My Child Magazine Issue 126 March 2022

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EDITOR IN CHIEF

Bianca Medina ART DIRECTOR

Bianca Medina DEPUTY EDITOR

Feba Maryann CONTRIBUTORS

Sheree Hoddinett Amy Adeney Lance Green Liza John Elina Sazonova Barbara Olsen Josh Willink Sarah Chai Cottonbro Ksenia Chernaya Mart Production Ksenia Chernaya Dominika Roseclay Blue Bird Anastasia Shuraeva CONTACT

My Child Magazine Newcastle NSW Australia +614 11 572 877 editorial@mychildmagazine.com.au

Contents 6

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APOLOGIZING TO YOUR CHILD: WHEN

VACCINES DURING PREGNANCY: ARE

DAD READ - HOW BECOMING A DAD

SHOULD YOU APOLOGIZE

THEY SAFE?

CHANGES THE WAY YOUR BRAIN

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WORKS

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THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON

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GENTLE AND RESPONSIVE PARENTING

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PRACTICAL TIPS FOR NEW PARENTING

GET THE LOOK INTERIORS

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WHY ALL CHILDREN NEED

COVID-19 AND BREASTFEEDING

EMOTIONAL EDUCATION

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ARE HOME BIRTHS SAFE?

RELATIONSHIPS

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BLOGGER - NEGOTIATING UNMARKED WATERS

104 FASHION

INTRODUCING YOUR TODDLER TO

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BOOK REVIEWS

READING

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FASHION FEATURE - UNIQLO

WHY DO GOOD PARENTS HAVE

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TOY REVIWS

NAUGHTY CHILDREN?

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RECIPES

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TIPS ON RAISING A BILINGUAL CHILD

142 MY CHILD DIRECTORY DISCLAIMER: It My Child Magazine and mychildmagazine.com.au are wholly owned by My Child Magazine (ABN 79 167 787 662). No other parties or individuals have any financial interest in the company or in My Child or mychildmagazine.com.au. My Child contains general information only and does not purport to be a substitute for health and parenting advice. Readers are advised to seek a doctor for all medical and health matters. The publisher and authors do not accept any liability whatsoever in respect of an action taken by readers in reliance on the recommendations set out in this magazine. Reproduction of any material without written permission by the publisher is strictly forbidden. We cannot accept responsibility for material lost or damaged in the post or for any unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. All reasonable efforts have been made to trace copyright holders.

Bianca Medina editor-in-chief Editor’s Letter Hello My Child Mamma’s and Papa’s There are those moments in parenting, when I think, what have I done wrong? My darling daughter is going through the lovely stage of backtalk and WOW! The things my daughter comes out with, I’m not sure if I should laugh, cry or beam with pride! Sometimes, ok who are we kidding here, a lot of the time, she sounds just like me. This should probably scare me, because before I know it, we will be navigating our way through the pre-teens, teens, and young adult stages and if my daughter has mastered the art of sass at the age of 6, I can’t really imagine what she will be coming out with at 13,17 even 21, but I’m pretty sure, it’s going to hurt my feelings at some point!

So, why am I telling you all this? Well, when I was pregnant with my daughter, I knew that this stage would emerge, it’s all part of a child’s development. What I decided way back then was, that when we finally hit this milestone, I was going to embrace her attitude and teach her how to use it correctly. Her sassiness, assertiveness, strong voice, and opinions are all valid and if I do my job correctly, she will use these qualities respectfully to make her point and stand her ground!

I want my daughter to grow up with a strong empowered view of herself as a female! She can have opinions, use a strong and assertive voice all with a little sass if she has thought long and hard about what her point of view is and believes in it! She won’t get it right every time, but that is why I decided that teaching her now would give her the chance to master this quality when she needs it later in life. I don’t want to dim her light; she should shine as bright as she can!

Bianca & My Child Team xoxox

Bianca oxo

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APOLOGIZING TO YOUR CHILD: WHEN SHOULD YOU APOLOGIZE W r i t t e n

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In any relationship there are a few big words that make or break the relationship. “I love you”, “I’ll be there for you”, and “I’m sorry” are some of those.

The relationship with your child is the same as any other relationship, there are times when you must tell them you love them, give them reassurance, guidance and then there are times where you must apologise.

Most parents insist on their children apologising to others regularly when they do something wrong.

However, when it comes to apologising to them, parents take a back seat, often resisting it.

The usual justifications are that when you apologise,

children may lose the respect they have for you.

But experts suggest that the opposite is true.

Apologising for your mistakes does not mean that you lose the right to correct your children, they’ll still respect you, just the way you respect someone when they own up to their mistakes.

What If You Don’t Apologise?

When you don’t apologise, you give out wrong messages to your child. They associate apologising to wrongdoing and delinquency and attach a feeling of shame to it. They may think that apologising lowers your status or respect and is something that shouldn’t be done unless you’re forced to. Your child might feel that it is okay to make mistakes and not acknowledge them or try to reduce or repair the damage.

Is this the idea you want to give your child? Clearly not. Wouldn’t it be better to teach them that we all make mistakes from time to time and what’s important is that we try to make things better?

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Teach them that there’s no shame involved with apologising and that you only gain respect when you apologise.

When Should You Apologise and How: Apologise Easy When you feel like you’ve acted in a way you don’t want your child to behave like, apologise.

Apologise even for those little accidental mistakes where you go “oops”.

You don’t have to apologise for putting limits on your child or saying no in an appropriate manner.

But when it so happens, which surely will happen, that you lose your cool and let emotions take control over your actions, apologise. You don’t want your child to follow your path and throw tantrums now, do you?

Validate Your Child’s Feelings In cases where you think that something is trivial MARCH 2022 | My Child Magazine Issue #126

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or not worth fretting over, but your child thinks it is a huge deal, acknowledge their emotions.

Understand that they are kids and that they will get excited or hyped up over childish things. Don’t dismiss their feelings.

Imagine a scenario where your child asked you to get something when you return home from work or the store and you forgot. Instead of nonchalantly telling them that you’ll get it tomorrow, try to say something along the lines of “I know you were counting on me, I’m sorry that I completely forgot about it.” and then give them an alternative option.

Give Them an Explanation Now yes, you could just give them plain “I’m sorry” and then move on with your stuff. Yes, some days we just don’t have the energy to deal with all of it. But still try to give them a decent enough explanation for your actions or behaviour. Unless you do that, the apology wouldn’t feel authentic and would rather be felt as forced.

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No Excuses NO! Just NO! Don’t come up with excuses or try to shift the blame. Accept that you made a mistake, and genuinely apologise for it. It’s that simple. Don’t go for the classic “I yelled, but you deserved it.”, this isn’t a game of tit for tat. Your goal is to model good behaviour for your child to look up to.

Take responsibility whenever you can. You’re the adult here, and you have the maturity and authority to deal with these situations.

Reconcile A simple “Are we ready for a hug?” would be enough to help your child let go of the bitterness and make the leap to reconnect with you emotionally. Don’t force your child to forgive you before they are ready. They shouldn’t feel pressured to do this. If the child isn’t ready to forgive, just let them know that you are willing to resolve any bitterness they have latched onto.

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GENTLE AND RESPONSIVE PARENTING w

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Since there are more than a handful of styles of parenting in the contemporary world, new parents might often feel overwhelmed about the choice they have to make. Some may have a few parenting techniques that they witnessed in their childhood and wish to use the same in their children, while others may want to avoid the parenting style they grew up with.

Deciding how to parent your child can be tough because it is a decision that is going to leave lasting effects on your family. However, most studies have shown that the best type of parenting is always a variation of the classic authoritative style. The common theme is that parents maintain a connection with their children, allow them to make decisions, and does not focus on harshly punitive techniques.

Gentle parenting, popularized by Sarah Ockwell-Smith, is one such form of parenting.

What Is Gentle Parenting?

Gentle parenting is a positive and evidence-based approach to parenting that deviates from traditional authoritarian parenting and lenient permissive parenting. Here, the parent focuses on modelling behaviours for the child to incorporate into their character, rather than rewarding or punishing the child as they behave according to the parent’s expectations.

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The gentle parent hopes to be the inner voice that guides the child through life. Connection, communication, and consistency are three factors that make gentle parenting more effective and easier on the child, unlike permissive or tiger parenting.

With a lot of patients involved, this form of parenting nurtures healthy emotional development and independence in children. As the gentle parent makes decisions for the child based on how willing they are to go through with the decision, parents never impose on kids or tell them “Because I said so” to elicit a behaviour. This understanding and trust that parents show in their children have proven to lead to lower cases of anxiety in children.

