, the investment would form part of their Estate.

Even if these are to be passed on correctly according to the Will, it is possible that issues could arise if another family member wished to contest the Will.

Why does it have to be so complicated?

It doesn’t. One way to reduce all this complexity is through an Investment Bond. An Investment Bond allows you to invest in various asset classes such as cash, fixed interest, property and shares, but they have a unique tax treatment, and are particularly useful for long term investments such as children’s education costs.

An Investment Bond has a number of key advantages over other investment products: • Tax effective: income is taxed inside the bond at the corporate rate (30%) rather than your marginal rate. This makes it ideal for high income earners looking to get their kids into private schooling.

• No capital gains: when you switch between investment options (you don’t incur any capital gains tax, you do with managed funds) • No impact to your tax return: there’s no need to include anything (income or capital gain) on your tax return if your funds remain invested for 10 years. If withdrawn in less than 10 years, tax rebates apply.

• After 10 years there is no tax liability whatsoever on withdrawals. (That’s right, if you keep your Investment Bond ticking away for ten years you will not pay any tax on the proceeds when you withdraw.)

• You can access your money at any time (just like any other managed fund, which should give you peace of mind) • You can nominate beneficiaries (the kids) and the proceeds can be paid very quickly and directly to them with no tax implications. (proceeds do not go via the estate so it cannot be contested)

Information contained in this article is of a general nature only. It does not constitute financial or taxation advice. The information does not take into account your objectives, needs and circumstances. We recommend that you obtain investment and taxation advice specific to your investment objectives, financial situation and particular needs before making any investment decision or acting on any of the information contained in this article.

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How it all works in practice: The adult is the policy owner who nominates an age (between 10 and 25 years old) when the policy is to be transferred into the child’s name.

No stamp duty is payable on the transfer. At the time of application the nominated child needs to be less than 16 years old and if no vesting age is nominated, the transfer automatically occurs at age 25.

Have a few set up, and stagger them, for education, graduation, or a house, or car, or to fund a gap year.

You can start with a lump sum, or as little as $500. You can make extra contributions to your Investment Bond each year, provided you don’t invest more than 125% of your previous year’s investment amount. If you do, the ten years tax free period starts again.

Of course investing on behalf of a child or grandchild requires considerable research and consideration. And the most suitable option for you will depend on a range of factors such as your tax position, the child’s situation, grandparent’s situation, and how and when the investment needs to be accessed.

It always makes sense to seek professional advice specific to your situation before proceeding with a strategy. If you would like to discuss these options in more detail, please contact Nicole Heales. www.creatingprosperity.com.au

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turn the page Blow Me A Kiss by Karen Collum & Serena Geddes Samuel loves going shopping with his mummy. He smiles and blows kisses to all the unhappy shoppers thereby spreading fun and happiness to all those around him. The simple and playful text makes this a perfect picture book for children aged 3 years +.

Age 3 years +.

Paperback $14.99.

The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak 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... Hey, what kind of book is this, anyway? At once disarmingly simple and ingeniously imaginative, The Book With No Pictures inspires laughter everytime it is opened, creating a warm and joyous experience to share - and introducing young children to the powerful idea that the written word can be an unending source of mischief and delight.

Age 4 years +. Hardback $19.99.

The Treasure Box by Margaret Wild & Freya Blackwood From two of Australia’s most talented picture-book creators comes this celebration of things that can’t be destroyed by bombs or fire. A haunting and beautiful tale of the power of words, the importance of stories and the resilience of the human spirit. As war rages, Peter and his father flee their home, taking with them a treasure box that holds something more precious than jewels. They journey through mud and rain and long cold nights, and soon their survival becomes more important than any possessions they carry. But as the years go by, Peter never forgets the treasure box, and one day he returns to find it...

Age 5 – 10 years. Hardback $24.99.

Enchanted Years is an independent children’s boutique store selling books (including foreign language children’s books), toys, arts & crafts, clothes and room decor for children aged 0 - 10.

Join us for story time on Wednesdays at 10.30am. Follow our facebook page to find out more about author events and special offers.

Open 7 days a week. www.enchantedyears.com.au 18

30 Ferguson St Williamstown. Ph 9397 1154

enchanted years has a wide selection of high quality wooden toys, games, books, dress-ups, clothing and bedroom decor. each item in our store is individually selected allowing us to stock a range of products that are as unique as the child you love.

30 Ferguson Street Williamstown - 9397 1154 - www.enchantedyears.com.au

Are your kids brushing well?

Interest free payment plans We bulk-bill Medicare for the Childs Dental Scheme $1000 of dental care for kids aged 2 – 18 for families that qualify for the CDBS Health fund extras?

No out of pocket on Check & Cleans for health fund members with benefits available

Dr Casey Edgar, Dr Alex Stojcev, Dr Ben Scully, Dr Russell McDonald, Dr Sam El-Haddad. Oral Health Therapists Mark, Cathy & Joseph.

6 /44 Hampstead Road, Maidstone 3012 Call for appointments 9317 3144 SmartChoiceDental.com.au Live Local - Shop Local - and don’t forget to mention MamaMag!

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THE Exquisite Corpse, And other adventures at the 100 Story Bulding.

Monday afternoons at 100 Story Building are for BooWriClu (Book+Writing+Club all squished together). Children from diverse backgrounds come in to read a book, draw, write stories, or to explore other worlds. We also invite their families in. Some children come with their parents, some with their grandparents, some with older siblings. Like Peter, who comes with his dad. Peter’s dad said Peter has trouble with his handwriting and spelling, but in BooWriClu Peter’s focused on what items to put in his Hero’s Backpack that might help on a Perilous Quest. Once his dad used to sit and observe, but now both of them get stuck in to drawing a Treasure Map of Squashfish Island. Meanwhile, Peter is spelling and writing; listing his backpack items in his own handmade book.

