Busy Mums Magazine - March 18 Money Hacks, Exercise for Mum & calming strategies

Busy Mums Mag

Volume 19 March 2018

Money Hacks

Calming Strategies & Sleeping Tips

Budget Meals

Focus: Skin Cancer

Exercise for Mums

Editors Note Welcome to the March edition of the Busy Mums Magazine. This magazine is full of interesting and useful tips for busy mums. We understand your frustrations, time and financial limits and have tailored this magazine around these.

We start with Practical Parenting tips on how to calm yourself down and defuse the situation, along with developing a greater understanding of your child so that you can achieve a better relationship with them. We appreciate the importance of sleep and have covered tips to help toddlers get to sleep along with information on what a sleep trainer clock can offer for your family.

Following the Christmas period and the beginning of the year we thought it timely to bring Money Saving Tips to you along with great budget meal ideas and recipes.

While in our lifestyle section we focus on offering tips to help you avoid skin cancer and to detect any issues early. In addition to this we have a big interest in the health and wellbeing of our followers and therefore have a number of articles to help you improve your fitness even with little time and/or money.

I hope you enjoy the magazine and we would love to hear from you with your thoughts, suggestions or stories for upcoming issues.

Best wishes,

Lorraine

Get in touch: Editor: Lorraine Salvi lorraine@mumsdelivery.com.au Advertising Enquiries: info@mumsdelivery.com.au Office: (02) 9940 3097 2

Would you like to become a contributor for Busy Mums Magazine? We are always on the look out for stories and mums wanting to share their experiences & tips

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Table of Contents

Parenting

Money

Child Profiling Gardening as a calming strategy Helping our kids when we’ve blown a fuse Getting a good nights sleep 5 gentle ways to encourage toddler sleep Toy Corner Reviewed

10 Days Saving Tips 5 Money Hacks every parent should know

Food

Feeding your family for under $30 5 Budget Cuts of Meat Recipes: Meals on a Budget Top Kids Snacking Tips

Lifestyle

5 Steps to Sun Protection Protecting your family from Skin Cancer Quick & Free Exercise Programs Great Exercise Programs for Mums How to lose the ‘mummy tummy’ How to fit exercise into your busy day

Other

New Books New and Noteworty items

Travel

Family Staycation Remember Travelling before Kids?

Parenting

How well do you Know your Children?

How well do you know your children? Really know them? Children are simply smaller versions of adults. They have their own way of thinking, doing things, behaving and acting.

A very typical comment is “Why does he do that?”, which suggests the parent doesn’t have as strong an understanding of their child’s natural way of thinking as they might believe.

You can spend a lifetime telling someone to do or think something, but it will never happen if that is not how the other person naturally thinks.

We are all endowed with a set of natural talents, strengths and gifts, and inherited characteristics.

And we are born with our own challenges.

We are also a product of our surroundings. A parent can tell their child to do something again and again, but the child will see their parent’s behaviour much more than hear their words. And then the child grows being influenced by opinions, values, beliefs, many of which are not their own but become so, over-riding their “natural selves”.

It is possible to map out an individual’s uniqueness through profiling, a means of establishing very clearly how each person will think and act, from a quite early age.

This is gold. To know your child … really know them … to communicate with them on a level that resonates so clearly and directly with them … will change how you discipline and support your children.

Talk to them in ways they understand, prevent expecting them to do or be like you, and you have the makings of a contented child. And a contented child leads to a contented mum and dad.

A profile is a measure of the five frequencies or energies that exist within us all, each of us possessing our own unique “mix” of them. This “mix” of frequencies that exist within each of us is the key to knowing and accepting.

The behavioural snapshots below will give you an immediate insight into your child (and you).

Completing a profile will give you, of course, much greater depth, but for now let’s focus on these snapshots.

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If your child is influenced mainly by Dynamo energy you will notice they are: • very creative • quite competitive • happy when acknowledged for their achievements • less buoyant when restricted from doing what they love • always trying new things.

Parenting

If your child is influenced mainly by Blaze energy you will notice they are: • very “social” • keen to be with family and friends • (apparently) very disorganised, which may display as being careless • at their best when interacting with others • great storytellers through their use of colourful language.

If your child is influenced mainly by Tempo energy you will notice they are: • always wanting talk things through with others • uncomfortable if left to do things for themselves, causing frustration • “down to earth” when engaging in activities • very comfortable in drawing on previous successful events to base their current activities on.

If your child is influenced mainly by Steel energy you will notice they are: • seemingly shy and/or reserved • very analytical • keen to shy away from social interactions • very “cut and dried”, tending to pay great attention to black and white details • (apparently) pessimistic due to their meticulous nature.

Spirit energy (in the middle of the square) is in all of us. It is our “purpose”, our “why”. It is the driving force that gives us our uniqueness.

While every one of us has a combination of these energies within us, there will be one energy that stands out. It is “who we are”. When both parents and child(ren) have this awareness, and the desire to act upon it, being a parent will get much easier, much more quickly than otherwise.

Instead of asking “Why does he do that?”, the question will be a much better and useful one … because you already know why he/she does that.

Even without formally profiling your child you can work out a lot of the reasons they act as they do. Knowing more about the “what”, “how” “when”, “who” and “why” within your child will allow you to see even more clearly the amazing little person you have been gifted with.

When you accept your children’s natural ways you will love them more … and they in turn will love you more, through trust and contentment – a win-win situation for all.

Jeff Withers is a Relationship Coach and Designer, partnering with individuals, couples and families across the globe to grow their engagement and connection from the ground up. Jeff truly know what drives us all towards that “perfect relationship”, knowing that each step forward is one step closer to greater understanding, awareness and acceptance between people in their relationships whether at home, at work, or within their “play environment”. He has immersed himself in the study of human behaviour at the “foundation level” – through Positive Psychology, Neuro-linguistic Programming, Neuro-linguistic Dance & Movement Strategy and Multiple Brain Integration – which has served to reinforce his reputation as an expert who is willing and able to work with people at all stages of life towards supporting personal life harmony. www.lovedynamics.global

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Parenting

How to stay calm when you’ve reached the end of your tether’

At one point or another, many parents reach ‘the end of their tether’ with their child. Through the stages of a child’s life, different stresses can lead to that point. As the parent of a newborn, sleep deprivation is no joke and your child goes through a rough patch with teething pain. As the parent of an older child, you cope with your child’s lack of co-operation and arguments with siblings on a day-to-day basis.

It is no wonder that ‘losing it’ with your child at some point is inevitable. But according to child development research, getting angry with your children is unhelpful. For one thing, when you’re angry, it is easy to lose control of what you say and do. Also your children are watching and observing you, and will learn to behave similarly when they feel angry or frustrated. Being an angry parent can also result in children being less emotionally close to you.

As such, it is important to try present a calm front despite being angry and frustrated. It can be helpful to plan for what you will do if you are getting angry with your child so that when the situation arises, you can more readily pause and think about how to respond before you act.

Below I have listed some tips for helping parents stay calm when angry: 1. First and foremost, it is important to ensure your child’s safety. If your child is in danger, move them away from the danger. This might mean moving them to a safer place or moving one child away from another.

2. Give yourself some ‘time out’ from your child. Before you move away from your child, tell them that you need to calm down and will be back shortly. Having time out from a situation will help calm you because it helps to stop the body’s natural ‘fight or flight’ response that is triggered when we are angry. It can also help you gain some perspective.

3. Implement any strategies that you have to help you calm down. For instance, you could take 10 deep breaths, consciously reduce any muscle tension that you are feeling, and/or repeat a statement to yourself, such as “I can handle this without getting upset”.

4. Pay attention to your thoughts, and try to change them if they are contributing to your anger.

For example, if you’re telling yourself “My child is being a brat and wants to push my buttons” you are unlikely to calm down. It may be more helpful to remind yourself that your child is a child, and all children are learning and test the limits that their parents set for them.

5. Once you have calmed down, go back to your child, empathise with them and re-state your limit. For example, if your child got upset and threw pieces of a game at their sibling because their sibling won the game, you could say “That was very upsetting for everyone. You wanted to win the game… And you’re very disappointed. But, it is not okay to throw things at someone”.

It is hard to stay calm when you are feeling angry and frustrated. However, the more that you practice these steps, the easier it will become. The effort to learn to regulate your anger will be worthwhile. If you try the tips above several times and continue to have difficulties staying calm, you could consult a psychologist for additional support and tips.

Article from: Belinda Sun, Clinical Psychologist (www.mindworxpsychology.com.au) Belinda Sun is a Clinical Psychologist who works with children, adolescents and adults in the Hills District, Sydney. As a parent herself, Belinda understands the challenges of parenting and tailors her treatments to clients’ needs using a variety of psychological therapies.

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Parenting

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Parenting

Using gardening as a calming strategy when parenting We all know that motherhood is really hard. Luckily enough, there is something that can make parenting a little easier. That thing is gardening. Gardening is a great experience for many people, but is even greater for working moms. It is a great way to reduce the stress and to help mums calm down and parent without getting emotionally stressed. Here are some ways, in which gardening reduces stress and how it can be used as a calming strategy:

Strategy #1 – Mental focus and meditation We are all aware of the fact that it’s healthy to take a break from our stressors from time to time.

Gardening is a great way to achieve that. While you’re deliberately focusing on the actions of gardening, you are setting aside all your problems for a while. Thus, gardening provides a great environment for mental focus and meditation.

Strategy #2 – Personal creativity Being creative is a great stress reliever on it’s own. However, it gets even better when there is a reward for your creativity. Being creative in gardening allows you to reap the benefits of the end result.

Whatever you sow, you will reap. This is one exciting and rewarding stress management activity.

Strategy #3 – No technology Nowadays, our lives are filled with too much technology. Gardening is a way to get a break from all that. Don’t let phone calls, texts, notifications and so on to interfere your gardening time. Make it a time when you have only one thing to do, so you can focus and lose yourself completely in the process.

Strategy #4 – Keep it a hobby It’s true that gardening is not easy. It takes a lot of time and effort. If you’re a true gardening lover that won’t be a problem for you. However, if you’re not that much into the hard work or if you don’t have the time, don’t push yourself. Even the things that you love the most can turn into a burden if you’re forced to do them. Most importantly, don’t make a schedule. Do only what you feel like doing.

