My Child Magazine April 2018 Issue

MAGAZINE.COM.AU

BLENDED FAMILIES

Listeria and pregnancy Blended Family Rules and Boundaries

Sex After Childbirth

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2018 EXCELLENCE

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ISSUE 79 - APRIL 2018

CONTENTS APRIL FEATURES

8 22 34 44 76

BLENDED FAMILY RULES AND BOUNDARIES REMARRIAGE AND BLENDING YOUR FAMILIES INTO ONE JEALOUSY ISSUE IN BLENDED FAMILIES HOW TO MAKE A BLENDED FAMILY WORK TIPS ON BEING A STEPPARENT

EVERY MONTH

6 7 106 2

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EDITOR’S LETTER

EDITOR’S PICKS

RECIPES

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MUMMY BLOG: ANOTHER DAY ANNOTHER DILEMMA

YOUR CHILD

12 30

FIVE COMMON WORRIES IN CHILDREN AND HOW TO HELP THEM THROUGH WHAT CAN LISTERIA DO TO PREGNANT WOMEN?

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60

SHOULD I LET MY CHILD BE IN THE DELIVERY ROOM

REAL READ

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OH FLOSSY

RELATIONSHIP

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76

LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX BABY - SEX AFTER CHILDBIRTH

DAD READ

50

10 THINGS TO TEACH YOUR SON ABOUT BEING A GOOD MAN

SHOPPING

56 64

WHY EVERY PARENT SHOULD READ WITH THEIR PRESCHOOLER COMMON NEWBORN AND INFANT PROBLEMS

80 88 94 100 16

FASHION: FREE-TOGROW BY TULA

SHOP KIDS FASHION

GET THE LOOK INTERIORS TOY REVIEWS

BOOK REVIEWS

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EDITOR BIANCA MEDINA

ASSISTANT EDITOR JANA ANGELES

ART DIRECTOR CRAIG BURKILL

CONTRIBUTING EXPERTS APRIL DAVIES AMY ADENEY SHEREE ECHLIN LEAH SHANNON KARLI STEENKAMP OLIVIA ARROW MADELINE MITCHELL GENIE PRICE LANCE GREEN RAYA DU PLOOY

EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES EDITORIAL@MYCHILDMAGAZINE.COM.AU

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES ADVERTISING@MYCHILDMAGAZINE.COM.AU

CONTACT: MYCHILD MAGAZINE PHONE: 0411 572 877

My Child magazine and mychildmagazine.com.au are wholly owned by MyChild 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.

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EDITOR’S

Letter Hi Peeps, Hope you’re all doing well and have been enjoying reading the My Child issues we’ve published this year!

So here we are yet again, April (just a different year – hehe). I‘ve had such a wonderful month so far. My Darling Daughter had her 3rd Birthday at the end of March over the Easters weekend and was so excited for presents and cake. It’s kind of amazing to see how much she has changed in the space of a year. Last year, Max really wasn’t into the birthday thing, she just wanted the cake and to rip the paper off the present and not even play with the toys. Fast forward 12 months and how a lot has changed. This year she was super excited and happy to tell anyone and everyone that it was her Birthday. Max’s recognition of this milestone has been pretty special and amazing to watch. I have to admit that I’m actually really curious about next year, will she ask for a specific cake, present or theme for her party? I suppose I have no choice but to wait and see what next year will bring!

Now let’s take a look at what’s in the April Issue. This month is Blended Families Issue. We introduced this theme last year and had such a positive response that we wanted to do it again. We have some great articles around this theme: Blended Family Rules and Boundaries, Remarriage and blending your families into One, Jealousy issue in Blended Families, How to make a blended family work and Tips on being a step-parent.

We also have you covered with all other areas of parent and this month’s great reads are on: What can Listeria do to a pregnant woman, Should I let my child be in the delivery room?, Common Newborn and Infant Problems, The Importance of Reading with Toddlers, 5-10 Things your child worries about that you should be aware of, 10 things to teach your son about being a good man and Sex after childbirth - what you both need to know.

All the usuals, interiors, reviews, blog and much more can also be found in this issue too.

Until next month

Bianca xxx Bianca and the mychild Team xxx

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editor

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3 2 4

5

7 6 8 9

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BLENDED FAMILY RULES AND BOUNDARIES

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BLENDED FAMILIES

Written by Jana Angeles It can take time to settle in a blended family and it’s definitely not an easy path to bunch up the kids together and expect them to get along. Setting family rules and boundaries can help your children understand what is expected from them. Though parents coming from different households have followed their own set of rules, things will change once a family becomes blended. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it does take a while to adjust for children that have been used to their own routines and lifestyles. april 2018 | mychild

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Make sure there is a line of open communication between your partner, your children and stepchildren. Try not to implement rules without the input of everybody. This way, you’ll feel like everyone has made a collaborative effort when it comes to family rules and boundaries. So, what are the main tips you should follow when implementing these?

Follow Rules Similar in Both Households Your children and your stepchildren have different views when it comes to rules. They may have come from a strict or lenient background. If you want both of them to adjust accordingly, create rules that share the same core ones they followed in their previous household. This will save time and conflict on how things were done previously and your stepchildren will appreciate your consideration when it comes to these rules.

Ensure that the rules are fair and can be followed by all of the children.

BE PATIENT WHEN IT COMES TO EVERYONE ADJUSTING It’s not going to be easy moving in with children you don’t know very well so try not to be forceful and demand too much when certain rules are broken. It saves a lot of stress and drama being patient with everyone, so try not to place such high expectations on everyone to follow these rules. Again, communication is key and always be open when it comes to discussing matters of the heart with your partner.

If you feel like you aren’t being heard or their children are being spiteful towards you, tell them about your concerns and work together to find ways in which all the children can get along in the household.

IMPLEMENT RULES THAT FOCUS ON SAFETY AND RESPECT Blended families are no different to other

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families; rules should always aim to focus on safety and respect. It’s not hard to be kind to each other and if you feel like your stepchildren are being cruel to you and your children due to jealousy or other reasons, try not to take it personally. At the end of the day, your goal is to help them reach clarity about

the situation while also being honest and kind to them. If they see this in you, hopefully in due time they will become open of the new situation and be less spiteful of you and your children. Respect and safety go hand-in-hand, so hopefully in time they will understand why they were implemented in the first place.

MAKE THE RULES VISIBLE Whether it’s writing them on a whiteboard in the living room or putting them down on paper and displaying them on the fridge, making the rules visible can give your kids a daily reminder that they are there and that they need to be followed.

Put them in a place where they can see it on a regular basis. Hopefully they will see the rules before they make a bad choice such as picking a fight with another sibling, not tidying up after themselves or adapting lazy habits. Making the rules visible can help them make better decisions and learn about actions and consequences efficiently.

ASK YOUR CHILDREN WHAT RULES THEY THINK ARE FAIR Getting the children’s opinions when it comes to the rules can be an efficient way to overcome any obstacle you may face with one another. This can be because they have a say on how the rules can be better improved accordingly. It’s important to ask them if they are fair because it gives them better control of what their ideal household rules should be. It also gives them the opportunity to find ways to adhere to the specifics and better relate to the rules as well.

In conclusion, blended family rules and boundaries aren’t any different. As long as your children respect everyone in the household, you shouldn’t run into drastic problems. However, it will take time in the long run for everybody to adjust so don’t have such high expectations in place when everyone has had a chance to settle down for a while. You need to be patient and respect to the situation; let it flow naturally and have faith that your blended family dynamics are well-developed!

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KIDS

Five common worries in children and how to help them through Written by Genie Price Life is challenging, not just for adults, but for children too. While anxiety and worry is part of our survival instinct when we are faced with a difficult or threatening situation, unfortunately, our brains and bodies don’t always react the way we anticipate, we often go into safety mode.

However, for some children, these responses can make it difficult to gain control of a situation, and without the correct supports, can escalate, affecting your child’s mental health.

WHAT IS A WORRY? A worry is something that “annoys” or “disturbs” a person. It is often something you think about repetitively and that

causes a person to feel troubled or results in feelings of anxiety.

Child therapist Natasha Daniels speaks of the importance of recognising the difference between a “normal worry” and what might be considered an “anxiety disorder”. Natasha believes this will help to determine the level of care and support you and/or a professional may need to give your child.

Child therapist Natasha Daniels speaks of the importance of recognising the difference between a “normal worry” and what might be considered an “anxiety disorder”. Natasha believes this will help to determine the level of care and support you and/or a professional may need to give your child.

