Sydney MamaMag Feb/Mar 2022

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Feb/Mar 2022

WIN A FAMILY HOLIDAY AT PARADISE RESORT GOLD COAST Back to school Jules Robinson Curtis Stone Sam Wood Choose kindness Support and fun for the Sydney mum 1

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SCHOOL IS BACK Excuse me while I just poke another RAT up my son’s nose! Back to school 2022 style. How are we all feeling? Our year hasn’t started off particularly well after Mama’s baby girl caught COVID four days before she became eligible for vaccination #sigh. Thankfully we had already enjoyed a gorgeous Christmas, four hot nights away in a cabin spending the days soaking in a river, and the kids got a surfing adventure with their dad in before COVID reared its ugly head.

It’s all be work, work, work since Jan 4 for this Mama (except some AO tennis fun where I met Bluey!) and I’m pretty excited to tell you we are launching four more MamaMags for the wonderful families of Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Tasmania this month! It’s long been a dream to be able to provide our free little resource to more families, and with COVID taking us fully digital, there has never been a better time. So if you’ve got mama-friends in other states, make sure you let them know MamaMag is in town!

We’ve chatted to some awesome parents this issue.

Curtis Stone is back in town perfecting the school lunch, Sam Wood is coming to terms about being a dad to four girls and Jules Robinson shares her thoughts on being a new mum and the post-partum mum-tum! So sit back, enjoy and don’t forget to enter our awesome Paradise Resort Gold Coast giveaway, because who doesn’t need a Queensland holiday right now? Pick me!

Sarah Cavalier Editor - MamaMag - @thecavaliermama Support and fun for the everyday mum MamaMag is designed and published bi-monthly free for Sydney mums, families and carers.

Publisher: Grizzle Design Pty Ltd. ABN: 26 042 138 550.

PO Box 8018, North Road LPO, Brighton East VIC 3187 Phone: 1300 771 446 Email: info@mamamag.com.au www.mamamag.com.au | www.grizzledesign.com.au Editor in Chief/Creative Director: Sarah Cavalier: sarah@mamamag.com.au For advertising enquiries contact: Olivia Wilson: olivia@mamamag.com.au Want to write for us or have an article idea? submissions@mamamag.com.au

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Support and fun for the everyday mum

MamaMag give thanks to our 2022 Proud Partner

Support and fun for the everyday mum

Support and fun for the Sydney mum

WIN

CONTENTS Jules Robinson

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Figur-ing out motherhood

Parklife

8

The new Barracluff Park, North Bondi

How much homework?

10

What’s the trade off

Lunch with Curtis

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Mama chats to Curtis Stone

National pet adoption day

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Worth

Find your furr’ever friend

Math learning at home Going nuts over Sam Wood

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We talk the best way to feed kids

Fab family fun

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What’s on in Sydney right now

Choose kindness

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Dolly’s Dream helps stop bullying

Fabulous find for a fresh air fix

$2705

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How you can help

WIN a 5 night family escape at Australia’s favourite family resort, Paradise Resort Gold Coast.

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Get outside and enjoy Sydney

Clean up Australia day

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How you can get involved

How to reduce vaccine anxiety

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The conversations to have first

Join us

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Fancy being part of the MamaMag team?

New on the shelf

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Top new book picks

WIN Smiggle prizes worth over $360

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Simply colour to win

No celebrating after drop-off

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Separation anxiety

Get inside the tide

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Underwater fun at The Royal Botanic Garden

Paying it forward

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How you can help other Sydney mums

Considering home schooling

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Things to consider

The back to work and school juggle

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7 tips to manage

Literacy tips

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How to start school big

Entries are open to Australian residents only. 5 nights for 2 Adults and up to 2 Children (0-12years) in a Superior Resort Room plus continental breakfast daily. Flights not included. Competition starts Feb 1st 12.01am and closes Mar 31st 2022 at 11.59pm.

Conditions: This prize is valid for travel until 16 December 2023 and excludes travel in high and peak periods. Bookings are subject to availability and vouchers may not be accepted on all dates. This prize includes one kids club or teen club session per child 0-17 years plus continental breakfast daily for up to 4 people in Penguins restaurant. The prize is not transferable and may not be exchanged for cash. Any unused portion will be forfeited.

Vouchers will not be extended past the expiry date. All other expenses will be the responsibility of the prize winner including but not limited to current passports, spending money, transport to and from departure and arrival points, transfers, activities, gratuities, services charges, travel insurance, pre and post accommodation, optional activities or excursions and all other ancillary costs. Travel insurance is not included in the prize but is highly recommended.

Visit www.mamamag.com.au/competitions for full terms and conditions.

How to reduce your use

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MamaMag Feb/Mar 22

The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publishing staff.

Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without permission of the publishers. Health related articles are designed to be informative and educational. They are not intended to provide specific medical advice or replace one-on-one advice from your health practitioner.5

Plastic’s not fantastic

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Jules ’fIgur‘Es out motherhood

By Liv Wilson

The nation’s favourite MAFS mama, Jules Robinson, is busy reshaping the world, one woman at a time, with her new shapewear brand Figur! She talks to MamaMag about motherhood, the work/life juggle, and embracing the body we’re given!

Jules, you have to be one of the busiest Mama’s we know. You’ve had an amazing jam packed few years, did you ever expect your life to take this direction?

Don’t waste energy on mum guilt! It pops its ugly head up from time to time but there’s no need to feel guilty about anything you’re doing for your child’s future. It’s normal to ask yourself if you’re ‘enough’; but I look at it as if we’re juggling; some balls are glass, some plastic, and at times you have to choose what’s plastic and can be dropped. Find a balance that works for you and your baby.

Jam packed definitely describes the last few years. I’ve always lived life to the full and had an exciting life full of ups and downs and adventure. I thrive on being busy and living with passion and purpose so I guess it’s no surprise my life has taken this turn.

Many women struggle with their body image postpartum. How have your feelings changed toward your body since Oliver arrived?

Congratulations on becoming a Mama to gorgeous Oliver. What’s been the biggest parenting surprise so far do you think?

Parenting is just one huge surprise! I feel like I nail one thing and then the next challenge appears! A big surprise for me has been how much you can be in love with one tiny person.

The joy, happiness and laughter Oliver brings into our lives is like nothing I could have imagined.

When Ollie first arrived, Cam and I were the blind leading the blind, but it’s incredible how that motherly instinct kicks in and you just know what to do. A mother’s intuition is an incredible thing; to instinctively know how to care for your little one and understand what your baby wants from the little sounds they make is magical!

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If you had one bit of advice for a new or expectant Mama what would it be?

My main priority postpartum was learning to be a mother. It wasn’t until Ollie was eight months oId that I felt ready for change. I remember thinking “ok this is my new body, this is me now!” Of course my body looks and feels different, I made a baby! I felt good but trying to find something to wear other than activewear frustrated me. Like many women, my body didn’t “bounce back” but with dedication and the help of Jenny Craig I lost 20kg! I’m grateful for my body, the baby it’s made and the life it’s given me, but it’s ok to say “I want my body to be how it was before.” A healthy mindset and patience are key when it comes to your body.

You’ve had a huge positive impact on the way women view their bodies! Let’s talk Figur! Where did the idea for this incredible shapewear range come from?

Shapewear has always been my little superpower and I wore shapewear the whole

time on MAFS but was so uncomfortable filming for three months in all these different brands. I had to find better. I also received so many messages from women who were lacking confidence. They’d say “I wish I dressed like you” or “my body is like yours but I don’t have your confidence” and would ask me for advice. I also got awful messages about being fat and was body shamed. This is how FIGUR was born. Our motto is “Work with what you’ve got” which is what I’ve always done!

Shapewear has forever been my superpower.

I put it on and feel amazing in whatever I’m wearing. It accentuates my curves and makes a good dress great!

We’re all equal and FIGUR is a wonderful space of appreciation. It’s really inspiring to see women connect with us and our ambassadors, who share their stories so others can see themselves in a reflection and be a part of the FIGUR movement. This year our Ambassador search is on the lookout for mums and daughters, and my all-inclusive fashion label for women, Moira Muse, is launching!

motion with a sponge to keep my skin matte. I love Autumnal colours like burnt oranges and warm undertones on my eyes with apricot toned cream blushes.

You’re mama to a beautiful baby, wife to Cam, co host on an awesome podcast, savvy businesswoman? Come on Jules, tell us your secret… How do you do it all?

For me it’s about only doing things I’m truly passionate about, enjoy and believe in. I fall in a heap from time to time, like all mamas, but energy finds its way through passion. Cam and I made a pact to always give each other space to be individuals so we do what we can to help each other in all aspects of life. Having that support is priceless.

You’re a firm believer in self care and recognise how important it is for mamas. What do you do regularly to look after yourself and your mental health?

Busy working mama’s have to rethink self care. I find it in many ways, from pulling in the driveway and staying in the car an extra 20 minutes or staying up late binging a series. To really make sure I’m in fine form I never look at my phone before bed! I try to be in bed by 9.30pm and up early because I’m better able to ‘respond’ rather than ‘react’ when I’m feeling great. Patience is what us mama’s need right?

We love your makeup tutorials Jules! What’s going to be the ‘go to’ in your makeup bag this Autumn?

Thank you!! #askjules came from all the questions I get and I’m amazed how women connect with the tutorials. My approach shows makeup application is simple and should enhance what you have, not cover you up. Autumn can be muggy so my ‘go to’ is Revlon colorstay powder applied in a dabbing 7

Parklife Barracluff Park, North Bondi Opening in September last year, this new playground is the first inclusive play space to be fully upgraded by Waverley Council since the adoption of the Inclusive Play Study 2020 which provides a strategy for inclusive play spaces where everyone can play, regardless of their age or ability.

The new inclusive playground revolves around a custom designed play tower built over several layers with slides, climbing net, fireman’s pole, musical instruments, and puzzles. Created to incorporate views over the sports court - which hosts a tennis wall, netball and basketball rings - the tower is also designed to promote accessibility.

There are plenty of things to encourage multiple age groups to play together including a swing set with a toddler’s swing and basket swing, seesaw, springer rockers, group spinner and toddler size cubby with slide.

The playground has a nature play area with timber and rock balance challenges all set behind a new fence to fully enclose the play area. Plus kids can kick a ball, or fly a kite on the adjacent oval. Amenities include picnic tables and water bubbler.

Why not pop over the back into the Bondi Bowlo for some food, a cool drink and bare foot bowling after!

Old South Head Road and Warners Avenue, North Bondi

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Images: Lark Industries

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how much homework For students, as for all of us, life is a matter of balance, trade-offs and compromise. Studying for hours on end is unlikely to lead to best academic results. And it could have negative impacts on young people’s physical, mental and social well-being.