Otherwise your hobby will turn into a chore and instead of calming you it will stress you even more.

Strategy #5 – Exposure to nature Fresh air helps us feel energized and sleep better. It is full of oxygen, which provides health to the cells in the body. Therefore, being outside in the garden, breathing in the fresh air promotes a sense of well-being and good mental focus.

Serotonin is responsible for keeping the brain balanced and us feeling good. Melatonin is the chemical that is responsible for inducing sleep. Exposure to sunlight has been shown to increase both.

Nature with its rich soil, plants reaching towards the sky and beautiful sounds helps us bring ourselves into a balance. These things help us bring our attention to the present moment and thus, achieve mindfulness.

Gardening is not only a great calming strategy. Through gardening you can also teach your kids a lot of valuable life lessons. Things like patience, awareness and gratefulness. As well as that, you can improve your diet by including your production in your menu. Last, but not least, it’s a great way to spend some quality time with the family.

Article from: Jane Clarke. Content Writer for Fantastic Services Australia, managing the Fantastic Gardening Sydney site – https://www.fantasticgardeningsydney.com.au/.

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Parenting

Three ways to help our kids when we’ve blown a fuse

It’s Tuesday, and you’ve managed to work a full day on very little sleep, collect the kids from daycare and after school care, and make it home without too much drama.

You smiled sweetly at complaints of rushing to the car. You made faces to help everyone keep their cool on the ride home. And in between rounds of separating the kids from their Lego tussle you prepared a scrumptious and nutritious meal.

But as you serve dinner your internal voice is screaming, “Why in the name of all that is cheesy can’t you just eat your dinner and leave your sister alone?”

Whether your flavour of emotional overwhelm is snapping, yelling or seething, you can support your kids’ emotional development even when you slip up.

That’s right. You don’t have to be a saint for your kids to grow up resilient.

Here are three ways to support your kids both during and after your emotional overwhelm.

But don’t worry too much about the order, or how often you should use each one. It’s a guide, not a recipe. And missing a step or messing up the proportions won’t ruin the outcome.

Learning emotional awareness and resilience is like learning any other skill. (Has ordering takeout ruined your cooking skills?) So give them a whirl if you remember and it feels right. But if you don’t feel like it, that’s okay. There’s probably a good reason. Just do what you’ve always done and try again another time.

Own how you feel aloud

“I’m so angry because I need some quiet time after work.”

“I’m frustrated because I’m tired.”

“I’m so worried everything won’t get done tonight.”

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Notice how each example is about owning how you feel and what you need—not what other people have done.

You may think differentiating between needing quiet time and incessant sibling squabbling is splitting hairs. But it really makes a difference.

It helps us to not only model emotional awareness, but also think of ways we can get what we need without blaming other people for our emotions, or focusing on how stuck we feel.

Let them know your intentions

Tell your kids why you’re making these decisions. You want them to have a nutritious meal because it helps them stay healthy. You want them to get to bed on time so they (and you) get enough sleep. And believe it or not, you want to make the evenings more fun for everyone but don’t know how.

Okay, so you’ve tried it before and it hasn’t worked. But stay with me here. You don’t need to make everyone agree with you. You just need to let them know you’re thinking about everyone’s needs, and explain how our emotions tell us whether those needs are being met.

This gives your kids the chance to consider your needs as well as their own without obliging them.

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Parenting

Getting a good night’s sleep is as simple as 1,2,3 with a sleep trainer clock Getting your child to have a good night’s sleep is essential for both their growth and development as well as your sanity.

Using a Sleep Trainer Clock with built in Night Light offers a fantastic way for your child to get a better, deeper sleep throughout the night and there are some great benefits at having a clock within your child’s bedroom:

For Babies: • Offering a soft glow of light; night lights help parents of young babies find the dummy easier or aid your vision when undertaking a nappy change.

• Equipped as a sound machine, the sleep trainer clocks offer the ability to use white noise to settle baby into sleep.

For Toddlers: • More prone to becoming scared at night, the night light is reassuring, helping to ease their fears and making them to feel safer throughout the night.

• The sleep trainer clock can help your toddler know when they should still be sleeping, when it is time to be quiet and when it is okay to get out of bed. Perhaps this could even get mum a little extra sleep?!?

• Ideal for toddlers who like structure; you can also set the sleep trainer clocks for nap time, so that even if they don’t sleep they don’t constantly keep coming out of the room.

With a range of children’s sleep trainer clocks on the market, we tested two of the leading brands to help you understand what they offer.

Mella Little Hippo

The Mella Little Hippo offers a stylish night light, sleep trainer and sound machine all in one. This clock will fit into any room and is a great option even for older children.

As a Sleep Trainer Clock, the Mella Little Hippo has a smiley face on the clock along with a light up colour display around the clock face that shows your child in pictures and colours when it is time to sleep, almost time to wake up (play quietly) and then when it is okay to wake up and get out of bed. There are 5 colours to choose from and while it may take a little work to explain to your child what each colour/ face means, eventually you will be rewarded as they realise when they can get up.

The Mella Little Hippo also offers: • a sound machine with 3 peaceful sounds to soothe your child to sleep.

• The ability to set 3 alarms, although I chose not to set any as I would LOVE it if my child overslept!

• Digital time display

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Parenting The Little Hippo is easy to set up and I like that you can turn on the light at any point in time if required. As it is made by an overseas company, the plug at the moment is not Australian, however you can solve the issue very easily by using a USB wall adapter.

RRP: $63.59

GroClock

The GroClock has a cute childish design which is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. The friendly sun and moon faces along with the yellow and blue colours make the concept of sleep and awake time very easy to understand.

In addition to the two faces; once set, the Groclock places stars around the moon that count down to ‘wake up’ time, so you can teach your child what the stars mean so they know when there is still a lot of sleeping time to go or it is almost wake up time. The button to set the clock and timer is very easy to do and will easily become a habit.

The GroClock also offers: • Ability to easily set for nap times.

• The ability to child lock the clock so that little fingers do not change the time to wake to suit them.

• Optional alarm.

• Digital time display • Adjustable brightness • Comes with a fun bedtime story book to help your child understand when to sleep or wake.

RRP: $59.95 Overall, I love the concept of a sleep trainer clock as it offers a combined solution with the night light. The way it teaches children when it is too early to wake up is beneficial for all parents as they don’t go waking siblings and potentially mum can get a little more much needed sleep.

Article from Lorraine Salvi, mother of three children who tend not to value sleep as much as her.

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Parenting

Five Gentle Ways to Encourage Toddler Sleep

With so many parenting books telling you how to get your baby to sleep, it comes as a shock when you reach the toddler and preschool years with one that still doesn’t sleep well. 25% of all five year olds are still waking during the night and this can cause a huge strain on the whole family. I had one of these along with a 3yo who takes forever to go to sleep each night.

If you are lucky enough to get yourself a nonsleeper for a child, take heart, it is not going to go on forever, by the time they are teenagers you will be finding it hard to wake them up. In the meantime, there are plenty of gentle ways to help encourage your child to sleep better.

The first step, though is to get to the bottom of why they are waking through the night, finding it hard to get to sleep or waking early. This could be as simple as their room being too light, or too dark, both of which are relatively easy to change.

It could be a physical issue, which will need a visit to a medical practitioner to rule out.

Once you have ruled out any physical or environmental reasons for their night waking then you can look at the more mental and holistic possibilities and how to encourage more consistent sleep patterns.

Start gently, and stay consistent.

It can often be trial and error when it comes to gently encouraging good sleep patterns but trying too many new things at once or chopping and changing too often is going to confuse the message. I recommend trying each one for a couple of weeks before deciding if it has worked and starting something new.

Each family will have success with different techniques so make sure you try them all over time and see which one works for you and your family.

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The following tips can encourage better sleep in toddlers and preschoolers: • Turn off the Technology: for the two hours before children’s bedtime turn of the TV, shut off the computer, disconnect the xbox. All these run on a blue light spectrum which actually inhibits the brains ability to create melatonin, the sleepy hormone. Thereby making it hard for the child to turn off and go to sleep at night.In addition some games and movies can be seen as violent or scary through a child’s eyes even if we believe them to be the most innocuous games and movies out there. For ages my daughter was scared to go to bed after watching the Disney classic Cinderella.

• Relaxation: There are a number of guided relaxation CDs out there especially designed for children as well as a few great meditation books for you to read to them each night.Make it a habit that every night after their bedtime story, they get a meditation either one you read to them or from a cd, teaching them now at this early age to relax their body will go a long way to help them master their emotions in the adolescent period.

• Essential Oils: Lavender and Cedarwood Oils are both good to help relaxation and sleep, diffuse one in the child’s room, or alternatively put it in a

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spray bottle with some water and encourage your child to spray their room. They love the spraying!

Alarm Clock: If early waking is your problem consider one of the children’s clocks which shows them when it is time to get up.

Make it a rule that they do not get up till the clock says so. I’ll be honest, I have noticed that this really only works for slightly older children and even then not consistently, however your child may be different so give it a try.

Create a Nest: If you child is missing you in the night, consider creating a ‘nest’ in your bedroom, put a mattress on the floor of your room (or just a folded doona) and create a bed that your child can come into in the night to be close to you. I found that my daughter came in every night for about two months, then it started to wind down until about 8 months after we created it we realised she hadn’t used it in over a month.

Let them set their own bed time: This is a controversial one that works for some people. Get your child ready for bed, read them a story then let them have quiet play in their bedroom, set some rules such as only allowed to come out of the room once, and that this is time for Mum and Dad to have some together time, ask them to come and get you when they want to go to sleep. You will be amazed at how well this works for pre-schooler and school aged kids.

If all else fails, become an early bird or a night owl to be there with your child while they need you, it is only for a short period of time. Trying to make your child fit into the way you expect the experience to be, will be stressful for all, if you adjust your expectations the whole family will do better.