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Symptoms of worry may include: • Sleeplessness • Diarrhoea • Headaches • Stomach ache • Irritability • Trouble concentrating and • Not wanting to participate in school activities or events Symptoms of anxiety disorder may include some of the above symptoms and also: • Nausea and vomiting • Pins and needles • Pounding heart and tight chest • Dizziness Here’s a list of five of the most common worries our children face and what we can do to help are: 1. MOVING HOUSE: It’s so hard to be the new kid – right? Leaving your old home and settling into a new district, state or even country – is a big worry for children. They would have already established a network of friends in their current position and leaving those friends behind, is a big deal.

What to do: • Prepare your child as much as possible by talking to them about ways you can stay in contact with these friends after you have gone, i.e. email, letters and holidays are a good example • Give emphasis to the positives about moving, such as having a bigger bedroom – or their own, a better garden, or having a great park nearby, as this may keep them excited about the move instead of feeling sad Unfortunately, unless you are a mind reader, it will be hard to detect how your child is feeling about something that might be worrying them. But, never be afraid to ask. Small 14

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worries such as the colour of their bedroom are not so difficult to help with, but larger – more persistent concerns you may need professional help with.

2. SOMETHING BAD HAPPENING TO YOU It’s a fact of life - we can’t predict what might happen today, tomorrow and in the future.

Unfortunately, something bad happening to you, especially while you are away from your family - is a common worry among children of all ages.

To combat such fears: • Tell your little ones where you are going, and what time you’re going to be back – ensure that you use the clock or a watch to support this point • If you are nervous about leaving the house, try not to show it – panic is catching • Explain that anyone who is responsible for your child’s care while you’re out, such as babysitters and afterschool clubs - they have your contact details so they can easily get hold of you if necessary 3. HOMEWORK EVERY DAY After a long day at school, the last thing your child wants to think about is how much homework has to be completed! While this worry is not usually among the more serious of worries, it happens, so you need to deal with it.

How to help: • Give your child a break before you get them head down, bum up in the school books. Let them run off some energy or do something physical as soon as they get home. Shoot some hoops, swim, or put on some music and dance.

• Encourage your child to do their best and don’t force them. The last thing you want is a child completely refusing to be engaged, as this will not help with their education in the long run • Remind them that it’s ok to make mistakes

and to ask for help, and if needed, lend a hand. While it’s not expected you complete the homework for them having a helping hand can ease the stress they may be under • If even you as a parent consider the homework sessions to be too much, speak to the teacher and work out a solution that suits everyone.

4. FAMILY WORRIES Anything which may threaten family dynamics can impact on children. From getting a new sibling, a death in the family, to parents getting divorced – all of these are known to cause confusion and periods of unrest in children.

When events such as these occur, as parents, you often become distracted, this is where familiar and consistent rules can slip.

Ways to support these changes: • Consider your child’s age and find a way to communicate with them what’s happening.

There are a “feelings” series of books which may help you and your child work through this together • Remind them at all times, that any arguments that are being had – are not their fault • Consider family therapy or counselling sessions if it has become a situation which is beyond your control 5. BULLYING Unfortunately, being bullied is one of the top 5 reasons your child will worry, it’s a serious one and it’s on the rise.

Bullying is in schools, at the office and more recently, on the internet!

Statistics indicate that 1 in 4 children aged between 7-11 years of age will experience bullying at some point during their schooling.

The sad fact about your child being bullied is, that most children will stay silent about it, from fear of being called a “nark.” The other truth is, bullying can result in serious psychological harm to children of all and any age – therefore, early detection is critical.

Ways to help: • From an early age let your children know they can talk to you about anything, good things and bad – make time to have discussions which are open and honest • Educate your children on how to keep themselves safe during these times. Remind them it is ok to stick up for themselves • Find out about and understand your local school’s anti-bullying policies, and use them if you need to For more information about how to help your child through being bullied, please visit: https:// www.ncab.org.au/get-help/ All children have fears. Some may persist, taking away all sense of what is real and what is not. Talk it through with your child and reassure them. Help them to build on their coping strategies and problem solving in order to overcome these challenges and gain a sense of control back in their lives.

NB: If you or anyone you know is faced with persistent worry or anxiety, please seek guidance and professional support from your local doctor or support centre.

References: https://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/mental-healthmatters/social-and-emotional-learning/ emotional-development/fears-and-worries https://healthyfamilies.beyondblue.org.au/ age-6-12/mental-health-conditions-in-children/ anxiety https://www.anxioustoddlers.com/worries-byage/

Book Reviews

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Book Reviews LITTLE FISH SERIES Written & Illustrated by Lucy Cousins Inspired by the success of her 2005 title Hooray for Fish!, which sold over 1 million copies, children’s book creator Lucy Cousins has released three new titles about the main character, Little Fish. Count with Little Fish and Where is Little Fish? are both full of flaps to lift and surprises to discover. I am Little Fish uses a finger puppet and peek-a-boo holes to create an engaging reading experience that young children will love.

These interactive board books, filled with Cousins’ signature bold illustrations, are fantastic to share with readers from birth to three years.

THESE ARE ANIMALS Written & Illustrated by Daniel Egnéus This is a fantastic book for animal-lovers, which takes readers on a tour of popular animal habitats – woodlands, rainforest, ocean, and polar region. Each animal is introduced by one of its memorable traits - we encounter deer prancing, penguins sliding and zebras showing off zig zag stripes. The whimsical, humourous illustrations bring the animals to life, making this a fun book to share with children aged 2-5.

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GOLD 2018

AUSTRALIA’S TOP PARENTING MAG

MR MO STARTS TO GROW Written & Illustrated by Laura Stitzel Mr Mo is a soft and squishy little monster with whom Jane shares all her adventures. But when Mr Mo begins to inexplicably grow, he becomes so big that he fears he will scare Jane, and so he hides himself away, much to Jane’s dismay.

Eventually, a thunderstorm reunites the friends, and they understand that no matter what their size, the most important thing is that they are always together. Mr Mo is a beautifully illustrated, endearing character who will charm readers aged 2-6.

ERIC MAKES A SPLASH Written & Illustrated by Emily MacKenzie Eric is a worrier from way back, but an invitation to a swimming party sends Eric’s worries into overdrive. With the help of his friend Flora, Eric learns that swimming isn’t as scary as he imagined, and he then uses his newfound bravery to help Flora conquer her own fear.

This lively tale will appeal to readers aged 3-6, and is a wonderful book to inspire children to overcome their fears.

REVIEWED

by

www.busybookworms.com.au april 2018 | mychild

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BLENDED FAMILIES

Remarriage and blending your families into One

By Karli Steenkamp Finding a second chance on love is a dream come true. However it can turn into a nightmare before your honeymoon starts, especially if children are involved. Blended families can be complex. A blended family is when one adult has a child from a previous relationship or both. It can be a challenge to get everyone to get along, but many couples have found the right balance to make it a success. It will take patience and endurance.

You and your partner need to take a few things into consideration on how to make this work and to support one another. There are many things to think about and to keep in mind.

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CHALLENGES OF BLENDED FAMILIES: LIVING ARRANGEMENTS The living arrangements will be one of the biggest obstacles you and your partner will have to overcome. Whether you have children that stay with you permanently or only certain times of the week, this will take some consideration. The children will either move into a new house or have their house invaded by other people. This occurrence has an enormous impact on their lives. For years they have had their own way of doing things, their own rules and routines and they know that this most likely will change as well as their position in the family. They might now suddenly be the oldest or youngest or even that feared middle child.

There are a few ways to make this transition a little smoother. Ensure that each family member has their special space. This will make them feel like they belong; it doesn’t matter if they are there 7 days a week or one. Embrace everyone’s differences. Come up with about two – more than that can be overwhelming – rules together as a family, by getting everyone’s input.

Set clear expectations about how you both expect them to behave.

GETTING TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER BETTER Everyone met each other and knows each other by the time you move in together.

But moving in means it is a permanent arrangement and there can be a few conflicting emotions from the children’s side.

To try and make the transition a little easier, set up a family tradition that everyone enjoys, like a board game or movie night.

This is fun and will help everyone relax. Make sure each child feels loved and valued.