Our recent study found the best way for young people to spend their time was different for mental health than for physical health, and even more different for school-related outcomes. Students needed to spend more time sitting for best cognitive and academic performance, but physical activity trumped sitting time for best physical health. For best mental health, longer sleep time was most important.

It’s like a game of rock, paper, scissors with time use. So, what is the sweet spot, or as Goldilocks put it, the “just right” amount of study?

Using our study data for Australian children aged 11 and 12, we are developing a timeoptimisation tool that allows the user to define their own mental, physical and cognitive health priorities. Once the priorities are set, the tool provides real-time updates on what the user’s estimated “Goldilocks day” looks like.

More study improves grades, but not as much as you think Over 30 years of research shows that students doing more homework get better grades.

However, extra study doesn’t make as much difference as people think. An American study found the average grades of high school boys increased by only about 1.5 percentage points for every extra hour of homework per school night.

What these sorts of studies don’t consider is that the relationship between time spent doing homework and academic achievement is

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unlikely to be linear. A high school boy doing an extra ten hours of homework per school night is unlikely to improve his grades by 15 percentage points.

There is a simple explanation for this: doing an extra ten hours of homework after school would mean students couldn’t go to bed until the early hours of the morning. Even if they could manage this for one day, it would be unsustainable over a week, let alone a month.

In any case, adequate sleep is probably critical for memory consolidation.

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day. Students can’t devote more time to study without taking this time from other parts of their day.

Excessive studying may become detrimental to learning ability when too much sleep time is lost.

Another US study found that, regardless of how long a student normally spent studying, sacrificing sleep to fit in more study led to learning problems on the following day. Among year 12s, cramming in an extra three hours of study almost doubled their academic problems.

For example, students reported they “did not understand something taught in class” or “did poorly on a test, quiz or homework”.

Excessive study could also become unhelpful if it means students don’t have time to exercise.

We know exercise is important for young people’s cognition, particularly their creative thinking, working memory and concentration.

On the one hand, then, more time spent studying is beneficial for grades. On the other hand, too much time spent studying is detrimental to grades.

We have to make trade-offs Of course, how young people spend their time is not only important to their academic performance, but also to their health. Because what is the point of optimising school grades if it means compromising physical, mental and social well-being? And throwing everything at academic performance means other aspects of health will suffer.

US sleep researchers found the ideal amount of sleep for 15-year-old boys’ mental health was 8 hours 45 minutes a night, but for the best school results it was one hour less.

Clearly, to find the “Goldilocks Zone” – the optimal balance of study, exercise and sleep – we need to think about more than just school grades and academic achievement.

Looking for the Goldilocks Day Based on our study findings, we realised the “Goldilocks Day” that was the best on average for all three domains of health (mental, physical and cognitive) would require compromises. Our optimisation algorithm estimated the Goldilocks Day with the best overall compromise for 11-to12-year-olds. The breakdown was roughly: • 10.5 hours of sleep • 9.5 hours of sedentary behaviour (such as sitting to study, chill out, eat and watch TV) • 2.5 hours of light physical activity (chores, shopping) • 1.5 hours of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (sport, running).

We also recognised that different people – or the same people at different times — have different priorities. Around exam time, academic performance may become someone’s highest priority. They may then wish to manage their time in a way that leads to better study results, but without completely neglecting their mental or physical health.

To better explore these trade-offs, we developed our time-use optimisation tool based on Australian data. Although only an early prototype, the tool shows there is no “one size fits all” solution to how young people should be spending their time. However, we can be confident the best solutions will involve a healthy balance across multiple daily activities.

Just like we talk about the benefits of a balanced diet, we should start talking about the benefits of balanced time use. The better equipped young people and those supporting them are to find their optimal daily balance of sleep, sedentary behaviours and physical activities, the better their learning outcomes will be, without compromising their health and well-being.

By Dot Dumuid, Senior Research Fellow, Allied Health & Human Performance, University of South Australia and Tim Olds, Professor of Health Sciences, University of South Australia. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons License. Read the original article here.

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LUNCH WITH CURTIS

By Sarah Cavalier

It was funny chatting to Curtis Stone on the phone. His voice is so familiar that it feels like I’m talking to an old friend, but really, it’s just familiar because we hear him on our TV screens so often telling us all about the best fresh food available at Coles! After two years away, being stuck in LA due to the pandemic, where he lives with his wife Lindsey and their two boys Emerson and Hudson, Curtis is finally back in Australia for Summer, sharing the Coles love, and doing what he loves best, cooking. This Mama was lucky enough to have a chat with him too...

You’re back in Australia for the first time in over 2 years. What’s it been like reconnecting with your family after so long?

Well mum shed several tears. It’s been so great catching up with everyone. Nieces and nephews to hug. My brother has three kids and my sister has a daughter. The whole tribe is here.

What Aussie food do you miss most when you’re in LA? Sausage rolls! So I make my own! Luckily I own a pie shop in LA. The biggest thing I miss is Australian bread. How does the whole of America have such bad bread? There are certain fish you can’t get there either fish. Dory, flounder, flathead. Imagine no flathead! Coffee is terrible too, so I import Australian roasted coffee to my restaurants, and I have good coffee at home. I never order coffee when I’m out and about.

What’s your advice for family meals with young kids?

Don’t ever cook them anything different.

Whatever you’re having for dinner, give it to them, whatever you are eating, except maybe a hot curry! If you need to blend or mush it, do.

That’s exactly what we did, and both my boys have been pretty adventurous with food since.

What would we find in Hudson and Emerson’s school lunchboxes?

Variety is king and I’ve got to constantly give them something different to keep them interested. They expect and embrace it now.

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But if you narrow down what kids eat, new things can become a challenge, so don’t reinvent the wheel. Swap similar things up.

My boys like sandwiches, so we work with that as a base but get creative. I use one of about 20 different fillings, swap between six different types of bread, use wraps etc. Simple changes are the way to do it. We change fruit every day too and then let them tell us what doest work.

What are your top tips to parents for creating a healthy-yet-tasty lunchbox?

Start with colours. Make it fun and appealing.

A few different fruit and veg. Celery, carrot, dips, home-made or not. Spread dip on a sandwich.

How you cut it can matter too. Mix up the presentation. Sandwich fingers, triangles, get a shape cutter or don’t even cut it at all.

What you put in there depends on how adventurous they are. Frittata (or eggy squares as we call them) are cool. Little tarts that are like mini quiches are great. I make a muesli bars or a lemon bar once a week. Homemade things are nice once in a while, but don’t feel you have to do it all the time.

What can we do if kids are coming home with uneaten food?

It’s tricky. It can be a time thing, too busy playing with their mates, but a straight question won’t always give you the right answer.

Understand why they didn’t like it. Make them feel a part of it. Get them to help you put together the lunchbox so they feel involved. Ask “how can I do a better job?” “show me how”.

Tommy Hood and Riley Sinclair, both aged 10, with their lunchbox creations they made with Curtis, supported by Redkite, one of Coles’ main charity partners.

You’ve worked with Coles for over 10 years. What’s that been like?

Do you ever think you’ll come back to live here?

It’s amazing because as a chef you don’t expect to get this kind of influence. I’m not just a face of Coles. I actually help them decide where to source food from. It’s an amazing influence to have on not only the company but the Australian public. I get to share my ideas and influence the way food is produced in this country by being a part of such a huge player in the food industry. One meeting we were discussing beef growth hormones and we sat around the table and worked through it and in the end, we got rid of it from all Coles beef products. This has helped revolutionise the beef industry in this country. What chef gets to have that kind of input and opportunity? It makes me incredibly proud to have that influence over the food and diets of Australian people and families.

I’d love to but I don’t think Lindsey ever would.

Her work and family are in the States and at the end of the day my family life dictates what will happen. But hopefully we can start visiting more often now that the borders are open.

How has it been coming back to Australia on your own without your family?

I miss them like crazy but I’m here for work, so it is nice to have a break after a busy day. But I call them multiple times a day. I can’t help it!

Do you think Emerson or Hudson are a chance to follow in your culinary footsteps?

They love food, but honestly, they probably see me work way too hard to want to do it themselves!

And finally, what is your funniest parenting story.

I’m pretty young at heart and get wrapped up in what the kids want to do. Recently they wanted to put gumboots on and go to the creek and cross it, but me being so carefree, we all ended up completely saturated and drove home soaking wet. I’ve had so many dad fails because I’m just a big kid and can’t say no. My poor wife, she’s really has got three children!

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NATIONAL PET ADOPTION MONTH Every year 80,000 urban stray cats are killed by councils as a way of managing unowned animals. The euthanisation of cats has proven to be pointless, as the remaining cats produce larger, healthier litters due to less competition for food sources.

All pets deserve a safe and loving home, and National Pet Adoption Month is the perfect opportunity to adopt or foster a cat that needs you, a pair that is bonded for life, or a dog with more to love in an effort to break the cycle of pet homelessness in Australia.

With cats dominating the adoption landscape, closely followed by large dogs and bonded pairs, PETstock Assist is encouraging would-be pet owners to Adopt Different this March - to adopt animals who are most in need.

New pet owners and animal lovers across Australia are being urged to engage with their local PETstock store and rescue group throughout March for further information on the adoption or fostering process.

Throughout March, PETstock Assist will celebrate its annual National Pet Adoption Month, to help change the lives of rescue pets and humans and break the cycle of pet homelessness in Australia.

To find out more, or to check out a PETstock store located near you, head to www.petstock.com.au or to begin the search to become a rescue pet parent or foster carer please visit www.petrescue.com.au.

How it works: PETstock provide space in their stores for animals in need of a new home They make free space, temporary or permanent, available in-store for rescue groups to find forever families for adoptable pets. This gives potential pet parents the chance to meet rescue pets in a positive, convenient and friendly environment.

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In no way does PETstock profit from the program 100% of all adoption fees go straight to the rescue group. These fees cover each pet’s desexing procedure, microchipping, vaccinations and parasite control, and a thorough medical and behavioural assessment – all of which happens before each pet is adopted!

Adoptions are done by rescue members who know their animals the best Rescue groups provide potential adoptees with information they need about adopting a particular pet, as well as provide support to new adoptees to introduce their new pet into their family.

Make every KM count this March.

Feel the Charge.

The March Charge is a fun, personal fitness challenge that has an enormous impact on how cancer is researched and treated.

Just by walking or running for Cancer Council this March, and by raising funds you can help us Charge ahead with research and support services. Choose to Charge solo or get your friends, family, or colleagues together and do it as a team – it’s up to you.

Visit themarchcharge.com.au to find out more FEEL THE CHARGE AND LET’S TELL CANCER WHERE TO GO! #themarchcharge

MATH LEARNING AT HOME Math is everywhere in our homes, so it comes as no surprise that we could, and probably should, talk with children about math in fun ways throughout the day.