Children have bursting imaginations but by giving them the tools to channel their ideas into stories, they stretch their creative and literacy muscles simultaneously.

When children create together with their families, they merge ideas together and make things that are far richer than any one thought alone, but they also get to see role models making mistakes. Here, we encourage talking thought processes aloud and showing children that we don’t always know the answer, but we will take a risk and see what happens. In fact, we rarely know the answer and that’s part of the fun.

Want to try this at home?

Have a go at an Exquisite Corpse!

You can play with your children or any number of people, young and old. All you need is one piece of A4 paper and pencil each.

Step 1: Fold your paper into thirds horizontally, like a letter in an envelope, so there is a top third, a middle third and a bottom third. Each third is for a different body part of your Exquisite Corpse: head, torso and legs.

Step 2: Draw a head on the top third with the neck touching the fold. When we say ‘head’, we mean anything – a pirate, a fish, a puffin, a laser-eyed shark - it doesn’t have to be good, it’s better if it’s bad! Demonstrate how to take a creative risk. Try saying ‘I’ve never drawn this type of head before but here goes…’ You can limit the perfectionist in any of you by setting a 45sec time limit for each part. When you have finished, make sure that the two lines of the neck extend just across the fold to the middle third of the page. Fold the head behind, out of sight.

Step 3: Swap your paper with someone else and use their neck lines as the start of a crazy torso. Once the torso is drawn extend the two waistlines over the fold to the bottom third and make sure only the waistlines can be seen.

Step 4: Swap and draw some legs, some

tentacles, robot-tank tracks or whatever you want on the bottom.

Once you have all finished, reveal the finished ‘beings’. Want to do more? Ask what they are called, where might they live, what is the thing they have always wanted more than anything else in the world? And remember, there are no wrong answers!

100 Story Building 92 Nicholson Street, Footscray 3011 www.100storybuilding.org.au

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Osteopathy • Myotherapy • Massage Therapy • Pilates • Podiatry

We assist with the following

Now offering Clinical Pilates

• Back and neck pain • Headaches and migraines • Sports injuries • Pregnancy related back pain • Postural strains • Tendonitis • Asthma • Newborns and children • Rehabilitation for musculoskeletal strains, sprains and injuries • Acute and chronic injuries

Pilates is a fantastic form of exercise for rehabilitation of all your injuries as well as helping you move through your day more efficiently. Classes may be rebated through your private helath fund. Small group or individual sessions available.

Mon: 9am - 7.15pm | Tues: 9am - 7.15pm | Wed: 9am - 8pm Thurs: 9am - 7.15pm | Fri: 9am - 7pm | Sat: 9am - 1.00pm Located centrally within Altona - On-site parking available

65 Millers Road Altona - Ph: 9315 9007 www.the-osteopathic-clinic.com.au

Williamstown Psychology consists of a team of highly experienced psychologists who each offer specialised skills in counselling, psychotherapy and psychological approaches to addressing a range of issues.

We offer specialised care in: • child & adolescent issues • pregnancy • fertility issues & IVF • parenting • relationships • grief & loss • depression & anxiety • sexuality & gender • adults dealing with childhood trauma.

Please contact us on 03 9397 1698 for a confidential conversation about your needs.

fernwoodfitness.com.au facebook.com/fernwoodfitness

98A Ferguson Street Williamstown www.williamstownpsychology.com.au 21

Feed kids right Late last year I was invited to give educational talks about Nutrition and Healthy Eating at a local school. It amazed me how eager the children were to learn about their growing bodies and the impact of food on their health.

These keen little students, not only grasped with ease complex nutritional concepts, but they were also very interested to know what effects chemicals in processed foods can have on their bodies. After one of the lessons, a 9 year old girl came up to show me her usual snack bar and enquire about its nutritional value. This savvy customer wasn’t at all pleased with some of the listed ingredients in her snack and made a declaration of choosing more wisely next time. Amazing I thought!

Education really is key.

This year, my 5 year old started school and as we adjust to the new routine, I can’t help but notice the frustration many parents feel over their child’s lunchbox contents and eating habits in general. Rightly so, because the fast, easy, packaged, convenience approach may be ok on occasion, however, there’s no secret, taking regular shortcuts in the way we feed our kids can compromise their

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optimal growth, development and future health. The most prevalent health problems affecting Australian children include obesity, emotional and behavioural issues and learning difficulties.

Your child’s meal should do more than just provide energy.

Food is the source of cellular nourishment providing the body with the building blocks necessary for countless chemical reactions and all bodily processes. Don’t forget, even when your child is asleep, their little bodies are growing and building new tissue. Busy little ones, indeed.

High energy-density foods like fast foods, lollies, biscuits, packaged snacks and sugary drinks are not only poor nutritionally but they tend to fill kids up quickly and push the more nutritious food choices off the menu.

So let’s look at ways you can maximise your child’s potential, intellectual performance and help them stay physically and mentally healthy by making more educated food choices at the grocery store.

Get fat smart! Essential fatty acids found in foods like fish and seafood, eggs, butter, animal products (preferably organic to limit exposure to chemical residues), legumes, full fat milk, nuts and seeds, avocados, whole grains, coconut oil and sea vegetables, are not only nourishing for the brain, but they also enhance the immune function, improving your child’s protection against microbes and infectious organisms. Fats to avoid like the plague, however, are the highly processed vegetable oils. Hydrogenated and chemically altered, these fats are highly inflammatory and carcinogenic. Margarines, and vegetable cooking oils are prime examples.