It can help to spend quality time alone with your partner’s child, without your own 24

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children. Children might feel like you are trying to replace the parent not living with you. It is important that you tell that child that you will never replace that parent as they also play a special role in their lives and you want a complete different role in their life. They might even feel guilty if they like or love you or even if they don’t. They will need reassurance through these phases and you and your partner will need patience as the children works through these emotions.

SUPPORTING EACH OTHER The divorce rate amongst remarriage couples is higher than the normal divorce rate. Many couples expect things to settle quickly and give up too soon when it gets hard. However this is not an easy road, but both of you need to support one another.

It is important that neither of you ever bad mouth the ex-partner(s) before the children as this will cause them to pick sides.

As the ‘other’ parent it is important that you first build a strong relationship with the child of your partner before you try and discipline them. Leave the disciplining to the biological parent, but support your partner so that

the children can see both of you are on the same side. It can even help to speak to the ex-partner and explain that you regard his or her special role in the child’s life and don’t want to replace them.

You and your partner needs time apart from all the madness now and then to regroup and rekindle the love flame. A good balance between being there for the children and each other is much need.

Through this process of blending your families into one and making a new special family, you need to be realistic about your expectations and know that there is no short-cut. Look after each other as a couple, otherwise all the drama was for nothing.

These new relationships will take time; it can take a couple of years for everyone to settle into their role in the family. If you and your partner feel that no tactics are working it might be necessary to seek professional help from a therapist. Australia Counselling can provide details of a therapist best suited for your needs. Stepfamilies Australia also has a few resources worth looking at. Let the relationships take its natural course. There is no easy way and can be a rocky road but it will be all worth it in the end.

Reference: Stepfamily: Lisa & John Zeleznikow, Australia Counselling: Blended Families – The challenges with stepfamilies AIPC Article Library, Parent line The West: How blended families can work

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The Mummy Blog BY: SHEREE ECHLIN

Another day, another dilemma Deep breaths. It’s something I have to tell myself quite often these days thanks to my attitude riddled teen….ahhh sorry I mean my four-year-old daughter. Yep, she’s only fouryears-old, but I swear there’s a teenager in there trying to escape already! Do you ever feel like you just can’t win?! I mean with your kids, of course. The rest of your life is always another story. Every day there’s a new battle, sometimes a different angle but usually over the same things. Honestly who’s running this show? I think I’m the one in charge. But, with two little ladies (ahem) running around, it’s hard to tell some days.

They like to boss me around in order to get their own way. Think clothes, food, watching TV, going out and so on. They do win me over some times, others not so much. Okay, so they may get their own way a little more than necessary but Mummy needs to save her sanity as much as possible!

Watching your child have a meltdown because they asked for a peanut butter sandwich and you have given them a peanut butter sandwich but it’s not the one they wanted, is just on another level altogether. It’s like those memes you see where a child has had their toast cut into squares and not triangles. It’s pretty much game over. It’s not like it tastes any different but the world is ending and the expressions on their faces are pretty much like their lives are over. It can be quite funny and at times, it’s hard not to laugh when my girls are losing it. I know it doesn’t help the child in crisis, but it certainly makes you feel better and stops you from joining them. I’ve thought about turning the tables on my girls many times and throwing a tantrum to see how they react, but I think it might not go so well! Plus, I think I’d look pretty funny (or ridiculous) banging my fists and feet on the floor. Isn’t it a case of if you can’t beat them, join them? (haha!)

I quite often say they’re lucky I love them.

I wouldn’t not love my girls, but there are times I’m not so sure I like them. Lately I’ve been called a “bum bum head” more times than I’d like to count. They certainly don’t like it when I’ve called them the same in return. It’s a bit childish I know, but I am trying to explain the not so nice side of name calling. It works for about five seconds (goldfish memory style) and we’re back to square one. You can only try

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right?! Try, again and again and again and again. That’s what parenting is, repeating yourself over and over again until they leave home?

I must admit, the house is pretty quiet (and clean!) when they aren’t around. I’m sure every mum out there is nodding in agreement. There’s nothing better than that five minutes (or a little bit longer… you can only hope) where the house is clean and there is no washing to be done.

It’s like heaven on Earth! That feeling of accomplishment, which quickly disappears the minute a child steps foot back in the door. It’s at that moment you admit defeat and the cycle starts again. Although I do feel I’m starting to make a little headway when it comes to packing things (the millions of toys, books and miscellaneous items) away. It involves bribery of course (haha!). It’s amazing what a child will do for a little “treat”. What that treat is varies on how big a clean up is involved. The bit I hate is checking out the “packing up” effort and having to smile/nod/give the thumbs up and say “great job girls” when my nervous OCD twitch is kicking in at the pile of toys in a random place. It’s the thought that counts I have to tell myself as I handover the promised “treat”. I think I might have to come up with some better bribery attempts, the reward for their efforts feels a little too….easy (haha!).

It’s a tough gig and not one that everyone takes in their stride. Whether anyone tells you or not, you’re doing an amazing job, I mean they are still alive, aren’t they??!

Keep smiling and when all else fails get some wine and chocolate, it’ll make you feel better long enough to survive the next stage! Head on over to my blog at shereeechlin.com and until next time, keep enjoying the ride!

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What can Listeria do to pregnant women?

By Karli Steenkamp Shopping, sonograms, decorating and choosing names are one of your most important priorities when you are pregnant, while trying to eat healthy and drink vitamin supplements. But what if eating healthy is causing a risk not only to you but to your baby?

If you suspect you might have been exposed to Listeria phone your doctor immediately. If treated early enough, your doctor can prescribe antibiotics that are safe during pregnancy and can prevent Listeria from spreading to your baby. Babies with Listeria can also be treated successfully.

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PREGNANCY

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WHAT FOODS TO AVOID? It is important to rather stay safe when you are pregnant and avoid the following foods: • • • • • • • • •

Pre-cooked or uncooked seafood Deli meats and pre-cooked chicken Pâté’s Stored salads (including fruit salad) Seed sprouts Unpasteurized juice and pre-cut fruit Unpasteurized milk Soft cheeses Soft-serve ice cream

HOW TO BE SAFE? • Eat a nutritious diet to stay as healthy as you can.

• Don’t let food stand for long periods of time, because that gives Listeria enough time to grow to make you sick.

• Eat cooked meat and seafood.

• Cook food yourself other than buying precooked meat.

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• Put food in the refrigerator as soon as possible and consume within two days.

• If you eat left over’s make sure you heat it properly to kill any bacteria • Wash your fruit and vegetable.

It can be an overwhelming thought to watch what you eat and think of all the dangers to you and your unborn baby. Luckily there are many things that you have power over, like keeping healthy by having a nutritious diet and drinking vitamins. Be mindful of what you eat without worrying about it. Enjoy your pregnancy, but be aware of certain dangerous and how to avoid it. Luckily in today’s advance world we live in, infections can easily be treated and keep you and your baby safe.

References Nutrition Australia: Listeria - The facts NSW: Food Authority My Dr. com

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BLENDED FAMILIES

JEALOUSY ISSUE IN BLENDED FAMILIES Written by Jana Angeles The issue of jealousy is common in all blended families. If your partner has children from their previous relationship, you can feel like you’re a second priority when it comes to them. It’s hard to manage your priorities when you want to make both parties equally happy. sometimes it doesn’t feel that way. It’s important to recognise jealousy as an issue earl y on in the relationship and to communicate your feelings with your partner.

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Even though you understand where they’re coming from, it doesn’t mean they should exclude you from everything. Jealousy is a top relationship killer and it’s not healthy to have that feeling hover you on a daily basis. Here are some ways where you can overcome jealousy and improve the relationship between your partner and the children: FIGURE OUT WHAT IS CAUSING IT The main priority is figure out what is causing the jealousy in the first place.

Assuming that the jealousy is coming from you, recognise if it has anything to do with your own insecurities and if you feel like the needs of your partner are not being met on their end of the relationship.

Recognising the root of the problem can help you figure out where the jealousy is stemming from, either from internal or external forces within your life.

WORK ON YOURSELF If you’ve been through a divorce in your previous relationship and remarried with a partner who has children, you might feel like you have to impress them even more and rely on their validation and acceptance. Furthermore, if you have low self-esteem issues, find ways that can boost your mood - whether it’s taking yourself out to lunch or shopping for a new wardrobe.

Learning to love yourself is a hard thing to do but you’ll find that your life improves so much because you’re putting less pressure on yourself and aren’t worried about what people think of you. Avoid the comparison trap and don’t feel like you’re being shortchanged when it comes to your relationships. Coming from a blended family has its challenges but it’s not without its rewards!