Why Should You Choose Gentle Parenting?

Gentle parenting is a mix of attachment and authoritative parenting.

Incorporating the best of both styles, gentle parenting gives rise to raising happy, independent, and confident children. With enough leniency, the children do not feel smothered or anxious because of their parents. Children raised with gentle parenting are expected only to display age-appropriate behaviour, giving them room to grow and explore the world at their own pace.

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are seen as overrated or superficial. Instead of praising or punishing the outcome, parents commend the effort that was put in by the child.

Practising Gentle Parenting

Gentle parenting sounds wonderful in theory and looks like something you can start right away at home but hold on. Before you implement this style of parenting in your life, understand that as much as gentle parenting is easy on the child, parents must be calm even in the face of screaming tantrums and maintain self-control. Reverting to traditional punitive or permissive methods might happen when life gets in your way.

The foundation of gentle parenting is based on understanding, empathizing, and respecting your child while setting realistic boundaries for them. Since their young brains are still developing, their behaviour is treated as a result of the ongoing growth. Setting age-appropriate standards for conduct and discipline is another major element. Expecting children to behave in social situations like miniature adults is discouraged.

For instance, if your toddler is screaming in the candy aisle of the grocery store, gentle parenting does not curb this behaviour. Instead, you allow the child to feel the negative emotion and when the child’s cries have subsided, you ask them to take deep breaths and explain to them why eating too much 16

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candy is harmful. Tell them that you understand why candy looks appealing, but it is something for special occasions and take them to pick out some other healthier snack of their choice.

In gentle parenting, most tantrums and disruptive behaviours are seen as cries for help because the child does not have the

“Discipline is not overlooked in gentle parenting but rewards

vocabulary to convey what they need. When tantrums are treated this way, children have a better chance at learning to communicate and grow emotionally.

and punishment are seen as overrated or superficial.”

Final Thoughts

Parenting is a full-time job. There is no way that you can make changes now and expect immediate results. You must start early to shape your child into a being that is functional, respectful, and confident. With gentle parenting, you may have a tough time exploring different ways to tackle problems but remember that the effort is worth it.

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PRACTICAL TIPS FOR NEW PARENTING W r i t t e n

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Confused? Clueless? Happy one moment, totally helpless at the next?

Well, all parents have been there, and can certainly relate to what is happening in your life right now as a new parent.

You went through pregnancy, labour, and delivery, and now you think to yourself the hardest part of the journey is over. Except, it’s not. You get back home from the hospital, you feel like you have no clue about what’s going on, or what you’re doing!

As a new parent, it is completely normal for you to feel overwhelmed and confused. Here we have compiled some tips as given by parenting experts and experienced parents to help even the most anxious and nervous parents feel confident.

Trust Your Gut No, family is the same, so obviously you will come across conflicting information on the web. You know what works the best for your family. So, learn both the sides and then trust yourself to make the right decision by following your gut. The goal is to not feel guilty or be remorseful about any decisions you’ve taken.

You’re going to have those days when you feel like you totally rock, and then there are those where you feel like a total newbie. But here’s the deal, trust in yourself and stick to the basics, and you’ll do just fine. You might automatically think that once you have a baby, you should be a baby care expert. But truth is you’re far from it, I mean we all were and that’s okay. As a parent, you learn something new every day. Be kind to yourself.

Sleep When Baby Sleeps Babies are a ton of work, especially when they are awake.

Always take the opportunity to sleep when they are sleeping. Think you can have a nap when they are awake?

Amidst their hollering and endless tantrums? Think again.

Never pass up an opportunity to get some shuteye when

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they sleep.

You might be tempted to stay up to watch “just one last episode” of your favourite show, but we know how that’s going to end. You still must wake up the next day and grind through it, despite being sleep-deprived because you chose to stay up late and then woke up three times in six hours. So, get rid of this misery by sleeping enough and being disciplined about it.

Handling A Newborn If you haven’t previously handled newborns, you may be scared or intimidated by their fragility. Here is everything you need to know about handling a newborn.

Wash your hands: Your newborn’s immune system is still not strong, leaving them at a higher risk of infections, so wash your hands well before handling them.

Support the neck and head: Support the head when carrying or holding the baby upright or laying them down.

Do not shake your newborn: Whether playfully or in an attempt to calm them down, never shake your newborn.

Shaking may lead to internal bleeding in their fragile bodies,

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so refrain from it.

Waking them up: Gently blow on their cheeks or tickle their feet to wake them up.

Bonding For a newborn, physical closeness helps in promoting an emotional connection. This connection further contributes to their emotional and physical development. Unconditional love from parents lead to healthier, happier, and more confident children.

Cradling and giving them gentle massages can be a good way to pave the way to a good bond. Skin-to-skin contact forms an essential part of this connection with your newborn, so take up such opportunities by holding your baby against your skin while cradling or feeding.

Accept Help Babies are little bundles of joy that requires you to toil away all day every day. Taking care of any baby is no easy task.

All babies need time, effort, love, and energy. So, when someone you trust offers to help, take it.

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Accepting help is not a sign of weakness. You also need to recover and need some you time. So, when help is offered, take it without hesitation.

Take Care Of Each Other You and your spouse, or co-parent, have embarked on a new journey in your lives. While you are busy taking care of the baby, do not forget to take care of each other. Both of you require emotional support during this period. So be there for each other and help each other out. Go out on walks or do stuff together when a family member or friend has dropped in to visit.

Final Thoughts Don’t forget to have fun! Your busy days taking care of your baby will fly. Get pictures and videos even if nothing special is happening. You’ll cherish these later on.

Don’t take life too seriously, stay open to humour and laugh when funny things happen. Often, all the stress from taking care of the baby leaves your emotions mixed up, and you may forget to laugh.

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WHY ALL CHILDREN NEED EMOTIONAL EDUCATION W r i t t e n

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Human beings are born as radically immature beings. We slowly progress from not knowing who we are or how to communicate to assuming we are the centre of the universe, and gradually acknowledge that other people and their opinions are valid.

This gradual progression is called emotional development, and an emotionally mature adult is usually a rare sight. Emotional education and emotional quotient have become buzzwords in the parenting and lifestyle niche, so if you have been wondering what it is all about, here’s the answer.

What Is Emotional Education?

Emotional education involves teaching your child or any adult skills like self-management, self-awareness, and interpersonal skills that will make their social, academic, and occupational life better. From problem-solving to impulse control, emotional education has positive and long-lasting effects on individuals.

Being an emotionally intelligent individual involves being able to empathize with others, managing relationships, and making use of emotional information to motivate yourself. It also involves having emotional self-awareness and self-regulation, which makes someone capable of recognizing emotions experienced by themselves and others. Emotionally

intelligent individuals can be kind and make thoughtful choices for others and themselves.

The idea of emotional intelligence or emotional education may seem abstract for many.

However, studies have shown that emotional intelligence has a neurological basis and is linked with better mental health. Emotional education, often incorporated into daily parenting or in schools at a very early age, helps young children to grow into emotionally mature adults of the community.

Benefits Of Emotional Education Making sure of emotional education in your children’s life can improve how they respond to stressors in life. Children who are not emotionally repressed have a better chance at establishing stronger relationships and maintaining them throughout their lives.

Academic pressures also seem to not take as much out of children who receive emotional education.

Children who have a volatile temperament, low impulse control, and a lack of concern for others’ property and well-being seem to do better when emotional education is combined with their counselling sessions. Children who throw regular and violent temper tantrums also show great improvement as they take part in activities that facilitate emotional development. When parents take interest in nurturing the emotional development of their children, it also reduces the risk of mental health issues like adjustment issues, depression, and anxiety disorders in them.

While the process of inculcating these skills can take time and effort, making your parenting a tad bit more complicated, the results are going to be worth it. Your child, family, and community reap benefits from having emotionally mature individuals in their midst.

Regardless of your cultural and socio-economic background, emotional education is a way to ensure that your child is an understanding and prosocial member of society.

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Activities To Encourage Emotional Education Techniques to encourage emotional development often have no age limits. The entire family can take part in these and spend some quality time while doing them. Since these exercises make understanding yourself, others, and your relationships, participating in them as a family yields benefits manifold.

Journaling This is a simple task. Pick up a journal and write out your feelings, thoughts, ideas, or whatever comes to your mind as you like. You can make it structured by entering in your daily to-do list, things you learnt, books you read, or your goals for the coming week.

You can also form a theme to base your journal entries on.