Hydrate! Your child is likely to put play before adequate hydration so it may feel like you are constantly running after them with a glass of fluid.

However, helping your child develop a habit of drinking water through the day, even before they feel the sensation of thirst, is a wise investment in their health. For school lunch boxes, a frozen water bottle will also work well to keep the contents cool and fresh.

Less processed more plant! Your child needs a wholesome diet, abundant in fresh, living, nutrient-dense foods. Including fresh plant foods, like fruits and vegetables will make sure that your child is getting the vitamins, minerals, enzymes and phytonutrients that every cell in their body relies on. Choose organic, locally grown and seasonal. Aim to include as many bright colours as possible on your child’s plate. As a general rule, the more brightly pigmented the plant, the better its nutrient profile.

Cookies and snack bars are best home-baked. Search for healthy recipes and involve your child in the kitchen. Every time you cook

something healthy as a family, you are establishing a healthy food culture at home ensuring that your child learns the skill of eating for their health. Children love to cook, and are fascinated by the preparation of food. Use that natural curiosity to help them build a healthy relationship with food, one that is filled with culinary adventure and experimentation.

Be sugar-savvy. As with most foods, it is not the food itself, in its natural form, that is either good or bad, but rather what we then do to that food, and how we process it, that makes all the difference. White sugar, high fructose corn syrup, glucose syrup and artificial sweeteners are the hidden baddies in most processed foods. These are highly refined, bleached or altered, poor nutritionally, inflammatory, addictive and giving your child (and you) mood swings from hell. But don’t despair. Not all that is sweet, is bad for you. Whole, natural sweeteners in their unprocessed form (e.g. unprocessed cane sugar, rapadura sugar, coconut sugar, maple syrup, rice syrup, raw or manuka honey) still have all their nutrients intact. Rich in vitamins and minerals, these are not as detrimental to our health as their processed cousins. So feel free to bake your cookie and eat it too!

When planning your child’s meals and school lunches don’t forget to include quality protein.

Best sources include animal products such as meat, fish, full-cream milk, cheese, and eggs and plant sources such as nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes and sea vegetables. Proteins are the building blocks of life so ensure a steady supply in your child’s diet.

As parents it is important to teach your child a healthy attitude towards food. Seeing food as a source of nourishment beyond the physical level, delicious and joyful source of life that it is. Food choices should never be about deprivation or fear. Your child will pick up on your attitudes towards food and imitate your beliefs, so it is important that you have a healthy relationship with food. Don’t label any particular food as GOOD or BAD, be balanced and flexible. Relax at birthday parties and celebrations, there is a time and place to educate your child about healthy eating and there is a time to just enjoy the moment.

Be the best example that you can be, and trust that the efforts you make at home, will empower your child to make smart choices in time.

By Justyna Kalka Justyna is a qualified nutritionist, fitness lover and martial arts expert. www.justynakalka.com.au 23

MAMA of the month It is often said that creativity is the most underrated life skill taught in school today but at Little Creatures Collective, an art school just for kids, creativity is king!

Artist and Founder Beck Ferguson shares with us the success of the school – her mission is to use her fine art skills and wealth of experience to teach creative process and fine art techniques to her students in a truly unique setting.

You obviously have a love of art, what did you do before your daughter was born?

Before my daughter was born I spent many years studying and indulging my inner geek.

I spent 10 years working in health services, firstly as a nurse and then as a medical laboratory technician. My last job, at the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute at the Royal Childrens Hospital, was in a diagnostic laboratory specialising in genetic testing. Prior to this I spent a number of years working in medical research which I loved.

My class sizes are small and we focus closely on the development of the individual students, this provides a truly unique experience. I always come up with interesting ways to get my students to analyse other artists’ work and develop an appreciation for others’ art; this in turn inspires them to try new techniques and gives them keen observation skills as artists.

What inspired you to start a business?

How did you start out?

Whilst pregnant with my daughter (who is now two and a half) I thought a great deal about what I would teach her and whether she would be creative like me. I realised that all children are instinctively creative, all they need is a little inspiration and know-how and so I started to look around for children’s activities that focus on art and the creative process. I couldn’t find a single one! This inspired me to share my passion for creativity and love for art, and so Little Creatures Collective came to be. I simply just love to plan out each session and watch as the students revel in the challenges I set each week, they all find the classes very satisfying!

It’s hard to imagine but starting out I ran my little art school from my home in Seddon. I ran 3 classes a week, which quickly filled, and before I knew it the school had moved to its own dedicated, fully fitted out art studio. The school was very popular and well received by the community, without whom I simply would not be where I am today.

What is so unique about Little Creatures Collective?

Little Creatures Collective is unique as we teach creative process, a valuable life skill with endless applications across a broad range of subjects. Working independently to come up with creative solutions to problems is a key outcome of our classes. Additionally, as an artist I have spent most of my life developing and 24

refining my skills in fine art and I share all that I have learnt when it comes to technical skills across painting (oil and acrylic), drawing and sculpture.

And how did you get from there to where you are now?

Little Creatures Collective Started out with the Little Artist Program in 2013 which teaches creative process to 2-5 year olds while creating magical masterpieces and instilling confidence in both children and parents to create together.

In 2014 we extended our services to the Young Artist Program (6-12 years), Free To Be Me Paint Sessions (12-24 months), Birthday Parties and finally our ever so popular School Holiday Program, which is consistently rated in the top 10 kids events in Melbourne across many blogs.

Is there anything that has really helped you on this journey?