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BE PROACTIVE Be proactive when it comes to the jealousy issue and don’t be passive aggressive and take out your anger on your partner and children. Taking initiative of the problem can benefit you to find healthy solutions in dealing with the jealousy. Instead of wallowing in self-pity and repressing your feelings, have an honest conversation and try to improve your lifestyle by adding activities that boost your mentality and confidence in yourself. It’s important to feel

like you’re not at a loss and that you can progress and not feel jealous anymore!

CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE If you’ve been clouded with judgement over in the past and it hasn’t benefited you or the people you care about, it’s time to improve your state of mind and be open to new things! Even though change isn’t easy for most people, it can greatly improve the dynamics of your personal life and you can learn new core values and lessons in life.

When we become jealous, it’s instinctive for us to assume that another person is wrong and we’re automatically right. Being open to change and gaining a different perspective can help you grow as a person. It can also help you become aware of how jealousy affects the people you love and will help you be empathetic towards them.

CREATE GOOD MEMORIES If you find it challenging to establish a positive relationship with your partner’s children or feel like you don’t fit in with their family dynamics, put in the effort and see how you go. Being positive and kind goes a long way and your partner’s children can start to become fond of you. Instilling positivity is much easier than wallowing in jealousy and feeling like you’re not getting the attention you deserve.

Imagine you’re in your partner’s shoes and see it from their point of view on how much the struggle in keeping balance with you and their kids. It isn’t easy managing both but their children come as a first priority. Instead of being bitter, be grateful for what you have because as a step parent, you can add value to your partner and their children’s lives.

Jealousy is bound to be felt in blended families and something we can’t avoid if the issue itself isn’t sorted immediately.

Remember that jealousy makes us blind and can make others look like they’re in the wrong. In this case, we shouldn’t assume people are doing wrong by us and have the best intentions. Give yourself the opportunity to work on yourself and try to establish meaningful connections with your stepchildren and be understanding of the needs and wants of your partner.

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GLOBBER EVO COMFORT has you covered for years!

From pushchair to walking bike to scooter, it grows with your child The all new GLOBBER EVO COMFORT is the one and only scooter your child will need in the early years. This scooter converts from pushchair, to walking bike to a pre-schooler’s scooter, and eventually an older child’s scooter, saving you retail time and money.

As a parent you are constantly having to re-buy items your child has outgrown. Whether it’s shoes, clothing, toys or even eating and drinking implements, there seems to be a never ending list of things they need. Replacing such items is expenisve and time consuming. Globber understands you’ve got better things to do with your time and money. The Evo Comfort easily transitions to grow with your child for years.

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TODDLER

When your child is starting out set the GLOBBER EVO COMFORT to ‘walking bike’ mode, including T-bar handles for parents and footrest for your child. As they grow more confident remove the footrest and your child can help push along with their feet. When they are ready, remove the T-bar and let your child zoom along in pushchair mode, without assistance from mum and dad.

Onto the next transition, to get ‘scooter-ready’ simply remove the seat section and insert the T-bar to the front. Use the steering lock at first until they get the hang of it. Finally, adjust the height of the T-bar as your child grows.

The French designed Globber scooters look great and are designed for comfort. In pushchair and walking bike mode an extra wide oval shaped seat with high rise back makes for a super comfy ride for children. Parents are also considered in this clever design. The T-bar held by parents is adjustable to four differents heights, so no matter how tall or short mum or dad are, there will a comfortable holding position.

Safety is always top of mind for Globber designers.

For newbies the EVO COMFORT steering lock button will prevent wheels from turning, making it easier to learn on. Once the child has mastered scooting in a straight line, unlock the wheels and encourage them try turning.

The new EVO COMFORT is designed to easily adapt to the needs, growth and experience of your child, while providing them with a safe learning environment.

Choose from three bright colours; blue, pink and green for $200. Optional light up wheels and other Globber accessories are available from independent retailers and www.globber.com.au.

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RELATIONSHIP

Let’s talk about sex,baby Written by Genie Price So, you just welcomed a new baby!

Congratulations. But what is it that most women think about after a baby? For most, it’s not sex, in fact, it’s more than likely to be sleep!

And, while leaky breasts and sleepless nights will impact on your sexual relationship don’t be alarmed. It doesn’t have to be the be all and end all. It’s at these times where patience is key and a little understanding can go a long way to preparing you to have your “first time” all over again.

HOW SOON CAN I HAVE SEX? Whether your new bundle arrived naturally or by C-section, recovering from the birth of your newborn can take some time. While most midwives will advise that you can resume sex as early as 4-6 weeks after the birth, hormones can wreak havoc on your body and affect how you feel about yourself and the “S” word.

THE ONLY TIMELINE IS YOUR OWN: Although intimacy is important in a relationship, so is how you feel about it.

During the post-partum process, take your time to assess the array of emotions you are experiencing and put these at the forefront.

If you’re not sure about something - ask for help from a professional. Also, remember • Don’t compare yourself to others who you may find are not being truthful about their situation in the first place • Don’t feel pressured, by anyone. Many women report having sex after pregnancy before they were ready - with “being pressured” one of the main reasons • Don’t feel like you should “get it over and done with” as this can lead to an uncomfortable experience (if your body isn’t ready) and then may lead to more feelings of resentment and frustration at a later date • Not wanting or feeling like being intimate is perfectly natural occurrence HOW DOES EACH TYPE OF BIRTH AFFECT

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SEX? Having a baby affects woman differently and just because you may not be ready to dive back into the sack straight away, doesn’t mean you don’t love your partner.

Helping him to understand what’s happening to your body is a good way to establish what you are comfortable exploring.

Here are a few things to discuss with your partner: • Having a natural birth will mean you will be tired and with tiredness comes lack of confidence • You may have experienced a tear or “cut” during labour (episiotomy) and need stitches, therefore, you will feel sore. Your partner will need to be patient, as after two weeks, soreness should have reduced and by six weeks, post-partum bleeding would have stopped.

• Natural birth can also leave you feeling bruised and tender in and around the vagina. After the green light has been given, ensure that you are well aroused and lubricated and ask your man to take it easy.

• Unfortunately, for various reasons, sex after childbirth - can hurt. Hormonal changes may cause a dry, tender vagina, especially if you’re breastfeeding. After a C-section – you have a new scar to be mindful of and tears and bruising from labour if you went all natural.

• If you had a C-section, you may have concerns about resuming sex again.

You might be worried about sporting a new scar or whether that wound will hurt during sex. Talk your fears through with him and if you have to replace the “man on top” position, you can always try spooning for a gentler approach.

• Using these first few weeks to get to know your baby is a good idea. Knowing your baby will mean you can choose

a time when you’re least likely to be disturbed – after a feed, for example.

In the long run, enabling a smoother transition back into intimacy.

Other techniques for easing discomfort: • Start with cuddling, kissing or massage, to help with lubrication • Start slow and gradually build the intensity of stimulation • Be inventive and try different positions to take pressure off any sore areas and control penetration • Gently explore your own vagina to find if there are any areas which may hurt • If all else fails – try alternatives to vaginal intercourse, such as oral or manual stimulation, at least until healing is complete.

• Tell your partner what does and doesn’t feel good - this will help with avoiding any pain • Try emptying your bladder or take a warm bath beforehand

• Take pain relief beforehand if you think it will help But, most importantly, try to have fun while focussing on the task at hand - not the dirty nappies, the laundry or any other household chores!

NB: If sex continues to be painful, consult your doctor about treatment options.

WILL IT FEEL DIFFERENT? After childbirth, decreased muscle tone in the vagina might occur. This can reduce pleasurable friction during sex and therefore, make it feel different. However, this is usually only temporary.

WHAT CAN HELP? Kegel exercises can!

For more information on Kegel exercises please see: http://www.pelvicfloorfirst.org. au/pages/pelvic-floor-muscle-exercises-forwomen.html Intimacy and lack of can impact any relationship. But, getting used to a new baby and a new life with a baby can take some adjustment. By being open and honest with your partner - should help ease any anxieties you have.

While it’s important to take care of your relationship in a sexual sense, what’s most important is that you also take care of own well-being.

Enjoy your new baby and when you are ready – you can have the best of both worlds.

About the Author: Welcome! I am by no means a medical expert, but I am the mother of two boys!

This article has been written with all mothers in mind.