Furthermore, you can ask your child to jot down the things they are grateful for on one day and make them include details about the times of empathy for the next day. This way, they can get introduced to new emotions and see the different ways the Breathing Exercises This is meant especially for the ones whose emotions run wild rapidly. If your child is prone to tantrums or getting stressed easily, look up for a few meditative exercises to practice with them regularly. Once this becomes a part of their routine, whenever the child feels emotionally overwhelmed, you can ask them to practice the exercises as they calm down. Soon after this, ask them if they are ready to talk, and go ahead with your parenting.

Final Thoughts Emotional development is not as evident as physical development, nor does it happen as easily. Emotional education helps to boost this drawn-out process and gives children a chance to acknowledge and understand their feelings. With its importance in child development, experts recommend it and there is no reason why you shouldn’t try it.

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B O O K r e v i e w s by: Amy Adeney from Busy Bookwor ms

F RANK & B E RT B Y C H RIS NAY LO R -BA L L ESTEROS Fran k a n d B e r t a re the b es t o f f ri e nds and the y L O V E t o p l ay hi d e an d s ee k . B ut Ber t the be a r i s n ’t q u i te as g o o d at hi d i ng as he thin k s h e i s . . . an d F rank ALWAYS wins!

Ev e ry. S i n g l e . Ti me . But w he n i t’s Be r t ’s t ur n to h ide , a n d F r a n k h as to d ec i d e bet ween w in n in g a g a i n O R m ak i n g hi s f ri en d happy, Fran k l e a r n s t h a t f ri en d s hi p i s al w a ys t he true winn e r.

This is a n i n t e r a cti v e and e n tertai ni ng st or y w it h b r i g h t , e n g ag i n g i l l u s trati o ns , t hat is gu aran t e e d t o g et re ad ers ag e d th ree and up gigg l i n g .

E Y E S T H AT S P E AK TO THE S TAR S

BY JOANNA HO & DUNG HO T h e pe rfe ct book for growi ng fa mi l i es e ve ryw h e re ...

A young Asian boy not ices t ha t hi s ey es l o o k different from his peer s’ aft er s eei ng hi s fr iend’s dr awing of t hem. Aft er ta l k i ng to hi s fat her, t he boy realises t hat hi s ey es ri s e to t he skies and speak t o t he sta rs , s hi ne l i k e sunlit r ays, and glimpse t r ails o f l i g ht fro m t hose who came before. In fac t, hi s ey es a re like his fat her ’s, his agong’s, a nd hi s l i ttl e brot her ’s, and t hey are visiona ry. I ns p i red b y t he men in his family, he recogni z es hi s o w n power and st rengt h from wit hi n.

T his is an ext r aordinar y pict ure b o o k tha t redefines what it means t o be trul y y o u. The evocat ive t ext and r ich illust r a ti o ns ma k e i t a wonder ful spr ingboard for di s c us s i o n w i th reader s aged four and up.

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WH IS PER O N T HE W IN D

L I T T L E M AT I L D A

B Y C L A IR E SA X BY & J ESS R AC K LY E FT

BY CAZ GO O DW IN & SHANEY HYD E

This is t h e w i n d

Lit t le Mat ilda is lonely and ea g er to f i nd a f riend. She approaches sev era l p otent i a l playmates, but no- one wants to p l a y wi t h her. Meet ing a cast of beaut if u l l y - i l l us tra ted A ustral ian animals, readers c a n j oi n L i t t l e Mat ilda as she learns to bel iev e i n hers el f and holds onto her dream of ma k i ng a f ri end .

that c ar r i e s t h e whi s p e r fro m R e n ’s d re a m .

Un d e r g l i n t i n g m o o nb eam s , ac ro ss wild w av e s a n d t h ro u g h s c ho o l s o f c olour ful fish , th e w h i s p e r o f R e n ’s d re am i s car r ied to a sa i l o r, l o n g at s e a. Thi s i s a s t unning pic t u re b o o k a b out s e p arati o n, c o n nect ion a n d re u n i o n . W i t h i ts l y ri c al , c u m ul ative t ext a n d wh i ms i ca l , r i c h l y i m ag i n e d artw or k, it is a c e le b r a t i o n o f the w o n d ers o f the ocean a n d th e p o w e r o f l o v e to f i nd u s – w herever w e are . A ca p t i vati ng c h o i c e to s h are wit h read e rs a g e d t h ree an d up .

T his affir ming and uplift ing ta l e d ea l s wit h t he complex emot ions o f rej ec ti o n and loneliness, and provides a fa nta s ti c oppor t unit y t o discuss res i l i enc e a nd overcoming ever yday challeng es . Sw eet a nd gent le, Lit t le Mat ilda will insta ntl y end ea r her self t o young reader s aged three a nd up.

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WHY DO GOOD PARENTS HAVE NAUGHTY CHILDREN? W r i t t e n

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Naughtiness and children are like bread and butter. But some tend to be naughtier, “the bad child” while some tend to be disciplined, “the good child”.

Yes, all parents would give anything for their children to be disciplined good kids. Less hassle, lesser tantrums, helping you out with chores and requiring less effort to take care of good children are truly a blessing, right?

On the other hand, bad children are loud, obnoxious, stubborn, and a true pain in the bum. Naughty children are going to leave you dead on your feet and sending SOS signals. Naughty children are sly and mischievous and are totally undesirable. They are going to grow up to be unruly, rude, unhappy adults who throw their lives away, aren’t they?

Surprise, surprise, but apparently it can be a good thing if your child is naughty. Shocked? Why in the name of God would be having a naughty child be a good thing? Let’s find out how and why good parents are more likely to have naughty children.

The Good & The Bad Let us take the case of two families, where one is the ideal good family with well-behaved, disciplined, and pleasant 34

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children. The second family is in stark contrast with the first one, the children here throw tantrums, make risqué comments, and ridicule their parents.

In the first family, one may feel that everything is going well, and that things are out of hand in the second family.

But if we put in enough effort to understand what is going through the child’s mind, we see a different picture.

In the first family, the “good child” suppresses their innate naughtiness and has a whole range of emotions and feelings in them that they hide away, not because they want to but rather because they don’t feel that they have the option to. The child feels that their parents

do not have the necessary resources or tact to deal with their anger, sorrow, or other emotions. Any criticism from an adult is hurtful and painful to them, so they choose to hide their emotions.

Now, in the case of the second family, the child is self-assured. They know that their parents love them, and a tantrum won’t destroy that.

They know that the bond with their parents is strong enough to withstand a few risqué comments here and there. The so-called “bad child” knows that they love their parents and parents love them unconditionally; they know that their dad won’t take revenge for being ridiculed. The environment in the bad family is warm and accepts the child as MARCH 2022 | My Child Magazine Issue #126

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they are.

The good child, is probably going to face difficulties in their adult life, arising from excessive compliance, a lack of creativity and inability to accept themselves for who they are. On the other hand, the naughty child is probably going to enjoy a healthy life which consists of resilience, failure tolerance, selfacceptance, and creativity.

Why Being a Naughty Child Is A Good Thing?

Naught Children Independent

Are

The word “naughty” is often used to describe kids who can think on their own.

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the geniuses around us like entrepreneurs, scientists and artists do things on their own terms.

They Process Their Emotions Better Naughty children, embrace their emotions and feelings, and understand where their behaviour stems from when they grow up. They are more likely to show healthy maturity about their emotions and feelings. They understand that emotions are an important part of their lives, and respect other peoples’ emotions and feelings.

Others’ Opinions Do Not Matter

Naughty children aren’t seeking approval or aren’t trying to impress others. They don’t fear failure and know that anything and everything has a solution. They aren’t scared of criticism or embarrassing themselves in front of others because they know that ultimately only their opinions about themselves matter. Furthermore, they aren’t afraid to follow their heart.

Self-Acceptance These brats know that they deserve to be loved unconditionally and do not have to earn love through good behaviour. They aren’t trying to prove anything with their behaviour. If they are trying to be better, it is for themselves and not for anyone else.

Final Thoughts The naughty children with their occasional tantrums and raised voices should be associated to healthy growth rather than delinquency. At the same time, be wary of the quiet ones that cause no trouble at all. Although exhausting naughty children can be fun too, years down the lane you’ll also get to roast your kids for their whimsical actions back in their days.

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VACCINES DURING PREGNANCY: ARE THEY SAFE? W r i t t e n

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If “Prevention is better than cure” was a product, it would be a vaccine.

Vaccines are medicines, that help protect you from harmful diseases and infections. Vaccinations, keep both you and your baby safe during pregnancy.