As parents, we can give children a head start by helping them get comfortable with math concepts like measuring and counting, all done in our own home. There are so many items in your household that you can use to encourage math learning. When interacting and supporting your child using items in your daily routine children will be more engaged and have a sense of excitement through investigating items such as containers, spoons, sticks, pots, socks, pegs, cooking using recipe.

Counting is more than being able to rote a sequence of numbers from 1-100. Children are curious about the number and learn through the environment. At home you can support children to develop 1-1 counting skills, for example, setting the table, how many people do we have for dinner? If we have 5 how many knives or forks do we need? You can help children count by saying the names of each family member and then placing them on the spot where they will sit.

Have fun doing the following activities with your child Cooking Bake something where your child can help, have a cookbook or iPad ready to go and talk with your child about how much you need, for example, to learn 1-1 correspondence – a foundation to counting. When reading the recipe with your child, say we need two eggs, then count and say the attribute as you are doing the experience, one egg and one more egg means we have two eggs. Pointing to

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the picture of 2 eggs in the recipe can help to cement your child’s thinking. This is also relevant to other measurements such as cups, teaspoons etc.

Using measuring cups means children are learning the concept of fractions, saying we need ½ cup flour, but this is a full cup, we need half, children can spoon the flour into the cup and then predict if it is half a cup. To check the answer (problem-solving skills) a child can use the ½ cup measuring and pour the flour into the ½ cup to check they have measured and predicted ½ a cup.

How long is your traffic jam?

Children love using measuring tapes, rulers, and lining things up, you may like to challenge your child by asking them ‘how long is the traffic jam you have created with the cars?’ Let’s measure with our hands or feet, let’s measure with a tape measure – what number can you see?

You may look in the home environment and use anything as a measure.

By doing this your child is understanding the concept of measuring using various items in the environment.

How high can you build a tower?

Stacking and building are natural elements of play for young children. Children can be encouraged to think about size, colour, shape, weight, and texture. Create patterns and structures, ask your child to guess how many blocks they could pile up without them falling?

Count together, how many blue blocks do we have? This block is bigger than this one why, which is the bigger one? What shape is this block?

Let us find…?

Play a game where children search for certain items in the home and then bring them back to a central place. Encourage children to identify the attributes of each item, the spoon is smooth, the block is hard, the teddy is soft, collect more than one item of each and encourage your child to observe the difference, ensure you use mathematical language, for example, we have two soft teddies, four smooth spoons. You can challenge children to put these items in sequence, from the smallest item to the largest, from light to heavy.

Patterning and designing Children discover patterns in the environment early in their development and this is a key concept to being able to observe, notice and participle in future maths thinking. Using shells, leave, sticks, pinecones, gum nuts etc. Children can pattern these by sequencing them in order, 2 pinecones, 2 sticks, 2 shells, 2 pinecones, 2 sticks, 2 shells by repeating the pattern children can visually see the process.

For four-year-old you can extend this by asking a child to draw the items on paper and write the number. For children with higher level of mathematical understanding you can ask them to circle the 2 pattern and add a plus sign 2 + 2 = 4 items.

By participating in the above experience’s children are developing maths skills in: • • • • • • • • •

measuring counting addition and subtraction comparison patterns order problem-solving reasoning shapes

There are plenty of other ways to keep children thinking about math. The important thing is just to encourage your child to see the numbers all around and to keep things fun. This is how you can raise a child that thinks math is cool!

By Suzie Wood, Head of Quality and Compliance, Story House Early Learning. www.shel.edu.au

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going nuts over Sam wood Hey Sam, great to have you back in MamaMag! It’s no secret that your 28 program and nutrition is 100% amazing for mums, but you’ve got to be an expert at feeding kids, with your two little girls and a fabulous teen at home.

Haha wonderful to be back. Firstly it’s important to say that I don’t know if anyone is a complete expert when it comes to kids nutrition, they can always throw you a curveball.

I do have some rules that I really believe in and through my own experiences know they can really help - Try and get your kids plates to look like the rainbow with as many colours and nutrients as possible.

- Get your kids involved in the cooking/preparing process as much as you can as the more involved they are the more engaged they are the more interested they are in eating it and knowing what its all about.

- Lastly, but most important never forget that they’re kids – eating an ice cream or fairy bread or packet of chips is completely normal and ok and life will go on. Important they eat pretty well most of the time.

You announced in November you were having another baby girl.

When is Snezana due and what’s it like living with all these wonderful women?

Things are certainly going to from 5th to 6th gear but to be honest everyone is exited! New little girl is due in June.

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Willow is four now, so it’s time for kinder! Time for lunchboxes!

4 year old kinder, yes, so we pack her a little lunch and to be honest she gets excited so about it. We do it the night before and she’s got a little bento lunch box that allows her to make sure we’ve got some dairy and protein and veggies and fruit and always space for a little treat!

What would be your top inclusions for a well-rounded lunchbox?

Dairy, protein, fruit and a little snack. Important to make sure there are some food quality carbs to make sure they’ve got lots of energy. And that they always drink enough water.

What sort of foods does Eve like to take for lunch to high school?

Eve is definitely a different kettle of fish. She chops and changes a little with her preferences.

Can fluctuate depending on what she’s into. Being Macedonian, it’s interesting how she’ll love to pack a pasta dish or something traditional from the night before which I’m sure is unique and she loves it

Protein is an essential nutrient for children’s growth and development. What are the best foods to be giving our kids?

It certainly is, in fact it’s probably under utilised nutritnet from an adult perspective too. My girls love omelettes and scrambled eggs. They love fish and chicken and being summer we’ve had plenty of beautiful summer bbqs over the last couple of months.

You involve your girls in cooking and preparation of meals all the time. What do they love most about this and why do you recommend it to others?

One of the big challenges we face in today’s world is that so many foods come in a packet.

Most kids, and to be honest most adults, have no idea what they’re actually eating. When you get kids or anyone for that matter involved with cooking food with real ingredients at a foundational level they learn by doing. Not to mention it can be incredibly creative and lots of fun and laughs.

As a Mayvers ambassador, you’re often featuring great peanut butter recipes. What’s your favourite dish using their products?

I can’t believe how many things I put peanut butter in, whether its some on a banana in the freezer for a healthy kids snack or a dollop in my favourite protein smoothie. It really is one of the simplest but best ingredients to help get in protein and good fats.

What’s your favourite fitness or outdoors activity to do as family?

We’re at that stage with Willow being four and Charlie being her little shadow, that now our best outdoors option is bike riding. Still a few wobbles but we’re getting there.

You’ve been isolating away from the girls while recovering from COVID. How was that?

I’m one of the ‘lucky ones’ as my symptoms have not been as severe compared to others. So I went and isolated away from the girls as I was so worried about Snez being pregnant.

And finally, what is your funniest parenting story?

Such a hard question to answer when my life is full of laughs. The girls crack me up every day.

Especially Charlie, she’s definitely the cheekiest and one we’re going to have to keep an eye on.

Sam Wood is the founder of 28 by Sam Wood and a Mayver’s ambassador.

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Peanut Butter Slice Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes Serves 8 Ingredients: 1 cup Medjool dates, pitted ½ cup Mayver’s smooth peanut butter 1 cup shredded coconut ½ cup peanuts ¼ cup coconut oil Chocolate Drizzle: 50g dark chocolate 1 tbsp coconut oil

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Method: Add all of the slice ingredients into a food processor and blitz to combine. The mixture should be sticky and still slightly chunky.

Transfer the slice into a square baking dish lined with baking paper and flatten it with your hands.

Place the baking dish into the fridge for 10 minutes.

Prepare the chocolate drizzle by melting the chocolate and

coconut oil in the microwave or over a double boiler.

While the chocolate is melting, remove the slice from the tray and cut it into 8 pieces.

Drizzle some chocolate over each slice and place back into the fridge for 15 minutes, until the chocolate is solid.

Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Sam Wood’s Satay Chicken Burger Time: 30 minutes

Satay Sauce:

Method:

Serves: 1 Ingredients:

1 tbsp Mayver’s Crunchy Peanut Butter

1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

½ tbsp coconut milk

120g chicken breast

1 tsp tamari, or soy sauce

Salt and pepper, to taste

½ tsp raw honey

Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the chicken breast. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

1 sourdough bread roll

½ small red chilli, minced (optional)

1/3 cup baby spinach 1/3 Lebanese cucumber, shaved into ribbons ½ tomato, sliced

¼ lime, juiced

Cut the roll in half and place the bottom half on a plate.

Add the spinach, cucumber and tomato.

Combine the satay sauce ingredients in a bowl.

Once cooked, add the chicken to the burger.

Top the chicken with the satay sauce and top with the other half of the roll to serve.

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fab famIly fun The school holidays may be over and lunchbox Mama back on duty but that doesn’t mean the fun has to stop! Sydney has so many exciting activities, events and adventures to keep your free time fun filled right through to the next school holidays!! Here are some of Mama’s favourites.

1. How to move a zoo - Sydney Living Museum. Until Sunday 24 April. Tickets from $12.

Under 5. Free.

In 1916, hundreds of animals left Moore Park Zoo and travelled through the city and across Sydney Harbour to their new home at Taronga Zoological Park. From a 4-tonne elephant named Jessie, to kangaroos, lions and cockatoos, animals big and small made this extraordinary journey to a new life in one of the world’s most beautiful zoos.

Gather the family and discover this amazing Sydney story in a new exhibition featuring dynamic and immersive digital experiences, fact-filled displays and fun craft.

2. Storytime at Harry Hartog 20 Smidmore St, Marrickville. Free.

Mark it on your calendars, storytime at Harry Hartog is now on at Marrickville Metro every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 10am until 18th Feb. Harry Hartog will be running 20 minutes of kids storytime sessions with their resident storyteller and bookseller Renee who will delight little ones in store with classic kids books, new releases, and a range of her hand-picked favourites - there will always be a book you haven’t seen before. Browse their extensive children’s range afterwards! Harry Hartog is located on Level 1, and there’s free parking and plenty of space for prams - plus coffee and dining options on the Ground Floor.

There’ll also be live music performances, adult and kids workshops, glitter tattooing along with food and drinks at Marrickville Metro’s 12 diverse restaurants and cafes.

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3. Living on the spectrum LOTS Family Gala Day - Olympic Blvd, Sydney Olympic Park. Sunday 20 February from 10am-4pm. Free.

Autism Advisory and Support Service proudly presents the LOTS - Living on the Spectrum Family Gala Day, an all-inclusive event for those on the Autism Spectrum and their family, friends and community. Go along and enjoy the fun of rides and food trucks along with stalls from service providers, special guest appearances and performances and the open mic talent show for those with ASD (registration is required to participate).

