Busy Mums Magazine March 2017

Busy Mums Mag

Volume 14 March 2017

Photography Tips Overseas Family Travel

Domestic Violence Special

Baby Nursery Tips

Editors Note Recently I celebrated my 10-year wedding anniversary. I am so lucky to have a loving, caring husband who helps me fulfil my dreams and look after the children and their needs. Unfortunately for many woman around Australia, they are not in a similar situation . Instead , as victims of Domestic Violence they feel trapped , lonely and hurt. In this edition , we try to bring light on this horrible issue that so many women suffer from and hope that the information within our Domestic Violence focus helps you to gain a better understanding of what DV is or how to help someone in that situation should you come across it.

Throughout the rest of the magazine we have other more light-hearted topics for you, including a focus around creating a beautiful and practical baby nursery. Travelling overseas with your family and how to take great photos of your children .

I hope you enjoy the latest edition of the Busy Mums Magazine . We are always looking for topics to focus on and real mum’s stories, so please contact me should you have any suggestions.

Best wishes, Lorraine Lorraine Salvi Editor and Founder of the Busy Mums Magazine and MumsDelivery

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 Stay Connected

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Table of Contents

Parenting

Lifestyle

How to protect your Children’s Eyes How to clean Children’s Toys Nursery Essentials Nursery Safety Tips Top 5 Tips for a Breastfeeding Santuary Latest Kids Product Reviews Toy Corner

Domestic Violence Special Unhappily Ever After A Survivor’s Story Understanding if you are in or Witnessing Domestic Violence Have you ever been scared Nikon Photography Tips

Food Kids in the Kitchen Mediterranean

Fashion & Beauty DIY Body Scrub Make Up on the Move Beauty Spot

Travel Other New Books Competitions & DVD Releases New and Noteworty items

Family Holidays to London Tips for Booking Holiday Rentals Top Tips for Babymoon Adventures

Parenting

How to protect children’s eyes all Sun protection is important at any age, but when it comes to children, the harsh Australian sun can be especially damaging. Young eyes are more susceptible to absorbing ultraviolet (UV) light than adults, and it is at a young age that the seeds of long-term sun damage are sown. While most parents know to send their children outside with a hat and sunscreen, eye protection is another matter. As busy mums and eye surgeons, we have seen the effects early sun damage can have on young eyes.

Why is eye protection important for children?

UV light is damaging to the eye, and is associated with eye diseases. These include growths around the eye and on the front surface of the eye, called pterygium and pingueculae, eyelid margin skin cancers and some types of cataracts. Much of this UV damage is due to childhood exposure, when the eye has the least developed natural protective mechanisms.

Children’s eyes can still absorb UV light, even on an overcast day, as it is scattered more on cloudy days than when the sun is shining strongly overhead on a clear, blue day. It is important then to protect children’s eyes from UV damage from all directions and at all times, from sunrise to sunset.

What to look for in children’s sunglasses It is never too early for children to wear sunglasses, as the younger your child is, the In Australia, it is well documented that we have a more sensitive their eyes are to sun damage. significant number of people with cataracts and age When it comes to selecting sunglasses for related macular degeneration, compared to many other parts of the world. These conditions, as well as your child, there are a few things to consider.

Sunglasses sold in Australia must be labelled cancers of the lower eye lid, where sunscreen is not able to be applied without fear of getting it in the eye, as compliant with Australian standards are also UV related and could be reduced by wearing and include a lens category number, which categorises the level of UV protection and sun proper eye protection. glare reduction. Level 3 lenses are preferred.

The most damaging times of the day UV light reaches peak levels at different times of the Frames that are comfortable, lightweight day. However, it has been shown that UV damage is and durable and which minimise unfiltered most severe between 8am to 10am and 2pm to 4pm light hitting the eye from the sides of the – primetime for school drop-off and pick-up. Reflected glasses will ensure a much higher rate of protection than sunglasses which only focus light, which can come from surfaces such as roads and footpaths, is strongest when the sun is lower in on shielding UV light front on. the sky.

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year round

Whether it is playing outside at school or at the beach, it is important for parents to ensure their children are protected from the sun. Protecting eyes now will go a long way to ensuring your children have a healthy vision well into their adult years.

Written by Dr Shanel Sharma and Dr Alina Zeldovich, Eye Surgeons & Founders of Beamers Sydney-based eye surgeons Dr Shanel Sharma and Dr Alina Zeldovich are busy mums who founded Beamers sunglasses after seeing a need for quality eye protection for the youngest and most sensitive eyes in the community. For more information, visit www.beamers.com.au.

Proud to be a Premmie

The arrival of a newborn is often announced through cute photos on Facebook, Instagram and other social platforms. But if the baby comes prematurely, parents can often shy away from posting on social media, unsure of how to share the news, or how friends and family will react.

BabyLove Nappies wanted to do something about this. So they created Premmie Proud, an online initiative to help encourage premmie parents to share their little miracle with the world.

Created in partnership with the Miracle Babies Foundation and the world’s leading baby photo sharing app, Baby Pics, it’s a new section of the popular app designed specifically for parents of premature babies. It includes a range of new hand-crafted photo overlays that speak directly to the moments only premmie parents can relate to, such as graduating from the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) and being a ‘Little Fighter’.

Download the Baby Pics app https://www.babypicsapp.com

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Parenting

How to Clean Children’s Toys

When you have small children at home, there’s no end to the cleaning. Disinfecting pacifiers and bottles, washing our hands time and time again, cleaning a constant stream of plastic dishes. But we rarely pay as much attention to how clean our kids’ toys are. Children are often inseparable from their favourite toys, and have no problem both playing with them and putting them in their mouths regardless of where they’ve been. The floor, the bathroom, the garden - no amount of dirt will put a child off their toys!

Of course, just cleaning off visible dirt isn’t enough.

Toys pick up bacteria and other nasty things, and superficial cleaning won’t kill them off. So we’ve put together top tips and tricks on how to thoroughly clean different types of toys, meaning you can rest easy while your children play safely.

1. Plastic toys These are the easiest type of toy to sterilise, and there are a few different ways it can be done: • Create a mixture of equal parts water and white vinegar and fill a spray bottle with this. Spray this mixture on the plastic toys and leave to sit for 15 minutes before wiping them down with a clean, damp cloth. Pro tip: you can even fill a little travel bottle with this mixture to use onthe-go for when toys get dropped on the floor.

• Fill a large bucket or container with water and add a few tablespoons of baby bottle cleaner.

Submerge the toys in this mixture and let them soak for three hours. They’ll emerge clean as a whistle.

• Use your dishwasher to clean plastic toys effectively. Wipe off any visible dirt with a clean cloth, then place the toys in the top rack of the dishwasher and set it to the drying setting. The heat will kill off any germs. Make sure the toys are heat-resistant first though, so you don’t end up with a melted plastic mess and an unhappy child!

2. Fabric toys and stuffed animals Soft toys spend a lot of time close to your child’s face, and often get dragged around wherever your kid goes. You may experience some resistance and complaints of “but it won’t smell the same!” from your child when the topic of washing their cuddly toy comes up. But this brief tantrum is

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worth it to protect your little ones from the germs and grime building up of their favourite soft toys.

• Place the fabric toys in a sealed plastic bag and freeze for 24 hours to kill any mites living on them.

• Clean fabric toys using the washing machine.

Double check any labels, but toys made of cotton or polyester blends should have no problem taking a tumble in the washer.

• If the toys have any heavy stains or soiling, sprinkle baking soda on the affected areas before popping them in the washing machine. Add three capfuls of white vinegar along with your usual detergent. The combination of vinegar and baking soda will lift off stubborn stains while the machine does its work.

3. Teething toys These toys are guaranteed to go in your child’s mouth - after all, that’s what they’re made for! So it’s extremely important to kill off the nasty germs on these toys.

• For heat-resistant toys: boil a large pot of water and place the teething toys in it for ten minutes.

Remove carefully with clean tongs, and cool off thoroughly before returning to your kiddo.

• For toys that aren’t heat-resistant: simply use liquid dish soap and water as hot as the toy can handle. For a natural alternative, cover the toys with salt and rub thoroughly with the cut side of half a lemon. Be sure to get in all the nooks and crannies. Leave the salt and lemon concoction on the toy for at least 15 minutes before rinsing off with clean, hot water.

Hopefully these tips to give you peace of mind that your childs toy is safe with no germs or dirt.

Author bio: Natalie has picked up plenty of home cleaning tricks and tips working for Helpling.

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Parenting

Creating your Nursery

Preparing for Baby Nursery Essentials Part of the fun of being pregnant is to nest and excitedly create a nursery as you prepare for your baby’s arrival. Yet with so many products and accessories now available; what products do you really need and what are simply nice to have options?

Here is what I think are Nursery Essentials and what can be optional extras.

Nursery Essentials 1. Cot & Mattress The cot is the ultimate nursery essential designed for your baby to provide it a safe, comfortable place to sleep at night and throughout the day. When looking to purchase a cot ensure it complies with the Australian Safety Standards. Find out more information on these standards here. You should also check that it is sturdy and durable with all components permanently fixed together or requiring the use of a tool to disassemble. With the cot Mattress, ensure that the mattress is a good fit to the size of your cot so that there aren’t big gaps that baby’s hands or feet can get stuck in.

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2. Wardrobe/ Tallboy If you don’t have built-in cupboards in the room, getting a Wardrobe or Tallboy is a nursery essential. You will need the cupboard space to keep all the little clothes and items your baby will need. Our Wardrobe had the double function of having a nappy change area on top of it so that you could easy change nappies without having to purchase a nappy change table. This piece was able to be removed for when you no longer needed this function.

3. Baby Monitor Some will argue that the Baby Monitor should not be classed as a nursery essential, however in my mind it is. The baby monitor is fantastic at providing peace of mind, at offering you a chance to relax and resume normal living as you can go outside or enjoy yourself without worrying that you won’t hear bub. Many monitors offer more than a simple audio function so you can know if baby is breathing, the temperature of the room, they can work as a night light and more.

Tip: Purchase a good quality monitor so that it will last throughout the course of your babies.

We have had our monitor for 6 years, used it every day over 3 children and it still works the way it did when we bought it.

4. Glider or Rocking Chair With babies needing to be feed frequently throughout the day, having a good rocking chair or glider that can be used to support both you and bub while breastfeeding or bottle-feeding is ideal. With the rocking and gliding option, the chair will be able to help you settle bub and provide some much needed movement at times to encourage baby to sleep.

5. Linen for your Nursery It goes without saying that you will need to purchase linen for your nursery. Nursery linen essentials include: Mattress Protector, Cot Sheets, Blankets (light summer ones and heavier winter ones) & Wraps. Little babies often soil their linen and having 2-3 sets of each is recommended.