How To Make A Blended Family Work Written by Jana Angeles

BLENDED FAMILIES

Blended families have unique dynamics when it comes to personal relationships. Though it can be difficult to settle your children immediately when it comes to a new home environment, it’s important that you and your partner work together as a team and show your children how to create a harmonious balance. Reaching the stage of settling can take a lot of work and time but in order to do this, you must be willing to be open and flexible for your children to agree with the rules you implement. To ensure that they adapt to them efficiently, try to stick to a few before introducing new ones. Otherwise, blended families with strong foundations can strengthen family ties, allowing room for maturity and love for the people you can call family, despite not being blood-related.

AVOID MAKING TOO MANY CHANGES To avoid confusion and miscommunication, try not to make too many changes when it comes to the rules you implement with your children. If there are too many rules to follow, they can easily forget and avoid sticking to them. You don’t want them to make excuses so implement a rules system that works for everyone, not just ones you and your children have followed in your previous household.

Be open to other ideas and rules and see if they can stick to two or three solid ones that promote respect and safety.

GET TO KNOW YOUR PARTNER’S CHILDREN Assuming that your partner has children, it’s a sign of respect to show them that you’re friendly and approachable. Although it can be awkward at first, it’s awesome to start realising their likes and dislikes. These can be wonderful conversation starters and can help “break the ice” a bit. It’s important that they know that you genuinely want to spend time with them and value their company.

Furthermore, don’t take it personally if they are cold and spiteful towards you at the

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beginning. Just remember they may be hurt in the past or just haven’t fully accepted you just yet. Be patient and let them warm up to you at their own pace.

ENCOURAGE RESPECT Rules don’t mean anything unless they promote the quality of respect. Blended families may find this to be difficult at first

because of the changes that happen in the first place. Again, it could take time for others to reach full acceptance of the situation due to the adjustments being made. If you and your partner are bringing both of your children under the same room, solidify rules that they can follow to encourage respect.

Avoid Placing High Expectations

With the family dynamics changing in blended families, having high expectations from you, your partner or children is not applicable. It takes time to adjust and you shouldn’t expect others to fully adapt to these changes unless you’ve communicated the rules and etiquettes properly. High expectations can ruin relationships because they strive for perfection and this can create an unhealthy mindset within the family. Let things take their course and take it one day at a time. You don’t expect rainbows and butterflies at first, this applies to blended families too!

HANG OUT AS A FAMILY Just because the dynamics of a blended family are different doesn’t make it less of a family. Do your best to ignore societal pressures and the opinions of other people.

Do fun activities together and make positive memories you’ll remember for a lifetime. It may be difficult at first to get used to each other, but it also helps to know that you can build bonds over time. It takes work and consistency to encourage fun activities for the children to participate in. Be creative and make the most of the time you have with one another. The more creative the adventure, the more memorable it will be! Engaging in real life experiences can help build trust, knowledge and love within the blended family.

Overall, the dynamics of a blended family need to be nurtured but for that to happen, working with your partner and communicating with your children should be the main priorities. Like any other family, building the foundations of trust and love takes time and patience. All of you need to overcome the challenges to make way for the rewarding moments of the family.

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Pramrolla is the Answer to a Happy Baby and Thankful Parents Settling a baby can sometimes be more of a challenge than what you’d expect. Babies develop the skills to self-settle within the first year of life, but what can you do in the first 12 months if your baby needs your help?

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Ask any parent for advice around this topic and each one will give you different advice, but at some point, they will tell you to either put baby in a pram to go for a walk or maybe even jumping in the car and go for a drive all in the name of helping to get your baby settled and drift off to sleep. However, if you’re time poor because your parenting more than one child or because of work commitments, then this advice can be a double-edged sword. Should you keep your baby happy and sacrifice quality time with your other children or fall behind in your work commitments?

Thanks to the Pramrolla, you won’t have to choose. Pramrolla is simply a little genius of a device that re-creates the sensation of a pram-walk or car drive without actually

PRODUCT REVIEW going anywhere. Yep you heard me, without going anywhere!

WHAT IS THE PRAMROLLA? Pramrolla was designed so that baby feels like they are going for a walk when in fact the pram stays in the same spot, just with one of its wheels spinning!

Pramrolla is a small electrical appliance that produces a very gentle vibration and a low level white noise from the motor. The device sits under a wheel of any 3 or 4-wheel full size pram and spins that wheel which creates the same white motion through the pram that the baby feels on a normal pram ride around the streets or when in a moving car.

HOW DOES IT WORK? Firstly, let me just say it’s super easy to use and set up. Once you’ve unpack the device, you will need to set up on the floor near a power point and plug the cord into the power outlet and connect to the Pramrolla.

Make sure that the swivel function on the front wheels of your pram are in the locked position and then guide the pram onto the Pramrolla wheel slot. If you are using a 4-wheel pram, make sure that you use the support block under the other stationary front wheel.

Once your pram is on the Pramrolla, activate your back-wheel brakes, place baby into their preferred reclined sleeping position and once baby is safely secured in the pram, you can turn on the power and use the speed control dial to rotate the wheel to the required speed.

Here’s what a few mum’s that used the Pramrolla had to say: “WOW - I love this product! I have a 6-month-

old and she loves a good walk to get her to settled. I feel guilty leaving my other child at home when we go for long walks. All that changed when we started using the Pramrolla.

Plug it in and off she goes. I cover her pram in a sunshade, so she can’t see where she is going, and she has been falling asleep in 10-15 mins and the best part, she stays asleep for a good 90 mins. Thanks Pramrolla for giving me back some time to spend with my son.”

“I was a complete sceptic of the Pramrolla, could this really work? Well to my amazement it does. I still take my son for a short 10 min walk to get him to sleep and then head home and pop his pram on the Pramrolla on a medium setting and he stays asleep for a good hour or more.”

“Having a newborn is hard work, especially when they don’t sleep well. I’ve used this device for a week so far and “oh” the changes it’s made to my life. Baby loves her pram and going for walks so when I need to catch up on housework and have a nap myself, I’ve been using the Pramrolla to settle her and it works a treat. Love this and would definitely recommend to my friends with newborns” Pramrolla is the answer to many parent’s prayers. When you’re just too exhausted to take baby for a walk and need a little bit of rest yourself, let the Pramrolla help you out.

As the device also meets the AUS/NZ safety standards, you can rest assured and have peace of mind that your little one will be safe.

Pramrolla is suitable for all babies up to around 12 months of age, and especially for those who love to sleep in a pram or car.

www.pramrolla.com.au

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10 THINGS TO TEACH YOUR SON ABOUT BEING A GOOD MAN Written by Lance Green Kids these days have brains that work like sponges: whatever you communicate with them and action you show towards them, they will try to mimic and adapt the same ways as you. You have to be careful because what they learn these days is all on you! Our sons all have the potential to grow up and be a good man. Even if we’ve gone through our hardships and never had strong male role models to look up to in life (some aren’t as lucky as others), we as fathers have the responsibility to instill good values that our sons can adapt to. Here are ten things you should start teaching your son now in order to be a good man when they’re older:

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DAD READ

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TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY Owning up to our mistakes is a big learning curve we all must go through. Our actions will always have consequences so the act of being responsible is never something we should bluff. Our sons deserve to learn the beauty of responsibility and to never underestimate the power of it!

EMBRACE VULNERABILITY We live in a society where a man seen crying or being emotional is stigmatised and we need to stop thinking that this is a sign of weakness. We are all human and are allowed to express how we feel in any situation we go through. Vulnerability isn’t something our sons should be ashamed of. If anything, they should embrace it!

TO BE A RESPECTFUL LISTENER Listening is the greatest asset you’ll ever have and it takes time and patience to be a good one. It’s easier to talk and share advice when it comes to our mates but it’s a different story when we’re trying to hear the concerns of your partner. Being a respectful listener can teach your son how to empathise with other people and to show how powerful it is to be heard by another person.

GENEROSITY The gift of giving is beautiful and we shouldn’t expect anything in return when it comes to our own generosity. Our sons need to be taught this so they understand how kindness can deeply affect others in a positive way.

Being a man is also about giving back to those that are less fortunate than ourselves so getting involved in community work, charity and offering a helping hand can teach our sons the gift of time.

RESPECT Showing respect to our family and friends is what our sons should learn first. It also means finding the time to respect themselves and

to never underestimate the power of their own actions. If they don’t learn to respect themselves, how will they learn to respect others? Self-respect is another quality a good man has and you shouldn’t be afraid to be clear with your sons when it comes to this.