4. Sticky Notes - Customs House.

31 Alfred Street, Sydney.

Daily from 15 - 18 March. Free.

Sticky Notes is a musical activation of the Customs House precinct by Sydney’s musical mavericks, Ensemble Offspring. With original vibrant scores by Ciaran Frame in the form of large ‘sticky notes’ on the pavement, these unique non-slip decals act as both colourful artworks and musical notation. Featuring a range of unique instruments on mass, including euphonium, waterphone, piccolo and bass clarinet, the roaming group of virtuoso musicians will present multiple 30-minute performances for flexible moving audiences.

5. Alpaca Experience - Madison’s Mountain Retreat. 3pm daily until Saturday 30 September.

Head out and spend some quality time in Kurrajong Heights, visiting the lovely alpacas at Madison’s Mountain Retreat, a peaceful farmstay in Kurrajong Heights, on acres bordering the Wollemi and Blue Mountains National Parks.

Madison’s is about an hour from the Sydney CBD, secluded with stunning scenery yet easy to reach. For just $20 the kids can hand feed a curious alpaca and learn some interesting facts about these amazing creatures.

6. Bundeena Kayaks 1.5hr Beach Kayak Tour. Daily at 10.30am and 12.30pm. Ages 6+.

1.

This Beach Kayak Tour is the perfect choice if you’re trying out kayaking for the first time, you feel a little nervous about being out on the water without guidance or you’re just keen to have a friendly guide show you around. It’s a great start into the popular sport of kayaking, where your family will learn basic kayaking technique followed by a kayaking adventure along the stunning beaches of Bundeena. Learn a new sport whilst taking in the beautiful surroundings and some of Sydney’s most wonderful wildlife. You might even spot a turtle!

2.

3.

4.

7. Centennial Parklands Bush School.

Term One 10-week program from January 31st. Ages 2.5 - 5 years.

Get young children back to nature and experience the benefits of nature play with Centennial Park’s famous Bush School program! Led by an expert team of education rangers, Bush School will inspire love for the natural world in kids aged 2.5-5 years through games, bushcraft activities and stories. This ten week program is kicked off as a Term 1 ticket for every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday on 31 January, so quick! During Bush School, urban kids will foster nature connections through nature play, through fun and engaging storytelling, naturebased activities, games, and free play (climbing, digging, imagination). Term 1 topics include aquatic life in Centennial Park, mud play, cicadas, shelter building and Easter storytelling.

5.

6.

8. Moonlight Cinema - Sing 2.

Belvedere Amphitheatre, Centennial Park. 19th February. From $20.

Moonlight Cinema is back and bringing the nostalgia of picnics, popcorn and film-watching amongst Australia’s most idyllic inner-city parklands. Under balmy summer night skies, Moonlight Cinemas will come to life with on-site activations, food trucks, bars and the comfiest of bean beds. (You can even bring your furry friends) As a BYO venue, you can also prepare your own picnic, bring along refreshments and enjoy one of Australia’s quintessential summer experiences. Sing 2 has got to be THE ideal family movie to enjoy under the stars.

7.

8.

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9. Riverside Parramatta presents Alphabetical Sydney: All Aboard!

30th March - 1st April. Family of four - $34.

Inspired by Hilary Bell and Antonia Pesenti’s best-selling picture book, this immersive musical suitable for ages 4+ and their families, will take audiences of all ages on a journey around the world’s most famous harbour city.

The guides, a chaotic Ibis and order-loving Nanna, take you on a whirlwind adventure.

Climb aboard the tour bus to discover their Sydney, one letter at a time.

Combining puppetry, theatre, songs and creative play with irresistible music by Greta Gertler Gold, Alphabetical Sydney: All Aboard! is a celebration of all that makes this city unique.

Don’t miss the World Premiere of this exciting new work!

11. PAW Patrol Live! “The Great Pirate Adventure!” Presented

by Paramount+. Aware Super Theatre - 9th and 10th April.

Tickets from $29.

It’s time to get your tickets before they sell out!!

PAW Patrol Live! “The Great Pirate Adventure” Presented by Paramount+, is coming to Sydney and as always a big adventure is on the cards!

Don’t miss this one Mama’s, tickets will sell fast!

9.

10. Sydney Opera House - What The Ocean Said - Storytelling and Meditation. Ages 3 - 8. 11th - 12th March. Tickets from $10.

Part guided meditation, part magical story, What The Ocean Said is a live experience for children aged 3 - 8 and their grown-ups.

Immerse yourself in this sensory world of vivid storytelling, dreamy electronic music, animation, and wonder.

10.

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11.

Dementia is the

second leading cause of death in Australia. There is no cure!

Memory Walk & Jog brings communities together around Australia - to get active and beat dementia.

Sydney - Sunday 20 March Lizard Log, Western Sydney Parklands, Abbotsbury or Don Lucas Reserve, Cronulla

GET ACTIVE | BEAT DEMENTIA | MEMORYWALK.COM.AU

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CHOOSE KINDNESS Wouldn’t it be nice if all children were kind?

As kids head back to school, it’s a timely opportunity to read the following advice from Dolly’s Dream and think about bullying and how we can spot, and stop, it.

Dolly’s Dream was created by Kate and Tick Everett following the shattering loss of their 14-year-old daughter, Dolly, to suicide, after ongoing bullying. Kate and Tick’s goal is to prevent other families walking this road.

They want to change the culture of bullying by addressing the impact of bullying, anxiety, depression and youth suicide, through education and direct support to young people and families.

So what is bullying?

Bullying is behaviour which causes harm or hurt and is done deliberately and repeatedly.

A person being bullied may feel intimidated, helpless, or unable to stop it happening.

Bullying can be: • Physical – such as hitting, shoving, tripping or kicking

Bullying behaviour is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time (for example, through sharing of digital records). Bullying of any form or for any reason can have immediate, medium and long-term effects on those involved, including bystanders. Single incidents and conflict or fights between equals, whether in person or online, are not defined as bullying.

Did you know: • Around 1 in 4 school-aged children in Australia has been bullied recently, with 1 in 5 bullied online recently • Each year, approximately 45 million bullying incidents occur in Australian schools.

• School is the most common place where teens experience bullying, followed by online spaces.

• Most of those who have been bullied online have also been bullied in person.

• Verbal – such as insults, threats, or nasty teasing

• Young people affected by bullying may suffer harm to their wellbeing, education and relationships.

• Social – such as spreading ugly rumours or telling people not to be friends with someone

• Compared to unaffected young people, they are at higher risk of various health problems, including mental health concerns.

• Cyber – such as spreading nasty gossip about someone online or posting embarrassing pics without their permission.

Cyber bullying can be anonymous, involve large numbers of people, and go on 24/7.

• The risks are especially high for those who have been bullied and have also bullied others.

The national definition of bullying for Australian schools (bullyingnoway.gov.au) says: Bullying is an ongoing and deliberate misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that intends to cause physical, social and/or psychological harm.

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It can involve an individual or a group misusing their power, or perceived power, over one or more persons who feel unable to stop it from happening. Bullying can happen in person or online, via various digital platforms and devices and it can be obvious (overt) or hidden (covert).

• Sometimes teens understand bullying differently to adults or have been hurt by other bad behaviours. Rather than arguing about ‘is it really bullying?’, we should focus on finding out what happened, the impacts, and what we can do to keep everyone safe and respected.

Bullying advice for parents What can parents do to support their kids?

• Teach our kids to recognise when they need help – when they can’t solve a problem, or are feeling stressed, upset, scared, sleepless, or overwhelmed.

• Help them make a list of trusted adults they could talk to.

• Teach them the key steps to asking for help, including deciding who to ask, thinking about what to say beforehand, finding a quiet time and place to talk, and telling other people if the first person can’t help them.

• Remind them that everyone needs help sometimes – including parents.

What can we do about cyber bullying?

What advice could you give to other parents or carers?

• Bullying often takes place at and around schools. But it also happens online.

• Children sometimes don’t want to tell parents that they’re being bullied because the parent might take their device away or the parent might go down to the school.

• Many parents might have experienced bullying when they were young, but home would be their safe place where they wouldn’t have to deal with that anymore.

Yet, for today’s young people, the bullying can feel like it never stops. When they’re at home, they might be receiving messages and seeing things online.

• If your child says they’re being bullied, it’s important to stay calm and let them know they’ve done the right thing by telling you.

• Ask them for the full story and explain that bullying is never ok and that’s it’s normal to feel upset.

• Don’t respond to the bullying by becoming aggressive yourself, as this is likely to make things worse.

• Connect with your child’s school to discuss the situation. Make an appointment and bring a list of the incidents mentioned by your child.

• Every school in Australia should have an anti-bullying policy which you can often find on the school’s website. So prepare yourself by reading the document before your meeting.

• The school and teachers will also want the bullying to stop so remember that you’re on the same team.

• If the bullying happens online, you can report it to the website where it happens, like Instagram or Facebook.

• If the content is not taken down, the eSafety Commissioner has an online reporting tool where they have a strong compliance rate and provide valued advice to families.

For more advice visit dollysdream.org.au.

Following two years of severely disrupted school and home life, Smiggle and Dolly’s Dream are asking Australian kids to choose kindness when they head back to school for 2022. To help spread the message they have created a cobranded Choose Kindness keyring to be sold to raise funds for the anti-bullying organisation as part of its ongoing partnership supporting young people and parents.

The Choose Kindness keyrings are just $2 and available from Smiggle stores all over Australia and online now, with the proceeds from the keyrings sold donated to Dolly’s Dream.

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FABULOUS FINDS FOR A FRESH AIR FIX The weather may be turning as the seasons begin to change, but there’s no reason to stop exploring all of our wonderful outdoor spaces right here in the heart of Sydney. (So lucky right!) If you’re looking for some new places to get your daily fix of fresh air, here’s a little inspo to get you started!

Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool 1C Mrs Macquaries Road, The Domain ($7 per entry & $4 for spectators) Set on Woolloomooloo Bay near the Royal Botanic Garden, the Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool offers patrons breathtaking views of Sydney Harbour. A glorious outdoor saltwater pool with 8 lanes means there’s plenty of space to enjoy a relaxing swim, play in the water or even take some swimming lessons! At least one lane will be available for free play only from 9am each day so put this on your list Mama.

City Road, Camperdown This large playground (with plenty of shade) features awesome equipment for children of all ages. Whether it’s climbing, swinging, balancing, jumping or simply exploring their surroundings, there’s something for every child here. A basketball practice area and ping pong table are located nearby for a little extra fun for the bigger kids!