6. Nappy Change Essentials Changing baby’s nappy is something that you will spend a lot of time doing. Make it easier by

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Parenting

having the key requirements all in one place ready to be used. Key items required to be nappy change ready include: Newborn nappies – 1 box Baby wipes Nappy Rash Cream Baby Moisturising Lotion Cotton Buds Nappy sacks or nappy bin.

7. Baby Mobile I love baby mobiles and had one in the cot and another above the nappy change area. They are a great tool to distract baby when changing their nappy or when trying to keep them occupied in their cot while you quickly attend to something else.

Optional Nursery Furniture.

Bassinette The bassinette is nice to keep your newborn in at first and can easily be put in your room; however this really is an optional as you can put your baby into the cot from birth. We never invested in a bassinette and were fortunate enough to have friends that had these that we could borrow. I did like having the ability to put the baby in our room with us; however all of my children only spent 8 weeks in the bassinette before they outgrew it and moved into a cot.

Nappy Change Table With limited space in our room, we never invested in a change table, rather choosing to purchase a tallboy that offered this functionality.

If space is not an issue the nappy change tables can create a nice, simple to use space where you can keep all the Nappy supplies.

Nursery Decoration While you could put baby into the nursery without changing the room décor, part of the fun of setting up the nursery is the process of decorating it with a theme, colour or toys and books that you like and think your baby will enjoy. Apart from painting the room and getting items that you really want, don’t go too overboard as many of your friends and family will want to get you something for your new baby. Article by Lorraine Salvi

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Parenting

Baby Nursery Safety Tips

We spoke with Carolyn Ziegler, Product Development Director of Dreambaby®, the child safety experts to find out what dangers parents should be aware of when setting up their nursery and for some useful, helpful baby nursery safety tips.

What are the essentials parents should do/have to keep their baby safe?

Never, ever leave a baby alone without parental supervision. It’s as simple as that.

Make sure your child is within earshot when they are sleeping.

What are the greatest hazards to a baby?

You might be shocked to hear this but older siblings are a big hazard to babies.

Don’t ever leave them alone with baby.

They may have toys with small parts that a baby could choke on. Or they may smother them with love literally by kissing and fussing over baby. Watch out for pets too.

They can also smother babies.

A good idea is to install a child safety gate at the entrance of baby’s room to help keep both older children and pets away from baby when they are sleeping. A popular choice is a Retractable Gate as it winds back into itself to the side when not

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in use, saving valuable space. The retraction feature also makes it easier for parents and other adults to pass cutting down on any tripping hazards. Not just for the nursery, it can be used anywhere inside and out. Dreambaby have a range of Australian Safety Approved gates so you can find a gate to suit your property.

Tidy rooms are less hazardous to newborns, so we recommend keeping toys in order. Take a look at Dreambaby®’s Toy Chain. which can be installed horizontally or vertically.

What are the most common mistakes new parents make when it comes to the safety of their baby?

Parents often over fold a baby’s blanket to make it fit snugly around baby in a car seat, cot or crib. NEVER over fold a blanket. By over folding, you are basically putting baby under several layers of blanket. Babies have very underdeveloped cooling systems and can over heat easily. While it is important that a blanket does fit securely, one layer is probably fine in this climate although of course use your judgement if it is very cold.

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Parenting

With all the nursery furniture/toys etc on the market, do you have any advice on how to check if they are safe?

Make sure all your baby equipment, including your cot and pram, meet government and industry standards. Try not to buy second hand if you can, as it is never easy to gage the wear and tear on items.

Also check to see if screws are tightly secured, both when you set up equipment, and afterwards as things loosen along the way.

For instance, safety gates need adjusting on a regular basis.

Your top tips to keeping baby safe?

Always keep medicines out of the way of children and babies by keeping them up high in secured cupboards. Invest in child safety locks if you have older children in the home or visiting. Your house will then be ready for your baby when he/she becomes mobile. Try a variety of different locks throughout the home.

Kids learn through repeated observation. By using a variety of different locks and latches that work in different ways, it becomes harder for young children to work out how to open them. Also, make sure you have the right lock or latch for each cupboard depending on the type of handle.

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Also, check you have a quick and fast way of administering medicine as well, such as a medicine syringe or dropper and use a room and bath thermometer to make sure baby’s nursery and bath water aren’t too hot.

Also invest in blind cord wind-ups. They keep blind cords out of the reach of babies in their cots and from older siblings in general. Over-long cords can lead to strangulation. But remember to keep cots and beds away from windows and window fittings whenever possible.

Last but not least, make sure baby’s nails are kept short. Use baby scissors or clippers (don’t tear nails or bite them off even if they are very soft). Babies often put their hands up to their faces and can scratch their corneas and cut their faces if their nails are overly long.

Where should parents go/who should they ask for information on keeping their baby safe?

Early childhood centres are a good start. Your GP and paediatrician are also invaluable when it comes to questions about their healthy wellbeing. Also check out the Kidsafe website for general safety information and of course visit the Dreambaby® website - www.dreambaby.com. au - for safety product suggestions and solutions or Call (02) 9386 4000. And be part of the safety conversation: https://www.facebook.com/ Dreambabysafety

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Parenting

Creating your ideal Nursery Cloud light Each cloud light has been hand sculpted from natural botanical fibre by the artist herself. These are more than just another nursery light. They are exquisite pieces of functional art. They come in 2 sizes and ship world wide.

From $109.95 for the small plus shipping.

Available from: Lil Spaces https:// lilspaces.com/products/cloudlight?variant=1177612999

The multi-award winning Chibebe Snuggle Pod baby bean bag is a perfectly designed seating solution to assist in relieving reflux and flathead symptoms in newborns, and for use through to pre-teen age.

Special Delivery Wooden Musical Box - NEW Release Find Bundles of Joy in this New Release Wooden Musical Box This adorable handcrafted wooden musical box features a delightful stork and 3 newborns, it would make the perfect addition to any nursery or the ideal gift for any new or expecting parent. Simply wind up your musical box, no batteries required, then watch and listen to the sweet tune of 'rock-a-bye-baby'. Plate rotates 360 degrees. A one touch start and stop design.

Featuring an on/off switch on the side of your music box to start and stop the music.

Available from: http://www.coolthings.com.au RRP: 79.95 Dreambaby速 Blind Cord Wind ups (2pack) Easy to use and Install they help reduce the risk of strangulation.

Always keep dangling cords and bead chains out of the reach of children.

Move cots and beds away from the window, Visit the Dreambaby速 web site at www.dreambaby.com.au or call (02) 9386 4000 RRP $4.95.

Dreambaby 速 Croc and Duck Room & Bath Thermometers Good for the bath and the nursery! Made from BPA Free and Phthalate Safe durable waterproof rubber material and available Pure Baby Moisture Cream- an unscented/ in two fun animal designs -a floating green crocodile and a bright yellow duck, with the temperature display clearly visible essential oil free, natural cream for babies and on their body, these new Thermometers give a fast and accurate toddlers; suitable for sensitive skin and long used temperature reading, whilst doubling as a safe and fun toy for successfully for eczema. little ones! Visit the Dreambaby速 web site at www.dreambaby. This cream is enriched with organic rosehip, a healing oil without any 'aroma' or fragrance. com.au or call (02) 9386 4000 RRP $19.95.

Free from parabens, dairy/goatsmilk, sulphates, petro chemicals and colouring.

RRP $16.95 for 125ml tube Pramrolla a simple, yet ingenious device that creates the sensation of motion felt by a baby in a moving pram - all from a stationary position. A newborn child is a precious gift. Stable sleep patterns are a necessity for the wellbeing of both parent and child. The Pramrolla may help with the stress and difficulty sometimes experienced when training your baby how and when to sleep. Simple to set-up and compatible with any 3 or 4 wheel full-size or jogger pram, the Pramrolla is an innovative solution to an age old challenge.

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Parenting For all stages of pregnancy the Ultimate Skies pregnancy pillows (Large) will ease your pregnancy discomfort and your pain. It enables a complete Side sleeping position with our uniquely shaped pregnancy pillows that provide Head, Bump and pelvic support Multiple reviews and health care professional recommend the Ultimate Skies Pregnancy pillows. Health care professionals endorse as a pregnancy and breastfeeding pillow post pregnancy as well. Trusted by mums all over Australia with a rating of 9/10 Tested for Harmful substances (Oeko-Tex 100 certification) casing and covers.

Supporting a good cause Thankyou nappy Our Thankyou nappy is the first on the Australian market to feature monochrome prints and be lined with Aloe Vera and Vitamin E. The range is hypoallergenic, latex and chlorine free plus their innovative slimline design makes them skinny jean friendly. RRP: $33 Available from: Coles and Baby Bunting

Thankyou Thick Baby Wipes Our super gentle Thankyou Thick Baby Wipes are hypoallergenic and fragrance free. Made from 98% natural ingredients, they contain no soap, parabens, sulphates, alcohol or petrochemicals.

RRP: $6.49 Available from: Baby Bunting, Woolworths and shop.thankyou.co Mater Nappy Balm Mater Nappy Balm was formulated to closely replicate the vernix, the naturally occurring substance produced in the womb which coats and protects baby. A silky smooth, exceptionally gentle cream, Mater Nappy Balm is ideal for nourishing red and delicate bottoms. RRP: $7.99 Available from: Selected pharmacies, supermarkets and www. matermothers.org.au/products Mater Nappies (Newborn First Weeks to Toddler) Description (max 40 words): Outperforming leading brands in the lab and the home, Mater Nappies are made from ultra-soft breathable material, dermatologically tested and proven not to cause irritation. The range includes Mater Nappies Newborn First Weeks, designed to fit bub from day one. RRP: $11.99 to $13.99 Available from: Selected pharmacies, supermarkets and www.matermothers.org.au/products

Free Playgroup!

Playgroup NSW has launched Play Baby, an initiative for families with children under 12 months old. The Play Baby initiative offers a one-year free Playgroup NSW membership to families with a baby under 12 months old. For parents, weekly playgroup attendance provides the chance to meet parents in a similar situation, make new friends, learn from one another and develop a supportive local network.

Parents of babies under 12 months can access free membership at playbaby.org.au

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Parenting

Top 5 Tips for Setting up a Breastfeeding Sanctuary

1.

Invest in a comfortable breastfeeding chair

A supportive chair for breastfeeding will become your best friend. Some mums and babies enjoy the gentle rocking of a glider or rocker, but any chair with a comfortable seat and armrests to support your back and arms will do. Arm and foot rests can help avoid muscle strain during breastfeeding. Look for a chair with a high back or pillow to rest your head and a chair that’s not so low it’s a struggle to get in and out of.

2.

Consider lighting

Soft lighting in the nursery will make it a generally more comfortable environment.

When considering lighting options avoid halogens and exposed bulbs. Bright lights can make babies squint and don’t support a calm and relaxing mood. Instead, choose fixtures offering shaded or diffused light. An electrician could install a dimmer switch for light adjustment depending on the time of day and amount of natural light available.

will want to have long breastfeeding sessions which may impact on your own appetite. Having a few quick and healthy snacks available will be helpful. Keep a basket nearby with easy grab-andgo options like fruit, nuts and granola bars. Also, be sure to keep a big bottle of water nearby – your own hydration will be important.