Community engagement played a huge role in getting out and spreading the word. On any given weekend you could find me at a charity event, market stall or festival, running creative workshops for all ages that showcased just how unique and special the school is. This was such a valuable opportunity for me to meet the people in my community. People who ordinarily would not have given my classes a second thought found themselves enchanted by the creativity and wonder of the Little Creatures Collective.

Supporting community initiatives is some of the most rewarding work I have done for the school.

What does the future hold for Little Creatures Collective?

Little Creatures Collective is ever expanding – onward, upward, out of the atmosphere, exploding with awesomeness. Our team has now expanded to 3 exceptionally talented artists who bring a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the arts including fine art, graphic design, visual merchandising, art therapy, textile design and teaching.

Our goal will always be to instill a life long passion for creativity; we believe the applications for creative thinking in life are boundless. In the future the school will continue its mission to provide a unique learning experience for each of our students and continue to strive for greatness!

And finally, what is your guilty pleasure?

As a lover of art imitating life, I would have to say my guiltiest of guilty pleasures is reality tv, most notably Survivor. Coming in a close second would have to be collecting Hello Kitty merchandise, this is something I committed to wholeheartedly as a child and I’ve never had the good sense to give it up.

To find out more about Beck and her Little Creatures Collective art school visit: www.littlecreaturescollective.com www.facebook.com/littlecreaturescollective

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MOTHER’S WINTER WELLNESS RETREATS July & August 2015

Chateau Yering, Yarra Valley

Weekend package priced at $798* includes:

Get Your Mama Fit On! Burn fat, build strength, laugh, sweat and enjoy your way to feeling fabulous!

3 course dinner at Eleonore’s restaurant

2 Weeks Unlimited Small Group Training for $49.

Relaxation massage in your private suite

No Fitness Experience Necessary.

Hypnosis, yoga and meditation sessions

Call Us Today!

Williamstown - 9397 8292 Fitzroy North - 9486 2822

Luxury overnight suite accommodation

Stress management & self awareness Morning & Afternoon teas by the open fire Breakfast & Lunches in the Sweetwater Cafe Weekend facilitated by Justine Knott, Psychologist & Hypnotherapist *Medicare rebates of up to $256 available under a MHCP from a GP

Contact 9331 7391 or visit www.keilorpsychology.com.au for details.

Present this offer for a FREE trial class! www.healthyfit.com.au Live Fit - Live Life!

mamma knows west Inspiring families to uncover amazing stuff nearby.

mammaknowswest.com.au

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Live Local - Shop Local - and don’t forget to mention MamaMag!

Brought to you by:

Parklife Point Gellibrand Coastal Heritage Park Point Gellibrand has a rich history. It was the site of Victoria’s first permanent settlement and seaport and was crucial to the initial growth of the state.

Located at the southern end of Point Gellibrand Coastal Heritage Park, this playground hosts spectacular views of Point Gellibrand and the bay and creates a picture perfect backdrop for your next family get together. Take in the salty air and the squeals of joy as your little (and big!) people explore this great space. The playground equipment is excellent with swings, fort, bridges, climbing net, monkey bar, springer, fireman’s

and spiral poles, 2 slides and a short tunnel.

There is also a large grassy field which is perfect for ball games and kite-flying. The playground suits a wide age group with soft fall in case of a tumble or two. Your mission is to throw a couple of snags on the bbq and relax.

A cycle or walk along the Bay trail is also an excellent way to view the park.

The nitty gritty

bbq - park benches - lots of free parking - picnic tables - public toilets nearby - little shade

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mama can Cook!

Amazing Meatballs Serves: 4 | Prep: 5min | Cook: 25min

Method:

Ingredients:

Mix spices together in a bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of spices to mince and mix together thoroughly adding a little egg to bind mixture together. Season with salt and pepper

250g Veal mince 250g Pork mince small pinch cayenne pepper (optional) ½ tsp tumeric 1 tsp ground cumin ½ tsp sweet paprika ½ tsp ground coriander 1 egg, beaten 1 onion, finely diced 1 clove garlic, crushed 3 tbsp tomato paste 1 cup veg stock salt and pepper

Form mixture into walnut size pieces and sear in a hot pan until nicely coloured on the outside. Do this in batches if your pan is small.

Heat another pan with a little oil and sweat onion until soft. Add the garlic, remaining spice mix and tomato paste and cook for a few minutes until the tomato paste changes colour. Add stock and bring to gentle simmer. Add seared meatballs and simmer until meatballs are cooked through.

Tips: - Toast Turkish bread or baguette and spread over meatballs for a filling tasty teatime treat - Cook pasta and mix with meatballs at the end of cooking for a quick and easy dinner - Grate carrot or other veggies and cook into sauce to get in those vital daily serves of veggies, secretly!

Just in time for the colder weather, give this amazingly simple and versatile dish a go!

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This pudding is full of super foods and is super yummy too.

Chia Seed & Quinoa Pudding with Coconut Caramel & Blueberries Serves: 4 | Prep: 2 hrs | Cook: 20 min

Method:

Ingredients: ¼ cup chia seeds ½ cup coconut milk ½ cup coconut water 125g fresh or frozen blueberries 200g natural yoghurt ¼ cup castor sugar ¼ cup black quinoa 3 red apples ½ cup flaked almonds

Pudding: In a bowl whisk chia seeds, coconut milk, coconut water, sugar and half of the blueberries together and set in fridge for 2 hours.

Coconut Caramel: 200g castor sugar 200ml water 1 cup coconut milk

Quinoa: Place quinoa in a small saucepan and cover with water and cook until soft (15 - 20min), drain then cool in fridge.