The Ian Potter Children’s WILD Play Garden Centennial Parklands off Grand Drive, opposite the York Rd gates

This small but well equipped playspace is home to a wide range of equipment suitable for children of all ages. Enjoy the swings and the rope climbing structure or have a secret conversation with your friends through the cool yellow sound funnels!

Open from 10.00 am – 5.00 pm daily, complete with a coffee van and amenities block, The Ian Potter Children’s WILD PLAY Garden at Centennial Parklands is one of New South Wales’ best nature-play destinations. The Ian Potter Children’s WILD PLAY Garden was designed to cater for children of all ages and abilities in a dramatic landscape in which children are encouraged to run, jump, play, learn and discover the wild side of life, and provides children with the chance to get lost in the wonder of nature with dry creek beds, an artesian water play area, a bamboo forest, banksia tunnels, turtle mounds and Centennial Park’s first treehouse.

Wentworth Park

Prince Alfred Park Playground

Dr H J Foley Rest Park Playground 140 Glebe Point Road, Glebe

Wentworth Park Road, Ultimo There are so many sports fields and picnic areas to enjoy here, you’re going to love the space! This is the perfect place to bring your footie, soccer ball and runners! The well shaded playground and fitness stations will keep you all active for a good few hours so come prepared!

With plenty of places to sit, and lots of water bubblers available, you can stay to relax even when the kids are all puffed out.

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Victoria Park and Playground

Corner Cleveland and Chalmers Streets Surry Hills The award-winning Prince Alfred Park features 2 playgrounds with all sorts of fun equipment including seesaws & swings alongside some fab custom-made play equipment. There’s an enclosed toddlers playground and an open play space adjacent to basketball courts for the bigger kids. This is near the Prince Alfred Park Pool, so maybe take your bathers just in case!

Queens Park playground caters for kids of all ages and features climbing frames, slides, interactive play equipment and shade structures.

of Sydney Griffiths, City

Centennial Parklands

Katherin e

Queens Park playground

Located adjacent to Market Street, the Queens Park kids playground is enclosed and features a free BBQ area at its eastern end.

There’s a modern amenities block adjacent to the playground, it’s close to the sports fields and the Queens Park Shed cafe is nearby.

Pirrama Park Pirrama Road, Pyrmont This gorgeous regional harbourside park features an extensive playground and barbecue and picnic areas so you can really make a day of it. You’ll all enjoy having a look at the boating pontoon, the sheltered bay and the public art.

The Stevedore Walk marks the area’s recent history and is well worth having a toddle along.

Paul Patterson, City of Sydney

Tumbalong Playpark Darling Harbour One of Sydney’s most recognisable play parks, we’d be surprised if you haven’t explored it already! However it’s worth reminding you just how great it is! This kid’s heaven is famous for its (huge) waterplay area filled with pumps, puddles, channels and fountains. Yes! They’re going to get wet! The play park is home to giant slides, lots of swings, a sandpit, a flying fox, climbing ropes and more. Rest assured there is a cafe so Mama can enjoy a coffee in the shade whilst the kids go wild!

© State of New South (Place Wales Manag ement) 2022

y of Sydney

Paul Patterson, Cit

Images: City of

Sydney

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For COVID safe information visit nsw.gov.au 30

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let’s clean up australia Australians are urged to get in early and sign up for the country’s largest community based environmental event, Clean Up Australia Day (Sunday 6th March 2022), as the environment feels the effects of a COVID-19 hangover.

The opening of volunteer registrations comes after lockdowns and changed habits fuelled a significant increase in household waste. The last two years have seen significant increases in single-use plastics, alongside unprecedented amounts of face masks, takeaway coffee cups and food packaging littering our footpaths, parks and beaches.

Clean Up Australia Chairman, Pip Kiernan, says it’s more important than ever to protect Australia’s unique environment by stepping up on Clean Up Australia Day. “The environment is still experiencing the impact of the pandemic,” said Ms Kiernan.

“Our habits changed during COVID and most of these haven’t been kind on the environment. Surges in online shopping, meal delivery services and the use of disposable face masks and coffee cups, mean the environment is feeling the after-effects of the pandemic in ways not seen before.”

Four in five Australian households made an online purchase in 2020 alone. Over 5.5 million Australians aged 14+ (26.5%) used meal delivery services last year and less than 4% of 32

soft plastics are recycled in Australia, despite it being the most lethal consumer plastic for ocean wildlife.

The environmental organisation is encouraging volunteers to sign up early to show their commitment to improving the environment.

Registration is easy, and all communitybased participants receive a free Clean Up kit containing gloves and bags and other resources, with packs for individuals, families or groups available.

“Clean Up Australia Day is the opportunity to do some good – to roll up our sleeves, get out there and take action. Sign up now to make a pledge to protect Australia’s environment. Together, we can make a meaningful, long-lasting difference to the parks, beaches, rivers and pathways near us.”

If you can’t join a Clean Up, Ms Kiernan urges Aussies to make a donation to Clean Up Australia. 100% of funds raised through donations are allocated to the provision of educational resources and clean up materials provided free of charge to community, school and youth groups across the nation, year round.

To register to join in your local clean up or donate, please visit cleanup.org.au.

HOW TO REDUCE VACCINE ANXIETY Your child has no doubt knows about COVID-19 by now and may have some worries. They may also already have heard about “a vaccine” but not know what this is.

The focus in on how this vaccine prevents serious illness, but your child will by now be thinking about the injection. So here is the next step.

With COVID vaccination now open to 5-11 year olds, you may need some help tackling this subject with your little ones.

Step 2 – You can do this! You’ve already had loads of injections

It’s the “Not Knowing” that makes things scary for kids. So, I’ve made a 5-step breakdown of how to explain having a vaccine to your child.

Each step has a separate main point that you want to get across to your child. Following each step, in order, allows a natural flow to the discussion and gives your child the chance to voice concerns or ask questions.

I’ve written the discussion exactly as you might say it, in this font. This is what worked for my kids from about age 3 onwards. The younger the child, the simpler your language will be:

Step 1 – You need to have an injection “There’s a virus in the world called Coronavirus, or COVID, which can make people very sick. But we now have medicines to stop people from getting sick, even if they catch the virus. There is a special medicine called a vaccine. It’s a tiny injection that stops you from getting sick, even if you catch the Coronavirus. Pretty handy hey?!”

Then PAUSE and see if your child asks any questions.

If they don’t know what an injection is: “It’s a very thin needle that goes this far (hold your thumb and index finger 1 cm apart) in your arm for about 3 seconds to give the medicine to your body.”

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“Do you know you’ve already had heaps of injections? (At this point I like to bring out their immunisation record for them to hold, and we look at it together). You had an injection when you were born. Then you had more when you were 2 months old, 4 months old, 6 months old, 1 year old, 1 ó years old, and 4 years old! You’ve had heaps. And you were super brave for all of them!”

At this point your child may want to count the number of injections they have had. They may also be very interested in how they went with all these injections. This is a great time to ollow your child’s lead, as well as reflect on those experiences (which they probably won’t remember)

Step 3 – Reflect on previous injection experiences If your child asks how they went previously: “Well, you cried when you were a baby. You were too little for me to explain what would happen, so it was a big shock. But as you got older, you got braver and braver. Sometimes you cried a bit, but you sat on my lap and had a big cuddle and it was over really quickly. One time, they blew bubbles to distract you, and you hardly even noticed!”

Depending on how playful your child is feeling, you might show them what happened (a bit like the Bluey “Doctors” episode):

“When you were little the injection was like this (poke them gently in the thigh and say) “Sting!” right here in your thigh! Why? Because that was your chubbiest bit!.”

Step 4 – Be honest. It will hurt, but not much.

“This time, now you’re big, you will have the injection in your arm. You will feel the needle (Yes, it IS a needle, no need to make a big deal of it), but you’ve had heaps of ouchier things.”

Your child may think of all the pains they’ve had before – this is very helpful because you can then relate this vaccine to their previous experiences.

If your child doesn’t bring up previous pains: “It will sting more than a mozzie bite, but way less than a bee sting. It will hurt a lot less than falling off your bike. And the sting only lasts for about 5 seconds, maybe less. (Then count 5 seconds together)” Be ready to have the conversation about how much it will hurt more than once. Reassure your child every time that they will feel it, but that it is far less painful than so many other experiences they’ve already had.

NOTE: “It will hurt a bit, but I know you’ll be ok” will be more reassuring than “you’ll be fine”.

Step 5 – Explain the practicalities For this part, the amount of detail you give will depend on your child’s age and how much they want to know. Feel free to bring this down to the key steps of: when it is (day), how you will get there, and who will be with them the whole time. For those with kids who want to know everything, here it is (but you might break this up a lot with discussion along the way).

“We are going to get the vaccine on (eg Thursday).

That’s 2 sleeps away. We will go by car. After we park the car, we will put on our masks and go into the vaccination centre / pharmacy. There will probably be a queue. They might ask us to use the hand sanitiser and will take our temperature.

Then they check our details and show us how to get to the nurse’s station. You will sit on my lap, like this (practice child sitting on your lap, side on, and take the opportunity to give them a sneaky hug). The nurse will give you the injection while

I cuddle you and you will look at me the whole time. I’ll give you my best big hug.

After the injection we sit in a waiting area for 15 minutes, just to check you are ok. Then, we can go home. Your arm might be a bit achy that night, or it might be fine.

When we get to the car/ home …(Insert your treat here. “ For my kids, I said: We will take the iPAD and you can watch TV all the way home.)

If you want to set this out as dot points or make a visual plan, here are the 10 steps involved when you go to a vaccination hub: 1.

Follow the entry signs

2.

Hand sanitiser

3.

Join the queue

4.

Temperature check

5.

Check in

6.

You might get a treat (fidget spinners)

7.

Await your vaccine station

8.

Meet your nurse and Get VAXXED!

9.

Wait 15 min for obs – this is a good time for a cuddle.

10. Go home!!

If you can see that your child is still worried, ask them which part is worrying them the most.

After you have addressed the first worry, ask if they have any other worries. You may need this conversation, or parts of it, more than once.

By Kathryn Hackman, doctor and mum of two young boys. In collaboration with a leading paediatric psychologist and occupational therapist, Kathryn has created the Courageous Kids app which allows parents and carers to create personalised and tailored stories to help their children meet everyday challenges and new situations with calmness and confidence. www.courageouskidsapp.com @courageouskidsapp

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TIME TO JUMP BACK IN!

new on the shelf

kids

The Book No One Wants to Read by Beth Bacon A wildly fun, interactive adventure for the most reluctant of readers. A book was sitting lonely on the shelf, waiting to be read. Tired of having no one to talk to, it decided to make a promise to potential readers: ‘You keep turning my pages, and I’ll make it fun!’ Packed full of interactive jokes and games, The Book No One Wants to Read is a riotously colourful, mischievous book with a mission: to hook in even the most reluctant of readers.