5.

Keep it calm

When planning your breastfeeding space, think about potential distractions. Televisions, computers and multi-media devices in rooms can all detract from being fully focused on feeding. You and your 3.

Stock up on breastfeeding baby will benefit from quiet, gentle interaction and supplies When creating a breastfeeding area, plan to communication. Also consider planning a space have the right breastfeeding and breast care where the temperature will be comfortable and even. Extremes of hot or cold won’t support feelings products on hand. Your list could include: of calm for either you or your little one.

• Breast pads • Nipple cream • Burp cloths Written by Philips AVENT ambassador, Jane Barry • Paper towels/tissues If you have any concerns about your breastmilk supply, your healthcare provider will be able to advise you. Correct attachment, more frequent breastfeeds, “switch” feeding and expressing can all help to increase milk volume.

4.

Plan snacks

There could well be times when your baby

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Parenting

Reviewed BabyBoxes offer a fantastic gift giving service for New Mums where you can spoil yourself, a close friend or a new mum that isn’t close enough to visit in person.

They offer a range of gift boxes catering from gifts for Dad, Mum, for baby showers, twins, siblings and more! We were lucky enough to review their Sleepy Time Baby Box.

Written by 23-yearold William Reimer from South Australia ‘A Ferret Named Phil’ is a book designed for young children with an anti-bullying message. I like that the book offers a light-hearted approach to the topic and the subtlety of the message can sink in slowly and help your child understand that by thinking differently and getting help you can overcome the issues you face.

Princess Heart Signet Ring. I love the idea of giving my daughter something special, a treasured keepsake she will enjoy and love. As she is outgrowing the toy phase, I feel that now is a great time to give her a good quality signet ring that she can treasure. See what we thought of the Signet Ring from Oh My Giddy Aunt

Girl Lane Girls Hair Care The Girl Lane Hair Care range utilises unique natural oils to replenish the hair, making it both stronger and healthier. The Girl Lane Hair Care products are Paraben Free, SLS Free, No Harsh Chemicals and Cruelty Free. Importantly, they are Australian owned and formulated. Find out

Read the review

Cody the Pony is a beautifully illustrated, well written book that is perfect to read to the child who fantasises about having a pony or horse of their very own. Follow Mimi’s journey from the moment she falls in love with and purchases Cody, right up to when she is finally able to ride and go on adventures with her beloved pony. Read

more

Twirlytop Toodloo Twirlytop Toodloo is a cuddly, interactive toy that is sure to delight your little one! The pull-cord in Toodloo’s back was the first thing my youngest found.

Pulling it back and letting it go meant the twirlytop twirled: and caused Master 2 to cackle and squeal immediately! It entertained him for ages, and he loved trying to catch the “hair” as it spun. Find out more in the Review

our review.

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Toy Corner

Showcasing Fun & Exciting Toys

Blood n’ Guts Zombie FX Lab Create your own Zombie ‘Blood-in-a-bag’. Get down and booger with exploding zombie snot, grow some gruesome zombie guts, pickle a pair of ghastly levitating eyeballs, wriggle out some worms and maggots. Then make musical fart putty for Zombie Sound FX to die for!

Stockist: Selected Wild Science items available at Australian Geographic, Big W, Kidstuff, Myer, Toys R US and all good independent retailers.

Suitable for 8+ yrs, RRP: $28.00

Tell -a- Tale Fairyland and Barnyard Tell-A-Tale makes you and your friends the storytellers in a land of magic, fun and adventure! Roll the dice to get some ideas and then let your imagination run wild! Work together to set up the story, guide the plot to a great ending and along the way, tell a great tale! The Benefits of Tell-A-Tale include: • Quality educational games • Helps develop creative thinking • Develops problem solving skills • Improves verbalisation & communication • Promotes social interaction and language development suitable for ages 3+ RRP: $30.00

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Toy Corner

Parenting

Play-Doh Touch Shape to Life Studio Open a Can of Imagination! Create a world of hands-on adventures and see Play-Doh creations come to life in ways never imagined before. To start, simply download the Play-Doh Touch app, shape a Play-Doh creation, place it on the Shape to Life Studio, and scan it with your tablet or smartphone. The creation will come to life on screen, ready to explore! With the digital character stampers, create new friends that will unlock their own unique worlds and personalities when scanned into the app. Scan more creations made with the digital action stampers to see the surprising effects they have on other creations in the app. Even when the PlayDoh creations go back in the can, save them in the app to play another day. Interactive adventures await! RRP$32.99. The PLAYDOH TOUCH SHAPE TO LIFE studio set is available at all major retailer’s including Target, Big W, Myer and Toys R Us

Pass the Pen is the world’s fastest drawing game! With the pen tip disappearing as you play, you only have 10 seconds to draw while all the other players guess. Is that a hamburger? A snowman? A sumo wrestler? You earn points if someone gets it right; if not, you Pass the Pen to the next player, and they pick up where you left off! With over 500 objects to draw, it’s fast, fun and guaranteed to draw plenty of laughter from the whole family.

Suitable 3 or more players ages 8+. Available exclusively at KMART, SRP $39.95.

Loopin’ Louie! Playing Chicken has never been so much fun!

Watch out, Loopin' Louie is out and about and it's up to you to protect your chickens from his dizzy diving! Every time he flies by in his airplane, he'll be out to knock another chicken into the chute below. But if you can flip him out of the way with your paddle, he'll go after someone else's chicken! Be ready, though, because he's got some sneaky moves. The player with the last chicken standing wins! Suitable for 2-4 players aged 4+. Available exclusively at KMART, SRP $39.95 Miffy launches adorable products in Australia this Easter and new pre-schooler game App now available. A brand new range of preschool toys including plush and figurines are now at Myer TOYS. These toys enhance and facilitate the stories and brand values of Miffy. Keeping the brand true to its origins, beautiful books are available through independent and book stores. With nine titles to collect, Miffy picture books are an essential for all nursery bookshelves.

The new pre-schooler Miffy game app for IOS and Android is available from March 9th. RRP $5.99 Based on the 3D artwork of the Miffy’s Adventures series the game provides a whole imaginary ‘world’ which kids can visit each day to do different activities and bop along to the Miffy song.

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Lifestyle

Domestic Violence Special Let’s say NO to DV

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Lifestyle

Unhappily Ever After?

EMOTIONAL / PSYCHOLOHICAL ABUSE: Whilst this form of abuse is subtler than physical abuse it is no less harmful and needs to be taken seriously. It is generally defined as a partner controlling your behaviour in order that everything is the way they like it. If you are living with fear of how your partner will react to certain situations or feel they are keeping tabs on where you are, who you are with and what you are doing, there may be a cause for concern. You may become aware There are also relationships where the frog that your personality is changing or that you turns into a monster and the women or children are behaving or dressing differently from what around him are questioning if they are victims of you would choose for yourself. Your partner domestic violence. Often the beginning is subtle, may express jealousy of you spending time with the abuse isn’t physical and certainly there are other people. If you feel that your self-worth no visible scars. There is a saying that you or esteem is being damaged or that you are never know what goes on behind closed doors becoming more anxious than you were before, and never is that more true than when dealing these could also be indicators that you need to with domestic abuse of any kind. A family unit seek help. should be the safest place for women and children and yet the statistics are terrifying when FINANCIAL ABUSE: Whilst this is another it comes to the numbers harmed by abuse of form of control, this can be very isolating. This all kinds on a yearly basis both in Australia and may take the form of your partner expressing worldwide. a strong opinion that you should/ n’t work and how responsible you should be for providing It is an issue affecting all cultures, ages, religions for your family. There are 2 extremes that are and backgrounds. No group is exempt. One of occur most commonly. The one is when every the biggest problems is recognising the warning asset, debt and account is in your name which signs which exist for all forms of domestic means that you are fully financially responsible violence. There are however red flags which for your partner. This most commonly occurs if noticed by the person involved early can when your partner is financially irresponsible be acted on and save them and their families and may have issues with gambling, alcohol or many years of pain. Here are some common drugs. The other is that you have no financial early warning signs which are by no means independence at all. There are no assets in exhaustive. your name, everything you spend is given to you and monitored or you are not allowed to PHYSICAL ABUSE: It is rare for this to begin own a credit card. This would mean that if you with physical violence and if it does it is likely decided to leave or end the relationship you to be a more gentle form such as pushing or would have no money or resources with which shoving during an argument. You may also to start a new life. The early warning signs for notice that your partner has an unpredictable this can be very subtle but if you are noticing temper and displays aggression to objects in a control that seems abnormal with regard to his way such as throwing chairs or punching your spending or earning you may need to put walls. It can also begin with threats of violence provisions in place to ensure your financial or physically blocking you from leaving during security. a disagreement. Even if this violence does escalate, it will often not leave a scar and will be something that you can explain away eg: you fell down some stairs or walked into a door.

Most little girls grow up watching the movies and reading the stories of faraway princes and princesses which all end with happily ever after.

That becomes a goal and a dream and one that everyone deserves to have come true. However, sometimes once the cameras stop rolling the frog you thought turned into a prince turns back into a frog! Life is stressful, relationships are hard and as adults we all know that fairy tales are somewhat simplified.

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SEXUAL ABUSE: What goes on in the bedroom is private between partners and should stay that way. However, the bedroom should always be a place that women feel safe and comfortable. If you are finding that you partner is criticising your body or sexual abilities, that should cause alarm bells to ring. Also remember that if you are being forced into sex acts at any time or to be involved in role plays or positions in the bedroom that you are not comfortable with, it is ok to say no. If you are worried as to what the reaction may be, that can be an indicator of sexual abuse.

If these warning signs apply to you and your family, the question going through your mind is probably “Now what?” The answer to that depends on a range of factors but here are some ideas which can help you to plan a way forward.

FIND SOMEONE TO TALK TO: It is important to tell someone what you are thinking and feeling and what you are afraid of. The right person may be a family member or close friend that you trust.

It should be someone that you have confidence won’t discuss your concerns with your partner.

If there is no family member or friend that you can think of, go and visit your GP. They are required to keep what you say confidential unless there are signs of danger and they will be able to advise you on other places where you can find advice and support. There are also many helplines for people suffering from abuse which are easy to look up. They are incredible resources and are experienced at dealing with these issues. Whoever you choose, you should come away from the conversation feeling better and not worse or as if someone is judging you.

KEEP A RECORD: If you are unsure as to whether there is a pattern to your partner’s behaviour or as to whether your concerns are valid, it can be helpful to keep a record of the incidents that occur. Set yourself a timeframe eg: 2 weeks or a month and document any time you feel concerned that abuse is happening.

At the end of the period read through what you have written and it should help you find some clarity. DO NOT throw these notes away as if later there are any formal investigations, they can be very useful.