Caramel: Combine the caster sugar and water in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves.

Increase heat to medium and boil, uncovered, without stirring, for 10 minutes or until the mixture turns a light golden colour.

Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut milk (it may splutter a little) until well combined.

To Serve: Fold pudding, quinoa and yoghurt until combined. Place in bowl or glass and garnish with shredded apple, flaked almonds and the remaining blueberries then drizzle with coconut caramel.

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school yard Bullying We all know that bullying is a big problem in schools but what can we as parents do about it? Here are a few anti-bullying topics for you to discuss with your child to help educate them on the subject.

How can you prevent your child from being bullied?

What is bullying?

Bullies quite often aim for easy targets who look unhappy, who always look down with bad posture and are alone with no friends. To avoid this, teach your child to walk with their head held high, smile and have good posture. To improve their confidence, enrol them in martial arts or a team sport. Another way to prevent bullying is to improve your child’s situational awareness. For example, if you know a bully is playing on the playground then avoid them.

Talking through different situations is a great way to cement these concepts with your child.

A confident child with a strong network of friends and knowledge about bullying will no longer be an easy target for bullies.

Bullying is a harmful action done by an individual or group that is repetitive and intentional. There are four main types of bullying: - Verbal bullying: This includes insults, teasing and name calling.

- Physical bullying: This is where you hurt someone with physical actions (punching, kicking and biting).

- Cyber bullying: Bullying behaviour done using technology, for example social media (Facebook and Instagram).

- Covert bullying: This is a form of bullying that can be hard to recognise and done behind someone’s back. An example to tell your child is when someone calls you names behind your back.

Why do people bully?

There are a lot of reasons why people bully.

Here are a couple: - They are redirecting their frustration and anger onto others in the form of bullying.

- Lack of attention at home.

- Victim of bullying themselves.

- Copying parents, friends or people on television.

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What should your child do if they see someone being bullied?

Tell your child to be an ‘Active Bystander’ when they see someone being bullied. An Active Bystander is someone who makes an effort to help out someone who is a victim of bully. The things they can do to help include: - Telling the bully to stop.

- Step in and take your friend out of the situation. For example saying “Hey Tim, let’s go play over there.”

- If your child feels unsafe at all straight away tell a teacher on yard duty.

It is important to tell your child to never stand and watch someone being bullied. If they do this, they are supporting the bully.

What should your child do if they are getting bullied?

Depending on the situation your child can do many things. Here are some basic actions to discuss with your child if they are getting bullied: - Tell the bully to stop. For example “Stop.

I don’t like it”.

- Walk away and avoid the bully.

- Tell the teacher.

- If nothing is being done, tell your parents.

- Do not retaliate or bully them back.

- Remind your child that just because they are being bullied doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with them or that they deserve it.

- Bullying is not always victim-centric. If you child understands the reasons behind bullying, they will gain resilience towards future attacks. Good emotional coping mechanisms reduce the effectiveness of the bully’s attacks, which may lead to the bully giving up when they see it isn’t affecting your child.

This article was written by Sensei Ken from Twins Martial Arts in Newport.

Anti-bullying is part of their life skills curriculum. www.twinsmartialarts.com.au

let’s get this party started When it comes to your child’s party sometimes it’s fun to put in a little extra effort to make the day a memorable one for them. And to make sure you don’t feel overwhelmed by the all of the choices that you face (cake, stationery, décor, themes, styling) we have put together a simple check list to consider in the leadup.

If you plan three months ahead, you can pick up little bits and pieces along the way as you see them. Pop a budget into place too. The things you may want to consider are: Stationery - printables or custom designed Cake - what size and look Food - some healthy snacks

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Dessert table - candy or cupcakes, macarons, cookies, cake pops; décor - think giant balloons, tissue paper pom poms or honeycomb balls Party products - cupcake holders, party bags Entertainment - this is a good idea to look at for when the kids get a bit older, perhaps you can organise your own games or have someone come in to help keep the kids busy Photography - do you want to be behind the camera missing the fun, or enjoying the day?

When it comes down to it planning a birthday party should be fun, and something you can do with your little one along the way. If you choose your theme early on it will make the rest of the planning a breeze.

Images courtesy of Lil’ Elements Photography

$5ticket sales

$10 on door (kids under 12 free)

sunday 31listammstaowyn

seaworks, wil

10am until 3pm

petting zoo,ironman, optimus prime, elsa, anna, cupcake decorating, Free demonstrations proudly sponsored by

LittleONE

tickets on sale now confettifair.com.au

Live Local magazine - Shop Local - and don’t forget to mention MamaMag!

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Family Travel Made Easy Families are increasingly travelling abroad for their holidays. There is no better way to enhance your children’s education than exposing them to different cultures, languages and history.

It’s important when considering any travel with your children that you do your research and get yourself organised in advance. You know your family better than anyone so when choosing a destination take into account not only the country you have chosen but the culture, the language, the cuisine and then consider the resort, the location, the activities on offer for children & restaurants etc.

Tips For Traveling With Children.

1. If you have young children and would like car seats available for transfers, let us know so that we can arrange this.

2. If your children get travel sick, take some of the air sick bags off the aircraft with you when you land.

3. Find out exactly what is included in the kids clubs i.e. meals, activities, babysitting service in the evenings etc.

4. Check what resort activities are included in the rate.

5. See if there are flights available that fit in with your children’s sleep times.

6. Some airlines offer an in-flight nanny service.

This is very handy on long haul flights.

7. If your child has allergies make sure that we are informed so that the airline can be notified to ensure that this requirement is catered for.