Parenting

Read our Reviews of these Sleeping Aids Pramrolla; getting babies to sleep by mimicking pram movement

Dream Start Baby – a baby sleep & routine education resource CoziGo a portable pop up sleep cover for baby

Article written by Shirley Taylor. Shirley Taylor runs The Parent Academy where parents can get support, mentoring and information on issues they are facing with their under 5s. She runs the MotherCalm Program designed to assist parents to reduce their risk of Postnatal Depression. She also runs retreats for mothers in need of a little pampering and support. Find out more at www.parentacademy.com.au

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RUBIK’S BATTLE Show It, Spot It, Shout It! Think Fast! Rubik's Battle brings the quickthinking brain teaser challenge of Rubik's to a fast-action Card Game that's fun for the whole family. Earn Rubik's Battle Cards by shouting out the unique Cubie colour first. The player holding all of the Rubik's Battle Cards at the end wins! RRP $10.95. Suitable for ages 7+. Available at all leading retailers

5 SURPRISE Combine the magic of unboxing with the thrill of collectable toys. Each capsule features five sealed segments hiding five individual toys. With over 300 unique and fun toys in the first series alone, the possibilities and unboxing fun are endless and truly a surprise. The pink capsules feature over 150 toys including cute color changing mermaids, dress up princesses, DIY jewellery, stationery, and much more. In the blue capsules, there are over 150 styles of toys including glow in the dark zombies, prank toys, super sticky squishies, and cool stickers. RRP: $8.99

RUBIK’S JUNIOR BUNNY The Rubik’s Junior Bunny is the perfect puzzle for little problem solvers! The cute twist-able character is super easy to grip and turn. Twist the blocks to create a crazy mixed-up animal! With relatively few combinations, it’s easy to solve whilst providing hours of entertainment for kids! RRP $19.95. Suitable for ages 4+.

Available at all leading retailers

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Parenting

Reviewed Kathe Kruse Kruselings Doll What child doesn’t love a doll that can do everything they can do?

The Kathe Kruse Kruselings dolls are a beautifully German crafted range of dolls which have diverse looks to represent five different nationalities. Read the Review

Shapeeze All kids learn at a different rate, and therefore it would seem appropriate that a craft & learning kit would encompass a range of ages. I love that Shapeeze have embraced this way of thinking and has two separate activity kits. The first caters for children aged 3-6 years and then another for 4-7 years. Read the Review Aster and Oak, ‘The Little Dreamer’ Organic Onsie Sonny is a chubby little boy and the size 1 onesie fits him perfectly. It is wide enough to cover the entire nappy which is great and the fabric is thicker yet still breathable and very soft. Which is great for Sonny with his sensitive skin.

Read the Review

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Petit Bamboo Children’s Clothing As soon as I touched the fabric, I felt compelled to cuddle it! Designed in Australia, it’s so very soft, and that feeling of, well, quality!

Read the Review

Leapfrog DreamWorks Trolls Learning Game. This game is great for the creative child. There are a number (6) trolls you can choose to work with and each Troll allows your child to embrace their creative side. You can work with poppy to make cards or scrapbooks or with the other Troll to decorate cakes, create fashion designs and more. Read Review I am beauty-full just for being me by Tanya Curtis and Desiree Delaloye This book sends a powerful message to children that beauty is from within. You are beautiful regardless of how you look; what you wear or what you do. You are born with natural beauty and so are your parents and everyone else in this world.

Read the Review

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Finances

10 Days of Money Saving Top Tips

Success happens when the focus is a short period of time. That’s why this 10 days of money saving tips for mums is a great way to start saving money.

Day 1 – Keep a track of absolutely everything you spend in the notes section of your phone Day 2 – Avoid overspending. We all have different circumstances but always aim to live within your income. Research suggests that many people are overspending on a house that’s too big and a car that’s too new.

Day 3 – Buy Less. This is one of the most practical, easiest and simplest tips. Here are my 2 thoughts: Thought No.1 The average Aussie household throws away $3,500 of food every year.

That’s $67 of food in the bin every week!! Thought No.2 For just 1 week try buying only what you really ‘need to have’ e.g. Milk and cut back on the “nice to have’s” e.g. takeaway food Day 4 – Get started on paying off all of your credit cards. Credit Cards are great for absolute emergencies. Most credit cards have an annual fee, very high interest rates and they encourage us to build up and create mountains of debt. Have a try at locking away your credit card for a few days!

Day 5 – Cut food costs. Everyone knows that shops want us to impulse shop and buy things that we would never normally buy. Cutting food costs is easy: Plan meals, make a shopping list, avoid things in packaging e.g. pre-cut veggies and look at the labels at the costs per gram.

Day 6 – Sell your junk. A recent survey by Gumtree revealed that the average Aussie household is sitting on $5,000 worth of unwanted stuff. Sell the things you no longer use.

Day 7 – Get a hobby! There are loads of hobbies that cost little or no money, for example a walk on the beach, a bike ride, a picnic in the local park, swimming in the ocean or join a book club. When you are outdoors you don’t spend money! What will you try?

Day 8 - Top Tip – Take your own lunch. Office workers in Brisbane told me that they could easily spend $25 a day on take-away coffees, snacks and fast food. That’s more than $7,000 a year. What could you do with $7,000?

Day 9 – Save money. Whether it’s 1%, 5%, 10% or 20% of what you earn, just commit to save some money every week, fortnight or month. Once you start saving money on a regular basis you’ll see that it really starts to grow very quickly!

Day 10 – Turn off the TV. One way to save money is to switch off the telly. There are loads of cost savings. First you save on electricity (!) but more importantly you reduce your exposure to advertisements that encourage and persuade you and your kids to spend, spend and spend some more money.

How much money will you save doing the 10 days of money saving tips for mums? Good luck!

I’m Rachel Smith and I’m Underspent. I didn’t buy anything new or 2nd hand in 2014 and saved $52,680 (38% of my salary). Author of Underspent; teaching people how to break the habit of impulse shopping in 7 steps. http://www.cyclingrachelsmith.com/underspent/

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Finances

5 Money Hacks Every Parent Should Know

While your love for your child may be infinite, unfortunately, your finances may not extend quite this far, which is why it’s essential that you have a few money hacks up your sleeve to better manage your family budget.

In 2016, the Suncorp Bank Cost of Kids report found that on average, a parent will spend almost $300,000 on raising their child to the age of 17. This figure can seem scary given the fact that the cost of living is increasing much faster than our incomes are, which can make it difficult for us to stay on top of our finances.

To help you stay on track, here are some practical money hacks that can help you stay in control, amidst the joy and expense of having kids.

Shop around for the best providers

Many households are paying too much for their providers and don’t realise that there are better deals on offer. To avoid paying the “lazy tax”, it’s important to review your current plans and do your research to see if there are other providers who can better suit your family’s needs.

Electricity, water, gas, insurance, phone and Internet providers can be easily switched to secure the best deal and maximise your savings. Switching to a provider with fewer fees or a more competitive interest rate could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars per year.

Focus on credit card and mortgage debt

It’s easy for parents to pay for some expenses with their credit card to be paid off later. However, this debt can build up quickly with the constant needs and wants of children (think school fees, childcare, groceries, etc). This makes shopping around for the ideal credit card very important. A credit card with minimal frills, a low interest rate and a $0 applicatication fee is ideal, but really it will depend on your unique personal situation.

Staying on top of home loan repayments can also help support your long term financial goals.

Knowing exactly how much you need to regularly repay and when you will have completely paid off your loan can be financially motivating.

For both your credit card and your mortgage, don’t be afraid to make more than the minimum repayment as this will help you fast-track your debt.

Shrink your grocery bill

Supermarket spending is one of the biggest expenses for families. To cut costs at the checkout, parents should always be equipped with a shopping list. This list should be enough to last your family the entire week and should be written based on meal plans. If you see some good specials at the supermarket, alter your meals to incorporate those savings. Also have a buffer so that if something is on sale, for example, tissues, you can buy in bulk and not need to purchase them again for the next few weeks.

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Finances Leaving the kids at home while you do your weekly shop is also helpful for avoiding impulse purchases that may be made to stop your kids whining in your ear. Also, don’t be afraid to stray from the mainstream supermarkets. Great quality products and savings can also be found in discount supermarkets such as Aldi and IGA.

Establish an emergency fund

Setting up a rainy day fund to be used for any unexpected expenses is a great way to minimise your credit card spending and avoid dipping into your savings. Transferring a small amount of your income each week into an account that earns high interest creates a financial buffer for parents to rely on in the event of an emergency.

Family holidays

Going on family holidays is a memorable and enjoyable part of childhood and parenthood. To organise a family getaway without breaking the bank, plan ahead and budget for the trip. It’s also important to do your research to secure the best deals on flights, accommodation and activities.

Travelling in the off-peak season is a great way to save money. Selecting a destination where your kids will be entertained at a minimal expense is also important. Cities popular for tourists or caravan parks where there will be other children and free facilities for them to use is a great way to keep them busy without the constant demand for money.

By following these money hacks you can enjoy the ups and downs of parenting, while keeping your finances stable and secure.

Article from Bessie Hassan. As the Money Expert for finder.com.au - the site that compares virtually everything - Bessie is an experienced commentator who often appears on national radio, TV, and throughout online publications sharing her best money-saving tips and property advice.

Bessie is passionate about empowering Australians to make better decisions, whatever it is they're looking for.

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Food

Feeding your family for under $30

Creating nutritious, easy and tasty meals for your family while on a budget is possible! With just a little planning, smart shopping and recipe modification you can feed your family each night for well under $30.

Here are a few tips and tricks to get you started:

Step 1: Plan ahead

• Plan your family menu for the week and write a shopping list.

• Use the shopping list to save you time, stick to your budget and avoid buying extra things you don’t need.

Step 2: Make cost saving food purchases

• Buy fresh fruit and vegetables that are in season because they are usually cheaper and better have nutrient quality.

• Buy frozen or tinned fruit or vegetables are may not be in season but also cheaper and convenient.

• Use supermarket catalogue to purchase items on special.

• Buy no frills/home brand staple products (e.g. flour, sugar, salt etc.), as they are just as good as more expensive known brands.

• Buy non-perishable items such as rice, pasta, flour and oil in bulk as they are generally cheaper. You can also buy in bulk and freeze extra items such as bread, meat and milk to keep them fresh until you need them.