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GOING TO THE POLICE: If there is violence within your home, however insignificant you have told yourself it is, you can consider calling the police. The police are used to dealing with family violence and will facilitate you being able to get the help you need. If a restraining order is warranted, they will help you to put that in place as well.

PLAN PLAN PLAN: It is never simple to leave once you are in the middle of these relationships. However, it doesn’t hurt to plan an exit strategy for if you need it. This can include researching alternative accommodation whether with someone you know or by finding a local shelter. Think through what you would need if you left including cash and important documents such as your children’s birth certificates or your passports. It can be an idea to have these in a readily accessible place that you can get them in a hurry if you need to. It is also important that your children know who to call and what to say in an emergency.

This doesn’t have to be done in a scary way but it is important they know what number to call for help; the correct address and when is appropriate to call.

If there is anything you have read in this article which has made you wonder if this applies to you, please don’t suffer in silence. Look for someone to confide in, if the first person doesn’t take you seriously, keep trying. You are not alone, it isn’t your fault and there are options.

About the Author: Highly qualified, Paediatric Nurse, Ariella Lew established Kids on Track in 2012. With her extensive work in both hospital and community settings in Australia, UK and South Africa, Ariella aims to educate, empower and assist in crisis management issues, also providing solutions for parents, schools, not for profit organisations, and community groups. For more information on Kids On Track Consultancy see here: http://www.kidsontrackconsultancy.com/ about

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Lifestyle

Share the Dignity started in 2015, after reading an article on how many homeless women and women in domestic violence shelters in Australia had to face unthinkable indignities during their monthly period. For these vulnerable and at risk women, each month brought a shameful and traumatic experience, suffering indignities such as having to clean themselves in public toilets and use paper towels or newspaper to create makeshift sanitary pads. Share the Dignity believes that sanitary items should be a right NOT a privilege. As such bi-annually we hold our collections for sanitary items at collection points around Australia.

To further its support for women in need, Share the Dignity have created a new fantastic campaign #itsinthebag to connect caring strangers with women in need, through the simple object of a handbag.

The Share the Dignity handbags are available for you to purchase for yourself, as a gift or to donate, with all proceeds being used to help with the programmes so we can continue our work.

Each bag is named after one of the remarkable women that our #itsinthebag Xmas gifts has helped.

We have two limited edition bags available in 2017. Pre-orders open now with delivery just in time for Mother’s Day 2017.

See the bags and read the stories of the Women behind the bags here: http://www.sharethedignity.com.au/handbagswith-heart.html

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Lifestyle

How to recognise the difference between Domestic Violence and conflict, so we can protect our children A survivor’s story

or animals, causes the person whom it is I am a survivor of adult relationship abuse. As directed at or witnessing, to be under threat of a child, I never heard of the word ‘abuse’ and psychological or physical harm or deprivation. grew up unclear on what a toxic relationship When that threat or act is directed towards was, yet my own childhood was abusive, but not you, there is a fear for your personal wellbeing physically. I was used to being neglected and my or safety. needs and reality ignored. I was used to fear, denial and control.

Another way of describing abuse in a relationship, is when one person repeatedly Not all women who get caught by abuse have denies and overrides the rights, reality and this background. But what we all have in needs of another person, punishing and common is gaps in our permission to protect and shaming them to extinguish their right to have prioritise ourselves. their own response in their own surroundings.

When I ask women what domestic violence is, they list the types of abuse and do not understand what specifically defines abuse.

There are 16 types of abuse. Many women miss identifying many of these types because they are not clear on what abuse really is. When you are not clear, it can be easy to not see abuse as abuse even when abuse is right in front of us, in our families, relationships and at work.

You miss recognising what abuse is when you are only looking for the specific types of abuse you or society recognise. This is why many women do not realise they are living with abuse until after they have left the relationship. If we are not clear, we are not able to model and teach our children to be aware and not get caught.

Naivety continues.

Domestic violence is a pattern of denial, control and punishing behaviour within an intimate relationship, from one person to another, through the use of force. This particular pattern of control and force (whether actual or threatened) from one person towards another, or towards property

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When we are clear and unquestioning on this definition as a benchmark, we can recognise when any type of abuse is happening. The only thing is that we have this historical, familial and social norm of excusing emotional, verbal and psychological abuse and twisting what is not ok to be ok so boundaries become blurry. A boundary crossing is when you feel some line has been crossed, even if someone else has a different boundary. It is your boundary line.

We have compressed violence as only physical and sexual, yet we have all being on the end of a tone of voice, certain words and that look in the eye which leaves us feeling assaulted and in shock. We have become so used to psychological and emotional abuse, that we act as if it is not happening.

We become too busy not wanting to offend or judge another adult that we have lost the modelling we have worked hard to show our children. We let our children down. They see us putting up with the unacceptable. What we would never want for them. They see us

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Lifestyle in denial when someone is treating us with disrespect and not honouring our reality. They see us as we suffer, endure and minimise. Our society values this as strong and ‘loving’, rather than value and celebrate the emotional courage to take action and protect the integrity of our own life energy.

We have not been taught what happens to the brain and body when under relationship stress and trauma. We have not been taught about the involuntary responses in the body and how to respond to and take care of them. Women usually don’t know about the unique female stress response and how to respond to this coping pattern. We don’t know how to be with our own body or how to teach our girls.

We are doing our best to protect our children with what we know. We want them to learn and receive the appropriate and natural consequences when they do wrong. We want our children to have the emotional muscle to bear when they have done wrong and repair from their errors, but we are too hesitant to confront our peers, when we hear or see something that is not quite right.

We become over-responsible, minimise, say it is none of our business, ‘he’ is stressed or ‘it takes two to tango’. Unfortunately this means, that ultimately we prefer to pacify an adult, even if it means vulnerable women or children are at risk, including ourselves.

Despite there being so much media attention and awareness about domestic violence, we are a society which has such weak emotional muscle that we have lost the connection on how to reach out, what to say and what to do when something is not quite right. Yet we demand our children to bear their faults. We are not walking the talk.

We also need to be clear about the difference between abuse and arguments in a relationship.

Abuse involves an environment and pattern of denial, punishment, fear and control, which systematically denies one person’s reality, feelings, needs and differences. Whereas, arguments and conflict may involve someone denying another person’s feelings or opinions in the moment, but you are not in fear of them or of consequences, and it is not embedded within a systematic process of control and denial.

If we want to protect our children, we need to start looking at how clear are we about recognising abuse and conflict, and identify what we choose to be silent on. Children follow behaviour, not our words. Do you need support to become clear? We teach children to ask for help. Can you do that for you too?

About the Author: Anita Bentata is a Survivor, Author, Professional Speaker, Trauma Psychotherapist and Women Starting Again group and workshop facilitator and trainer. Anita’s books and contact details can be found on http://www.thewolfinasuit.com as well as http://www.anitabentata.com/ crazymakingverbalemotionalabuseexplained She can be found on FB The Wolf in a Suit and IG Anita Bentata

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Lifestyle

How do you know if you are in (or witnessing) an abusive relationship?

Let me paint you a picture - I warn you, it’s not a pretty one…

You have an acquaintance at the kids’ school. A mother of one of your child’s friends. You chat with her sometimes while waiting to pick up the kids. She seems reserved. Only occasionally talking about herself - it’s mostly you who does the talking.

The few times she contributed to the conversation she said a few things which seemed a little odd to you.

Something’s not right One time you were talking about pet names you and your partner have for each other.

She laughed self-consciously while recalling the names her partner called her, “stupid bitch”, “fat cow”, and quickly offered how she deserved it though for not being smarter or keeping herself in shape.

The next time you see her she’s wearing dark sunglasses, a scarf, and lots of makeup – you think to yourself, gee she’s covered up today – but hey, people dress differently so you shrug it off and don’t think more of it. As you’re standing there waiting for the kids you notice she doesn’t look at you at all while you’re talking.

Another time you were talking about managing household finances and the increasing cost of living. She noted he doesn’t let her manage the finances because she’s “a bumbling idiot”. He gives her $150 each week for groceries. She remarks how tough it is to stretch that far enough to feed the whole family some weeks. She can’t remember the last time she had money to buy herself anything.

Now you’re standing close enough to see the shadow of a bruise under the rim of her glasses. She raises her hand to adjust her scarf and glasses. You notice cuts to her hand and red marks peeping from under the edge of her scarf. She’s more reserved than usual today. Conversation is stilted. You ask if she’s ok and she smiles awkwardly and says “of course”. The kids come rushing out and she quickly bundles hers to the car mumbling a hastened goodbye.

She exhales an envious whimper when you tell her about meeting your friends for lunch and a movie over the weekend. “You’re so lucky, he would never let me do that” she states. You invite her to join you and ‘the girls’ for a ladies’ night one weekend, but she looks at you fearfully and utters “I couldn’t - he’d kill me”. She quickly laughs it off but something about how she says it makes you think for a second - she’s not joking.

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You’re left with a heavy, wrenching feeling in the pit of your stomach. But the kids start up and you get distracted…

Sadly, this story is all too common in Australia The woman in this story is experiencing domestic violence. Her partner controls her finances, isolates her from friends and family, humiliates and degrades her until he’s drained her of all self-worth. He regularly threatens to harm or take the children if she ever fights back or tries to leave. To prove his point, he often hits her – sometimes even rapes her.

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Lifestyle Domestic violence (DV) is any behaviour (psychological, physical, sexual) that seeks to intimidate, control, or harm a person within an intimate or family relationship. Sadly, this is a huge issue across Australia, with DV a significant contributor to illness, disability, and death for women. It is also the single largest influencer of women’s homelessness, and a common reason behind many child protection notifications. DV causes devastating harm to children, impacting attitudes, behaviour, intellectual and emotional functioning, social development, and affecting their education and long-term opportunities. It places a massive strain on the health and wellbeing of women, children, families, communities, and our broader society .

Ok, it’s happening – but what can I do about it?

Listen to your instincts - trust your gut! That feeling you get in your stomach when something’s not right. A heavy, queasy, wrenching feeling. We often question ourselves, rationalise the feeling away, and overthink things until we’ve supressed it completely. Please - DON’T! This is nature’s inbuilt protection system. Pay attention to your instincts – listen hard - because sometimes they’re very quiet and our thoughts can get awfully loud.

There are lots of great resources available these days to help sufferers of DV – whether it’s you or someone you know. Be informed, be brave, reach out! You don’t have to face it alone.