Published by Pushkin Children’s . RRP $19.99 RRP

Sing Along With Me! This is the Way We Go to School illustrated by Yu-hsuan Huang An adorable Sing-Along board book story, with five robust board sliders easy for little hands to use! Each board book comes with a free instrumental and vocal version of the nursery rhyme - simply scan the QR code for little ones to listen and sing along! With bright illustrations this series make the perfect gift for a baby or toddler! Toddlers will love to join in with the tiger twins as they get ready for a busy day at nursery school!

Published by Nosy Crow. RRP $12.99

Mole’s Spectacles by Julia Donaldson Lift the flaps and join in the fun with Mole’s Spectacles, a brilliant story in the best-selling Tales from Acorn Wood preschool series by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, creators of The Gruffalo. Mole has lost his spectacles. He searches all around his house, in the garden and even in Weasel’s sweetshop, but he can’t find them anywhere! Where could they be? Lift the flaps to help him find them. With sturdy flaps on every spread and rhyming stories that are a joy to read aloud, Mole’s Spectacles joins the best-selling Tales from Acorn Wood which have been delighting parents and children for over twenty years.

Published by Macmillan Children’s Books. RRP $14.99.

Ouch: Tales of Gravity by Kate Simpson A funny story about gravity that explains why apples fall from trees, from an exciting new partnership in picture books.

Isaac Newton was sitting under an apple tree when he got hit on the head by an apple. People might tell you this is the moment gravity was first discovered, but the truth is people had been discovering gravity long before Isaac. Have you ever wondered how gravity works? Or what life would be like without gravity? Find out in this fun introduction to the idea that what goes up must come down!

Published by Allen and Unwin Childrens. RRP $24.99.

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t(w)een Welcome to Your Boobs. Your easy, no-silly-questions guide to your breast friends by Yumi Stynes, Melissa Kang Whether you’re worried they won’t grow, or that they are growing too quickly, this book is has all the info. And whether we’re ready for them or not, just about EVERYONE, of every gender, gets at least some boob growth when they hit puberty. This little book is packed with honest advice on all the things you need to know: from the easiest way to put on a bra, to the nitty gritty of the titty, to why boobs get so much attention. Welcome To Your Boobs includes case studies, first-person accounts, and questions from real teens, answered by real experts – us! Don’t worry – you’ve got this!

Published by Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing. RRP $19.95.

Northwind by Gary Paulsen This stunning historical adventure, set along a rugged coastline centuries ago, does for the sea what Hatchet did for the woods, as it relates the story of a young person’s battle to stay alive against the odds.

When a deadly plague decimates his fishing village, an orphan named Leif is forced to take to the water in a cedar canoe. He flees northward, following a wild, fjord-riven shore, navigating from one danger to the next. The deeper into his journey he paddles, the closer he comes to his truest self as he connects to the heartbeat of the ocean, the pulse of the landscape.

Published by Macmillan Children’s Books. RRP $16.99

Junior Atlas of Indigenous Australia by Macquarie Dictionary A valuable introduction to the culture and lives of Australia’s First Peoples, the Atlas visually represents patterns of human activities in space and time, from over 60,000 years ago to the present time. It covers an extensive range of topics, such as deep history, Indigenous mapping, material culture, cultural and religious life, art, sport, language, environment and Country, social justice, education and health and wellbeing. The 130 maps, which form the core of the book, are supplemented by easy-to-read explanatory text and over 165 photographs, artworks, illustrations, charts and graphs.

Published by Macquarie. RRP $39.99.

Beyond the End of the World: The Other Side of the Sky 2

by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner The sequel to The Other Side of the Sky, this book has something for every reader: a star-crossed love full of tantalising longing, unique and immersive new worlds to explore, and nonstop thrills that escalate into an unforgettably electric conclusion.

Time to do the impossible. Time to find a way between worlds. Time to find each other again.

Published by Allen and Unwin. RRP $19.95.

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adults Find your unicorn space by Eve Rodsky With her acclaimed New York Times bestseller Fair Play, Eve Rodsky ignited a national conversation about greater equity in the home. But she soon realised that even when the domestic workload becomes more balanced, people still report something missing in their lives. Here Rodsky reveals what researchers already know: Creativity is not optional. It’s essential. Though most of us need to remind ourselves how and where to find it. With her trademark mix of research-based how-to advice and big-picture inspirational thinking, Rodsky shows you a clear path to reclaim your permission to have fun, manifest your own Unicorn Space in an already too-busy life.

Published by Hachette. RRP $32.99.

Life Admin Hacks by Mia Northrop and Dinah Rowe-Roberts The step-by-step guide to saving time and money, reducing the mental load and streamlining your life.

You have no idea what’s for dinner tonight. You need a gift for that party next week. You still haven’t consolidated your super. You’re out of contract on your phone and paying who knows what. Those cupboards won’t declutter themselves. The kids need a plan for the next school holidays. It’s time to get the gutters cleaned. You still haven’t made a will. Sound familiar? Then this is the life admin guide you’ve been waiting for. Life admin can’t be eliminated but it can be minimised, automated and better shared within families.

Published by HarperCollins. RRP $34.99.

I Didn’t Do The Thing Today by Madeleine Dore Any given day brings a never ending list of things to do. There’s the work thing, the catch up thing, the laundry thing, the creative thing, the exercise thing, the family thing, the thing we don’t want to do, the thing we’ve been putting off (despite it being the most important thing). Even on days when we get a lot done, the thing left undone can leave us feeling guilty, anxious or disappointed.

After five years of searching for the secret to productivity, Madeleine Dore discovered there isn’t one, instead, we’re being set up to fail, so this is an inspiring call to take productivity off its pedestal, to embrace the joyful messiness and unpredictability of life. Published by Murdoch Books. RRP $32.99

50 Questions to Ask Your Teens by Daisy Turnbull This is a fantastic guide for parents and carers navigating the confusing and exciting world of adolescence. For anyone who wants to better connect with their teens and help them to be functioning, self-aware and kind adults, Daisy Turnbull offers a simple framework with clever questions to engage your teen and pre-teen from age 10 onwards. You’ll find questions that encourage your teen to master the practical as well as trickier topics, including friendships, consent, self-compassion, managing conflict, mental health, boundaries and media influences.

Published by Hardie Grant. RRP $24.99

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This Mama aIn’t celebratIng after drop off!

By Liv Wilson

It’s done! The Summer holidays are over and the new school year is here. If you’ve been dreading this day, you’re not alone.

For many parents across Australia, with an anxious child, the first day of a new school year is much dreaded and not a day to skip out of the gates cheering with our friends as we head for a well deserved glass of bubbles!! And let’s face it, this year comes with added worry for some children after COVID lockdowns, and extended periods of remote learning, added to the awkwardness of trying to reconnect with friends they haven’t seen for a while.

I’m a mother of a child who suffered terribly with separation anxiety and I’ve spent many ‘1st days’ praying with every part of my being, that this day, this year, this drop off would be the one where everything clicks and saying goodbye at the gate would be a breeze.

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The mornings drag!

It’s no surprise that ‘separation anxiety’ can wreak havoc on your mornings. The sore tummy, the tears, the refusal to eat brekkie, the getting dressed in slow motion! The packing and unpacking of the school bag, the fussing over the lunchbox, the constant questions and the unrelenting need for reassurance. To get out of the door takes a huge amount of strength from the whole family and resisting the urge to slam on the brakes and take everyone home is a challenge like no other.

If you’re a Mama to a child with separation anxiety, there are lots of tried and tested (by me) ways you can help make the mornings run a little smoother, ensuring stress is limited and you’re not all frazzled by the time you reach the gates.

My tips to lessen separation anxiety before school • Set a good routine – too much time can create as much stress as too little.

The Ultimate Family Planner will help with family organisation, and the motivational quotes will keep you going.

• Discuss your morning routine the night before so everyone knows what’s expected of them when they get up.

• Prepare bags and lunches the night before to save over complicating the morning.

• Pop a cute note inside your child’s lunchbox - do this every day so they have something to look forward to. A daily riddle is fun too! Check out Riddles.com or lunch notes from Sprout and Sparrow.

• Have a good, clear calendar so everyone knows what’s happening each day, what chores they need to do and what to look forward to. I love Daily Orders wall planners for this.

• Set a limit on questions and don’t be afraid to say “no more”. Constant questioning can increase stress levels for everyone.

• Ask the teacher for a breakdown of the timetable and add it to your wall planner – knowing what’s ahead means you can both prepare for the day.

This will also help prompt conversations in the afternoon.

• Apps like Smiling Mind and A Soft Murmur can help calm your child (and you) at home or in the car.

• Make sure you keep yourself calm as anxious children feed off your mood too. This can be hard but try your best!

• Get a set of print at home emotion cards from the Chaos to Calm Consultancy to help your kids understand their emotions and encourage them to talk about how they feel.

• Talk to the school and tell them what you need them to do. Ask for help!

They may have no idea your child is struggling.

• If other mums are offering to help, accept it. Sometimes just the simple act of another mama taking your child by the hand, will break the chain!

I’m not a doctor. I’m not a health professional, I’m just a mama who’s been where you are now, and I know how helpful implementing just a few of these tips can be. There’s no quick fix, it could take a few weeks, perhaps a term to get back in the swing of things, maybe even longer, but, everything will be ok, I promise! xx If you’re worried about your child, it’s important you speak with your GP at the earliest opportunity.

GET INSIDE THE TIDE There has always been something very whimsical about taking the kids to Sealife Aquarium and walking through the glass tube with fish swimming all around you, but we’ve always equally adored time spent in the Botanic Gardens. So you can imagine our delight when we found both these experiences have been combined at The Calyx, home to one of the largest green walls in the southern hemisphere!

Here you can step inside a spectacular world of aquatic delights in their immersive exhibition Inside the Tide and explore a marine dream of coral, kelp and coast.

Combining the theatrical with horticulture, this exhibition creates a surreal, magical and playful display. Telling the stories of hero plants in three aquatic communities: Kelp Forests, Coral Reefs and Seagrass Meadows, you can wander through what feels like an under the sea experience and watch a pantomime come to life. Come face to face with giant sea creatures like the topiary blue whale, a chandelier of jellyfish or blue ringed octopus, with interactive elements both children and adults will enjoy.

This year’s display has also enlisted the help of hundreds school children from across NSW, who in 2021 created Codium seaweeds when undertaking educational workshops with the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney learning about the threats to coastal environments and how to best care for habitats.

Inside the Tide has over 20,000 plants on display and one of the largest living green walls in the Southern Hemisphere. Curated by the horticultural team at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney and presented in partnership with Erth.