8. Don’t rely on the airline to provide your children with activities on the flight. Take a multitude of different activities to keep them occupied.

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9. Airline food can be varied so take some snacks on board to keep children satisfied.

10. If your children require a cot make sure that the resort/hotel are informed so that their beds are ready for them when you check in.

All-Inclusive Holidays For those who like to travel but would prefer to do so without having to think about: “where to go for meals; how much does each activity cost or will there be anything for our children to do”; we recommend looking at resorts that offer all-inclusive holiday packages.

Club Med is the premium location for allinclusive holidays that meet everyone’s different needs – taking holidays to a new level of enjoyment. Club Med caters to people of all ages and interests. Whether you do everything or nothing at all, Club Med packages include all gourmet meals, transfers, accommodation - which blends comfort & tradition - sports, leisure, all-day open bar, refreshments, night entertainment and so much more.

That just leaves it up to you and your family to experience everything that your chosen destination has in store for you.

In the vIllage

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1. Organic fruit and vegetables - Grasslands Grasslands sells organic fruit and vegetables. Drop in on Thursdays 10am6pm or order a box for pick up or delivery. They are happy to tailor your box to suit your family and also sell some bulk items, eggs, and milk.

211 Nicholson Street http://grasslandsorganic.org.au 2. Discount groceries - Cheaper Buy Miles Cheaper Buy Miles is a discount grocery store and the discounts are seriously good. We love the dairy aisle—great for cheese, yoghurt and smallgoods.

There’s always chocolate galore but sometimes you’ll find organic or gluten free items as well. 101 Nicholson Street 3. Centre for young writers - 100 Story Building The 100 Story Building offers writing workshops for adults and school holiday workshops for kids. These help fund programs for children from culturally and linguistically diverse and marginalised backgrounds.

92 Nicholson Street www.100storybuilding.org.au 4. Fabulous Vietnamese - Tan Thanh Loi Tan Thanh Loi is Footscray’s go-to for BBQ pork and broken rice and it’s a steal at $11. We love taking our kids out for Vietnamese—they happily slurp away on bowls of noodles and never seem to misbehave like they do in more pretentious settings. 73 Nicholson Street 5. Café, gallery and bookshop - VU at Metro West VU have established an outposting here at Metro West featuring a café, gallery and bookshop. Although it’s not aiming to be child friendly, VU’s new Co-café is quite spacious and children will enjoy the small gallery and the table tennis table. The bookshop is small but with a little bit of everything.

138 Nicholson Street 6. Standout Ethiopian restaurant - Addis Abeba Delicious food and warm hospitality keep people coming back to Addis Abeba. Use the traditional flatbread, injera, to scoop up the curries, which include chicken (doro wot) or the fantastic vegetarian options. The Ethiopian beer is also well regarded. 220 Nicholson Street Live Local - Shop Local - and don’t forget to mention MamaMag!

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Building bricks to LEGO® bricks – When the 3 R’s meet the 4 C’s!

So what are the 4 C’s and why are they important?

We all know that LEGO® bricks are fun. But it turns out that those little blocks are also powerful educational tools allowing us to test our capabilities and stimulate children’s learning abilities.

1. Collaboration

True to its name, “Lego” after the Danish phrase “leg godt”, or “play well” unlocks learning and development benefits that last a lifetime. The brightly coloured pieces and easily interlocking combinations allow for an astonishing range of creative play opportunities and provide hours of patterning practice and fine-motor development.

This “hands on” learning tool deepens our engagement and understanding significantly, strengthening the most important pathways our brains use to learn and develop. Childhood presents a critical window of opportunity.

In an increasingly complex, demanding and competitive 21st century, children need to learn more than the 3R’s (reading, writing and arithmetic) they are tested on in school.

It’s time to help them go “above & beyond”, by embracing the 4Cs – collaboration, communication, critical thinking and creativity, or, SUPER SKILLS. For over 30 years, LEGO Education has been an innovator in the education field, offering products and curriculum material that draw in students in a way that few other teaching tools can and an innate ability to effectively fuse the three R’s and four C’s.

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Generally, collaboration has been accepted as a skill that’s essential to achieve meaningful and effective results. In the past decade, however, it has become increasingly clear that collaboration is not only important but necessary for students and employees, due to globalization and the rise of technology.

Sites like Wikipedia highlight how interconnected our world has become and emphasizes the benefits of collaborative work.

The resulting products are those to which millions of users have contributed.

2. Communication Students must be able to effectively analyse and process the overwhelming amount of communication in their lives today. Which information sources are accurate? Which ones are not? How can they be used or leveraged effectively?

In addition, there are now “global teams” that work together in business. Linguistically and culturally effective communication is essential to contribute successfully to these teams. And as technology gives rise to global work teams that span time zones, nations, and cultures, it is imperative that tomorrow’s graduates communicate clearly and effectively in a variety of languages.

educate 3. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving The link between critical thinking and education is obvious: one can’t learn well without thinking well. Critical thinking contributes to career success, but also to success in higher education.

By Julie Lang, Director, Bricks4Kids Australia bricks4kidzaustralia.com.au

4. Creativity and Innovation If students leave school without knowing how to continuously create and innovate, they will be under-prepared for the challenges of society and the workforce. Act on creative ideas to make a tangible and useful contribution to the field in which the innovation will occur.

Learning critical thinking leads students to develop other skills, such as a higher level of concentration, deeper analytical abilities, and improved thought processing. They must be active critical thinkers if they are to compare evidence, evaluate competing claims, and make sensible decisions.

Creativity is more than just artistic talent. It is a different way of thinking. In his globally famous TED talk ‘How Schools Kill Creativity’ (February 2006) Sir Ken Robinson PHD defined creativity as the process of having original ideas that have value.