TO BE TRUSTWORTHY Building trust is an important foundation in all relationships. Our sons need to learn that lies and deceit will get them nowhere and it will only lead to bigger problems when it comes to their personal life. Being a trustworthy person will take them far in not only their relationships but also in their professional life too.

HONESTY Telling the truth can help your son develop the courage to handle challenging situations, especially when it involves being honest with another person. Honesty is another quality that builds a strong and healthy relationship.

Even as fathers, we have to set the example of honesty to our sons when it comes to our relationships with our partners. It’s the only way they can learn about what it means to tell it how it is.

SELF-DISCIPLINE Unfortunately, there will be times when your son gets older and you won’t be there to protect them anymore when it comes to potential vices including alcohol, drugs, gambling and illegal activity. You need to constantly keep this in check with our sons because without self-discipline, they will fall into the trap of peer pressure and the expectations they have from their friends. Each decision they make will have consequences so explain the effects of all of the activities mentioned and remind them to not involve themselves in activities they know are toxic. It will give them the chance to realise the beauty of self-discipline and have more control over how they should live life.

CONTROL HIS TEMPER If you have anger problems of your own, it’s important to take initiative in terms of managing your temper and to take care of what you say around the people you care about when you’re in a bad mood. Our sons all look up to us when it comes to our behaviour so it’s important they can manage their temper when things don’t go their way.

We understand that frustrations get the best of us, but it’s important to take the wheel and be the bigger person despite our anger. We can’t control the things that change but we sure can change our attitude.

TAKING CARE OF HIMSELF With family obligations taking place and the pressures of work and other things, we sometimes forget to take care of ourselves.

Our sons need to learn that self-care is important and one that we can’t ignore.

Taking care of our mental and physical wellbeing does wonders so learning how to do this can help us take better care of the people we love.

Being a good man isn’t easy in a world where there’s evil that can trap us into bad decision-making. Raising our sons to become men of the future can help us realise our own imperfections and to work tirelessly in making improvements on ourselves and the values we want to sustain. Growing in a positive environment and being a good male role model can help our sons be the best people they can be and that’s all we could ever ask for.

The High Chair Food Catcher You Never Knew You Needed!

If you’ve been fortunate enough to experienced baby and toddler’s meal times, you’ll know that it can be a very messy affair! If you haven’t hit this milestone yet, beware!

As a child learns to feed themselves, it’s completely normal for meal times to be messy. It takes a child a lot of time, practice and muscle coordination to learn the art of getting food from their plate/ bowl and into their mouths without making an incredible mess, so expect a few spills along the way!

For what’s perceived as such a simple chore, feeding your child can end up being a parent’s worst nightmare. From the drop and spills, cleaning up after your child has eaten can often take longer than it took to cook their meal. Well there’s good news, Mumma’s Little Helpers is making meal time easier and most importantly cleaner for parents around the world.

Mumma’s Little Helpers have developed an

award winning High Chair Food Catcher that every parent that’s about to embark on the chapter of self-feeding needs to have. This handy must have is super easy to use and turning cleaning up after meal times into a pleasure.

HOW DOES THE HIGH CHAIR FOOD CATCHER WORK? • It attaches with hook and loop strips to any four-legged high chair. The hook and loop attachments on the tray are strategically located so even when your little one can reach them, it’s challenging for them to try to detach.

• It hangs out the sides and out the front of the High Chair, so the food doesn’t drop and SPLAT onto the floor.

• It catches all food that is dropped into your child’s lap and left to be discovered later (think squished banana).

• It’s long enough at the front so it’s won’t bother your little one and doesn’t restrict their leg movements.

PRODUCT REVIEW • It’s easy to clean up after meals. Just take your Little One out and wipe all the food off the seat and tray into the catcher.

Scoop the food out of the catcher while it is still attached, and leave it attached until it’s time to throw in the wash or wipe down.

Your Food Catcher will last through many years of discarded lovingly prepared meatballs and broccoli for many children.

It’s completely waterproof, durable and made from a high-quality cotton PUL (think cloth nappy and nappy bag material).

The Food Catcher really will make meal times and clean up much easier reducing both time taken and your stress levels.

Hear what other Mum’s had to say about the Mumma’s Little Helpers Food Catcher:

FANTASTIC PRODUCT Wish we had of go it sooner, best invention ever!

Tara K. AMAZING PRODUCT! Amazing product! Has saved so much cleaning after meal time! Thank you!

Bec L I CAN’T BELIEVE I WAITED SO LONG TO BUY THIS! This is a fantastic product. It comes with everything needed to fit any chair and it catches everything my daughter drops or spills. It’s simple to clean and I honestly cannot believe the time I’ve wasted wiping the floor when I could have just used this. Such a fantastic and necessary tool!

Lindsey P MUMMA’S LITTLE HELPERS Excellent customer service. The product itself is wonderful and makes meal times much less painful. It’s easy to clean and it looks awesome. I highly recommend this product, and company.

Belinda R If you’re wanting to make meal times easier and cleaner, look no further. Considered an ‘absolute necessity,’ Mumma’s Little Helpers High Chair Food Catchers are waterproof, wipeable and machine washable sanity savers that create a ‘catch zone’ for food to be dropped and flung down the front, sides, lap…. and avoids ‘the splat’ on the floor.

The Mumma’s Little Helpers High Chair Food Catchers have been nominated in the 2018 My Child Excellence Awards. Show your support and VOTE for them in the Favourite Feeding Accessories!

Why every parent should read with their preschooler!

Tips, tricks and passionate advice from Madeline Mitchell, Primary School Teacher and Owner of Hi IQ Tutoring.

“You can find magic wherever you look, sit back and relax, all you need is a book” - Dr Seuss Time to switch off the TV, turn off the music and hide the ‘screens’. Dr Seuss said it best, “all we need is a book!”

Let’s get reading with our preschoolers!

We need to make time to read to our preschool children! Many kids may find it difficult to sit still for the duration of an entire book, but we need to persist and make reading a fun, exciting experience for our children so that we are developing a love of stories and creativity from a young age.

Not only is reading with your child a beautiful bonding experience for you to share together and an excellent way to calm busy minds and bodies before bed, reading to your child also has amazing educational benefits you probably haven’t even considered!

TODDLER

Reading to your preschooler is a critical part of their early literacy development. Through the simple act of sitting together, turning the pages and listening to you read, your child is developing a range of skills and early reading behaviors!

If you spend time reading books with your preschooler, you are modelling early reading strategies that your child will need to succeed in reading in Kindergarten. Simple observations such as the front of the book, the use of pictures and words, turning the page and reading from left to right! You are modelling correct reading practices that your child is observing and will try to imitate!

Picking quality picture books is also important in early literacy development! Choose books with lovely pictures that you can talk to your child about and get them making predictions about the stories and what might happen next.

CHOOSE BOOKS WITH PLOTS, SETTINGS, complications and interesting characters that can become discussion points! Read the book for enjoyment and entertainment, but also use it as a tool to talk to your child about themes and issues that may arise eg feeling scared, the first day of school nerves, friendships etc.

While you are reading to your child, they are following along - decoding pictures and possibly words, learning about basic structures of narratives, character development and real word settings!

Words that rhyme and language development is another key benefit of reading to your child.

By listening to you read, your child is hearing fluency, expression and being exposed to a range of new vocabulary! Talk about new words and what they mean so that your child understands and can begin to use these new words in their conversations.

READ FOR ENJOYMENT! Read books multiple times and form rituals around

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books! Many children love reading before bed and visiting the library to borrow and read books. Many libraries even offer ‘storytime’ for preschoolers to explore books an engage with genres!

When you read to your child, the following tips are excellent early reading strategies that you can begin teaching your preschooler: • Talk about the title of the book - ask your child ‘why do you think the story is called this?’

• Flick through the book and have a quick look at the pictures. Children are more attentive during a story if they know what is happening next. This is why kids love reading books multiple times • Talk about the pictures - the use of colours, what is happening, how the characters might feel etc • Read through the story and ask your child to make predictions about what might happen next • Ask your child to retell what happened in the story, can they sequence the story?

• Talk about vocabulary and any new words • Read with expression and fluency, pausing at full stops and capital letters • If your child has memorised part of the book, encourage them to join in • Discuss your favourite parts of the story and how certain characters might feel • Read regularly!