However, not all vaccines are safe to get before getting pregnant or during pregnancy. So before getting any vaccine, it is advised to consult your healthcare provider about vaccinations that are safe to get during pregnancy.

That said, here’s everything you need to know about vaccines and pregnancy.

Vaccines Before Pregnancy According to the Centre for Disease Control, here are some points you need to keep in mind about vaccines before pregnancy.

Vaccination Record: Keep an accurate record of vaccines you have received. Sharing this information with your healthcare providers, will better equip them to determine which vaccines you need to get before and during your pregnancy. ‘ Stay Up to Date: To protect you and your child from any serious illnesses, ensure that your vaccinations are up to date before you get pregnant.

Some illnesses like Rubella can lead to miscarriages or severe birth defects, if contracted during pregnancy. Get the MMR vaccine before getting pregnant, and ensure you are immune to such diseases by undergoing a blood test.

Are Vaccines Safe During Pregnancy?

Some vaccines are safe for women before, during, and after pregnancy.

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Women are advised to take these vaccines to keep their babies and themselves healthy. The antibodies that mothers produce because of the vaccines, pass through the placenta, and offer their protection to the babies early on.

However, on the other hand, some vaccines, especially live-virus vaccines, could be harmful to the baby and shouldn’t be administered to pregnant women or women who plan to be pregnant.

Before getting vaccinated, another key point to consider is allergies. If you have experienced severe allergies or allergic reactions to some vaccine in the past, communicate it with your healthcare provider. Based on your allergies, the healthcare provider will come up with a list of vaccines that would be safe for you or advise alternatives.

Vaccines You Should Get During Pregnancy Vaccines that contain inactivated viruses can be administered during pregnancy. Generally, two vaccines are recommended for pregnant women: Flu or Influenza shot: Pregnant women are likely to incur severe illnesses from flu, due to the changes in heart, immune and respiratory functioning.

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Get your yearly flu shots, to protect yourself and your baby from flurelated complications.

The shot is made from killed viruses, so it won’t harm your baby. However, avoid taking the influenza nasal spray, which is made from a live virus.

Tdap Vaccine: Whooping cough or pertussis, can be life-threatening for a newborn. The worst part is that some babies don’t even cough at all, instead they may stop breathing and turn blue.

About 7 in 10 deaths due to whooping coughs are seen in babies who are two months or younger. It is too early to administer Tdap vaccine in these babies.

Receiving a Tdap vaccine while you are pregnant ensures that some of these antibodies are passed onto the baby before birth. This will provide a short-term protection against the Whooping Cough in newborns.

In some cases, women may need to get other vaccines before, during or after pregnancy. If you are pregnant and need to travel abroad, you might want to discuss it with your healthcare professional about 4 to 6 weeks before your departure, to know about any special vaccines you may need.

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Covid-19 Vaccines During Pregnancy Pregnant women are at a higher risk of severe illness from Covid-19 compared to others. This may lead to hospitalisations, intensive care, need for ventilators or special breathing equipment’s, or even death.

Additionally, Covid-19 during pregnancy may lead to preterm birth, still birth or an increased risk of complications during pregnancy.

The safety and effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines during pregnancy are largely unknown. However, studies suggest that the benefits of receiving a Covid-19 vaccine, outweigh the risks. In fact, early data suggests that getting a Covid-19 vaccine reduces the risk of infection and may even build antibodies that protect the baby as well.

Final Thoughts Vaccines are beneficial for both baby and the mother in most cases.

However, your healthcare provider would recommend you avoid vaccines containing live viruses, such as Chickenpox vaccine, MMR vaccines, or Shingles vaccine. Consult your healthcare provider, before taking any vaccines if you are or plan to get pregnant.

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ARE HOME BIRTHS SAFE? w

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If you were a mother in the 1700s, home birth was your only option. Aided by friends, family and maybe a midwife, home births were a painful and bloody ordeal. Advancements in Healthcare popularised, the less painful hospital births.

Where you choose to give birth is totally up to you, and your choice should be supported.

Now, if you are considering having a planned home birth, you may naturally have a ton of questions. Are home births safe?

Do you need to have a midwife? What should you keep in mind while creating a backup plan?

Here are the answers to your queries related to home births that will help you decide if this is the right birthing method for you.

Why Choose a Home Birth?

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You may consider having a home birth due to a variety of reasons, such as: A wish to avoid medical interference or dissatisfaction with hospitals.

To give birth in the warmth and comfort of your home.

Staying faithful to your religious practices or cultural practices.

A wish to have more control and freedom over the birthing process.

Financial constraints.

Emergency scenarios where you don’t have time to reach a hospital.

Convenience as previous births have happened quickly.

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You also get to choose your own labour positions and control other factors, such as whether you eat or drink, or take warm baths.

If you have had a baby before, and you’re having a low-risk pregnancy, giving birth at home can be a safe option.

Home Birth Risks It is not safe for all moms to give birth at home. Some health conditions like preeclampsia require advanced medical care that can only be offered in hospital settings. The same goes for people who have previously undergone C-sections or carrying twins or multiple babies. Talk to your healthcare professional and check if home birth is a safe option for you.

Be aware that in case of an emergency, there is limited to no medical intervention available. So, if you are planning a home birth, you might have to be on your toes.

Home births also carry the risk of higher death rates when compared to hospital births. The rate of neurological damage and seizures during home births is higher than hospital births.

You may be able to attenuate these risks with the help of a seasoned, licensed mid-wife and a proper backup plan.

Additionally, home births are known to be messy, so be prepared to clean up. Again, your midwife or Douala will usually clean up,

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so that you don’t have to worry about it.

Midwives & Douala Midwives are often officially registered nurses with advanced degrees in midwifery. Whereas a Douala is someone who provides emotional and physical support to the mom before, during and after birthing.

While picking a midwife, try to choose one who has access to doctors or specialists at a nearby hospital for consultation or in case of emergencies. Having a Douala, especially an experienced one, can be helpful as they suggest labour positions, conduct breathing exercises, and even have some pain-relieving tricks up their sleeves.

Planning A Home Birth Home births will need some preparation. First off, you’ll need to have a private, peaceful space, and if you have older children you need to decide if you want them around or not.

Here are some things you need to keep in mind while if you are planning to have a home birth,

Monitoring Vitals Unlike in a hospital setting, where your vitals are monitored continuously, at home this will be done periodically. Your temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure as well as foetal monitoring is done periodically during a home birth.

In low-risk pregnancies, continuous foetal monitoring is not required and does not improve the outcomes. Even in hospital settings, in low-risk scenarios, foetal monitoring is only done intermittently.

Getting The Supplies While most midwives come equipped with a large kit of medical supplies with them, you may need to get some supplies on your own. Your midwife may recommend you get supplies like gauze, mesh panties, latex gloves, lubricants, high absorbency menstrual pads. Additionally, you’ll need waterproof mattress covers, plastic sheets, washcloths, towels, a fresh receiving blanket, and trash bags.

Plan B In most cases, if your pregnancy is low risk, the birthing process will go smoothly without any hiccups. However, having a plan B in place will help prevent any unnecessary stress in case you need to undergo a hospital transfer.

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get the look

INTERIORS

nursery photo: English Blinds

SUNDVIK Cot - White $349 ikea.com/au

Darcy Blue Ivory And Charcoal Textured Tribal Rug $290 missamara.com.au

Wooden Skittles Game Kit $26 kmart.com.au

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Otto Narwhal Large Toy $82 ookiehumans.com

ABC Roller Blind From $42 englishblinds.co.uk

Liena Chest of Drawers $519 zanui.com.au

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k i d s photo: The French Bedroom Co

Chantelle King Single Bed $2399 harveynorman.com.au

Flavia Plain Cream Shaggy Rug $699 rug.com.au

“Lotus” Wooden Lamp Base $249 leforge.com.au

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Peggy Rocking Horse Wood Ornament $59.95 templeandwebster.com.au

Self Adhesive Removable Wallpaper - Floral $36 kmart.com.au

Chantelle Bedside Table $799 harveynorman.com.au

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COVID-19 AND BREASTFEEDING W r i t t e n

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According to the World Health Organization, breastmilk is the best source of nutrition for infants and is essential for their survival, growth, and development. Experts suggest that babies below six months

should be exclusively breastfed, and then continued breastfeeding with complementary foods until they are two years old.

As always, mums and pregnant woman, are flooded with information from friends, next of kin, or even random people on the street. This might seem okay at first, but with this flurry of information, you also get spammed with misinformation or obsolete pieces of advice.