While you’re visiting, let your kids explore the kid’s corner where they can discover life’s enchanting characteristics in the ocean.

Activities include First Nations fishing, seagrass yoga and much more.

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On occasion, The Calyx is closed for private events and functions. Updates for closures can be found on their website.

The Calyx will be observing strict physical distancing and hygiene measures to protect the health of visitors and staff and minimise the spread of COVID-19. Wearing a fitted face mask is mandatory while you are in any of the indoor spaces. The Calyx is restricted to 200 people within the venue, so please be patient.

When: 10am - 4pm daily until June 2022 Price: Entry by donation Where: The Calyx, The Royal Botanic Garden, Mrs Macquaries Road, Sydney Transport: Public transport recommended as there is limited parking available www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au

Images: Royal Botanic Garden Sydney

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PAYING IT FORWARD How many times have you stuffed a bag of kids’ clothes into a charity bin and thought about where they will actually end up? Or wondered what to do with that pram or safety gate you no longer need.

Our kids grow up at such a rapid rate so many of our kid’s items are still in fantastic condition when they are no longer needed. So what can we do with these items so we know they are going to a great new home?

Fatma Elzein, Founder and Managing Director of Mummies Paying it Forward tells us how it all began…

I get asked a lot about how Mummies Paying it Forward came about and ultimately it was a number of small ‘defining’ moments. Defining moments to me are times where you stop and really think about how you can contribute to improve a situation. Prior to the establishment of Mummies Paying It Forward, I was struggling emotionally to cope with loss so I decided to channel my energy into helping others.

Mummies Paying it Forward is a Sydney-based charity organisation created to support the most vulnerable people within our society, by providing preloved (in great condition) and brand new items to a wide range of dedicated local not-for-profit charities within New South Wales.

Founded in December 2014 by Sydney mum of four and paediatric nurse Fatma Elzein, and run by a small, dedicated team of volunteers, the group has grown from a handful of Fatma’s friends, to over 22,000+ members in a short period of time.

They focus on practical ways they can contribute to local not-for-profit organisations and assist so many struggling families within our communities and beyond. It’s about helping someone who has hit a rough patch in life so they have the opportunity to one day help themselves and in most cases, their children and families.

Donations can be delivered to one of over 30+ drop-off points across Sydney or given directly to the charities they support.

“Every single time you help somebody stand up you are helping humanity rise” - Steve Maraboli.

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As a mother, I could easily relate to other mothers, and the idea that there were parents out there who couldn’t afford to feed and clothe their children, really got to me. Based on a prior recommendation of a friend on what to do with baby clothing and nursery items, and having grown up in a household where the generosity of the community in advice and support to newly settled migrants was frequently spoken about, the road to the first two charities Mummies Paying It Forward would support, had begun.

From my initial pursuit to find a way to volunteer and help others, I knew that the hardest thing about helping others, is figuring out where to start and how you can personally

contribute within your everyday life. This was displayed in how the Mummies management team came about. Marie dropped a donation to my house and saw that I was a mum trying to make a difference (with my kids running around in the background) and she messaged me afterwards offering her marketing/IT skills. Being a tad hopeless with any form of technology, of course I jumped at the chance.

Another piece of the puzzle was Sue who came on board in the early days as a volunteer driver.

Pretty quickly I could see she was a true asset to the Mummies team for her coordination skills and big heart. With time, we have been joined by so many incredible individuals who bring such passion and commitment to helping others and we are proud of all those that make up the Mummies Paying It Forward Family.

Nursery items - most in need • Bassinets with stand lockable (if rocking) and removable covers and mattresses • Bassinet and cot linen and mattress protectors (clearly labelled and freshly laundered) • Prams (especially those suitable for newborns) and double prams in clean condition and importantly in working order (especially brakes), with instruction manual (if possible).

• Pram accessories liners, sunshades, rain covers, head supports etc • Baby baths • Baby bouncers (not swings, as we cannot rehome) • Manual breast pumps only • Safety gates with all pieces taped together

Collectively, we saw an opportunity to help and we jumped at it because we believe that giving back to the community makes a world of difference to so many. Mummies Paying It Forward has grown into the huge network of dedicated volunteers, drop off points, partners and charities that it is today because of the contributions members make each and every day to improve the lives of others within our society. And we’re just getting started.

Currently on hold due to oversupply

So what can you donate to Mummies Paying it Forward?

The essentials

Baby and children’s essentials We believe that clothing and essentials packs provided by Mummies Paying It Forward are a gift from the community to vulnerable families.

For this reason, we ask that your donation is new or good/great condition and freshly laundered. We can’t accept anything that is stained, discoloured, torn or broken (check those zippers).

• Baby and children’s clothing sorted by size (e.g. 000, 00, 0 up to 14) and gender (or gender neutral) • Baby wraps and blankets • Children’s underwear (new), socks and PJs • Nappies and wipes (disposable, cloth and modern - open packs of nappies accepted)

• High chairs IKEA style with removable legs • Strollers Toys and books We can rehome pre-loved toys and children’s books in excellent condition. Please only donate toys that are less than 50cm in size we don’t have the storage space for large toys.

1. Non-perishable food such as canned food, rice, lentils, pasta, including baby formula with at least 3 months date 2. Toiletries such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, soap, body wash Have something to donate not on this list?

Go to the website for a list of other charities who may be able to accept your items.

So why not take a look through your cupboards and garage for all those thi-ngs you no long need and give them to some one that does need them instead. One mama to another.

For further enquiries, please email us at info@mummiespayingitforward.org.au. Find out more at www.mummiespayingitforward.org.au

• Bottles and teats (must be new, in unopened packaging) • Baby carriers (Ergo or BabyBjorn style only) 47

CONSIDERING HOME SCHOOLING Adjusting to a different way of learning has been a challenge for students, parents, carers and teachers alike.

However, not all kids are struggling with learning from home; those that are self-paced, flexible, independent learners, are thriving.

As a result, more families who have enjoyed their experience of remote learning are now considering full-time home schooling.

The growth of home schooling According to the Victorian government (statistics), the number of children home schooling is growing each year. In 2020, there was a 20 per cent increase in registrations, coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some parents have found their children thrive in a more focussed environment and have found a merit in them being able to teach their child at their own pace. It has also been promoted as a viable option for families who travel a lot, with various influencers documenting their kids’ educational journey through social media. Children with learning difficulties or who struggle with school due to physical, mental, or social reasons, such as bullying, have also benefited from home schooling environments, and have been a catalyst for growth in the sector. For instance, if your child is falling behind in class, setting them up with a crash course of specific, one-to-one nurtured learning can help fill the gaps and accelerate their learning.

Many families saw how well their children learnt during previous COVID-19-related lockdowns, with less distractions leading to increased engagement and better results. If you are among those families exploring home schooling, here’s where you can start.

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What to consider Importantly, home schooling is not remote learning. During lockdowns, schools are providing planned lessons, video calls and relevant online tools aligned to the curriculum.

When home schooling, the onus falls on parent/s to plan lessons and undertake the assessments and reporting requirements.

A key consideration for parents who are going to be taking this on is whether they will be able to manage it. The workload of becoming a teacher can be a hard, but very rewarding and positive experience. It’s important that parents understand the impact it might have, and plan accordingly.

Consider also the teacher-parent persona how are you going to manage the difference?

How do you want to be seen, and how will it be different at different times of the day? Since you will be filling both roles, you need to set clear boundaries and schedules.

Before you begin, talk to your kids’ school and find out what level they’re learning at. It’s important to know where to start and identify any areas of learning you might need to focus on more.

Social implications You can invest in platforms and tools that help with education, but it is very hard to buy social interaction. This is what school offers that home doesn’t. The social skills, friendships and experiences your child picks up at school might not be apparent now, but will be vital in future.

So, consider other ways they can be involved in the community. This can include joining Facebook home schooling groups, local sports teams, afterschool programs, or even taking part in joint home schooling classes with other kids.

Government requirements

The right tools

Home schooling needs to be approved. Every state government has different registration requirements and various states require you to provide a range of information, including details about the learning environmentm how you track learning progress, and what you are teaching them. Get in touch with your local education body and find out what you need to meet their requirements. Most online resources will provide relevant content outlines or scopes for you to meet the government requirements.

It’s important you pick the right tools for the job. That’s ‘tools’ plural. Diversify what the kids are doing and ensure all your eggs are not in one basket. Keep it interesting by using a pen and paper and other tactile materials, incorporate P.E. and leverage online tools to gamify the lessons – this will ensure kids are more likely to be engaged. For instance, Education Perfect (EP) is an online resource that provides parents with thousands of curriculum aligned subject lessons created by teachers, in an easy to use, gamified application that can help personalise your home schooling approach. EP also offers regular parent training webinars and workshops so that it doesn’t feel too daunting.

Finding advice When you’re starting out, don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Your first-year of home schooling should be to master the basics and figure out the best way your child learns. From there you can start altering your education plan to suit their needs.

There are many forums and websites to talk you through home schooling. One recommendation is Fearless Home school, which has a wealth of knowledge surrounding anything home learning related. Social media is also a great resource for finding homeschooling groups in your region to join. You may be surprised at how many families are in the same situation as you. Talk to other families and connect with other people around you.

Home schooling can be a rewarding and fulfilling journey, especially when you start to see your child improve and close any learning gaps. With the right advice, tools and support, you can ensure your child can thrive, both educationally and socially, while learning from home.

By Tim Offen, International Community Lead at Education Perfect. Education Perfect (EP) is a complete digital teaching and learning toolkit that has become a core resource for thousands of teachers across the world, including over 1,600 Australian schools.

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7 tips to manage the back to work and school juggle The summer school holidays have ended and the new school year is here, many parents will be experiencing that dreaded “back to school” feeling.

The juggle is never easy and sometimes it can take a few weeks for everyone to adapt.

Here are a few tried and tested tips to help you navigate the back to school blues.

A mixture of emotions and nerves surround the return to school. We have the blissful feeling of dropping them off at the school gates for the day - hello freedom!

Organisation is under rated, especially by the likes of the messy Libras of the world. However, having a plan can really set up each day and week for success. Having an idea of what the week ahead looks like will help alleviate anxiety as there are no unexpected surprises.

However, the return to school also comes with its own set of stressors: can you get everyone where they need to be on time, and how will you juggle your work commitments around their school hours and extra-curricular activities?

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1. Start the week right

I love a weekly planner. This can be in whatever form works for you - a google calendar, a timetable on the fridge, or an app on your phone. By adding in each family member’s activities and commitments for the week, everyone in the house knows what is happening and when. It can also help you work out a roster for who is responsible for the kids, before and after school arrangements.