Developing a love for reading at a young age is such a huge advantage for preschoolers. Your child will be exposed to books and expected to read from early weeks of Kindergarten. If your child already understands the use of books and has an interest in reading, they are going to find this transition to ‘big school’ much easier and more enjoyable.

Reading is a gift and books are a gateway to adventure, creativity and imagination. Get lost in the pages and magic of books with your preschool!

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Should I Let My Child Be In The Delivery Room?

Written by Jana Angeles Childbirth is an experience with a mixture of emotions excitement, fear and happiness all at once. You probably have kids already that have grown up or you may have a little toddler you’ve had to juggle raising during the second journey of your pregnancy.

The question is, are you comfortable enough to have them in the delivery room when you’re about to give birth? It’s a complex question that not many parents have the answer to. Depending on your preference, you should definitely take into consideration a number of factors before you decide that you’re comfortable with your child being in the delivery room. The last thing you want is to scar them for life with something that could have been easily avoided.

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BIRTH

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THE EFFECTS OF BIRTH CAN BE DISTRESSING - BE PREPARED If you have younger children, it’s good to walk them through the process of childbirth and anticipate the sights and sounds they may experience when inside the delivery room.

Take the time to find sounds that describe labour and use images (not the graphic ones, obviously) to provide a visual aid of childbirth. Despite the preparation, your child may freak out and may want to leave the room immediately. As for older kids, they may brave it out and stay in the delivery room.

During the term of your pregnancy, you might need to explain to them where babies come from - ‘the birds and the bees’ talk.

ASK SOMEONE ELSE FROM THE FAMILY TO BE PRESENT WITH THE CHILDREN Having a member from the immediate family (auntie, uncle, grandma or grandpa), can be extremely helpful when it comes to having your children in the delivery room. This could mean having someone to show support and care while you’re in labour - to rest and reassure them that everything is going to be just fine. Also, a person that can take them out of the delivery room as soon as possible when your child is starting to feel distressed and/or nauseous about the process of childbirth.

ASK THE HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO BE A TOUR GUIDE OF THE DELIVERY ROOM To get your kids up to speed with everything, ask your local health professionals (doctors, nurses, midwives) to give a quick tour guide of the delivery room before you start giving birth. Being familiar with their surroundings and knowing the do’s & don’ts of the place can be extremely helpful if they are aware of where everything is. Also, if your children have some pressing questions to ask about childbirth and the health of the baby, the health professionals can help guide them through the process.

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Prepare Them for The Look of The Baby Babies are meant to look ugly when they first come out. There will be blood, mess and umbilical cords and it’s not exactly the prettiest sight for a child. Make sure you tell your children beforehand that they will see mess in the delivery room and that their baby sibling will look weird at first. Just keep in mind that this is all new to them so showing them close to accurate photos can help meet their expectations. At least then they’ll have something they can use as reference instead of what’s portrayed in TV and Film.

ONCE THE BABY IS BORN, ASK IF THEY WANT TO HOLD THEM This one is applicable for older siblings but younger siblings can participate too with close supervision. It’s an exciting and overwhelming experience for the children who have witnessed you giving birth to their sibling. Holding the baby could help start their sibling bond straightaway and they can feel a sense of closeness from the very start. It can be a special moment to reach this stage postbirth, bringing a whole new meaning in their lives. It’s also an opportunity where curious children can take the time to feel amazed about the human body and on what it can do.

Having your children in the delivery room is your call to make but also consider asking your child if they want to be in the same room as you. It’s important to consider the factors above and to not let yourself be swayed by another person’s decision just because it seemed to work for them.

You know your child best so if you feel like this is something they just aren’t ready for, stick to your decision. If your child ends up being in the delivery room, provide support and guidance and communicate with your immediate family members so they can prepare for the big day their younger sibling is born.

Common Newborn and Infant Problems Written by Jana Angeles Newborn and infants will have their challenges and depending on their health conditions and lifestyles, they can experience all kinds of health problems. As parents, it’s important we constantly check in to see if our newborns and infants are taken care of, following the appropriate measures when it comes to medical advice and attending to medical emergencies as required. Newborns and infants are small so fighting off certain illnesses can be difficult for them if not treated immediately.

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When looking out for common health problems, the ones below are the ones you’d most likely face. In the end, if your gut feeling is telling you something’s not right, follow through and take extra precautions when it comes to taking care of your newborn and infant.

BIRTH INJURIES If you’ve experienced a difficult labour, your newborn may have contracted birth injuries after being born. These can include a broken collarbone, forceps marks, muscle weakness, etc.

The good news is that newborns tend to be resilient from these injuries and can quickly recover from them. It’s advised for parents to seek immediate medical attention when they see any changes to the health of their newborn after a difficult birth. The earlier a problem is detected will give you peace of mind as a parent.

COUGHING During feeding times, your baby may experience some coughing fits while consuming milk. This could be because they are feeding too fast and the liquid just goes in the wrong pipe sometimes! However, if you see them gagging or have consistent coughing fits, see a doctor and get them checked out. The coughing could be caused by problems in the lungs or digestive system. You may want to also see if they have symptoms of whooping cough as coughing fits worsen during the night.

RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS It’s common for newborns to learn how to breathe normally within the few hours after their born. It shouldn’t take too long for them to adapt a

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normal breathing pace, ruling out any respiratory issues. However, if you find that your newborn is not able to breathe properly, check their nasal passage and see if there’s any obvious blockage. For treatment, you’ll need to purchase saline drops so the blockage can be eliminated.

Compare their breathing pace after doing this so you can determine whether or not they need immediate medical attention.

Also look out for: • Blue skin colour (the kind that doesn’t fade away) • Flaring of the nose • Grunting while breathing • Fast breathing If you’re newborn is a preemie, they’ll most likely experience respiratory issues so be sure to get them checked out if you see that they’re not breathing properly.

VOMITING Another health problem that is common for infants is vomiting.

Vomiting can be triggered after feeding sessions. Although this happens to most infants, frequent vomiting is not normal. Ensure that your child is not lactose intolerant or allergic to breast milk. Get into the habit of making them burp frequently to alleviate the symptoms of vomiting and to stop themselves from throwing up their meals.

If you see that your child is underweight, seek advice from a medical professional. You also need to pay attention to the colour of their vomit. If you see it is a green colour, go to your doctor and ask if it’s caused by a possible infection

and ask for the best treatment options. Also, your little one could be experiencing digestive issues, which could be another cause of why they are vomiting.

FEVER Though fevers can happen in babies, it’s not considered a serious problem.

Fevers normally indicate that they are trying to fight off an infection, so mild fevers don’t need immediate medical attention. However, if it’s considered a high fever, it’s best to see your local doctor and check to see if anything is wrong with your child. It’s important to do this as soon as you can because high fevers could lead to seizures if not treated properly.

CONSTIPATION Is your baby struggling to pass stool?

This could be sign of constipation.

Though constipation is not considered a serious health issue, it’s important to take extra precautions in making sure that they are comfortable. See a local health professional and ask if there are any ways to alleviate the effects of constipation and what foods/medication they need to take to improve their well-being.

Whether it’s dealing with vomiting or coughing, there are other common problems that newborns and infants face on a daily basis. Just keep in mind that just because something is seen as ‘mild’, doesn’t mean you should skip out a visit on the doctor. It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your child’s health. It will give you peace of mind knowing you can identify health problems early on.

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BabyLove for a Cosifit™ There are so many nappy choices today which is great, but at times it can be puzzling to know which one to choose.

Affordability, absorbency and a gentle fit are among the features we most look for when choosing nappies.

To help make this choice a little easier, we’ve reviewed the BabyLove’s Cosifit™ range.

These nappies are jam packed with so many features that parents love, we thought we’d help you understand why BabyLove Cosifit™ are a great choice and why we love them.

Here are the standout features that you need to know: • Double Support Gathers – for advanced protection from red marks around the legs, and superior leakage protection.

• Driwave™ Technology - For instant absorption so your baby feels dry • Soft & Comfortable - Super soft sides for extra comfort.

• Stretchy Waistband - A snug and comfortable fit that moves with your baby.

• Wetness Indicator - Newborn and infant nappies only.

• New Fun Happy Designs - Colourful new prints now feature across the entire Cosifit™ nappy to make change time fun!

BabyLove Cosifit™ features Australian first patented technology to help prevent those nasty red marks on your baby’s delicate skin.