• Buy cheaper meat cuts for stews and curries such as, gravy beef, chump lamb chops, mutton lamb and chicken drumsticks.

Step 3: Make cost saving cooking choices:

• Make double-batches of meals or snacks such as pasta sauce, soup, stews or muffins, which you can freeze or pack as leftovers for lunch the next day.

• Replace half or all of the meat in dishes, such as stews, casseroles, pasta with legumes so the meat you buy goes further but you still get a good source of protein and fibre and vitamins from legumes.

• Use skim milk powder instead of fresh milk when cooking with milk.

• Keep snack simple and nutritious, e.g. fresh seasonal fruit, frozen fruit smoothies, cut-up veggies.

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Food

Vegetable packed meatballs

An easy and delicious family meal staple with a veggie loaded makeover that can be served in multiple ways! Serve the meatballs whole or cut-up as finger food for younger children and alongside cooked pasta, rice or bread Makes about 25-30 meatballs Cost - $17.40 Ingredients: Meatballs: 400g lean beef/lamb mince 250g red kidney beans, drained and mashed 1 onion, grated 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 carrot, finely grated 1 zucchini, grated 3 tblsp fresh parsley, finely chopped 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp paprika 1 egg 2 tblsp breadcrumbs/wholemeal flour or rice flour (gluten-free option) Salt and pepper to taste 2 tbsp olive oil Sauce 400g tinned diced tomatoes 2 tbsp tomato paste 1/2 cup water or chicken stock Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius. Line baking paper on oven tray.

2. In a large bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients and mix together with your hands.

3. Roll mixture into balls and place on prepared oven tray.

4. Drizzle meatballs lightly with the oil and bake for 15 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, add diced tomatoes and tomato paste, garlic, stock and honey to a frying pan over medium heat.

6. Carefully stir the baked meatballs and simmer gently for 15 minutes.

7. Serve with prepared pasta, rice, bread or roasted potatoes.

Article and recipe from: Delfa Kaabi is the Paediatric Dietitian at Growing Early Minds, an early intervention and disability support provider based in Western Sydney. Delfa understands the challenges of feeding young children and the need for easy to implement, practical recommendations. Delfa loves nothing more than seeing children thrive to their fullest growth and developmental potential. For more information visit www.growingearlyminds.org.au

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Food

5 Budget Cuts of Meat & Delicious Recipes to Try Them

Whether you’re craving chicken, pork, lamb or steak, these budget cuts are sure to satisfy your cravings (as well as your bank account). Read on to discover our top 5 budget cuts as well as 5 recipes that are sure to put their best foot forward.

#1 - Chicken Thighs

Chicken thighs are tender, juicy and more flavoursome and succulent than ever-popular chicken breasts (thighs are often overlooked due to their darker meat). Chicken thighs are highly versatile - they can be braised, grilled, roasted, deep fried or slow-cooked to absolute perfection. The best part? They’re really hard to mess up! As long as the thickest part of the chicken thigh reaches a temperature of 75ºC (don’t measure directly on the bone), they are safe to eat and sure to please.

Chicken thighs absorb seasoning and marinades very well and taste fantastic when prepared sweet, spicy or tangy. Give them a go with the recipe below!

Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs Serves 2-4 Ingredients ● 8 boneless & skinless, chicken thighs ● 1⁄2 tsp salt ● 1⁄2 tsp pepper ● 1⁄4 cup flour ● 1⁄4 cup honey ● 2 tbsp soy sauce ● 4 minced garlic cloves Method 1. Preheat oven to 190ºC. 2. Add the flour to a bowl with a tight-fitting lid, then add the chicken in batches and coat well.

3. Shake off excess flour and put chicken pieces in a greased 20 x 20 x 5 cm baking dish (don’t lie them flat - they should have the same shape as they were in the package).

4. In a small bowl, mix the honey, soy sauce, garlic and seasonings.

5. Pour the mixture evenly over the chicken.

6. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.

7. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes, basting occasionally with the sauce.

8. Serve and enjoy! If you want to make this meal extra hearty, you can double the sauce and serve with rice and vegetables.

This recipe is adapted from Genius Kitchen. http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/honey-garlic-chicken-thighs-462563

#2 - Pork Loin

Pork loin is a large, inexpensive cut that tastes fantastic when sliced and grilled over moderate heat or seared whole and then slow-roasted in the oven. Pork loin is lean, mildly flavoured and very tender when cooked properly. When roasting, make sure to let the internal temperature reach 63ºC, and then let the meat rest for about 5-10 minutes before slicing (this increases succu-lence, as it allows the meat juices to redistribute throughout the cut).

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Balsamic Roasted Pork Loin Serves 8

Food

Ingredients ● 2 tablespoons steak seasoning rub ● 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar ● 1/2 cup olive oil ● 1kg boneless pork loin roast ● Add all ingredients to list

Method 1. Mix steak seasoning in balsamic vinegar until it dissolves, then stir in olive oil. Place pork in a resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Seal bag (make sure to squeeze out the air) and then marinate for 2-12 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 175ºC. 3. Put pork into a glass baking dish along with the marinade. Bake in preheated oven, bast-ing occasionally until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 63ºC (approx. 1 hour). Let the roast rest for 10 minutes.

4. Slice and serve!

This recipe is adapted from Allrecipes. http://allrecipes.com.au/recipe/11010/roast-pork-loin-with-balsamic-sauce.aspx

#3 - Lamb Shoulder Chops

Lamb shoulder chops are full of delicious flavour and they are much more affordable than lamb rib or loin chops. Although shoulder chops can be tough if they’re not cooked correctly, they become meltingly tender and absolutely delicious when cooked with a ‘low and slow’ method like braising.

Lamb shoulder can also be purchased whole.

Braised Lamb Shoulder Chops Serves 4 Ingredients ● 1 tbsp olive oil ● 4 lamb shoulder chops ● 1 large onion, cut in half, and each half quartered ● 3 medium carrots, cut in 1.3 cm circles ● 3 large celery ribs, with leaves, cut in 1.3 cm lengths ● 1⁄2 lemon, unpeeled, cut in very thin slices ● 1⁄2 cup red wine, sherry, port or beef broth ● 1⁄4 tsp salt ● 1⁄8 tsp fresh ground pepper ● 1 can diced tomatoes ● 1 tbsp curry powder ● 1 tsp cumin ● 1 tsp coriander ● 4 cloves garlic, smashed ● 1 tbsp light soy sauce ● 1⁄2 cup cold water ● 1 tbsp cornstarch ● 3-4 sprigs fresh mint, leaves removed and cut into thin strips Method 1. Trim fat off chops.

2. Heat oil in large, deep non-stick fry pan or Dutch oven. Brown chops on both sides (for about 5 minutes each side) then remove from pan and set aside.

3. In the same pan, add onion and sauté until soft.

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Food

4. Add carrots, celery, salt and pepper and lemon slices, sauté until caramelized (15 to 20 minutes).

5. Stir in wine/broth, bring to a simmer and deglaze pan.

6. Meanwhile, empty tomatoes (undrained) into a bowl. Add curry powder, cumin, coriander, garlic and soy sauce. Stir to mix.

7. Pour tomato mixture into pan, stir to mix with caramelized vegetables.

8. Return chops to pan and spoon the mixture over them.

9. Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour or until chops are fork-tender.

10. Make a slurry of cold water and cornstarch. Stir into pan and bring to boil, simmer until juices are thickened.

11. Sprinkle with chopped fresh mint.

12. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice or noodles. Yum! This recipe is adapted from Genius Kitchen. http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/braised-lamb-shoulder-chops-64776

#4 - Chuck Roast

Chuck roast is perfect for adding to pot roasts, stews and curries. This cut is affordable because it is a highly-worked muscle - meaning it has a lot of connective tissue that can be tough if not cooked properly. The good news? When cooked ‘low and slow’ by braising or stewing, the connective tissue breaks down and makes for delicious, flavoursome and fall-apart tender meat! You can try chuck roast in the classic pot roast recipe below:

Classic Beef Pot Roast Serves 8-10 Ingredients ● 1 tsp olive oil ● 1.5 kg boneless chuck roast, trimmed ● 1 tsp kosher salt ● 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper ● 2 cups coarsely chopped onion ● 1 cup dry red wine ● 4 thyme sprigs ● 3 garlic cloves, chopped ● 500 ml beef broth ● 1 bay leaf ● 4 large carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 2/3 cm pieces ● 1 kg Yukon gold or Bintje potatoes, peeled and cut into 5 cm pieces ● Fresh thyme leaves (optional) Method 1. Preheat oven to 180ºC. 2. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chuck roast with salt and pepper. Add roast to pan and cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove roast from pan.

3. Add onion to pan, sauté for 8 minutes or until tender.

4. Return browned roast to pan. Add the red wine, thyme sprigs, chopped garlic, beef broth, and bay leaf to pan; bring to a simmer. Cover pan and bake at 180°C for 1.5 hours or until the roast is almost tender.

5. Add carrots and potatoes to pan. Cover and bake for 1 hour or until vegetables are tender.

Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf from pan, discard. Shred meat with 2 forks.

6. Serve roast with vegetable mixture and cooking liquid. If desired, garnish with thyme leaves.

This recipe is adapted from myrecipes. http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/classic-beef-pot-roast

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Food

#5 - Flank Steak

Flank steak comes from the abdominal muscles of the cow, and has long, hard-working fibres.

Flank steak is lean and far more flavoursome than filet mignon or strip steaks, however, it can be tough or stringy if cooked or served incorrectly. Flank steak tastes best when marinated and then grilled or broiled (quickly) on high heat. It should be served medium rare and sliced against the grain, as this increases tenderness. Flank steak is the perfect addition to simple weeknight meals like fajitas, burritos, tacos or salads.

Flank Steak Tacos Serves 3-6 Ingredients ● 1.5 kg flank steak, trimmed ● 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper ● Cooking spray ● 1 tbsp fresh lime juice ● 1/2 tbsp olive oil ● 2 cloves garlic, minced ● 1/4 tsp kosher salt ● 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce ● 1 cup chopped red cabbage ● 1 avocado, sliced ● 1 500 gram jar pickled red onions ● Six 15 cm corn tortillas ● Grilled scallions for garnish Method 1. Sprinkle steak with pepper.