2. Prepare things the night before

6. Encourage independence

Ease the morning chaos by organising a few things the night before school. This could include laying out the school uniforms and making sure the school bags are packed. If you have an airtight lunchbox, making their lunch and storing it in the fridge overnight will save you precious time in the morning.

Set things out in the same place each day so that your children can take responsibility for themselves. This includes leaving out their school uniform so they can dress themselves, having toothbrushes within reach and keeping breakfasts simple so that they can prepare it themselves.

3. Consider implementing a meal plan

Create a designated homework space in the home. Encourage your child to take responsibility for completing their homework in this space. If your child is younger and needs support, this could be a communal area such as the kitchen bench so they can ask you for help while you are preparing dinner.

I’m not saying that you have to have a set meal for each day of the week, but there are definitely a few perks of a weekly meal plan. Firstly, it makes the grocery shopping experience quicker and easier. It also helps save you money. You will be more likely to focus on the items on your grocery list and less likely to spend on junk food and takeaway. To save an hour or two of your time – think about ordering your groceries online for click and collect or home delivery.

While everyone is adapting to the first few weeks of term, choose easy to prepare meals that are both nutritious and everyone in the family will eat. Avoid trying new recipes as this will be more time consuming. Cook up some batch meals that can be put in the freezer to reheat on busy week nights, such as bolognese, curry and lasagne.

4. Be realistic with your expectations We all want the best for our kids, but we need to be realistic. Accept that your child can’t do every activity under the sun. Rather, let them choose one or two extra-curricular activities or classes they are passionate about and schedule them into your weekly planner.

5. Remember to look after you

7. Don’t be embarrassed to ask for help Sometimes you won’t be able to achieve everything yourself, and this is OK. Think about reliable people who you can enlist for help. For example, can a grandparent, friend or neighbour do a pick up or drop off one night a week? Can you alternate days with another parent at the school?

Review your obligations for the week and make it clear to your manager or colleagues if you need to make any changes to your work schedule. Can you work remotely some days of the week to save on commute times? Flexible work spaces have become more possible with the current Covid-19 outbreak, so communicate with your boss to see if there are any alternative work arrangements that can be put in place.

Sarah James is the owner of The Sensory Specialist, a qualified Psychology teacher and a mother of two boys. Through her experiences, Sarah has lots of tips and tricks to help manage the working parent juggle. www.thesensoryspecialist.com.au

If you can, try to “switch off” from work at a reasonable hour. Turn off your email alerts and focus on being present with your family. Give yourself some time for you at the end of a busy day. Self-care can as simple as having a glass of your favourite wine, having a hot shower or watching an entertaining TV show.

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3 LITERACY TIPS FOR STARTING BIG SCHOOL! What should my child know when they start school...and how to help make their learning joyful!

Starting ‘big school’ is a time of change for children and their families. As parents, we want to give our kids the very best opportunities to succeed. We may talk with them about their feelings of excitement, nerves and wonder; spend time practicing zips, buttons and laces, packing and unpacking their bag and lunchbox, wear-in school shoes and uniforms, walk the route to school, wonder about teachers, classmates and endless other aspects of starting something new.

All these tasks are important to a smooth transition from kinder to school. And what about reading? Do they need to know the ABC’s, how to read and write their name, what if they’ve never held a pencil? Argh!

Don’t panic, we’ve got your literacy questions covered. We want to take the pressure off, so that heading to ‘big school’ is as seamless and joyful as can be.

Read on for tips, games, tricks and tools for a smooth transition to school...plus a little bit of reading science lingo. Let’s Go! Phonological awareness is the ability to hear sounds within a word. It is made up of a set of skills known to be the crucial building blocks for reading. When kids have secure phonological awareness, they are much more likely to become proficient readers. Importantly, we 52

want to give YOU the tools to help them build these skills through play, fun and no-fuss.

Research has identified phonemic awareness (a subset of skills linked to phonological awareness) and letter knowledge as the best two predictors of how well a child will learn to read during their first two years of school (National Reading Panel, 2000).

Fact: Children who develop strong phonemic awareness skills at an early age are more likely to become fluent readers and better spellers than children who do not.

Now for the fun part...

Tip 1 - Oral blending and Segmenting A crucial early reading skill, encourage your child to listen for the sounds in words. Help them break words apart (segment), and put them back together (blend). This is a skill that provides a solid foundation for learning to read.

You say dog, they say d-o-g. You say b-oa-t, they say boat.

Tip 2 - What about the ABC’s?

There is no need to focus on teaching your child the alphabet. If you want to expose them to supportive literacy activities, play sounds games: - Eye-spy something beginning with the sound...

- Play with alliteration, “Sally sails seven sailboats”.

- Do these words rhyme? hat/cat, big/small.

- How many syllables (beats) in pig (1), rabbit (2), watermelon (4).

Tip 3 - What’s in a Name?

A preschool child knowing how to recognise their name has tons of benefits (though they don’t need to spell it just yet). Locating their belongings and having some independence in a group environment are just some. Plus, name recognition supports a deeper understanding of letters and sounds and how they work together.

Ways to expose children to their name: Name puzzles, name stamping, play dough, pompom or pebble name building. Labelling their clothing, toys and books also increases independence and ensures multiple exposures to their name.

If your child is ready to learn to spell their name because they have a solid grasp of letters and sounds, help them to listen for the sounds in their name as a first step. It is important to note that most names use alphabetic code knowledge far beyond what is developmentally taught in the early years.

Here are some examples: Tom: 3 sounds, 3 graphemes, 3 letters Claudia: 6 sounds, 6 graphemes, 7 letters Alistair: 6 sounds, 6 graphemes, 8 letters Poppy: 4 sounds, 4 graphemes, 5 letters

The Bottom Line Orient sound and letter play around your child’s interests. Keep this learning fun, keep it light and if your child isn’t yet ready, or they are not enjoying the process, take a break and try again another time.

By Nat and Sarah, SailAway Readers For more information, tips, tricks and tools to support early readers as well as all the info you need to book our preschool and primary school classes visit www.sailawayreaders.com

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PLASTIC’S NOT FANTASTIC 10 simple ways to reduce the amount of plastic you use We all know that single use plastic isn’t great for the environment. Recycling options often aren’t ideal either, with plastic only really ever being able to be ‘downcycled’ a few times. The best way is to cut out single use plastic wherever possible. If you’re new to reducing your plastic consumption, here’s a few simple ways to make your everyday actions a little more green.

1. Bring your own coffee cup Takeaway cups are one of the most disposed single use items and also one of the most avoidable! With everything available from cute pottery cups to smart cups you can pay with there’s never been a better time to adopt a keep cup.

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2. Bring your own shopping bags This one is kind of a no brainer in this era however, so many people still forget. If you’re one of those forgetful people, try the small fold up bags which can be carried in your handbag or glovebox. Then, try and get in the habit of putting them back after you’ve unloaded your groceries!

4. Give up gum Did you know that gum is made of a synthetic rubber which is essentially plastic? You can replace this easily with bulk packs of mints or find packaging free mints at most local bulk food shops!

3. Start a Compost Bucket If you have a council green bin which is picked up weekly alongside your general waste and recycling, then you’re the perfect candidate to start composting. All you need is a cute tupperware style container (the larger the better!) with a good seal, and you can start putting all of your compostable waste in there. Then, simply empty the container each week into your green bin, ready to be picked up and composted. Check with your council re compost waste in your green bin - some actively encourage it, while others are limited to garden waste. If you don’t have a composting service offered by your council, consider investing in a compost bin yourself! The tumbling ones from Bunnings I find brilliant but there are many options that make it super easy and simple these days! You can even find countertop kitchen composting bins which is ideal for small spaces or apartments.

5. Start a veggie patch How many times have you bought a plastic tub of herbs to add a few sprigs to a meal? Start your own simple herb / veggie garden (in pots or a garden bed). Herbs and leafy greens are actually the quickest and lowest maintenance thing you can grow, but are disproportionately expensive because they’re tricky to transport and keep fresh. All round, growing a little garden will mean you’re spending less, spicing up more meals and - reducing your plastic use.

Win, win!

6. Make Your Own Cleaning Products This isn’t for everyone, I know. But if you’ve ever thought about it though, give it a go!

Making your own cleaning products is simple, effective and easy - not to mention you’ll be spraying around way less nasty chemicals.

Literally they can be as simple as vinegar and water (3 parts water, one part white vinegar). If DIY isn’t your style, check out your local bulk food store - most offer cleaning products. You just need to bring your bottle. Easy!

7. Give up bottled water It’s so simple to bring your own bottle and refill it when needed. It’s really just a habit. If you use straws, you can easily replace these with a

reusable stainless steel version which you can carry with you on the go as well.

8. Become a bar and box convert So many goods come packaged in plastic, from shampoo and body wash to laundry liquid or pasta. Get in the habit of always looking for the plastic free packaging option. For example, shampoo bars often come in a cardboard box, so by choosing this option - you’re avoiding another plastic bottle. Opt for laundry powder in a box over the plastic bottle of liquid. Once you get the hang of choosing bars and boxes, you’ll love it!

9. Choose natural fibres When you’re buying clothing, avoid polyester or other synthetic fabrics and opt for more natural ones like cotton, linen or silk. Support small businesses who put an emphasis on sustainability and longevity of their products, over sales and high turnover. There is something lovely about knowing your piece of clothing can be composted after a long and happy life. This tip isn’t limited to clothing either, opt for natural fibres in cleaning cloths, car covers - any time you’re purchasing something fabric!

10. Opt for plastic free postal packaging - like ours!

When you’re shipping parcels, opt for compostable satchels over plastic ones. For businesses, this is a huge way to reduce your overall carbon footprint and plastic consumption. If you have to use a box, opt for plastic free packaging tape and cardboard boxes over plastic. Also, ditch the bubble wrap for recycled paper or corrugated paper padding.

There are so many awesome new innovations like corn starch based packaging pellets, which make the plastic ones unnecessary. It’s never been a better time for eco packaging. Whether you’re just starting out on your journey to reduce plastic, or you’ve been walking the road for a while now, our compostable satchels are an easy and effective plastic free swap.

By Anaita Sarkar, co-founder of compostable mailer brand - Hero Packaging https://heropackaging.com.au/

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Join the NSW Youth Advisory Council 2022 Have your voice heard and represent the children and young people of NSW

Apply before 13 March, 2022 via: acyp.nsw.gov.au

The NSW Youth Advisory Council (YAC) plays an important role in advising the NSW Government on subjects relevant to young people across the state.

The 12 positions of the council are open to young people from diverse locations, life experiences and backgrounds between 12 and 24 years of age living in NSW.

Learn more online at: acyp.nsw.gov.au

Feel free to contact the office on (02) 9248 0970 or acyp@acyp.nsw.gov.au