Resources

• Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria http://www.dvrcv.org.au/ • Domestic Violence New South Wales http://www.domesticviolence.nsw.gov.au/ • DV Connect Crisis Support Queensland http://www.dvconnect.org/ • White Ribbon Australia https://www.whiteribbon.org.au/ • Our Watch https://www.ourwatch.org.au/ • Reach Out http://au.reachout.com/what-is-domestic-violence • Fact file: Domestic violence in Australia http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-06/fact-file-domestic-violence-statistics/7147938 https://www.ourwatch.org.au/Understanding-Violence/Facts-and-figures ________________________________________ This article was written by Bree Somer. Bree Somer is a degree qualified Social Worker with extensive experience and specialised training. She runs an online private practice in Australia, providing coaching or counselling sessions to adults going through professional or personal transition. Bree has a passion for helping people to increase their self-determination and achieve individual or career goals. www.breesomer.com.au

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“Have you ever been scared he will hurt you?”

These are the simple words that are really difficult to say. Family and Domestic Violence (FDV) is a very complex issue that is more prevalent than most people believe. It takes many forms and is experienced by people across all parts of the community.

If you are worried that there might be something going on in the relationship of one of your family members, friends or work colleagues, please don’t say “He’s a jerk” “He treats you really badly” “You should blah, blah”. Despite your intentions being about her safety and wellbeing, sometimes these words can be seen as judgemental, even “proving” what he may have been telling her about her “interfering friends”.

There is not a standard list of things to say and do as every situation is different. And of course safety is number one!

Depending on how close your relationship is to the person you are worried about, and what has made you think there may be an issue, “Have you ever been scared he will hurt you?” gets to the core. It is not a judgemental question.

You need to choose the right time and place and be prepared for a wide variety of responses – from the lightbulb moment when your friend realises just how bad things are, to your friend being very defensive and protective of their relationship and telling you to butt out.

Please don’t give up on them because they don’t leave, even though you may be very frustrated.

Let them know you are there for them, when the time is right. It often takes many attempts to leave for good. Remember that often the person is experiencing or has experienced abuse that has gradually worn down their self-confidence and sense of worth. And even though it may be hard for you to believe, they may still love the person choosing to use violence. They do not want the relationship to end – just for the abuse to stop!

Often there is a cycle of a violent event occurring followed by a “honeymoon phase” with loving attention and promises made to stop the bad behaviour. But, unless action is taken to change the abusive behaviour, over time tensions build, sometimes described as “walking on eggshells”, then the violent explosion… and again the “honeymoon phase”.

Family & Friends - What do you need to know about helping a friend or relative

affected by violence and abuse? Call 1800 Respect (1800 737 732)

If YOU are sometimes fearful, experiencing violence or abuse, feeling like you are being

controlled or dominated, please call Respect (1800 737 732) to discuss your personal situation.

They can help you work out your options. Your safety and wellbeing is critical.

Remember, Domestic and Family Violence is only shameful if you are the one choosing to use violence.

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Lifestyle

You may feel confused about your feelings. When things are good they’re great, but the bad times…

You may be worried about the future you and your children will have.

You want your kids to have both parents around.

It will seem daunting to be doing it all by yourself – financially, emotionally!

However, you are stronger than you believe and a life lived without fear is one we should all aspire to for ourselves and our children.

Thanks to the fabulous work of the amazing Rosie Batty and others who have spoken out relentlessly about this issue, we are now all talking more openly about something that was once only behind closed doors.

We have changes taking place within Police, Legal, Education and other key areas. We still have a long way to go and the lack of resources means a less than ideal pace, but we are moving in the right direction.

In an emergency - if someone is in immediate danger call the police on 000 now.

Note – we refer to the one who chooses to use violence as a “He” because statistically that is the case for the greatest proportion of reported incidents, whilst acknowledging many family options and circumstances.

Article from PVAW. PVAW’s vision is to be the organisation of choice within Western Australia for those seeking practical strategies and solutions to prevent violence against women. www.pvaw.com.au

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Lifestyle

Nikon’s Photography Tips

How to achieve the best photographs for both indoor and outdoor light:

Soft light is best!

Consider the lighting available around you. Your best position is with the light behind you to avoid looking into it otherwise your photos will be overexposed. If you’re outdoors, try shooting your subject in the shade with the light falling onto them.

For shooting indoors, a nice big window with natural light coming through works wonders with the same principles. Direct sun in both of these examples is classified as a harsh light.

How to avoid blur in family photography:

Selecting the right location for the photo you want to take is the first step.

Before bringing your subject into the photograph, consider the type of image you want to take, choose your location and make sure that you have your camera ready with your chosen settings before introducing your subject into the scene. Remember to look around and consider what will end up in the background of your shot. You can even try shooting from a new angle for a different perspective.

“The best camera you’ll ever have is the one you’ve got with you!”

It sounds simple, but if you don’t have your camera, you won’t get the shot, a mobile phone just does not take the same picture, it doesn’t have the zoom or the features of a real camera.

Keep a compact and lightweight camera in the car or your purse for those spontaneous life moments that you find yourself wishing had a camera.

How to focus accurately:

Your camera has a two-stage shutter release to ensure your photos are always in focus. By half pressing and holding the shutter button, the camera will focus on your desired subject and will

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Lifestyle beep once the focus has locked. Then to capture the shot, press the shutter button the rest of the way down for a photo that is in perfect focus.

Choosing the best camera for your family:

With more and more cameras on the market, part of the struggle can be choosing the right camera to capture your favourite family moments.

A compact digital camera is just that- small enough to keep in your backpack (or handbag!) to capture your kids in action on the go. They’re lightweight and have a fixed lens so you don’t have to worry about changing lenses while you’re out and about.

A DSLR camera has a bigger sensor than a point and shoot camera which helps to reduce the ‘noise’ (aka the grains you can sometimes see in a photo) to give you an overall better quality of image. You also get more control over the lighting and they’re built to last so you won’t have to worry about replacing it any time soon.

Need a suggestion on where to start looking? The Nikon COOLPIX B700 with automatic scene selection that intuitively selects the style of shot you’re trying to take so that you get the best results every time. A great starter DSLR is the Nikon D3400 with its built in Guide Mode function to help you develop your photography skills with on-screen demonstrations to help you select the right camera setting for any photographic style.

How to best look after your photos: This is a very important tip!

Try not to leave it too long between downloading the images from your memory card. To avoid losing your photos, regularly download all of your pictures onto a computer or external hard drive, this will ensure you always have a copy of your photos.

Once you have saved all of your pictures, use the format function on your camera to erase the images on your memory card so you have a clear memory card to start capturing life’s precious moments again.

Written by Ben Halcomb from NIKON AUSTRALIA.

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Lifestyle

5 great apps to preserve and protect your precious memories There are many studies that talk about the benefits of telling stories, for everyone from toddlers to seniors. We believe that one of the best ways to tell a story is through pictures and journaling. With reported rewards of storytelling like improved self-worth and purpose we believe that these apps are the perfect tools. Here are some of our favourite apps that are simple to use and not only promote storytelling via images and words but empower you to print to preserve and to future proof your photos.

1. Chatbooks “Chatbooks exists to help people hold on to what matters.” Not everyone has time for a bells and whistles scrapbook or photo book project but you do tend to spend quick seconds here or there sharing photos with family and friends via social media. This app helps you to turn images direct from your social media account/s into affordable and tangible books 2.

Forever With Forever, you can not only edit, organise, store, and share your photos but thanks to their Forever™ Guarantee (in short your membership dollars go into development and research). So you can rest easy knowing your content will always be safe (and readable in future formats) in your permanent digital storage with Forever 3.

Pocket Prints Kind of like Chatbooks but for individual prints, posters and cool photo blocks. This app enables you to print photos straight from your device onto proper photographic paper (Kodak Endura Professional Pro). From the Pocket Prints app you simply access photos from your Camera Roll, Facebook, Instagram or other preferred photo app. Tick the images you want printed and you’re done, it’s that simple. Australian owned and made!!

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4. ProjectLife gone are the days of hours of cutting and pasting the ProjectLife app allows your creative side to flair whilst enabling you to save, share and print your creations from the palm of your hand.

5. weGather Combining images and stories this app allows you to import photos from Dropbox, your computer or your device library. You can invite your family to view those images and everyone can join the conversation, enabling everyone to easily read and add to the stories you are collecting.

About us: Just like a cluttered and messy house, a chaotic photo collection (physical or digital) can cause guilt and anxiety. Photos are something everyone has, but they’re often buried in boxes, stored on outdated media or lost in a digital disaster zone.

Professional Photo Organisers - The Filing Fairies are here to help people organise their photos so they can be used and enjoyed!

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Lifestyle

Keep your Photo’s Safe...

Safely store your 4 x 6 photos and memorabilia in this sturdy, photosafe box. Made from polypropylene it is acid free, metal free and fully archival. The lid locks securely into place.

371mm x 160mm x 112mm.

RRP $16.00 + postage (flat) Available from: Memories of a Lifetime http://www.memoriesofalifetime.com.au/ product-category/products/photo-document-andmemorabilia-storage/

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Food

Crazy Cake Ingredients 1 ½ cups Self Raising Flour ¾ cup sugar 5t cocoa Pinch salt 1t vanilla essence 6T cooking oil (Canola or vegetable) 1T vinegar

Ice Cream Biscuits

Icing: 1 cup icing sugar 1 t cocoa 2t butter very soft 2T milk

Ingredients: Ice Cream 1 x Pkt Chocolate Ripple Biscuits

Method: 1. Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

2. Mix all the ingredients up to the Vanilla essence together in a bowl.

3. Make 3 holes in the dry mixture.

4. Put the vanilla essence, cooking oil and vinegar each in their own hole.

5. Add 1 cup of cold water to the bowl and using a fork, beat until smooth.

6. Grease a cake tin and add mixture. Bang the cake tin on the counter to get rid of air bubbles within the mixture.

7. Bake for 25-30minutes.

Icing: 1. Add all ingredients into the bowl and mix. Add extra milk a little at a time to reach desired consistency.

Method: 1. Working quickly, scoop a tablespoon of ice-cream onto the bottom of a biscuit, add another biscuit to the top and squish it down softly.

2. Using a teaspoon, wipe away and smooth ice cream around the edges to look neat.

3. While you continue making your icecream biscuits, it is best to put the completed biscuits straight into the freezer to keep them from melting.

4. I like to leave them in the freezer for a little while to make the biscuits softer, but if you can’t resist I’m sure they will be delicious anyway.

Decorate with white chocolate melts if desired.

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Food

Great recipes for: Kids in the Kitchen

Apricot & Almond Muffins Method: 1. Preheat oven to 190°C. 2. Line two muffin pans with 16 paper liners.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until there are no lumps.

4. Stir in 1 3/4 cups oats, 1/2 cup coconut and 1/2 cup almonds.

5. In another bowl, mix together oil, eggs and milk.

6. Add wet mixture, apricots and banana to the flour mixture and stir until all incorporated, being careful to not over mix.

7. Fill each muffin liner 3/4 full with batter.

8. Make the topping with the remaining 2 tbsp each of oats, coconut and almonds. Sprinkle over muffins.

9. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the centre of muffin comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. Let cool in the tray for 5 minutes before removing.

10. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Recipe provided by the IGA Family Program.