2. Heat grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add steak and grill for 6 minutes on each side (or until desired degree of doneness). Let steak rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes.

3. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Mix lime juice, olive oil and garlic and drizzle over steak. Sprinkle with salt.

4. Spray the pan and heat the tortillas for 20 seconds on each side or until slightly charred.

5. Heat scallions on grill until lightly charred.

6. Divide steak among tortillas.

7. Top with romaine, red cabbage, avocado and pickled red onions.

8. Garnish with grilled scallion.

This recipe is adapted from allrecipes. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/240212/ steak-taco/?internalSource=recipe%20hub&referringContentType=search%20 results&clickId=cardslot%2048 And there you have it! 5 delicious and affordable recipes that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

Want to try these recipes for yourself? These cuts should be readily available at your local grocery store or butcher. If you live in Brisbane, Carina North Quality Meats provide a range of meat online and in store.

About the author: Carina North Quality Meats. We think that ethical farming leads to tastier products. We are proud to stock a wide range of 100% Australian, premium products that are sure to suit every oc-casion and budget. Our range includes grass-fed beef and lamb, free-range pork, chicken and turkey and more. If you want to find out more about us, head to our website http:// www.carinanorthqualitymeats.com.au/.

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Food

More Meals on a Budget

Lentil and coconut curry

Ingredients: – 1 tablespoons oil – 1 onion, chopped – 1 teaspoon each: cumin seeds and coriander seeds – 4 cloves of garlic, chopped – 1 can of crushed tomatoes – 1 teaspoon turmeric – 1 teaspoons sea salt – 2 tins lentils, drained and rinsed – Optional: 1 teaspoon chilli flakes – 1 can coconut milk – 1/4 bunch chopped coriander – Juice of 1/2 a lemon Method: 1: Heat up a large pan on a medium heat. Add the oil and seeds. Toast them for 1 minute until lightly golden.

2: Add the onions and garlic along with the turmeric, salt and chilli (if using). Cook for 5 minutes until the onions are soft and the spices start to smell delicious.

3: Add the lentils and stir for 1 minute. Add tin of tomatoes and coconut milk. Bring to the boil then turn down and simmer for 30 minutes until the sauce is reduced and thick.

4: Taste, add lemon juice, coriander and season with more salt if necessary.

5: This curry is amazing with brown rice or flatbreads, and is perfect for freezing, portioned into sandwich bags.

Recipe from Alex Morris. Alex is a beach-loving health coach working with busy women to achieve their health and fitness goals through delicious foods and sustainable methods. You can follow Alex and find out more about his coaching work here: www.facebook.com/alexmorriscoach

SALMON & VEGGIE KEBABS Creates 4 kebabs.

Ingredients: 2 fresh salmon portions, skin off 2 red capsicum 1 zucchini 1 lemon 1 cup natural yoghurt, to serve

Method: Step 1: Soak skewers in water. Slice capsicum and zucchini. Cut salmon into strips lengthways.

Step 2: Heat BBQ to medium heat and thread ingredients onto skewers Step 3: Cook skewers on BBQ for 4-5 mins, turn occasionally. Serve with lemon, natural yoghurt and enjoy! Recipe from Tassal Salmon

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Food

Shepard’s Pie with garlic infused mash Ingredients • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil • 1 kg Beef Mince • 2 onions finely diced • 2 carrots, finely diced • 2 celery sticks, finely diced • • • • • • • • •

4-5 mushrooms, diced 1 cup frozen peas Salt and Pepper 1 tsp thyme 1 cup red wine 2 Tsp flour 3 T Worchester sauce 1 cup beef stock 2T tomato paste

Mash • • • • •

6-8 Potatoes, peeled and diced 4 Garlic Gloves, peeled ½- 1 cup milk 80g butter Salt and Pepper

Method: 1. Place olive oil and mince into a large pan. Season well and cook to brown mince.

2. Remove excess liquid, then add onions and cook for a further 2 minutes.

3. Add carrots, celery, mushrooms, thyme and wine, cooking for a minute to reduce wine.

4. Add flour and stir around to mix through well.

5. Add Worchester sauce, beef stock, tomato paste and peas, mixing everything together.

6. Bring to a to simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes to thicken sauce.

7. Allow to cool.

8. Using a spray oil; spray a large casserole dish, then add your meat to the dish.

9. While the meat is cooking, you can create the mash: 10. Add potatoes and garlic cloves to large pot. Fill with water to cover potatoes 11. Boil for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. You can check them, by sticking a knife or fork into them – if they are soft and break easily they are ready.

12. Once ready, drain water.

13. Add butter and a little milk and start mashing. Continue to add milk in small amounts to bring the mash together until you reach the desired smoothness and consistency. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

14. Top the meat in the casserole dish with your mash.

15. Cook in oven (180 degrees) for 20 or so minutes to brown the mash.

16. Serve and enjoy Tip: Add a little more flavour to your shepherd’s pie by sprinkling grated parmesan on top when serving.

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Food

Top Kids’ Snacking Tips Snacks are a great opportunity to get some extra nutrients into your child’s diet. We all know the importance of having 5 serves of veg each day for example, but this is much easier said than done if we’re just depending on lunch and dinner.

By offering up nutritious snacks throughout the day you can chip away at these daily requirements on the go!

It’s important to teach kids healthy snacking habits early on so that they can continue these throughout their lives. One of the reasons we’re seeing so much diet related disease these days is because of poor snacking habits. Teaching kids 2. Avoid Sugary snacks Snacks such as muesli bars, fruit bars, muffins how to snack well and why this is so important and many of the flavoured yoghurts on the can really help to protect them from diet related market might claim to be healthy but actually health issues further down the track. have huge amounts of sugar. Choose snacks Here are 5 ‘snack sized’ tips to remember when it which are minimally processed and contain whole foods, making sure you check the comes to preparing snacks for your kids! ingredients on the label so you know exactly what’s in any packaged snacks you buy.

1. Don’t Skimp On Snacks: Once again, fruit and vegetables, wholegrain Snacks are a great opportunity to get extra crackers, yoghurt with minimal sugar added nutrients into kids’ diets which they might and nuts are all great options. otherwise miss out on. Fruit and vegetables offer vitamins, minerals and fibre, dairy foods provide calcium along with a package of nutrients 3. Have a snacking schedule Rather than allowing kids to graze their way including protein, vitamins and minerals plus through the day, set up a routine of one snack whole grains will give kids extra B vitamins and in between each main meal (so 2-3 snacks fibre, while nuts provide protein and iron. per day). Allowing kids to snack randomly can lead to overeating and can also interfere with Ideally, snacks should contain a combination of their appetite, meaning they’re not hungry protein and carbohydrates. Protein helps our when main meals are served and therefore muscles to grow and repair and also helps to they miss out on important nutrients like iron. fill us up, exactly what we want out of a snack.

Ideally, snacks should be 2-3 hours after the Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of last meal and 1-2 hours before the next. fuel and provide kids with energy to play, learn and grow. Some great snack options are fruit and yoghurt (pouch packs like Yoplait Petit Miam are convenient for on-the-go snacking), vegie sticks with hummus or nut butter, wholegrain crackers with cheese or a homemade smoothie with fruit, milk and yoghurt.

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4. Avoid mindless munching

For both kids and adults alike, snacking in front of the TV, computer or while we’re on our phone can lead to overeating as we’re so distracted we’re not tuning into our fullness cues. To prevent mindless snacking, designate ‘eating’ areas in your home, such as the dining or kitchen table, where all meals and snacks are eaten and make sure distractions such as phones and computers are put away during these times.

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Food 5. Make healthy snacks easy

Kids will eat what they can see, so keep the healthy snacks visible (e.g. a bowl of fruit on the kitchen counter top or cut up veggie sticks on the top shelf of the fridge), and the not so healthy ones out of sight.

It’s also important to make snacks as convenient as possible. We all get busy so have snacks available which you can just grab out of the fridge, pop into the lunchbox or throw into a bag and off you go. Fruit, veggie sticks, yoghurt, wholegrain crackers with cheese are all healthy options that take very little time to prepare and are easily transported.

About the author: Skye Swaney is a children’s dietitian and nutritionist and founder of Shift Nutrition, based in Sydney Australia. Skye has partnered with Yoplait Petit Miam to spread the word that the Petit Miam range contains 30% less sugar than the average flavoured yoghurt (visit www.yoplait.com. au for more information) and is a convenient, healthy and delicious snack option for families.

Apricot & Cashew Bites Ingredients: 1 cup organic dried apricots (sulphite-free) 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 1 hr and strained 3-4 tbsp coconut oil, liquefied 1 cup organic desiccated coconut (or shredded, or chips, whichever you like, it doesn’t matter because it’s getting blended anyway) Method: 1. Place all ingredients into a food processor and blitz until it’s a fine sticky-but-sorta-crumbly mixture. The kids need to be careful of the blade inside the food processor but other than that, this part is easy for kids to help with or do themselves.

2. Use a teaspoon to press some mixture into moulds. Silicon mini cupcake moulds work really well.

3. Place the filled moulds in the fridge to firm up, for about 30 mins or so. The coconut oil will solidify making the mixture less oily to handle.

4. Keep the moulds on and the bites cool until it’s time to serve them otherwise warm temps will melt the coconut oil and they’ll become very messy to eat (not necessarily something the kids will be concerned about though!). Peel back the mould and bite into the bites… yum!

Free from: gluten / grains / refined sugar / lactose / soy / dairy Ideas: Once the bites have firmed up in the fridge add a yummy chocolate element by drizzling on a basic chocolate sauce based on coconut oil, which will set quickly because the bites are cold. Simply whisk together some liquefied coconut oil, raw honey and organic cocoa powder to make a healthy chocolate sauce Roll the mixture into balls or logs if you don’t have moulds

By Aimee Clark, Cooking Coach Primal Influence. https://www.primalinfluence.com/

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Lifestyle

5 Steps to Sun Protection:

Your Quick, Easy Recipe for SunSmart success Have you ever seen those recipe books where every delicious dish just requires 5 ingredients? Consider this the perfect sun protection recipe for your family – 5 steps are all you need… And an app!