With the coronavirus pandemic, it is natural for mums and pregnant women to worry if breastfeeding might pass down the coronavirus to

their babies. The WHO recommends that mothers should continue breastfeeding, as its benefits outweigh the risks posed by it.

Benefits Of Breastfeeding Breastfeeding protects the baby: Breastfed babies are found to have better immunity against infections and deadly diseases than others.

What makes it even better is that antibodies against the Covid-19 virus were detected in human milk.

Breastfeeding is good for mums: Your body releases hormones when you breastfeed your baby, these can relieve stress and anxiety. It helps with faster post-partum weight loss and lessens post-partum bleeding. Breastfeeding also lessens UTI and chances of anaemia.

Besides, it reduces risks of various types of illnesses such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular issues.

Nutrition for the growing baby: Breastmilk contains an abundant amount of easily absorbable nutritional components, antioxidants, and enzymes. Additionally, breastmilk is always at the right temperature and clean, making it a more convenient option than formula.

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Lowers Infant Mortality: Studies suggest that breastfed babies are less likely to contract SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and significantly lowers infant mortality rates.

Should You Breastfeed During the Pandemic?

Definitely a huge yes! As mentioned before, there is no evidence that suggests that Covid-19 can be transmitted vertically from mum to baby through breastfeeding. On the other hand, coronavirus was seen to be absent in the amniotic fluid, placenta tissue or the umbilical cord blood. Additionally, the fact that no newborn tested positive for Covid-19 at birth further rules out the chances of vertical transmission from mother to child.

Based on the available information from studies, the virus seems to be absent in breastmilk. Even if the virus was to be transmitted occasionally, the long-term risks of not breastfeeding should be placed at a higher priority, as Covid-19 in children and infants are usually mild. Therefore, with proper hygiene and precautions, breastfeeding should be continued.

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Tips For Breastfeeding During the Pandemic Hygiene The UNICEF recommends breastfeeding mums to follow the 3 W’s of hygiene while breastfeeding: •

Wash hands with soap before and after each feeding session

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Wear a mask while feeding

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Wipe and disinfect surfaces frequently

Close contact with the mother or another family member is the foremost risk for a baby to contract the coronavirus. Following the 3 W’s, will significantly reduce the chances of transmission from mum to baby.

When You’re Sick Mothers who contract the Covid-19 virus shortly before or after giving birth or those who get infected while breastfeeding, have been found to produce antibodies in their breastmilk. Thus, continuing to breastfeed is the best way to combat the virus while protecting your baby and enhancing the baby’s immunity.

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Regardless, if you come down sick with Covid-19 symptoms such as fever, cough, or respiratory issues, consult a medical health practitioner immediately. If you are not too tired, continue breastfeeding.

For mums who are too sick to breastfeed, you can still express the breastmilk and ask your spouse, doula, or a non-infected family member to feed the baby with a clean cup and spoon.

Extra Care When Using Formula While breastmilk is the best option to feed a growing baby, there may be situations where you may be unable to breastfeed the baby.

In such cases, mothers may resort to formula feeding. While formula feeding thoroughly clean and sterilize any equipment used such as teats, bottles, spoons.

Vaccination And Breastfeeding The Covid-19 vaccines available can be safely administered on lactating or expressing otherwise healthy individuals. No WHO approved vaccine contains live viruses and are absolutely safe for both the mother and baby. If you are fully vaccinated against the SARS-Cov-2 virus, you need not take any extra precautions than the 3Ws while feeding the baby.

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INTRODUCING YOUR TODDLER TO READING W r i t t e n

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Reading is an essential skill that your child needs to possess in order to grow and develop into a successful, happy adult. Reading plays a key role in communication and is linked to listening, speaking, and writing, while simultaneously stimulating creativity. It sparks imagination and aids in the development of social skills and helps your toddler learn more about the world around them. But how can you get your toddler to develop a liking for reading? Let’s see how.

Getting Started

Before being able to read themselves, toddlers need to possess enough literary skills, which include:

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A large vocabulary Phonemic awareness Understanding and recognizing letters, symbols, and words

The best way to inculcate these literary skills in your toddler is by reading to them. Reading to your toddler as often as possible is the best way to achieve this and set up a foundation for later independent reading.

Reading problems if detected in elementary school can be tricky to resolve, by starting early in their toddler and preschool years, you stand a chance to prevent these problems altogether.

Understanding Toddler Development

Your friend or relative might tell you about how their 4-year-old read the entire works by Shakespeare. Well, stranger things happen, but this

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doesn’t mean that you expect the same from your toddler. It is imperative that you understand all children are different.

The age at which children learn to read is usually around 6 to 7. While some may be able to do so at earlier ages, some may take more time, and that’s okay. So, resist the urge to force your tot into reading too early.

Reading should be a fun experience.

As time passes by, your toddler will gain the necessary skills to read. They may be able to recognize their names or recite a paragraph from a book they read. These skills act as steppingstones to what leads to reading.

Teaching Your Toddler to Read

The first and foremost thing you can do, is to read to or with them. Make it a part of their routines, to enable them to pick up the necessary skills for reading. Try to keep the topics of the books related in some sense, so that your toddler may be more engaged.

Here are some tips on what you can do to kindle a love for reading in your tot.

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“What Will Happen Next?”

While reading to them, don’t be passive, talk to them as often as possible and ensure they stay engaged. Ask them questions such as “What do you think happens next?”. Remember, the goal here is not to quiz them, but rather to challenge their creativity and keep them engaged.

Often add your own stories into the mix and try to include new words when it makes sense. With time, your toddler will pick up a connection between the words you use and the ones on the page.

Put Tech to Use

This is the age of technology; there are a gazillion apps out there that can help introduce and reinforce reading to your tot. However, keep a check on their screen time, limiting it to less than an hour a day.

No, apps alone will not be sufficient to inculcate reading habits in toddlers.

Rather, these should be used to complement other activities.

Label Things Around You

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signs on the road. When your child starts showing interest in reading, it may be a good idea to point out various combinations of letters or words around your child.

Instead of quizzing them, try a more constructive approach like “Do you see the cereal box on the table? It says k-e-l-l-o-g-g-s - Kellogg’s!”

Words are everywhere, try to get your child to see that reading and language is all around them.

Sing Songs

From the classic ABC song to Elmo’s Rap Alphabet, there are a lot of songs that help your child get a grip over learning language and literacy skills. Singing songs also keeps it fun and interesting for your kid.

Rhyming Games

Rhyming is a good choice to improve and nurture literary skills in your junior. While you’re waiting in line or traffic, try asking your tot something like “What rhymes with Cat?” Let them come up with as many words as they can. Then switch to a new word and keep going.

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T O Y r e v i e w s b y :

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VTECH 2-IN-1 PUSH & DISCOVER TURTLE

$39.95 4/5

S u it ab l e f o r a g e s: 12 -36 m o n th s M e e t t h e 2 - i n - 1 Pus h & D i s c o ve r Tur t le. T his ador able l it t le t ur t le and but t er fl y rea l l y are b a b y ‘ s b e s t f ri en d s . Th e e as y-t o- gr ab hand le is per fect for l it t le hand s a nd ea s i l y d e tach e s fo r t wo ways o f p l ay. Th e l ight up number but t on, music but t on a nd t ur t l e an d b u t t e r fl y b u t to n i ntro d u c e t he t ur t le and but t er fly, count ing, sounds, mel od i es a nd p h rase s . L i t t l e ex p l o rers c an p us h t he t ur t le t o act ivat e t he mot ion sens or a nd hea r p lay f u l s o u n d s and s h o rt p hras es . But t er fly’s t ext ured w ings and t ur t le’s hard s hel l p rovi d e tac t ile s t i mu l a t io n an d en c o u rag e fine mot or skil l dev elopment . Includes 2 s i ng - a l ong son gs a n d 1 0 m el o d i e s .

Ou r Ve rd i ct – I f yo u’re l o o k i n g f o r t he t oy t hat ’s bot h lot s of fun and offer s u p a b i t of a n in c e n t i v e t o ke ep m o vi n g , t h i s c u te l it t le t ur t le w it h it s but t er fly fr iend, w oul d b e i d ea l .