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Ingredients: 2 1/2 cup self raising wholemeal flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 cup dark brown sugar 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 1/2 tsp coarse salt 1 3/4 cups + 2 tbsp oats, divided 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp flaked coconut 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp almonds, chopped roughly 6 tbsp canola oil 2 large free range eggs 1 tsp vanilla 2/3 cup skim milk 700g Goulburn Valley Apricots in Juice, drained and chopped 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed

FRIED RICE

Add a splash of oil to a wok, heat and add: A few rashes of lean bacon diced I onion chopped 1 stick celery diced I red capsicum diced I cup frozen peas 3 eggs 2 cups of cooked brown rice Splash of soy sauce Cook together for 6-7 minutes. Break up the egg as you stir the ingredient each minute they are cooking.

Get the kids to try eating the fried rice with chopsticks.

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Mediterranean

Mediterranean Summer Salad

This Mediterranean Summer salad offers a crisp fresh salad that children and adults will enjoy. My children love this salad more than a garden salad and it is super simple and quick to make.

Ingredients: 2 can chickpeas 2-3 tomatoes, diced 2 shallots, finely sliced 1 Spanish onion, diced 1 cucumber, diced

Balsamic Vinigarette 2 Tbsp Olive Oil 1.5-2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar (change to suit your taste buds) Method: Drain chickpeas and add to salad bowl. Add remaining ingredients.

Dress with the Balsamic Vinigarette and season with salt and pepper.

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Tomato and Lemon White Fish

This recipe would work with any ‘white’ fish, we choose Sea Perch as there are hardly ever bones and the flavour and texture is lovely.

Ingredients: Knob of Butter Salt & Pepper 1 Tomato, diced 1 Lemon Parsley to garnish.

Method: 1. Using a large pan, fry fish in butter. Season with Salt and Pepper.

2. Add tomato to the side of the pan. Cook everything for 2-3 minutes until fish is cooked through. You are looking for the fish to turn white and no longer have a translucent look.

3. Squeeze half a lemon onto the fish, then serve.

4. Garnish with Parsley and lemon slices.

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Summer Greek Chicken Moroccan Spiced Fish

Ingredients • 1 tsp paprika • 1/2 tsp ground ginger • 1/2 tsp cinnamon • 1/4 tsp ground cardamom • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper • 1/2 tsp Changing Habits Seaweed Salt • 4 fresh white fish or salmon fillets, skin on Method 1. In a small bowl, combine all spices, salt and pepper. Rub the mixture evenly on the tops of the white fish or salmon fillets, gently pressing mixture into the flesh.

2. Heat a grill pan on medium-high heat and lightly coat with a little coconut oil or other fat of choice (you won’t need much if using salmon because it is already an oily fish).

Place the fish on the pan and cook for approximately 2 minutes. Flip the fish over carefully until it is 3/4 cooked throughout, approximately another 3-4 minutes (maybe less depending on the size). Turn off the heat and allow the fish to rest for a few minutes.

3. Once ready, serve immediately alongside vegetables of your choice. I chose pumpkin, sweet potato and broccoli roasted in Changing Habits Coconut Oil with Changing Habits Seaweed Salt, herbs and lemon to serve.

This recipe provided by Changing Habits.

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Ingredients 800 g boneless chicken thighs Marinade ½ tablespoon smoked paprika 8 tablespoons Greek yoghurt 4 garlic cloves, crushed, 1 lemon, zested and juiced 3 tablespoons mint sauce 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons honey salt and pepper Method:

1. Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl or plastic zip-lock bag. Retain 4 tablespoons for serving. Add the chicken, tossing to coat thoroughly. If you have time, allow chicken to marinate for 2 hours or more.

2. Remove chicken from bag and discard marinade. On a hot barbecue or frying pan, cook chicken for 5 minutes each side, or until cooked through. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.

3. Serve chicken and retained yoghurt sauce.

Recipe from Summer Table – a cooking book that offers a free APP to scan recipes and create the shopping list on your phone – making grocery buying and meal preparation easier.

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Beauty Lifestyle

DIY Body Scrub

Creates approximately 6 applications

Ingredients:

2 cups epsom salts 1 tbsp raw honey 1/2 cup castor oil 1/2 cup lavender petals 6 drops lavender essential oil 6 drops ylang ylang essential oil 6 drops rose geranium essential oil

Method:

Mix castor oil & honey with the salt. Mix well.

Add lavender petals & mix. Add essential oils and mix until well combined.

Store in a glass mason jar.

Use:

Scrub down your body with a handful of mixture. Then soak!

Tip: Add more castor oil if you prefer an oilier consistency.

Note: Make sure you mix your scrub before each use as oils may have settled to the bottom of the jar.

This DIY Beauty Hack brough to you by Biome Eco Stores Biome Eco Stores is a Brisbane-based retail business which provides Australia’s largest range of eco-friendly products in-store and online, offering deliveries nation-wide. From natural skincare and green cleaning to safe, reusable water bottles and food pouches, Biome helps Australians live waste free, toxin free and ethical lives. www. biome.com.au.

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Beauty

Makeup on the Move

For busy mums, a full skincare and beauty routine might not seem feasible.

We've curated some expert tips for ultraspeedy beauty to have you ready to go in no time!

Multi-Tasking Miracles: A tinted moisturiser is the perfect lightweight hybrid product to provide skin care and sheer coverage all in one. Easy to apply with your fingers, a tinted moisturiser will smooth imperfections while hydrating your skin - better still if you can find one with an SPF30 to protect you throughout the day.

Touch Up Proof Your Face: A long-

wearing look is essential for busy mums. To avoid carrying around a bulky makeup bag, opt for long-lasting formulas and products. Mineral foundation will wear perfectly throughout the day and require minimal blotting, teamed with waterproof mascara for a smudge-proof finish.

For lips that last all day long, line your pout with a matching lip liner shade and top with a matte or satin finish lipstick.

Quick Cleansers: After a long day even

when you feel like just rolling straight into bed, it's so important to cleanse your skin. Not only will you be removing any sunscreen or makeup from the day, you'll also be allowing your skin to regenerate in peace. A thorough cleanse doesn't have to be time consuming

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with a soothing cleansing balm that melts off all your makeup in one without over-drying your skin. If you just can't make it to the bathroom, a fragrance-free makeup wipe with builtin moisturiser is the perfect addition to your nightstand.

5-minute masks: Long gone are the days

when face masks meant lots of downtime.

With so many skin-loving masks on the beauty counters, you can reap the rewards of a spa trip from the comfort of home. Look for clay-based masks to treat oily skin or a leave-on moisture mask with soothing plant oils for dry skin. If you're really looking to refine your skin texture and achieve that "glow", you can even book a skin expert to visit you at home and treat your complexion to some pampering.

Skin Boosters: Skincare drops are on trend right now for a reason. Giving you the opportunity to boost your moisturiser or serum and create your own antioxidant-packed all-in-one, keep an eye out for Vitamin-C boosters, hyaluronic acid or retinol that can be added into your normal moisturiser before you apply. It's a simple and effective to nourish your skin in one go!

Author: Fabiola Gomez is a beauty industry expert and the founder of LUXit, Australia's premier mobile beauty and wellbeing concierge, offering at-home spray tans, makeup, blow drys, facials and manicures. You can visit www.luxit. me for further information.

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Beauty Lifestyle

Beauty Spot

shedding light on beauty tricks, products and more Weight watchers launches the new Body Balance bluetooth diagnostic scale in time for summer! This comprehensive and easy-to-use set of scales works with your smartphone/ tablet to help you achieve your health and fitness goals, every step of the way! So if you’re in training, looking to get back in shape after a baby or have simply made it your new year’s resolution to build your strength and stamina, this is the tool to make it happen!

Weight Watchers Scales by Conair App delivers a fun and interactive platform to keep track of your measurements and health accomplishments, keeping you motivated towards your health and fitness goals.

• Provides in-depth and easy-to-understand graphs and charts to further your understanding of your body.

• Allows you to wirelessly sync the data from the Scales via Bluetooth to your smartphone/tablet to record your progression.

• Syncs your weight to the Weight Watchers® app if you’re a member; no more need for manual entries • Sync your measurements to Apple® Health or Google Fit® and allow all your favourite apps like MapMyFitness, Runkeeper and MyFitnessPal access your data.

RRP: $129.95 Stockists: Harvey Norman, Bing Lee and Myer

HoMedics Pedi-Luxe Foot spa with TRU-HEAT is a 4-in-1 foot spa that features vibration massage, magnetic therapy, and a built-in heater that ensures perfect water temperature to soothe the feet. The Foot Spa comes with four bubble strips for increased relaxation two pedicure attachments (find and coarse pumice stones), and four massage rollers. It also has easy pour waterspout and keep warm function. Suitable for larger feet.

Price $99.95 Stockists: Products available in assorted stockists including Myer, Shaver Shop, Good Guys, Betta Electrical and good retailers.

Phone 03-8756-6500 to confirm stockists

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Beauty Beamers is a range of quality sunglasses suitable for children and adults. Every pair incorporates Optoshield™ Technology, which includes four important components for maximum protection - a wraparound frame, designed to prevent unfiltered side light from entering the eye; lenses with UV 400 protection; lens coatings to block reflected light from entering the eye; and polarised lenses. Designed to be comfortable and lightweight to wear, Beamers offer maximum protection from both direct and reflected UV light.

Beamers retail from RRP $65 to $95, depending on size, and can be purchased at www.beamers.com.au.

Milky Foot Milky foot is a unique home exfoliation kit to help you gain fantastic feet.

Going a step further than a simple home pedicure Milky Foot makes your feet beautiful and soft that not only look great, they feel great too.

Milky foot works by utilising a specific formula containing ExMilac (Milk Ferment Filtrate) which removes hardened skin, softens cracks and calluses and moisturises your feet. RRP:$29.95 Available from: pharmacies nationally including Priceline

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Travel Lifestyle

Family Holidays to London

London is the ideal destination for a family holiday, and a great introduction to Europe, as it offers plenty to do for the whole family. Perhaps surprisingly, many of the city’s big name attractions, even the famous museums, really appeal to kids, and they’ll get just as much enjoyment from meeting a Beefeater at the Tower of London or getting a bird’s eye view from the London Eye as Mum and Dad will.

The key to a family-friendly holiday in London is to mix up your sightseeing. Even the hardiest of adult travellers will soon tire of endless visits to museums and churches and standing in long queues, so it’s only natural that the kids could get a little cranky if you overload them with culture.

Plan your sightseeing so that everyone is happy. Include fun things that the kids will enjoy like a hop-on hop-off bus tour on a double-decker bus or a visit to Hamleys Toy Store, said to be the biggest toy store in the world!

Big Ben and London Dungeon are other popular with kids of all ages. Older children may be familiar with the original Monopoly streets such as Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Mayfair and Park Lane, and it always creates a buzz to actually stand on the real street.