Most people consider sun protection when the sun is bright, but did you know that UV radiation - which damages skin and eyes and leads to skin cancer - can’t be seen or felt?

UV can be high even on cool, cloudy days.

Sun protection is recommended whenever the UV is three or higher. To be sure you’re using sun protection when you need to, download Cancer Council’s free SunSmart app (cancer.org.au/SunSmartApp) or check the Bureau of Meteorology website.

5 steps to sun protection

A good sun protection routine is so about much more than just sunscreen. During sun protection times make sure the whole family takes these 5 SunSmart steps:

1.

Slip on sun-protective clothing

2.

Slop on SPF30+ (or higher) broad spectrum, water resistant sunscreen

3.

Slap on a hat that protects the face, neck and ears.

4.

Seek shade

Choose cool, loose-fitting clothing made of densely woven fabric that covers as much skin as possible. Hold the fabric up to the light, if it lets a lot of light through, it will probably let a lot of UV through too. Try layering – a shirt over a singlet or a t-shirt under a shoestring dress.

For any parts of skin not covered with clothing, apply sunscreen about 20 minutes before going outdoors and reapply every TWO hours (regardless of what the label says), or more frequently if swimming, sweating or towelling dry. Make sure you use a generous amount. SunSmart recommends children from around 3 years of age learn how to apply their own sunscreen, under supervision, as this is a skill they’ll need for school. Make sunscreen application a bit of fun. Try sunscreen squiggles, stripes and dots on the arms and legs and rub those in. A pump pack is easier for children to use. Always store sunscreen below 30 degrees and check the expiry date.

Choose a broad-brimmed, legionnaire or bucket style that sits comfortably and securely on the head. Baseball caps and visors just don’t measure up when it comes to UV protection. Try a hat that is adjustable to help keep it in place. If it is secured with a strap, make sure it has a safety snap or the strap is placed at the back of the neck so it doesn’t become a potential choking hazard.

It could be natural, built or temporary or BYO an umbrella or shade tent. Even in the shade some UV can still reach skin so again, remember to use all 5 SunSmart steps.

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Lifestyle 5.

Slide on some sunglasses

Choose a wrap-around style with a label that shows they meet the Australian Standard 1067. Toy sunglasses may not meet the Australian Standard and shouldn’t be used outdoors.

So there we have it, 5 easy ingredients for SunSmart success. But remember: SunSmart is not just for the kids. Children learn best from watching and copying. Being a great SunSmart role model for your children will have the added bonus of protecting your skin from cancer.

What about babies?

Cancer Council recommends keeping babies away from direct sun as much as possible when UV levels are 3 or above. Plan daily activities to ensure your baby is well protected and minimise time outside during the middle of the day when UV levels are most intense.

When this is not possible, ensure that babies are protected from the sun by shade, protective clothing and a hat. Make sure to keep an eye on shade positioning regularly as the sun moves throughout the day.

Cancer Council does not recommend the use of sunscreen on babies under six months. For older babies, parents should be careful to choose a sunscreen that is suitable for babies and they may wish to seek the advice of a doctor or pharmacist. It’s also important to perform a usage test when using any sunscreen for the first time.

For more information visit www.cancer.org.au /sun-protection/ or call 13 11 20.

New App to help Cancer Sufferers Cancer affects us all – 1 in 22 Australians* have or have had cancer. This means that for the majority of Australians, we have all experienced or witnessed the challenges those with cancer have to overcome. In many cases, many of us have felt like we could be doing more to help, but don’t know how to go about it.

Following her own experience with aggressive breast cancer, Rachael Lonergan, was inspired to create CanDo. A new App which enables cancer patients to easily ask their network for help on day-to-day tasks, while removing the awkwardness of face-to-face conversations.

Set to change the way cancer sufferers receive support from their networks, the app allows patients to easily ask for the help they need – from bedsheets being changed and school runs to tax returns and so much more.

Their social network can then volunteer to do the tasks they would like to and the backend of the App makes sure nothing falls through the cracks.

If you have Cancer or have a friend or family member currently suffering from it, take a look at the CanDo app today and see if it can help make the journey a little easier. *Source: https://www.cancer.org.au/news/media-releases/number-of-australians-living-with-or-beyond-cancer-to-surge.html

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Lifestyle

Protecting your Family From Skin Cancer Dr Kate’s Checklist

Don’t forget the sunscreen – The daily

use of broad spectrum sunscreen (SPF 30 as a minimum) is essential to protect against UVA and UVB rays which contribute to skin cancer as well as sun damage and premature ageing. Sunscreen within makeup is not enough, always use a reputable brand and remember to reapply every 2-4 hours if you are going outside. Other sun protection measures for your family include wearing sun

protective clothing such as a loose T-shirt, a hat and sunglasses

Learn how to apply sunscreen properly – This is where many people make mistakes as we actually need quite a bit of sunscreen to give enough protection. 3-4 good pumps of sunscreen (about a teaspoon) would give enough coverage to the face, ears and neck. Make sure you rub in thoroughly and wait at least 15 minutes before you go into the sun to allow the skin to absorb the sunscreen. Remember to apply to all skin that may be visible to the sun Always protect your baby from the sun – This is a difficult one as we don’t

recommend regular sunscreen in babies under the age on 6 months. It is of course important to protect your baby’s skin from the sun as the damage can contribute to an overall increased risk of skin cancer as they grow older as well as sunburn which will be painful and distressing.

The Cancer Council recommends keeping bub out of the sun as much as possible and keep them covered top to toe if you need to go outside in peak UV hours (hat, longsleeve clothes and keeping in the shade). If bub does get sunburn apply soothing after sun gels (such as aloe vera), cool compress and see your GP if you are concerned.

What is the UV index? – There are three kinds of UV rays – A, B and C. The UV index describes the strength of the solar UV radiation, the higher the index the quicker the damage to the skin will occur. In Australia the UV index is high enough to cause sun damage no matter what time of the day you go outside, even when cool or overcast. It is not related to temperature so even when it is cool your skin can be damaged without you knowing it. During the times of peak UV exposure, between 10am and 2pm take more precautions with your sun protection.

Do self skin checks at home – Self checks are important and knowing what is normal

for your skin and your families is the key to identifying any changes (and possible skin cancers).

Ensure you do regular self checks in good lighting with good exposure of all of your skin. Check and and monitor for new moles, changing colour of freckles or moles, moles that grow in size, spots that become itchy, scaly or ulcerated, moles which became raised or lumpy or any thing out of the ordinary such as cuts that won’t heal. If you do notice anything abnormal then book in to your GP for a thorough skin check.

How to detect a skin cancer – if you find a mole or a spot that looks abnormal or has changed at all then the ABCD guide is helpful (primarily used for the detection of a melanoma).

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Lifestyle

A – ASYMMETRY – look for any changes in the symmetry of a mole, if one side looks

considerably different to the other then this is a sign to get the mole checked B – BORDER – next check the borders, if the spot is irregular, has a lumpy edge or lacks definition C – COLOUR – look for the presence of other colours (colours such as black, blue or red) or the presence of multiple colours within the same spot D – DIAMETER – look for changes in the size of your spots or moles. If the mole is enlarging or grows quickly then get it checked out immediately The difference between a mole and a skin cancer – Always get to know your moles and see your GP if you notice any pre-existing moles changing. Although many of us have moles, often present from childhood, the more moles you have the greater the risk of developing a melanoma. Other types of skin cancer often occur on previously normal skin.

Melanoma – the most dangerous form of skin cancer. Often occurs in a mole that changes in colour, size and shape, but can also occur in skin that isn’t exposed to the sun Squamous Cell Carcinoma – These usually occur in older people on sun damaged skin. They often look like a thick, scaly sore which often bleeds and crusts over.

Basal Cell Carcinoma – These are the most common forms of sun cancer. They grow slowly, usually in sun exposed areas such as the face. They can appear as a lump or pearly patch and many mistake them for a sore that has not healed.

These tips are from Dr Kate Jameson (MBBS FRACGP) Dr Kate Jameson is a General Practitioner and Cosmetic Physician with a special interest in the treatment of sun damaged skin, anti-ageing and skin cancer medicine. She is currently the Medical Director of Youth Lab in Perth, Western Australia. http://www.youthlab.com.au/

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Lifestyle

Quick and Free Exercise Programs for Mums Many Mums struggle with finding time for exercise; citing lack of time, sleep, energy and budget as impeding factors to undertaking a regular exercise routine. Don’t worry, I get it! For many years I never exercised regularly, even with free exercise programs, as I never had ‘the time’.

Now that my children are older I want to start doing simple exercises for women, to improve my fitness and health.

However, living as a family on one income, there is no budget for exercising. In addition to this, my time is still limited; so, I have been looking into quick and free exercise programs for mums:

Let’s Walk (or Run)

Grab a friend and go for a nice fast paced walk together. Ideal for mums with young bubs as you can push them in a pram or with toddlers; let them ride/scooter next to you. The faster they go, the faster you go. If you are aiming to lose weight, there are a number of weight loss apps that will give you a good walk/jog/run schedule by minutes to help efficiently raise your heart rate and burn calories. For those parents with older children, when your children are undertaking extracurricular activities, you can walk while they train. I have found it a great way to keep warm at winter training sessions.

At Home Workouts

I am a fan of the ‘at home’ workout option. No one to see me, no one to bother me and I can fit in the workouts when I have a spare 5 or so minutes. You can get an exercise book with workout ideas, google 5-minute workouts or sign up to an inexpensive workout option to get your started on your journey to becoming fitter. We have a Wii System and I occasionally enjoy doing a Zumba workout through this.

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Lifestyle

The Benefits of Children

Children, especially toddlers and pre-schoolers offer a great excuse to work out constantly. Run around the yard or park chasing them, playing soccer with them or create an exercise circuit at home that you can do together. For example: run and touch the fence and another point 5 times, skip for a minute, do 10 star jumps and then run again. Creating your own exercise circuit means you can utilise the equipment you have and the space you have. Even if you live in an apartment you could run/walk up the stairs X times a day. This will give you a great workout and offers a positive bonding experience for all involved.