If y ou r l i t t l e o ne i s up and wal k i ng, at t ach t he hand le and w at ch as t hey d i s cover t he f aste r t h e y wa l k, t he f as te r t h e i r new l it t le fr iend mov es as w el l ! It ’s definit el y one w a y to e n co u r a g e wal k i ng an d e x p l o ri n g t heir sur round ings along w it h t he add ed b onus of in te ra ct i o n wi t h s i ng i n g , nu m b e rs a nd a few phr ases t hat you might get sick of hea r i ng b u t ju s t a d d t o t h e f u n f o r yo u r l i t t le one. If t hey aren’t ful ly act ive on t h ei r feet j us t y e t, t h e y ca n s t i l l h ave j us t as m u c h t ur t le- y fun pushing t heir colour ful l it t l e t oy a round in ste a d !

Availa b l e f ro m: vtec h.c o m .au, Bi g W, good toy s tores & online retailers 74

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VTECH MARBLE RUSH LAUNCH PAD

$49.95 5/5

S u it ab l e f o r a g es: 4 + ye ars A re y o u re a d y fo r a f ar-o u t j o u rne y int o space w it h t he Mar ble Rush Launch Pa d ? Thi s e x c it in g co l o u r- c o d ed p l ays e t f eatures al l t he pieces you need t o creat e a sp a ce- t hemed M arble R u s h v o yag e f u l l o f j u m p s , s tunt s and even an elect ronic spaceship. T h e el ect roni c sp ac es h i p m o d ul e tri g g e rs a c o o l l i ght show and sound effect s w hen mar bles r un t hroug h it, e n h a n ci n g y ou r o uter s p ac e -t hemed advent ure. W it h 10 mar bles includ ed a nd 7 9 b u ild in g p i e ce s to as s e m b l e, t h e re is plent y of fun t o be had ! Includes ea s y t o fol l ow asse m b l y i n s t r u c t i o n s an d i s c o m p at ible w it h ot her VTech Mar ble Rush it ems .

Ou r v e rd i ct – I w i s h I was a l i t t l e k i d again! Not t hat it st ops me from playi ng w i t h t oys l ik e t h i s o n e , m i nd yo u! Bu t t h i s ta kes mar bles t o a w hole new level, l it er a l l y! You ca n im agin e t h e fi g hts i n o ur ho us e o ver set t ing t his l it t le beaut y up and w hose t ur n i t w a s to play… I a l mo s t h ad to d i s m an t l e i t again! It t r anspor t s me back t o w hen I w a s l i t t l e a nd p lay in g g a m e s o f m arb l es wi t h f ri en ds at school, except w e just had t o pret e nd a nd ma ke u p e x c i t i n g a d v e n tures i f we we ren ’t just playing a nor mal game or sw apping for t he b es t on e s. N o t q u i t e o n t h at l e vel anym ore but st il l just as much fun and good fo r s omet hi ng d iff e re n t , e s p e c i al l y wi t h two g i rl s who seem t o be ver y dol l- or ient ed t hese d a ys , ha ha !

Availa b l e f ro m : vtec h.c o m .au, Km art, Big W, Myer, Target, good toy s to res & onl i ne re t aile r s 76

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HAPE TODDLER PICNIC BASKET

$29.95 4/5

Suitable for ages: 18+ months Head out into nature for a del ight ful day wit h t his 12-piece soft play picnic set ! Includes one fabric basket, one picnic clot h, t hree bot t les of beverages, two strawberries, two pieces of bread, one let tuce leaf, one sl ice of tomato and one piece of cheese to make a sandwich wit h! Food items are made from soft sponge making t hem fun a nd easy for l it t le hands to grip and hold. It ’s great for a picnic inside or outdoors! The perfect l it t le set for developing role play, language skil ls and a love of being outdoors. It doesn’t mat ter if it gets d irty because it ’s machine washable..

Our Verd ict – Who doesn’t love a l it t le pretend picnic indoors on a rainy day or even out in t he yard when t he sun is out ? Hav e your sandwich made for you in t he great outdoors wit h loads of love and maybe a l it t le bit of grass and d irt too, just to add to t he “natural ” flavour. One of t he best t hings about t his cute l it t le set is i t doesn’t mat ter if it gets d irty because you can pop it in t he washing machine and it ’s as good as new again. Plus being soft fabric, it ’s grea t and easy for l it t le hands to pick up and move around. It ’s t he ideal l it t le set to spark your l it t le one’s interest in social t ime as wel l as preparing t hem for a real picnic as t hey get older.

Available from: Ed Resources and good toy stores & online retailers 78

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BRIARPATCH I SPY MEMORY GAME

$24.95 4/5

S u it a b l e f o r a ges: 4+ ye ars I S P Y co mb i n e s b e au t i f u l p ho to g raphs, famil iar object col lect ions and r hy mi ng r i d d l es t o c re at e b r a i n t eas i ng p uz z l es k i d s a nd adul t s can’t resist . O ur col lect ion of I SPY g a mes an d p u z z l e s re i n f o rc es t he s e p ri nc iples in a var iet y of fun and unique w ay s . I n t he I SPY M e m o r y G a m e , b eg i n n i ng p l ayers search for mat ching pair s, w hile adv a nced p l a yer s so lv e t h e r i d d l e s .

O u r v e rd i ct – T he re’s s o m e t hi ng ab out memor y games t hat kids just seem t o get r i g ht ever y t ime ! If a n y o n e has s ee n t h e ep i s o de of Bluey w here aft er Band it blat ant ly chea t s d ur i ng an o b s t a cl e co u rs e, s he c h al l e n g es him t o game of memor y and absolut ely s ma s hes hi m.

Kids s o me h o w d o n’t al ways rem em ber t hings you ask t hem but t hey can alw a ys rememb er wh e re t h e m a t c hi ng p ai rs are. Go figure! T he beaut y of t his v er sion is it t a kes t hi ng s up a n o t ch a n d wh i l e m ak i ng m atc h e s, t here are also sl ight d ifferences in t he p i ct ures t oo, it re a l l y g e t s k i d s t h i nk i n g . Wh i l e it can be a bit chal lenging for younge r memb er s of t h e fa m i l y, y o u d o h ave t h e o p t i o n t o play 8 d ifferent w ay s so t here’s an op p or t uni t y for e v e ry o n e t o g et i n o n t h e f u n !

Avail a b l e f ro m: ad ven tu re awai ts.com.au and good toy s tores & online reta i l ers 80

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TIPS ON RAISING A BILINGUAL CHILD W r i t t e n

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Having a firm grasp of more than one language is certainly an asset. Not only does this improve one’s ability to communicate, but it also enhances brain function, especially in developing brains. Hence, it’s no wonder that many parents want their child to speak more than one language.

Maybe you want your child to be in touch with their heritage and learn the language you grew up with, or you just feel that knowing another language can help your little one.

Either way, raising a bilingual or a multilingual child requires commitment, effort, and lots of support. Here are a few tips to aid you in raising a bilingual child.

Getting Started

To achieve maximum progress, you need a solid plan to teach your child a new language. One simple way is to expose your child to one language at home and another language outside. This works especially well if the family speaks a heritage language, for example, Mandarin or Arabic, and the child can pick up another language, for instance, English, from school.

Another way to introduce a new language to your child is through the One Parent, One Language approach. Here, one of the caregivers communicates with the child in only one of the target languages, and the other caregiver speaks in the second one. This creates a need for the child to acquire both languages because only then will both the caregivers respond when the child tries to communicate.

Quantity Of Exposure

To boost the process of language acquisition, your child needs to be exposed to the language as much as possible. Look for the best ways to do this. Get your hands on books that have colourful pictures and great stories in the languages that you are training your child in. Read to them regularly, and maybe even play

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some music in these languages. As the amount of exposure, they get increases, their vocabulary of the language expands as well.

Quality Of the Language

While trying to get your child as much exposure to the language as you can, there is a chance that you might use resources that are not helpful for your child.

For instance, putting on a cartoon or a film in the target language does not have the same effect as reading a book to your child. Studies have shown that children who acquire language through TV have lower proficiency in speaking the language. Ensure that the resources you make use of includes the highest quality of language and is beneficial to your goal.

Hire Instructors and Nannies

If you feel that your child will benefit from more people using the target language with them, expand your child’s circle to include people who can help them. Rope in your extended family if they speak the target language and insist on communicating with the child only in that language. Hire nannies or babysitters who can speak both languages and ask them to help your child learn the language.

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to further polish the skills. Look for programs that use the target language as the mode of instruction and enrol your child for camps or weekend classes if they are interested. Learning a language at home and from an institutional setting has differences, and your child will benefit from this.

Exposure To Culture

Knowing the words and the rules of grammar of a language is commendable but understanding the cultures that speak the same language as the one you are trying to learn can accelerate the process further. Your child gets to see how vast the world is as gives them a chance to explore a new culture that they can also grow to be a part of.