Sports fans will enjoy visits to famous sporting arenas such as Lords, The Oval, Wimbledon or Wembley Stadium. All offer tours to the general public but you may need to book ahead.

Rainy days are the perfect time to visit museums like Madame Tussaud’s, the British Musuem, London Science Museum and the London Planetarium. All offer endless options to while away a few hours, whilst the whole family will get a kick out of visiting Harrods, the most famous department store in the world.

If you want to watch the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, arrive early. The changeover takes place every day at 11.30am (during summer) and is free, but as one of London’s most popular attractions, it pays to be early to get a good viewing spot.

The whole ‘parade’ takes around 45 minutes and may be a little tedious for younger children but many visitors leave after 20 or so minutes. If you are visiting outside of summer, check the schedule in advance as the ‘changeover’ takes place on alternate days.

If you still need convincing that London is a good destination for your family holiday, perhaps a behind-the-scenes tour of the making of the Harry Potter movies might sway you. Imagine the excitement on your child’s face as they pose next to the original ‘Hogwarts Express’ sign and explore the Great Hall!

Another family favourite, Legoland, is just 40 kilometres west of London at Windsor, and is easily accessible by car or public transport.

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Travel Some careful pre-holiday planning can go a long way to helping you and your kids enjoy a trip to London. Here are my top tips to enjoy a family-friendly holiday in London: • * There’s no doubt that London is expensive so opt for an apartment rather than a hotel. Most hotel rooms will only accommodate up to three people, anyway, and apartments give you the option of cooking your own meals. The added space in an apartment also allows plenty of room for everyone when some ‘down time’ is in order.

• * Plan your sightseeing so that all family members are happy. Alternate your days of visiting castles, museums, churches, etc with visits to amusement parks or gardens where the kids can kick a ball around.

• * If you know you’ll definitely visit some of the major museums and attractions, pre-purchase your tickets before you leave home. Pre-purchased tickets allow you to skip the queues, saving heaps of time.

• * Not everything you do in London will hurt your hip pocket. The Visit London website lists numerous activities and attractions that you can enjoy in the English capital for free.

• * Let your kids take part in planning your day’s activities. Ask them what they’d like to see and do – you might be surprised by their answers.

• *Be relaxed - your holiday routine will be different to what the kids are used to at home, but what they learn from their London holiday experience will benefit them for life.

About the author Carolyn Schonafinger is the editor of Holidays to Europe and author of Europe with Kids – How to travel Europe the easy way. Having experienced numerous holidays in Europe with her children, Carolyn loves sharing her travel tips and destination ideas with others and encouraging them to enjoy a European holiday. Her work has been featured in French Provincial Magazine and on numerous travel websites including FrenchEntree.com and the Eurail blog. You can follow Carolyn’s European travels on her Facebook page.

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Travel Lifestyle

Tips for booking holiday rentals

Travelling with children makes finding holiday accommodation a slightly more complex process that those pre-children, heady days of romantic ‘couple’ trips away.

If you’re a family of 2 adults and 3 children, booking hotel accommodation that doesn’t require a 2nd mortgage is a real challenge. That’s because hotel rooms don’t generally sleep 5. You’ll need to book 2 rooms, request inter-connecting (which by the way hotels do not guarantee) and it usually means almost double the price.

If you book a family sized room that some hotels offer to cater to families, where parents and children share one room, then you have the challenge of the remainder of the family having to sit quietly whilst the 1st member of the family goes to sleep.

But have you considered using holiday rentals as an alternative? I find them so much more family friendly with many supplying the accoutrements you need for young children (e.g. highchairs, porta-cots, toys and books) and if you have older kids and want a pool and backyard, then you can make this happen too!

Holiday rentals are private homes and apartments that owners rent out to travellers when the owner is not using them or because it is a 2nd home. As you’re renting someone’s home, you’ll find that holiday rentals offer more space, privacy and amenities (e.g. fully equipped kitchen, laundry facilities) than a traditional hotel room.

If you’re keen to give you and your family more space and privacy on your next overseas holiday, then consider these 10 tips to ensure holiday rental success.

1.

Plan and book ahead

2.

Be clear on your criteria

3.

Know 'where' you want to be

Start your search 6-12 months in advance for more choice & better availability.

What are your 'must-haves' – e.g. child friendly and child safe; Wi-Fi; pool (NB check pool fencing as many overseas properties do not have them). Use these to narrow and filter your search.

For example, is that 'Paris' apartment in Paris or outside the city? Is that villa listed as close to Seminyak in Bali - actually close to Seminyak? Obtain the address and check Google maps to confirm the exact location.

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Travel

for your overseas family holiday 4.

Don't be fooled by 'styling'

5.

Be fee and booking savvy

6.

Check the reviews

7.

Compare to save

8.

Be wary of scams

9.

Don't pay by wire transfer

10.

Do it!

Don't let those beautiful photos fool you. Read the listing details carefully (e.g. is there a kitchen you'd be surprised!); is that 3rd bedroom you need actually a sofa bed in the lounge room? Check!

Ensure you know the 'full' rental fees. On top of the rental fee you may also need to cover the costs of cleaning, security and a holding deposit. Are there extra fees payable on arrival? Ask and confirm what needs to be paid to secure the booking (e.g. full payment or deposit)?

Are there reviews listed on the booking site? Sites like Airbnb and bookings.com have reviews built in to the property listings but if you’re using another site you may need to do your own checking on sites like Trip Advisor.

Can you find the property at a better price? Check multiple listing sites like homeaway.co.uk or vrbo.com. Note that on Airbnb you pay an additional 'booking' fee but you also have the security of online bookings to protect your rent (funds are not released to the owner until after your stay).

If it sounds too good to be true - it just might be! Check photos and descriptions carefully. And don’t rent from sites like GumTree or other ‘free’ listing sites.

Ever. Just don't. Credit card or paypal or bank transfer are the usual payment methods (either directly to the owner/agent or via an online portal e.g as on Airbnb).

Don't suffer from analysis paralysis - where you spend so much time researching but just can't take the final step to make a booking. Follow steps 1 – 9, then book and enjoy your holiday!

Article by Leanne Anderson, founder of Getaway Guru (www.getawayguru.com.au), a site which aims to open the door to holiday rentals worldwide, helping you find the places you’d rather be.

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Travel Lifestyle

Top Tips for Babymoon Adventures Babymoons are becoming increasingly popular in Australia and can represent a great opportunity for partners to connect before two becomes three. According to research, the second trimester is considered the best time to take a babymoon and for most mums-to-be this will fall between May and July, given October is the most popular month for Aussie births.

Squeezed somewhere between the time when morning sickness eases and you get too big to want to go anywhere, a pre-baby break warrants a little advance planning and this can make all the difference when it comes to pregnancy travel.

Claudio Saita, Deputy CEO and Executive Director in Australia for Tokio Marine, underwriters for World2Cover travel insurance, said there are some key things to keep in mind to ensure full peace of mind when travelling while pregnant: • Speak to your doctor – prior to booking any holidays, discuss your travel plans with your health professional to determine whether it is safe to fly during your pregnancy, with particular detail on when you are planning to go. It’s best to travel mid-pregnancy, when risks for unforeseen emergencies such as miscarriage or preterm labour are at their lowest.

• Think about your chosen destination – whether flying or driving, you may find it difficult to stay seated for a long time whilst pregnant. Also always ensure that you have had all the required immunisations for the areas you are visiting and avoid any known Zika virus hotspots such as Samoa and Tonga.

• Check with your airline – each company will have its own requirements/regulations on pregnant passengers as there are different rules for short haul vs long haul flights. It’s also a good idea to obtain written permission from your doctor or midwife to avoid any problems at check-in or at the boarding gate.

• Purchase some in-flight essentials – flying during pregnancy can increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) so invest in some DVT socks and bring a small lumbar pillow for comfort.

• Check your travel policy – some policies may exclude covering you if you have had IVF or are having twins or triplets, and some policies will only cover complications that can occur up to 26

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Travel

weeks of pregnancy. If you are travelling when you are more than 26 weeks pregnant, or have any pre-existing conditions then it is advisable to seek specialty insurance to ensure you are covered.

• Make sure you return home in plenty of time – if you go into early labour, often the care for your newborn after giving birth is not covered by insurance policies.

Designed with families in mind, World2Cover provides Australian travellers with comprehensive cover that extends to children for free, including ‘big kids’ aged up to 25 who are holidaying with parents and grandparents.

For more information on the coverage options from World2Cover, visit www.world2cover.com.au.

[1] http://www.traveller.com.au/babymoon-travel-boom-jy2b [2] https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/pregnancy-and-travel [3] http://babyology.com.au/news/when-are-most-babies-born-we-reveal-the-most-popularmonth-for-australian-births.html [4] https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/pregnancy-and-travel [5] http://www.moneytalksnews.com/worried-about-zika-virus-beware-these-30-travel-hotspots/

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Reviewed Philips AirFryer Having constantly been disappointed with the outcome of typical oven chipsnever quite tasting the best; either over cooked or not cooked enough, I have longed to test the AirFryer, hoping it would solve my chip issues. Interestingly, you can also cook a number of items in the AirFryer including meat, desserts and roasts.

Find out more

ASUS Zenbook UX305FA The ASUS Zenbook offers a sleek slimline computer that is super lightweight, yet is backed with high performance technology to ensure your computing experience is fast and can handle a plethora of work items at once.

Charli Bird Bamboo Poncho Offering a lightweight cover perfect for Spring, Autumn and those in-between days.

Handmade in Nepal from soft fine knit bamboo, it is very soft and silky to touch. The Bamboo Poncho offers plenty of movement and sits nicely on your shoulders. Read More Just Dance 2017 WiiU Just Dance 2017 is a fun Wii U game that the entire family can enjoy. The graphics on the game are interesting and easy to follow. It is great game that you can enjoy with friends or family as up to 4 people can play at once. Find out more

Find out more

The Tupperware Oceanic Picnic Set offers a fantastic family picnic set that is easy to carry, sturdy, well thought out and continues to promote quality products that Tupperware is famous for.

Read the Review and see what you get

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SING Set in a world like ours but entirely inhabited by animals, Sing stars Buster Moon (Academy Award® winner Matthew McConaughey), a dapper Koala who presides over a oncegrand theater that has fallen on hard times. Buster is an eternal optimist—okay, maybe a bit of a scoundrel—who loves his theater above all and will do anything to preserve it. Now facing the crumbling of his life’s ambition, he has one final chance to restore his fading jewel to its former glory by producing the world’s greatest singing competition.

Sing is out on 3D, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital from March 29.