Exercise Equipped Parks

Outdoor exercising with equipment at the park is now a thing. Certain Councils are installing exercise equipment when they upgrade or build parks, helping the community get fit for free.

While the machines available are different in each park, they range from simple, static equipment for chin-ups, sit-ups and step-ups, to new interactive and movable equipment with cardio and resistance features. I don’t have a list of parks with exercise equipment, so I would love it if you could comment below with parks you know of, to help other local mums. I have noticed this trend occurring more and more, so as you socialise with your friends and young children; try new and different parks, taking a good walk around them looking for free exercise equipment that you can use.

The above ideas are great for busy mums looking for an easy, inexpensive way to include free exercise programs into their weekly routine.

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Great Exercise Programs for Mums As mums, our life is busy, chaotic and intense which makes it important to look into specific exercise programs for mums. Staying fit and healthy is important for everyone and offers a great range of benefits including feeling healthier, being happier and sleeping better. While there are free exercise programs available, sometimes having a structured approach with guidance and help can motivate you along your fitness journey while achieving better results.

We have tried and tested a number of exercise programs for mums and feel that the following offer programs achievable for mums.

Voome ‘Kickstarter’ program.

Led by Amelia Phillips, expert nutritionist, trainer and Co-Founder of Voome, this BeginnerIntermediate: weight loss and toning program will kick start your health and fitness journey. With a combination of meal plans and workouts, the program features: • Low impact 20-30 minute workouts featuring power walking, simple bodyweight moves, delicious yoga flows, stretches and more.

• Gentle on joints, can be done outdoors or at home (with no equipment needed) and will get your heart fired up!

Cost: $39.95 for lifetime access to this program. https://www.voome.com.au/programs/kickstarter/ MD Says: This program is a great way to ‘kickstart’ your exercise journey with a good mix of walking and simple exercises to make you feel as though you really are working your body. The meals offer insight and recipes to create healthy meals you may not have thought of, while the shopping list simplifies life.

The Invisible Exercise program.

Developed by Dell-Maree Day, a leading biomechanics pioneer who has developed exercise rehabilitation program based on the principles and practices of the Pilates Method and its core stability model. The Invisible Exercise (T.I.E) teaches you how to tone and strengthen your body, become slimmer, reduce muscle pain through correcting your posture. The program: • Shows you how to use all the 639 muscles inside your body correctly to achieve extraordinary muscle balance.

• The 10-week program takes you through 10 different “postures” that will realign your body.

• The postures are then rotated throughout the week as you do 20 minutes of the program each day.

• Whilst it may look like you’re not doing much, and that any exercise is “invisible”, in fact your body is burning serious calories as it stretches and retrains itself.

Cost $99 for a 10 week program. https://theinvisibleexercise.com.au/program/introduction-to-tie/ MD Says: I have never been able to commit to 20 minutes of exercise a day before this program, however my body felt so much better, that I would get upset if I didn’t do my daily T.I.E. The course is easy for mums as it is quiet, so it can be done at night while children sleep or hubby watches TV and Dell-Marie’s voice has a meditative and calming effect. Thanks to T.I.E my wrist stop hurting for the first time in over a year and my posture never felt better.

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Lifestyle Voome ‘Timesaver’ program

This Timesaver program is aimed at Beginner-Intermediate; core and flexibility. Designed by Dani Stevens; mum of four children, it caters for mum’s tight timeframe and financial budget. Designed for busy women who want to eat well, get fitter, improve their core strength and set a good example for their family, the Timesaver program features: • • 15-minute meals (choice of regular or vegetarian) with snacks and desserts included.

• • 20-minute low impact, results driven workouts include simple cardio, core strength and TABATA and aim to change your shape in just four weeks.

Cost: $39.95 for lifetime access to this program. https://www.voome.com.au/programs/timesaver/ MD Says: The Timesaver program is simple, easy and quick to do, perfect for the mum at home trying to fit in while baby is napping, when you grab a few minutes, or even once the kids have gone to bed. I like the way you receive Lifetime Access to the program and therefore can return for inspiration whenever required.

Looking the part..

Rola Moca High Waist Tights – ‘Sundance’ Capri The RunFaster High Waist tights are really fabulous, the material is really great quality and the patterns and colours are so much fun. When wearing other tights I am always worried that when they stretch too tight, they will go see through. Thank fully the RunFaster High Waist tights are nothing like that; in-fact the superior quality material is also designed to ‘smooth’ any lumps or bumps! Read the Review

Featured in our Spring Summer Fashion Shoot, you can increase your fitness levels and enjoy being an active mum with this active wear from Mummactiv. The 3/4 Pregnancy and Postpartum Leggings ($69.99), feature a pregnancy panel to accommodate a growing bump which is also great for mums who aren’t pregnant as it helps hold your stomach in. Constructed with high performance Supplex material to ensure there is no VPL when bending over, these tights are perfect for exercising all year round. Motivate yourself by embracing the Active Mum Revolution with this bamboo/cotton loose fit tank ($35). Comfotable and chic with rolled back straps it is designed to be paired with a sports crop.

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Lifestyle

How to lose the “mummy tummy”

It’s inevitable that our bodies change after having babies. And yes, while being pregnant and bringing a baby into the world is an absolute gift, it’s ok to want your body to look a little firmer and tighter, too.

After having 2 kids, my once relatively toned midsection is now home to some stretched skin and ab separation. Slowly but surely, it’s coming down and firming up… But there is still much work to be done!

So, what can we do to reduce it?

Step 1: Eat more, not less!

Eat more protein, veggies and good fats, as well as carbohydrates (especially after exercise). Counting calories and cutting out food groups, whilst they may work in the short term, they’re unsustainable over the long term. Plus, if you’re breastfeeding, you’re going to need all the energy you can get!

Step 2: Drink more water.

Our body is about 60% water, so keeping hydrated has a huge impact in helping everything work as it should.

Step 3: Perform (safe) exercise.

Our bodies have changed so much throughout our pregnancy, so while it’s important to start exercising, it’s essential that we’re gentle in our approach.

Some great exercises to try are: Squats (left) Glute Bridge (below)

Side Leg Raise

(Don’t you love my little trainers, helping me with my exercises?!)

Simply perform 10 reps of each exercise, 5 times through. Do this a few times a week, or daily if you get the chance. * Always get clearance from your women’s health nurse/doctor/physio before you commence training, too!*

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Lifestyle Step 4: Stress less and sleep… When you can!

When we’re stressed, our body produces a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol suppresses the immune system and has an impact on our metabolism, so in order to get maximum results from our healthy eating and exercise program, we need to focus on reducing stress in our lives as much as we can.

As for sleep? Well, all the experts say how important sleep is in order to stay in shape, but as a mum, it’s not always possible to get 8 hours of sleep every night. Yes, sleep is important, but if it’s not happening for you right now, don’t worry – it will get better over time! You’ll still see great results if you are looking after yourself in other areas.

Losing the mummy tummy is a slow, steady process, but if done with care and commitment, you’ll enjoy the journey!

Article from: Rachael is a mum of 2, and co-owner of a Brisbane-based group training fitness business. MP Studio specialises in mums n bubs training, helping mums in Brisbane regain their energy, fitness levels and body shape after having a baby.

Immerse yourself in ...

How to Be Thin in a World of Chocolate

The anti-fad, anti-misery guide to losing weight for life How to Be Thin in a World of Chocolate is funny, easy to read, and packed with great tips and psych hacks for looking and feeling great while being happy and enjoying life's pleasures.

Available from: All good bookstores or https://www.booktopia.com.au/how-to-be-thin-in-a-world-of-chocolatemichele-connolly/prod9781925048988.html RRP: $19.95

Two -Minute Moves

In her new book, ‘Two-Minute Moves’, Lizzy shares the exercises to easily live an active life plus her compelling personal story of hitting ‘rock bottom’ and overcoming depression through the joy of movement.

Lizzy is a certified Personal Trainer, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Presenter and Speaker. Her workouts have been featured on The Today Show, Studio 10, Good Morning America, Lorna Jane’s YouTube channel and more. Her ‘Two Minute Moves’ are shared each week to thousands of women who have become part of her ever-growing community. www.twominutemoves.com

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Lifestyle

How to Fit Exercise into your Day as a Busy Mum

One of the biggest challenges for busy Mums is finding the time to exercise. For most modern Mums exercise is the closest thing we get to a bit of ‘me time’. It is a time that we can focus on ourselves and take a little break from taking care of everyone else.

As a pregnancy and postnatal fitness specialist and Mum of two, I love sharing simple ways that Mums can stay active and feel strong and healthy - both physically and mentally Creating a healthy lifestyle and body as a busy Mum

of body weight strength exercises plus the cardiovascular benefits of walking are a great #1. Start your day with the 3 M’s way to boost your fitness and strength quickly It may be tempting to dive straight into your work and easily. This strength circuit is suitable to all or chores, especially when you have a to-do list levels of postnatal fitness. Try adding it to your a mile long. However, if you start each day with next walk or even pop your baby into the pram the 3 M’s, you will not only be more productive, at home and give it a try. you will wake up feeling energised and vibrant.

The 3 M’s include: • 7 minutes of Movement.

• 7 minutes of Meditation.

• 7 minutes of Motivation such as journalling, reading an inspiring book or blog post or listening to an inspiring podcast. #2 Move every day It doesn’t have to be an hour long session at the gym. But make the commitment to move your body every day and make it a priority. Moving your body will circulate fresh blood to your brain, help improve your mood and reduce any stiffness that comes from sitting at a desk for an extended period.

I love these 3 simple ways to move as an active break. I have listed in order of intensity.

• 3 Sun Salutations • 5 Push Ups + 10 Squats x 3 rounds • 2 Quad Push Ups + 10 Mountain Climbers x 3 rounds #3 Workout with Your Little Ones Super Pram Workout If your little ones are still in the pram, then take advantage by boosting your afternoon walk to include a mini-strength circuit. The combination

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Find a park bench or chair and complete the following circuit • 10 Squats • 10 Step Ups onto Bench • 10 Push Ups onto Bench (from your knees if you have a weak pelvic floor or stomach separation) • 10 Tricep Dips onto Bench Repeat 9,8,7 all the way down to 1!