The solutions to international problems, such as global warming, require highly developed critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

In everyday work, employees must employ critical thinking to better serve customers, develop better products, and continuously improve themselves within an ever-changing global economy.

“Creativity is one of the crucial 21st century skills we’ll need to solve today’s pressing problems. I work a lot with Fortune 500 companies, and they’re always saying, we need people who can be innovative, who can think differently. Our world is changing so rapidly, it is estimated sixty-five percent of today’s children will end up in jobs that haven’t been invented yet”. Mr Robinson said.

He further explained, “Education is becoming so dominated by this culture of standardized testing, that we’re flattening and stifling some of the basic skills and processes that creative achievement depends on.”

According to Tony Wagner, Expert in Residence at Harvard University’s new Innovation Lab, the way to develop young people to become innovators is, in a word, play. “Research shows that human beings are born with an innate desire to explore, experiment, and imagine new possibilities.

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living with cf Did you know that one in 25 of us are healthy and unaware carriers of the gene changes that cause Cystic Fibrosis (CF)? CF is the most common inherited life limiting condition in Australia.

If two carriers have a child, there is a one in four chance that the child will be born with CF and a two in four chance of being a CF genetic carrier. Over 95% of children born with CF have no family history of CF, which makes carrier screening relevant to all of us.

A person with CF can experience a lot of symptoms that range in severity but some of the most serious are a persistent cough, difficulty breathing, susceptibility to infections and being underweight due to maldigestion.

Frequent hospitalisations, a constant regime of physio to keep lungs clear and taking up to 40 medications daily are also part of living with CF. Knowing your carrier status can help families make important life and reproductive choices. We understand and respect personal decisions regarding testing for carrier status.

The potential impact of this is different for everyone. It is our goal to ensure that Victorians have the information they need to make informed choices.

Karin Knoester, CEO Cystic Fibrosis Victoria For more information and a brochure please call Cystic Fibrosis Victoria on (03)9686 1811 or visit www.cfv.org.au

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In a nut shell...

What is Cystic Fybrosis?

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) primarily affects the lungs and digestive system because of malfunction in the exocrine system, responsible for producing saliva, sweat, tears and mucus.

There is currently no cure. People with CF develop an abnormal amount of excessively thick and sticky mucus within the lungs, airways and the digestive system. The mucus causes impairment of the digestive functions of the pancreas and traps bacteria in the lungs resulting in recurrent infections which lead to irreversible damage. Lung failure is the major cause of death for someone with CF. Who gets Cystic Fybrosis?

In Australia, one in 2,500 babies are born with CF, that’s one every four days. On average one in 25 people carry the CF gene - most of whom are unaware that they are carriers.

Because carriers of CF are unaffected (and therefore show no symptoms) it is hard for them to appreciate that CF may be a real risk.

Any of us could be a carrier and we wouldn’t know – think about it, that’s about 1 million unaware carriers – it could be you!

How is it diagnosed?

Since 1986, all newborns have been subject to a heel prick test. This test is used to screen for a number of conditions, one of which is an indicator for CF. Diagnosis may also result after a baby is born with obvious CF symptoms such a bowel blockage or failure to “thrive”. The heel prick test does not detect everyone; and the definitive test for CF continues to be The Sweat Test, as high levels of salt in perspiration is extremely common amongst those with CF.

Stories of personal experience...

Our longed for son and third child was born on Christmas Eve 2013. My husband and I were in awe of our beautiful boy who looked like an angel in the light of the birthing suite.

My husband whispered ‘he looks like a Myles to me” and I agreed, and so he was named Myles Alexander. I felt so extremely lucky to have such a healthy boy who was feeding well and gaining weight. During those early newborn days and weeks, I couldn’t stop telling everyone how great his birth was.

It was on a hot 40 degree day five weeks after Myles’ birth that I received a call saying that my son had Cystic Fibrosis (CF) - a genetic condition detected through the routine new born heel prick test. Nothing could have ever prepared us for that news. It was disbelief. It was fear. I wanted more than anything for it to be some terrible mistake. My joy and happiness turned to despair, fearing for my son’s future, for all that stood to be taken away – most precious of all his life. I was trying to keep it all together, but I couldn’t even keep standing up. Appointments were made for the hospital the following day, and I needed to call my husband to tell him this news. We read relentlessly everything we could find on CF, we armed ourselves with questions. We hurt, we cried, we feared.

When I consider CF carrier screening and prenatal screening for CF, I’m glad that I didn’t know during the pregnancy. I’m grateful for those days of carefree bliss when everything seemed perfect. We have learned that while I carry the most common CF gene mutation, my husband carries a very rare CF gene mutation. Thus even if CF carrier screening had been investigated, this second, very rare, gene change may not have been detected. I have found strength in accepting that my son has CF. Although there is no cure at present, I really feel that with all the amazing advances that are being made in the management of this condition it is not the end of the world.

Life is full of mysteries, and difference is not something to be feared. Myles was born of love, to love and will be loved forever.

I’ve known about CF for most of my life; my younger sister was diagnosed with CF at birth.

Communication about CF and CF carrier status has always been open in our family. I always knew I could be tested, and I made that decision years ago. I wanted to make informed choices myself and if I was a carrier then I wanted to know so I could provide that knowledge to my own children. CF is not just about myself and this generation of my family: it can carry on for generations. Every individual should be given the right to choose if they want to do carrier screening or not, but I just want people to know that the test exists.