Final Thoughts

Language learning is hard regardless of age. Join your child as they learn more than one language and broaden their mental capacity. If you learn a language alongside your child, you can help each other learn. Promoting multilingualism at home can make your child more accepting of everyone’s individual differences.

The process of learning and teaching languages might seem difficult at times, but if you stick with it, results are bound to show up.

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HOW BECOMING A DAD CHANGES THE WAY YOUR BRAIN WORKS W r i t t e n

B y :

L a n c e

G r e e n

There is clearly no lack of information regarding what happens to a mother’s body and brain as they go through pregnancy and give birth. From even before conception, what happens to a female body has been under study for centuries. However, the transformation that occurs to a father’s brain and body has not been as closely examined.

As far as everyone is concerned, the development of a ‘dad bod’ is the extent of our knowledge. Thankfully, recent studies have shed some light on the topic. Considering human males add to the few mammals that are involved in the rearing of the offspring, it is important to know what changes they undergo after becoming a dad.

Growing Brain Just like how various areas of the brain seems to grow in volume during pregnancy and after childbirth in a female, brain volume increases in new dads too. The growth of brain volume in certain areas suggests that preparing to be a better father has been written into the human DNA. The grey areas that grow in males also grow in females during the process.

Neural centres that undergo change during this time are the striatum (involved in reward processing), hypothalamus (hormonal control), amygdala and anterior cingulate cortex (involved in emotional processing),

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and the lateral prefrontal cortex (involved in memory and decision-making).

The prefrontal brain is responsible for the common attachment behaviour that new dads exhibit.

Or The Not-Growing Brain While some areas of the new dad brain are growing and developing, certain other areas tend to shrink. A slight decrease in the grey matter areas of the ‘default mode network’ indicates that the dad is no longer cruising through life by expending minimum attentional resources. The decrease of the volume of areas such as the medial prefrontal cortex, post-central sulcus, precuneus, and inferior parietal cortex means that the dad is staying vigilant lest something happen to the baby.

Along with this, many other areas also drop in brain volume, resulting in poorer memory and decision-making. Now you know why and from where the dad jokes originated. Areas related to anxiety and grooming behaviour in animals such as the orbitofrontal cortex also see a reduction in size.

Changing Hormones You may have seen testosterone as the ‘man’s hormone’ and you are

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right. Testosterone is implicated in most of the functions that become characteristic of the male human species. However, with fatherhood, there is a slight decline in the amount of testosterone that the male body produces. This makes them more receptive towards the baby and to the effects of oxytocin and dopamine.

Coming slightly closer to the mother in the hormone profile, dads involved in raising their babies become more open to cuddling due to the oxytocin. They also see an increase in hormones like oestrogen, prolactin, and glucocorticoids. Whether it is due to the changing hormones or their involvement in raising children, new fathers also show increased neural activity when they come across the child.

Increased Receptivity While mothers are described as having finely tuned skills to sense their baby’s needs, fathers are not far behind either. Just like mothers, involved fathers can distinguish their baby’s cries from that of others and differentiate between what each cry stands for. Gradually with bonding and spending quality time together, dads also become emotionally connected with their children. This makes it easier for dads to soothe the baby when in distress and to anticipate their needs without the mothers’ guidance.

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Mental Health Landscape As mentioned previously, hormonal changes occur in a new dad’s body these chemical changes are bound to influence the new parent’s health. The drop in testosterone makes males more prone

“Just like how various areas of the brain seems to grow in

to depression, making post-partum depression a condition that men also can experience. Apart from this, the sleep deprivation that comes from taking care of a newborn and stress can reduce their psychological wellbeing.

volume during pregnancy and after childbirth in a female, brain

Final Thoughts Nurturing newborns into energetic young adults is not an easy task. Earlier, since the task was

volume increases

assigned to women alone, the effects of child-

in new dads

rearing were studied only on them. Seeing that

too.”

men are getting more hands-on in their child’s life, looking into this research gap can benefit many. Also, note that the research in the field is nascent and there are limitations to all the studies that showed us what happens to the man’s brain after becoming a dad.

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THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON RELATIONSHIPS W r i t t e n

B y :

L i z a

J o h n

There is no argument that technology has advanced exponentially in the past few decades. It has permeated every aspect of our life that it would be quite impossible to lead a life without having access to a smartphone. As much as the innovations in the field make life easier for us, it is not without a cost. Like everything else, technology has its advantages and disadvantages.

One aspect of life that technology has unequivocally affected is relationships. Social media platforms have paved the way to bring people closer and connect like-minded people, yet it has even farther-reaching effects. The same goes for streaming services and dating apps, modern-day relationships are being redefined by these. Here are a few impacts that technology has on your life that you should know.

Increasingly Distractible Gone are the days when people could focus on a task in front of them without taking a break to look at their phones. In fact, the average attention span of a human being has fallen drastically from before. This means that the amount of time you can devote your undivided attention to something has decreased.

When this transfers over to relationships, it can be seen as your inability to engage with your partner for an extended period of time without checking your gadgets or being unable to properly notice what your toddler is trying to tell you because you have

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been distracted. Being unable to focus and experience what is in front of you is an alarming side effect of using too much technology.

Screen Anxiety The criteria of what was once used to determine mobile addiction are no longer applicable today because the time an average human being spends on their phone lately is leaps and bounds away from the diagnostic criteria for mobile addiction. The more time you spent scrolling through the gadgets, the more distress you feel when you are away from it and the more anxiety you experience until you can get your hands on it again.

Screen anxiety has been found to be a significant point of conflict in many relationships because people fail to spend quality time with each other when they have the fear of missing out on what’s going on with the virtual world. Therefore, many couples and families have a strict ‘no phones’ rule after a certain time to reduce smartphone dependence and promote psychological wellbeing.

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Extended Connectivity Undeniably, technology has made networking easier. Families that are miles apart can keep in touch, new friendships can be formed over a shared interest, and even romantic relationships that would have been otherwise impossible can happen, thanks to today’s technology. In the trying times of the pandemic, the internet prevented loneliness from seeping into many lives.

However, restricting relationships to the virtual platform alone is said to make people feel even lonelier and more prone to depression.

Without stimulating partners to interact within daily life, the number of virtual relationships one maintains is not going to do much benefit.

As always, maintaining a balance is the key.

Time-Consuming This one is self-explanatory. The new game you found, the new app you discovered or simply scrolling through social media can make time fly by. Before you know it, you have been busy all day

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but you have done nothing at all. For teens and those in their 20s, this can cut into the time meant for academic work or even social interactions.

Final Thoughts Since the day technology started advancing at a rapid rate, experts have speculated its effects on almost everything. From suggesting that the gadgets were going ruin the young minds to accepting that the internet is simply another platform for spending time, the opinions have evolved over time. While accepting the benefits that technology has on human life, never fail to address the issues caused by it. Especially children and teens need to be monitored as they step into a world where everything is open and connected.

Maintaining boundaries is the best way to keep technology from impacting your life too much. With a healthy amount of usage, combined with an ample amount of physical exercise and quality face-to-face time with people, technology can still be the boon it was meant to be.

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finding my way WRITTEN BY: SHEREE HODDINETT

It feels like my parenting style and strategies change to suit the day. Sometimes what worked yesterday to diffuse World War 500 with my kids, won’t work tomorrow or even next century. At times, it can be a day-by-day situation and you never know what might be thrown your way, literally! I often find myself painting quite an “interesting” picture of motherhood. But I’ve always said I won’t lie about it. What’s the point? I could sugar coat everything but it wouldn’t be the real deal and I figure the truth needs to be out there. I have two beautiful, sassy, energetic daughters. They make my world complete. And chaotic, eventful, loud and so many other things that I could mention, but who has the time?! Haha!

They do drive me crazy (pretty much every day!) and manage to find my last nerve on a very regular basis, but I wouldn’t know myself without them in my life. Being their mum is the best thing I have ever done and something I’m immensely proud of (when they aren’t driving me crazy of course). As is the way I brought them in to the world.

I was fortunate to deliver two healthy babies naturally, drug free (believe me I asked, but there was no time!) and very, very quickly (something that has both good and bad sides to it, trust me!) with both of my labours combined lasting about as long as the average school day. Before you go hating me (I know it’s in a good way!), it had its downside too!