Clangers: The Singing Asteroid and Other Clangery Tales Tiny and her flower friends are playing a lovely tune with the music trees when suddenly they hear a strange voice joining in. It seems to be coming from high in the sky! On investigation, Tiny discovers a lone flower singing as she travels alone through space on a rocky asteroid. Tiny discovers that the flower is lonely, and comes up with a clever plan to help her. DVD RRP: $14.95

Mify’s Adventures Big and Small: Queen of the Castle Miffy’s Adventures Big and Small is a new and thoroughly modern animation series in the iconic style of Dick Bruna. Every episode is about Miffy and her friends discovering the exciting world around her through big and small adventures, with simple narrative and fun songs to drive it along.

DVD RRP: $14.95

Teacup Travels: Adventures in Ancient Egypt Their adventures back through time begin with a teacup! But which one? Great Aunt Lizzie has lived a long, long life of wonderful archaeological discoveries and wild adventures. How long exactly, nobody knows, but long enough to give her an endless collection of stories from her exploits in Ancient Egypt.

She is so good at telling those tales that Charlotte and Elliot can’t help but imagine themselves long ago and far away, in Great Aunt Lizzie’s old battered boots. DVD RRP: $14.95

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Frankie Fish and the Sonic Suitcase Peter Helliar’s first-ever children’s novel, Frankie Fish and the Sonic Suitcase launches 1 March 2017. In the first instalment of Helliar’s laugh-out-loud adventure series, twelve-year-old prankster Frankie Fish must team up with his grumpy grandad to save the family from a time-travel disaster! Frankie Fish and the Sonic Suitcase is pitched at middle-grade readers (8-12 years). It’s set for an explosive launch when it hits shelves at all good book stores on 1st March.

RRP $14.99

Running From the Tiger by Aleesah Darlison When eleven-year-old Ebony meets enigmatic Teena, they instantly become much more than the ‘default’ friends Ebony has grown used to having. Only when the girls come to trust one another fully do they unlock each other’s troubling secrets, enabling their friendship to deepen. Running from the Tiger is a tale of trust, friendship and the power that can be found once we stop running. Available from: Empowering Resources www.empoweringresources.com.au/our-books/ and all good book shops. RRP: $15 The Fit It Man It’s handy having a dad who can fix just about anything. A young girl believes her father is the king of fixing things. But following the death of her mother, she discovers that broken hearts are not as easy to repair as damaged toys and cracked teapots.

Together, she and her father find a way to glue back the pieces of her lives. The Fix-It Man is a poignant picture book that explores how a child can cope with the loss of a parent (in this case, the young girl’s mother). Repairing damaged emotions is not as straightforward as gluing a broken kite back together or sewing up a torn toy. And grief affects all members of a family, with each responding in their own way to the loss. By sticking with her father, the young girl is able to strengthen her resilience and ability to cope with one of life’s harshest experiences. The author was encouraged to seek publication for this story after receiving the endorsement of several grief counsellors who work with children and who recognised the need for a book such as this.

Available from: www.ekbooks.org RRP: $24.99

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Teaching kids to protect themselves is CHILD'S PLAY! My Underpants RULE! empowers without needing to go into the darkness of this tricky topic through rhyming language, colourful illustrations, a super-hero theme and child-friendly humour. LOVED by kids and EASY for parents/carers and educators, it engages and effectively teaches "What's under my PANTS belongs ONLY to ME!". Reinforced by games and scenarios, it clearly defines what is appropriate and inappropriate, and ingrains what to do should anything happen. Ages 3 to 8 years.

Recommended by top agencies including, Sydney Children’s Hospital, WA Department of Education, SA Department of Child Development and Education, Barnardos, Victorian Police, NSPCC (largest child protection unit in the UK)…

RRP Paperback $20.99 Hardcover $25.99 www.myunderpantsrule.com (free delivery from this website)

For Mum When Business Meets Baby This practical guide shares the advice of successful entrepreneur Rachel Allan, parenting and self-care experts, and women just like you who have worked out the shortcuts to success. You’ll discover how to: • take beautiful care of your baby, your business and yourself in an intuitive way • set up supportive systems that free your time and help you feel relaxed and in control • enjoy the experience of being a truly ‘present’ mother and a successful business owner You don’t need to do it alone, and it doesn’t have to be complicated. You truly can achieve balance - this book will show you how!

RRP: $30 Available from: www.whenbusinessmeetsbaby.com Your Family Budget – Making Sense of Government Parenting and Childcare Payments Figuring out what you need before you have a baby is hard enough without wasting hours trying to understand how your Paid Parental Leave works. How much do I get? Do I qualify? How do I apply? Before you know it, you’ve done three trips into Centrelink, you’re not any closer to getting the money you’re entitled to and you’re very stressed at the one time you shouldn’t be. Save your energy as everything you need is now in one place. As a mum and an accountant, I’ve done all the hard work for you so you don’t have to. Your Family Budget is a downloadable guidebook that will answer all of your questions, tell you in detail what you need to do and how to do it. It covers Paid Parental Leave, Dad & Partner Pay as well as detailed information explaining your options later for Childcare benefits.

Available from: www.yourfamilybudget.com.au RRP: $24.95

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Protandim: Helping mums feel and sleep better, more energy and less aches and pains. Recently released in Australia, this 5 herb natural plant ingredient product, is a patented, science-based, research backed formula. It is the only supplement clinically proven to reduce oxidative stress in humans by an average of 40 percent in 30 days. Protandim turns on 800 “survival genes” that protect your body against your environmental stress.

Available from: Helga Dalla, Independent Distributor. www.helgadalla.au.lifevantage.com RRP: $57.10 + p&h (30 tablets/month supply)

Tamarind Tree Gourmet Sauces Makhan Walla (butter chicken sauce).

Easy to cook Indian curry sauce. It is as simple as adding the sauce to your sautéed meat or vegetables for a delicious dinner in no time. This product is time saving for busy Mum’s and working families and child friendly, as it is not spicy. This sauce is gluten free, nut free, free of artificial preservatives and additives, 100% vegetarian and made in Daylesford, Victoria from locally sourced ingredients. Each jar serves 6-8 people with 1.2 kg of meat and vegetables. Available from: www.tamarindtree.com.au and see retailers on the website. RRP: $11.95 each

ecostore launch a unique range of products for Kids. Made from carefully selected plant and mineral based materials designed to be kinder and safer for younger skin. The ecostore kids range is available at Chemist Warehouse and has 3 great new products: 3-in-1 Foam to the Max Conditioning Shampoo and Body Wash – available in Fruity Zing & Pear Pop RRP $9.99 Double Trouble Bubble Maker Bubble Bath – available in Pear Pop RRP $7.49 Foam-it-up Hand Wash – available in Fruity Zing & Pear Pop RRP $9.99 Stockist; www.ecostore.com and Chemist Warehouse

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Strawberry & Banana Muffin Mix This muffin mix from Adventure Snacks is sure to be a winner with the kids! It’s gluten-free, organic and contains only natural ingredients so mums can rest assured their kids are eating a nutritious snack. Perfect for school lunchboxes, or dress them up with icing for a healthier alternative to cupcakes! Available from: www.adventuresnacks.com.au and select stockists. RRP: $13.95

Syndalia Designer Bags Australia’s online destination for the perfect designer nappy bag.

Established to provide mums with a superlative collection of modern, high-end nappy bags that are as functional as they are fashionable. Syndalia Designer Bags are Australian designed and owned. RRP: $289 AUD online Available from: WWW.SYNDALIA.COM

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LM Bambini is Australia’s newest destination for luxury designer childrenswear and accessories.

Catering for all bambinis: boys, girls and babies, sizes 0-12. LM Bambini is the exclusive Australian stockist for some of the most coveted international designers and fashion houses – including Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Stella McCartney, ValMax and more. www.lmbambini.com.au Pieces starting from $45

Bioglan Eye Guard Chewable 50s Bioglan’s new Kids Eye Guard Chewable is specially formulated with eye health ingredients including Lutein and Beta Carotene to help form a protective barrier that helps filter and absorb UV sunlight and blue light emitted from digital devices.

Available from: All leading Pharmacies including Chemist Warehouse, Priceline, Terry White and Discount Drug Store.

RRP: $16.95

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The all-in-one wireless SHINE nursing bra provides all the support you need, Baby & Beyond. Developed with our special MAMÍLUXE™ fabric Fluoro Floral Party Kit This vibrant range of party supplies has been coordinated into a convenient Party Kit, featuring all your party essentials: plates, cups, napkins, straws, cutlery and favour bags. Perfect for busy mums who don’t have the time to shop around, but still want to throw a stylish celebration.

Available from: Party Kit Company From $64 for 12 guests. www.partykit.co Bioglan BioHappy Kids Probiotic Powder 50g Bioglan BioHappy Kids Probiotic provides a multi strain and high strength, daily probiotic to help support optimal nutrient absorption, immunity and healthy digestive balance for your active, growing child.

Available from: All leading Pharmacies including Chemist Warehouse, Discount Drug Store and Good Price Pharmacy.

RRP: $36.95

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that has moisture-wicking, antibacterial and fourway stretch components. Our accompanying reusable and machine-washable BAMBOOB™ leakproof breast-feeding pads can be added to any bra.

Made from a super soft bamboo fiber - they absorb moisture on the inner layer, while preventing any embarrassing visible leaks on the outer layer.

Available from: http://www.movemami.com RRP: AUD$89.00

The Original FUN DRUM Created by Melbourne parents, The Original FUN DRUM is a toy box, comfy stool and handy table in one. Hand-painted and with six lid colour options, FUN DRUM can blend in or stand out in any space within the home. It is safe for little fingers (no hinges or snap closures), and a smooth wooden handle allows it to move with children throughout their day. Available from: www.fundrum.com.au RRP: $49 (+$10 shipping Australia wide)

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Conversation Starter flash cards Our Conversation Starter flash cards are designed to encourage families to share meaningful discussions in a safe and enjoyable way. Not only do they foster positive relationships with children, but they also have the added benefit of building a child’s social & emotional skills. There are currently four sets - ‘About my Day’, ‘Family Time’, ’Sharing my Learning’ and ‘Feelings & Emotions’.

RRP: $29.95 Available from: www.empoweringparents.com.au/shop

What’s a birthday party without sparkle? Good news, Aeroplane is bringing the sparkle and taking jelly to the next level, with its launch of NEW Glitter Jelly Crystals. Yes, you heard right. Edible glitter sprinkled through famous Aeroplane Jelly will ensure your next sweet moment is certainly a sparkly one. Available in Strawberry, Berry Blue and Lime flavours.

Pineapple & Sage Iced Tea This subtle brew provides a smooth, light green tea undertone free of astringents, followed by an uplifting fresh hint of sweet, tropical pineapple. With no added sugar this summer delight is a true guilt free treat.

Strawberry & Rosemary Iced Tea A classy family favourite with a contrasting combination of juicy sweet strawberries with the woody, subtle scent of rosemary. It's rich, red colour and naturally sweet taste create a delightful summer beverage that can be enjoyed on it's own. Or go one step further and use this refreshing beverage in a large variety of recipes to entertain the whole family!

Available from: www.thosegirls.com.au RRP: $14.40 for 2L

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