Jane, 35 Last year my nephew Brody was diagnosed with CF. It was such a shock: I was aware of genetic conditions and how they could travel down the genetic line in families but this was never on our radar. I decided I wanted to know my carrier status as I needed to get some ownership of the issue; and I found that I’m a carrier too. I’m currently single but one day I’d like to have kids. It was tough at first but knowing my carrier status means I’m armed with information for my future.

Talking with friends has helped too, and I’m very confident to bring up genetic health and reproductive options in conversation. I know first hand the emotional toll that CF places on a family so if I can raise awareness of CF and carrier screening then I feel it’s a personal obligation.

Erin, 34

Catherine, 38

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my little jar of love for mum The month of May brings us the best celebration ever….. Mothers Day! Yes it’s time to tell Mum, Grandma and Nan how super special they are. Cover them in cuddles and kisses and maybe a little bit of homemade specialness.

Mason jars are super cute at the moment so let’s make our own just for mum.

What you need: Tracing paper Grey pencil Black marker Glue Plain card Scissors A collection of special things.

Lets get started: Place your tracing paper over the top of this page and trace over the shape of the mason jar with a black marker.

Place your plain card down on the table. Place your special bits and pieces in the middle of the page, don’t glue them down.

Turn your tracing paper over and glue everywhere but inside the jar and then carefully place on top of the plain card.

Your special things should still move around inside the jar. Cut around the outside of the mason jar/card leaving a 1cm border where the glue is.

Have fun xx

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WIN one of three cute school bag tags

Simply post your entry by May 31st to: MamaMag - PO Box 8018 North Road LPO, Brighton East VIC 3187

Name: Address:

Age: Postcode: 41

Baby Change Challenges

As told by local Dad by Mike Searles!

Picture in your mind those one piece baby costumes. The ones with studs running from the feet all the way into next year.

Cleaned our baby girl to infinity and beyond...

Generous spread of the J&J baby powder (more for me than baby - love that stuff).

For the life of me I cannot line those studs up so they snap into place. In fact I’d rather attempt an under-water Rubik’s Cube record than try and get those studs lined up.

On with a fresh clean soft nappy. Yes, folded like a kite. Three safety pins in place... Remind me to tell you my ‘Safety Pins’ story one day.

Anyhow, we had a baby change challenge at home involving one of those Rubik’s costumes.

It was with our first-born daughter. Situation?

Think ‘code-brown alert’. Old style cotton nappy (it was back in the 1980’s). Three safety pins in place. And the said one piece costume.

On this occasion it was like that oozing thing in the movie The Blob. If there was any gap ‘The Blob’ could ooze from, it did!

In all directions. And the smell...

Hold that thought for a moment because I’ve got a great anti-smell tip. Taught to me years ago when I was working in the medical industry. Pop a peppermint or two in your mouth just before you remove a smelly nappy.

The vapours from the mint will fill the back of your nose and throat and that will overpower any nauseating odours. Nurses still do it today when the need arises.

Back to our story...

Off with Rubik’s One-Piece. Off with the soiled singlet. Off with the soiled plastic-pants covering the... OMG!

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It ends in tears. Mine.

Still no Darl in sight.

On with the clean plastic pants. On with the singlet. On with the Rubik’s...

Now for the first stud... ‘begin at the feet’ I remind myself.

‘Oh, come on... click in will you!’

Strange how we give inanimate objects the persona of an adversary at times like this.

Or is that just me?

‘Will you go in! I’ll go to stud number two and come back to you.’

‘What is going on here. You too?’

“Darl! Can you come here please?”

Darl comes in. Takes one look...

“You’ve got the one-piece inside out” she says.

She whips it off faster than I can blink in a sand-storm. And then I hear the insulting sounds of click-click-click.

“Darl. Check this out”.

The one piece is back on. Studs done up into next year. Baby clean and happy.

No sign of Darl so I carry on.

And I think to myself...

I piled the blobby mess into a container.

Rubbish-bins I think they’re called. I mean the nappy and all. Good-bye!

“I wonder if Darl should try for the under-water Rubik’s Cube record” Mike Searles is a freelance writer at MikeSearles.com

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live local – shop local MamaMag is a FREE magazine for the mums Melbourne’s West!

And we keep it free with the support of our wonderful local advertisers. So make sure you support them too and let them know you saw them in MamaMag!

Live Local + Shop Local! Then you will be a true Local Mama!

advertise local Advertise in Westside MamaMag and target over 5,000 local mums and families every month!

MamaMag is distributed in over 200 locations including local maternal health centres, kindergartens, childcare centres, play centres, libraries, toy libraries, popular cafes, health centres, gyms and many other local hot spots where you find mums.

So it’s an awesomely targeting local publication and perfect for gaining exposure locally. Plus we have excellent advertising rates too!

For advertising enquiries visit www.mamamag.com.au or call 1300 771 446 Live Local - Shop Local - and don’t forget to mention MamaMag!

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Chris Humfrey’s

ZOOKEEPER EXPERIENCE!

Spend a whole day with zoologist Chris Humfrey from ABC’s hit series “Chris Humfrey’s Wild Life!”

Work as his very own private zoo, and learn from Chris himself! Get up close and personal with over 2000 animals!

Discover what drives Chris to work with animals.

Who knows your child could follow in his footsteps!

This is an exceptional hands-on experience, which is offered nowhere else.

Chris has personally designed this exclusive program.

Stricly limited numbers of children will ensure that your child will get the WILD experience which they CRAVE! Chris’ zoo is nestled in the foothills of Mount Macedon.

It’s an easy 50 minute drive from Melbourne’s CBD.

GREAT GIFT IDEA!

Bookings and Enquiries www.wildaction.com.au Phone 0419 385 245