Active Play Dates If you are meeting a friend or a group of friends for a play date, make it an active one. You can be as creative as you like. Go for a walk together (try the circuit above). Take the kids to a park where you can workout while they run around. Chip in to hire a nanny so you can exercise while someone is keeping the kids under control. Get as creative as you can.

I hope you got some new ideas on how to incorporate exercise into your busy Mum life!

Article written by: Kimmy Smith is the founder of the Fit Mummy Project App - the complete post-natal fitness and wellbeing App. Kimmy is also an ex-professional athlete, fitness instructor, qualified yoga teacher and mother to two girls.

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Lifestyle

Reviewed School Snack Box School Snack Box offer a monthly school snack box delivery service. Each month you will receive new and interesting snacks for your children. The idea was developed by mum of 3 looking to help other mums find healthy school snacks in a convenient easy manner.

My School Year Book offers the opportunity to preserve all your child’s school memories in a lovely keepsake. The My School Year Book is an A3 Spiral Bound Hardcover book with a dedicated twin page section for each year at school. Each year page allows you to add a class photo and a photo of your child. Read the Review

Read the Review

Coleman Sundome Tent The Coleman Sundome tent has a dome shape and can fit between 4-6 persons within. The camping tent is around 3m x 3m when set up, which is quite large.

Read the Review to see how easy set up is

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Be prepared to take your weekly bath relaxation routine to the next level with Couchmate’s Relax-A-Mate: The Premium Bath Shelf.

Made from natural bamboo and coated with varnish, the bath shelf is neutral to conform to a wide range of bathroom decor. Read the Review

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Travel Lifestyle

There is not always the time, availability or the finances required to enjoy a lovely family holiday.

That, is why I love the concept of the family Staycation; a family holiday at home! One of the best staycation ideas is to take advantage of Backyard Camping. Backyard Camping offers a fun, inexpensive ‘family holiday’ that can be as simple or imaginative as you would like it to be. Enjoy great family bonding time, with the convenience and comfort of your own home. For children younger than 12, backyard camping with mum and/or dad is a great experience. For children older than 12, it could be a great and safe way for them to have an experience with their friends that is contained and supervised to your liking.

• Limited expense – once you have the basic camping equipment you can enjoy backyard camping as often as you like without further expense • Flexibility -weather uncertainty, sick children; nothing matters when you are backyard camping as you can simply change the day to a day when you more likely going to enjoy your camping experience.

• Luxury – A perk of camping at home is that you know the campsite has great amenities.

The key to enjoying backyard camping (so you are more likely to do it more often), is to tailor the experience to suit your family. I love how backyard camping offers you the ability to tailor the experience each time; with how much or how little effort you can put into your camping experience.

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Travel

• For those using backyard camping to determine if you would like camping, try to authenticate the experience as much as possible (sitting on camping chairs, staying outside as much as possible – only relying on equipment you would have camping… E.g. no microwave, etc.)

• Getting your children to pack as though they were actually going camping adds to the fun of the staycation; bring clothes, favourite toys and books to enjoy.

• Get your children to help set up the tent with you. They can help set up the actual tent as well as all the bits inside; inflating or deflating airbeds is a great game for them. Also, by teaching them to pack it away with you, it will reduce your work load, making you more likely to want to do it again soon.

• Ban Technology/WIFI – pretend you are somewhere where there is no signal, so that you can really bond with your children.

• Enjoy a BBQ, eating at the table together and then enjoying some after dinner camping activities: Glow Sticks, sparklers or a game of Spotlight (hide and seek with spotlights) • Using a chimenea (or similar, if the weather permits), light a small fire to sit around, melt marshmallows and tell stories.

We loved our backyard camping experience. The children were over the moon, totally committed and I have decided that this is the perfect sleepover idea when they want friends to join us. My daughter is even asking to have her nearest and dearest over for a camping birthday party. For us it provides loads of family fun over the holidays that is affordable and enjoyable whenever we want it.

Article by Lorraine Salvi, mother of 3 gorgeous active and fun loving children.

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Travel Lifestyle

Remember Travelling Before Kids?

Travel is so easy when it’s just you or when you travel with your partner. Throw in a toddler and a baby and suddenly, your travel planning is taken to a whole new level. The magical holiday you dreamed of is suddenly plagued by a million questions and none of them relate to how relaxing it will be or what wonderful things you will see.

Family Holidays suddenly have you questioning: Can I buy nappies at our destination? Do they sell the same formula? What will my toddler eat? How will the children go on the flight? These questions and many more are taking the fun out of the remembered what we were like pre-children. adventure a holiday brings.

Although life changes after children it doesn’t We have become a society of overthinking parents mean that we cannot keep some of the old “us” alive. Although your holidays will never and I think it’s time we relaxed and lived a little, be the same again post-children, they can especially when going on holidays. I remember going on holidays with my parents and having the still be fun and spontaneous. best time just exploring my new surroundings.

Who knows – you may even have more fun These days we have access to too much information and we have become “google mad” to than what you would have sans children. the point of creating stress where stress should not Your perfect holiday is in your own hands be present.

– close your eyes and think of your most desired bucket list experiences, book the Imagine if we just started thinking “We are going tickets for you and your family and get to Disneyland and we are going to have so much started in crossing each one off. Stop fun” instead of “What will I do with my pram?” stressing, be spontaneous and if you have or “Can I take snacks for my kids into the park?” the tickets booked, let the details of the Whatever happened to just going to the magical day unfold as you go. Now doesn’t that feel place they call Disneyland and feeling pure joy at the look on your kids’ faces? Let them explore and good? be kids.

In a world where exotic destinations are more readily available than ever, these destinations should be selected based on what unique experiences they offer our children and not on the intricate details of how every minute of the holiday should go. After all, do you want a holiday or a military style operation? Everyday life is tough enough, it’s not needed when you’re planning a vacation.

Article by Georgia Poulios, the founder of www.planitnow.com.au. Through her extensive worldly travels her passion has extended into the PlanItNow brand – a fabulous flashcard style “things to do” website that allows families to view exciting adventures in every country and select from three options for every price range.

Imagine finally being free of the stress and providing your children with unique experiences such as seeing the Great Pyramids of Giza up close, eating pizza in Italy, taking a horse drawn carriage through the Canadian Rockies or even just visiting the new Ferrari World in Dubai. How sweet life could be if we just took a breath and

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Grit for Boys and Young Men & Grit for Girls and Young Women Grit is a book designed to inspire and empower with wisdom and quotes to keep you moving forward. These titles teach boys and girls how to best overcome hurdles in life and to learn and grow from your mistakes, highlighting the importance of being confident and resilient. RRP: $26.99 Available from: www.beaglierbooks.com.au

Being a Teenage Boy & Being a Teenage Girl These titles offer apprehensive teens inside knowledge on the tricky business of making it through adolescence, covering topics like self-confidence, taking care of yourself and other important reminders for young people in their early teenage years. RRP: $26.99 Available from: www.beaglierbooks.com.au

The Flying Optometrist Published in association with the Brien Holden Vision Institute and inspired by a true story, new children’s picture book The Flying Optometrist chronicles the adventures of The Flying Optometrist as he travels across Australia providing eye-health care to those in remote communities. . Written by Joanne Anderton (whose father inspired the book), The Flying Optometrist is a captivating and delightfully illustrated picture book that helps children understand the value of eye care, and the importance of helping those in rural communities. RRP: AU $24.99

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Gourmet noodles in a cup Mr Lees offers a premium selection for busy Mums on the go. Our product uses the finest ingredients and no nasties. Our noodles are low in gluten, salt, sugar, saturated fat and do not contain MSG. We use only the finest freeze dried ingredients to lock in the nutrients. Just add water and stir well. Available on board Jetstar and online: www.mrleesnoodles.com RRP: $4.99

Disney Princess Story Book Perfumes Available in Frozen, Aladdin, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Beauty &the Beast and Cinderella, the 50ml eau de parfum scents are suitable for children 5 + and are ethyl alcohol free.

Available from: Chemist Warehouse, My Chemist and My Beauty Spot stores nation-wide RRP: $14.99 each

Dreambaby® ’s Chelsea Auto-Close Security Gate and Protect-A-Wall™ Dreambaby® ’s Chelsea Auto-Close Security Gate is pressure-mounted and available in black and in white as well as in a regular, extra-wide and extra-tall version depending on needs. They open both ways and autocloses from any angle and have been designed with a unique Ezy-Check® indicator so you know when they’re locked giving true peace of mind! They come with a Stay-Open feature too–perfect for when the kids are not around and you’re carrying a load! Prices start from RRP $79.95. Also to further protect your walls check out Dreambaby®’s Protect-A-Wall™. This ingenious new mounting cup fits most pressure-mounted gates and helps to further preserve walls by ingeniously DISPERSING PRESSURE from the top supports over a large area, reducing direct force and minimising the possibility of cracks or collapses. These mounting cups also feature a soft non-slip, non-adhesive backing that further helps to prevent wall damage while allowing the gates to fit more securely. RRP $14.95. RRP: Chelsea Auto-Close Security Gate prices start from RRP $79.95. Dreambaby®’s Protect-A-Wall™

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Alcovit Hangover Prevention and Alcohol Detox Alcovit supports the body’s natural process to eliminate toxins caused by drinking alcohol and helps replenish those elements that the body needs to feel normal again, whilst most importantly protecting your liver. It does this by using a variety of 12 vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that combined reduces the number of toxins that cause a hangover. Reducing the overall stress and inflammation in the body. Most importantly it works!

RRP: $8.95 per sachet www.alcovit.me

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Coleman Push 450 Lantern Featuring a handy bail handle so you can hang it virtually anywhere, the Vanquish™ Push 450 lantern also contains a lifetime LED bulb and rugges exterior built to stand the test of time. Overmoulded edges for impact resistance meet ANSI 2M drop tests.

Comfortable rubber grips All models include Battery Lock function to help stop battery drain and preserve battery life Three modes: High (450L/40hrs), Low (50L/330hrs) and flashing Operates on 3D batteries - Push button to turn on and off. RRP $59.99.

Available from all good camping stores.

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