I think I’ve mentioned before how quickly my girls are growing up and at times, it’s kind of hard to accept they aren’t babies anymore and don’t need me as much as they used to. I mean, it’s great they can dress themselves, (sort of) clean their teeth on their own, feed themselves and occasionally play together without fighting. And with both of them settled into school life (grade 1 and grade 3 this year), it’s given me a bit more time to return to a sense of normalcy within my own life and even taking on more work. But there’s always mum mode switched on, no matter where they are and I think this is something that will stay with me for many years to come. Plus I’ll keep taking the cuddles as long as they offer them.

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I do often wake up

you off and makes you

as little as I still like to

thinking which mum am

feel like the worst parent

picture them) girls that

I today? Which mum do

on the planet, it always

most definitely still need

I need to be? Do I have

hits you like a tonne of

their Mumma, for the time

to be a particular type

bricks. Good work mum

being anyway, so I’ll take

of mum? Can I just be

guilt, you strike again and

that as long as I can grasp

me? Whoever she may

again and again!

it. That’s until we hit the

be. I feel there’s this

next stage, which feels

pressure on us mums

We can always ponder the

like it’s already looming

(maybe dads feel it too)

what if scenario. What if I

in the background for my

to fit into a category. In

didn’t yell? What if I just

big girl. Send help now,

the words of a child, but

let them eat whatever

haha!

whhhhhyyyyyy? It’s likely

they want? What if I let

because we feel like we

them stay up all night,

We all just need to keep

have to conform to an

just to see what happens?

doing our best, even if we

ideal created by society

Would it make me a better

forget how sometimes.

but there’s actually no

mum? Pfffftttt I doubt it.

No one is perfect, even

reason for it. I try to just do

Most likely my girls would

if they think they are, it’s

my own thing regardless

see it as a sign to rebel

not true! On that note, if

but it’s hard not to feel the

and ask for anything and

you ever need reminding

background

judgement

everything under the sun,

that my parenting is far

which seems to be forever

haha! I’m not a pushover

from perfect, check out

present, even if it’s just

and generally they are

my blog at:

from yourself. It sounds

pretty good kids (about

www.shereekim.com

silly but you know it’s true!

60% of the time) but they

Until next time…xx

And then when your child

are just that, kids. Two

does something that sets

little (okay, maybe not MARCH 2022 | My Child Magazine Issue #126

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H E A L T H Y r e c i p e s

sourced from: ais.gov.au

D e l i c i o u s

Scrambled Eggs

prep time: 6-10 mins serves: 4

INSTRUCTIONS

INGREDIENTS

1

place eggs, milk and salt in a bowl and whisk together.

2

melt butter in a large non-stick frypan over medium heat.

8 eggs 1/2 cup reduced-fat milk pinch of salt

3

pour in the egg mixture.

4

break up and stir gently with a wooden spoon until creamy curds have formed.

5

remove from heat and serve with toast.

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1 tsp butter bread, toasted, to serve

Quick & Easy

Yoghurt Malt Drink

prep time: 5 mins serves: 2

INSTRUCTIONS

INGREDIENTS

1

place all ingredients except cinnamon in a blender and process until smooth.

2

sprinkle with cinnamon.

3

drink immediately.

1 cup natural low fat yoghurt 1 tbsp honey 2 tbsp

nestlé malted milk powder

1 cup reduced-fat milk 4 ice cubes cinnamon, to serve

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Egg & Rocket Sandwiches prep & cook time: 15 mins serves: 4

INSTRUCTIONS 1

hard boil eggs for 10 minutes and while warm, remove shell and mash eggs well.

2

in a bowl, thoroughly combine egg with thomy delicate mayonnaise, mustard and chives. season with salt and pepper.

3

spread egg on half of the bread slices, top with rocket and finish with another slice of bread. cut into fingers or triangles as desired.

INGREDIENTS 6 eggs 1/2 cups

thomy delicate mayonnaise

2 tbsp dijon mustard 4 tbsp chives, finely chopped salt and pepper, to taste 8

slices wholegrain bread

2 cups rocket

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Tuna Macaroni Cheese prep & cook time: 25 mins serves: 4-6

INSTRUCTIONS 1

start cooking pasta in a large pan of boiling water.

2

meanwhile, spray a large pan with oil and heat.

3

add the onion and celery and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes or until soft.

4

stir in the corn kernels.

5

put the cornflour into a small bowl and gradually add 80 ml (1/3 cup) milk, stirring until smooth.

6

add the remaining milk and the stock to the pan then gradually add the cornflour mixture, stirring constantly.

7

keep stirring until the sauce boils and thickens.

8

remove from heat and stir in the cheese until melted.

9

when the pasta is al dente, drain and add with the tuna to the pan.

10

stir to combine, and serve immediately.

INGREDIENTS 400g macaroni spray canola or olive oil 1 sml onion, finely chopped 1

stalk celery, finely sliced

400g corn kernels, drained 2 tbsp cornflour carnation light and 375 ml creamy evaporated milk 125ml maggi chicken stock 1/2 cup 440g

grated reduced-fat tasty cheese tuna in brine, drained and flaked

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Quick & Easy

Microwave Leek & Herb Risotto

prep time: 35 mins serves: 3-4

INSTRUCTIONS

INGREDIENTS

1

place the oil and leek in a large straight-sided microwave dish.

2

cook, uncovered, on high for 4 minutes.

3

stir in the rice and cook, uncovered, on high for a further 4 minutes.

4

add the stock and cook, uncovered, on high for 9 minutes.

5

remove from the microwave, stir well and cook, uncovered, on high for another 9 minutes.

6

if the liquid hasn't fully absorbed into the rice, cook for another minute or so.

7

remove from the microwave.

8

stir in the cheese, herbs and lemon rind and serve immediately.

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canola or olive oil spray 2 med

2 medium leeks, finely sliced

1 1/2 cups arborio rice 1 ltr 1/2 cup

maggi chicken or vegetable stock grated reduced-fat tasty cheese

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley 1 tsp dried mixed herbs 2 tsp finely grated lemon rind

Quick & Easy

Moroccan Lamb Pizza

prep time: 25 mins serves: 2

INSTRUCTIONS

INGREDIENTS

1

preheat oven to 220°c.

2

combine oil, cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper in a small bowl and rub over lamb.

3

heat a medium non-stick frying pan over medium heat. add lamb and cook on each side for 1-2 minutes or until browned.

oil for cooking 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp sweet paprika pinch cayenne pepper 100g lamb backstrap 1 lrg pita bread

4

set aside to rest and slice into thin strips.

5

spread pita bread with tzatziki dip and add the red onion, lamb, cherry tomatoes, red capsicum, pine nut and fetta.

1/2 cup tzatziki dip 1/2 small red onion, sliced 100g

100g cherry tomatoes, halved marinated red capsicum, sliced

6

place on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper.

50g

7

bake for 15-20 minutes, until base is crispy. top with rocket.

50g pine nuts 50g marinated fetta 10g rocket leaves

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Chocolate Raspberry Roly Poly prep & time: 55 mins serves: 6-8

INSTRUCTIONS 1

preheat oven to 180°c

2

sift flour and 2 tablespoons of the cocoa into a bowl, add 2/3 cup of caster sugar and stir.

3

make a well in the centre and add egg, stirring, then gradually add milk, stirring, until mixture forms a smooth dough.

4

turn onto a sheet of baking paper, cover with another sheet of baking paper and roll out to a thin rectangle.

5

the rectangle should be 35-40cm long and just a little shorter in width.

INGREDIENTS 2 cups

self-raising flour, plus extra to dust

4 tbs nestlé baking cocoa 2/3 cups

caster sugar, plus 1/2 cup extra

1 egg, beaten 100-125ml skim milk raspberry jam, to spread punnet fresh raspberries (or 250g 1 frozen raspberries, thawed) 300ml low-fat custard

6

spread jam over the top of dough.

7

drain berries if necessary and arrange over jam (squash into the jam a little), leaving a 5cm strip down one of the long sides uncovered.

8

starting from the long edge that is covered with berries, roll up to form a swiss roll.

9

transfer to a rectangular cake pan.

10

combine remaining 2 tablespoons of cocoa and extra 1/2 cup of caster sugar with 1 1/4 cups boiling water; pour over roll.

11

bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

12

serve with custard.

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Real Hot Chocolate prep & cook time: 5 mins serves: 1

INSTRUCTIONS 1

using a vegetable peeler or grater, make chocolate shavings with 5g of chocolate.

2

warm milk on stove or in microwave or with milk frother.

3

roughly break remaining 20g chocolate, add to milk and stir to combine.

4

top with chocolate shavings or sprinkle with cinnamon.

INGREDIENTS 25-30g

favourite club original dark chocolate

1 1/ cups reduced-fat milk cinnamon, to serve

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