Specially designed Double Support Gathers evenly distribute pressure from the leg band elastic. The best part, they do all this while still maintaining a high level of leakage protection giving you assurance that your baby stays dry and comfortable all-day and night long.

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Three My Child readers reviewed the BabyLove Cosifit™ Nappies and here’s what they had to say: “I am a mother of 4 children and had never tried BabyLove products before. I didn’t know what to expect and if it would be a good choice for my 16 month old son. Once I received the BabyLove Cosifit™ in the post I open my package. It was clearly labelled and bright which I liked. I also liked that they are unisex nappies and not gender specific.

My son drinks a lot, so he does fill nappies quite quickly so wasn’t sure how they would go with absorbency for him. I took the first nappy out, it had a cute print and colour on it. I then noticed that there was a snug fit indicator along the top, a great addition for parents to know when to go up a size for their child as they grow. The nappy fitted well on my son, not tight or rubbing. As he played his nappy filled. I did leave him a little longer in the nappy than normal to see how good the absorbency was. When it was time to change him I was surprised how full it was, it wasn’t leaking or sagging like other brands do. It held

PRODUCT REVIEW well even after the amount of urine that was in there. I then tried him at night just to see if the nappy would last a whole 12hrs of sleep. I was pleasantly surprised when he woke. Yes his nappy was full but no leaking and no sign that it might. Overall, I was extremely pleased with the item and will look out in store to purchase next time. I will definitely share my experience with my friends and family and encourage them to give this great product a try.”

“I have found the BabyLove infant sized nappies to be a perfect fit on my 5kg 3 month old. They have lasted through the night keeping her dry for 12-14 hours without any leaking through. I often find she gets marks on her legs and irritation or rash with other disposable brands but have had no issues or redness since changing. A much softer and more comfortable nappy overall. Even managed to contain a breastfed babys poo explosions. Great nappy for a reasonable price.”

“Having a toddler in nappies isn’t easy and finding a brand that gives them the freedom to run around without looking like they are waddling has been challenging. When I first received my Babylove nappies to review I was neither here nor there. After using the BabyLove Cosifit™ range, I have been converted. I love the way the nappy fits around by baby’s legs, but I have to admit that I was worried that this might cause leakage as it seemed to be a little loose to other brands I’ve used. To my surprise, during the days were fine and we experienced no leakage, but the real test was the overnights which I soon realised wasn’t even warranted.

My darling daughter wees quite a lot and by morning I was surprised that she hasn’t leaked everywhere, the BabyLove Cosifit™ nappy handled the overnights with ease and that was a miracle for us. I would recommend these nappies to all parents and if I have another baby, they would be my first choice.”

Understanding and knowing what brand to choose doesn’t have to be hard. Choosing a product that meets and exceeds your expectations isn’t impossible with BabyLove Cosifit™. BabyLove make it easy for you to choose a brand with confidence. They have you covered from birth to toddler and are a nappy you can trust to get the job done.

Choose a brand that is loved and trusted by so many Australian parents, they are the perfect choice for disposable nappies.

To get your free sample and check them out for yourself, simply visit: https://www.babylovenappies.com.au/cosifitnappies-samples/

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REAL READ

Written By Raya du Plooy The magic of childhood imitation, dress ups and imaginative play had well and truly taken over my daughters every thought.

She watched on with curious intention as I meandered around the house pottering, conversing on the phone and even when I sat to watch TV. She mimicked my every move and proudly clambered for my attention as she practiced what it was like to be me.

Eventually she noticed my makeup routine and wanted desperately to join in. Initially I was completely torn about her using makeup and wanted to refrain as long as possible so as not to steal away valuable childhood years and potentially plummet her into a world I honestly wanted to protect her from. After reading about the importance of healthy mother-daughter/father-son relationships and children imitating the same sex parent, I allowed her some special brushes and lip balms. It wasn’t long before began noticing missing pieces of my collection as well as my once-a-yearsplurge MAC lipsticks holding strange new shapes to them as if someone’s tiny teeth had gnawed away at the red shades to see if they tasted as good as they looked.

That’s when I decided it was time to find an alternative to my weary sobs and give her some special makeup she could use of her own accord. I hunted expos, markets and shops but came up short on anything looking even remotely like my own makeup which was what she was desperate for.

Perhaps more alarmingly however, there didn’t seem to be anything that wasn’t overtly sexual in its marketing or that didn’t harbour chemicals I knew would aggravate her already sensitive and eczema prone skin. I felt this ferocious ‘Mama Bear’ rise in me as I realised if I wanted her to have a safe product for imitation play then I needed to come up with it on my own.

I began sifting through recipes on Pinterest and Google and still not arriving at anything that was not going to hurt her delicate skin. I stripped back the searches and instead looked at what ingredients had beneficial properties, were low on the allergen scale and promoted healing rather than deterioration. I spent months in my kitchen looking like I was re-enacting scenes from Breaking Bad…if they had been heavily pregnant during filming, that is.

After failing formulation after formulation, I finally nailed down the

Olive You and Shadowing You ranges but still felt the collection lacked the ‘Mummy Factor’ my daughter had craved. That’s when I came up with the Sparkle Lipstick. This lipstick is the pride and joy of Oh Flossy. It truly encapsulates everything I wanted for my little one and for this brand. It is filled with nourishing oils, holds a little magic with its non-toxic glitter, stays clear on skin which means no little people venturing out looking too grown-up and the entire product resembles lipsticks I have in my own collection.

The truth is though that this Mama Bear wasn’t always the dominant force in my parenting adventure. I hadn’t always been confident in the maternal instincts I was promised when I began this journey. My firstborn had severe GORD and

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screamed incessantly for the first year of his life. My daughter had reflux like her brother and sleep was a mere myth for her. I found shifting into the world of keeping tiny humans alive akin to being thrown into a tumultuous ocean while attempting to hold everyone’s heads above water and not being able to swim. The transition was not natural for me. I had to learn how to find those instincts as I settled into this selfless role I felt completely illequipped for.

When I initially thought of adding a second baby to our family I envisioned long afternoons watching my son dote on his sibling and falling more in love with them both but the reality was that I had two babies screaming in pain and needing more of me than I had to give. I had an enormous amount of pressure to breastfeed when all I really wanted was to shove a bottle in her mouth and for my nipples to stop bleeding. I felt completely inadequate for both of my children and instead of waking to a new day of possibilities, I woke with a stomach full of dread as I recounted the prior days failures.

One morning as I looked into the big brown eyes of my baby, I realised I felt nothing for her. It wasn’t that I didn’t love her but more like a severe absence of any kind of emotion. I felt nothing. There was a looming greyness that surrounded the air I breathed and yet the fog had become

almost comfortable. Truthfully, I didn’t see the Postnatal Depression creep in but as I sat in my doctor’s office and pleaded for him not to take my children away from me after my confession of how I felt, it was relieving to have him tell me it was common and didn’t have to last. He also assured me that no one was going to take my children from me and that in fact, the priority is to keep families together rather than tear them apart.

Recovery began with a homehospitalisation program offered by our local hospital as long as I was safe. They sent nurses daily to visit and social workers to help our family begin the move forward. I was in

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to be at peace with them while taking joy in my strengths. I found a passion I hadn’t come across before. With each day of recovery my shoulders broadened, my back straightened and my feet felt firmer on the ground. I felt surges of flames flicker and take hold of my deepest parts as I learned what it was to fall in love with tiny little people deeper than what was humanely comprehensible. touch with PANDA and had regular calls from their phone counsellors who allowed me to fall to pieces with no judgement. A psychologist I had previously seen for anxiety now held regular appointments for me as I walked through this cold, empty and completely terrifying void.

After months of gruelling recovery, I began to see the effects take hold.

Piece by piece I reclaimed parts of my mind that had been held captive.

I learned more about myself in this time and I practiced loving those things. I began to accept my failures as a parent and truly release myself

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With this ever-growing passion and positive mental health, I started walking tall for my family - for my son, for my husband, for myself but mostly, for her. For the one who looks on as I allow myself to be treated a certain way. For the little girl who learns from me what it means to be a strong woman that is capable of wondrous victories as well as glorious failures.

For the big brown eyes memorising the way lipstick adheres to my skin exampling how I feel about myself, not changing the way I look.

This is how my Mama Bear was born.

This is how Oh Flossy was created.

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BLENDED FAMILIES

TIPS ON BEING A STEP-PARENT Written by Jana Angeles It’s tough being a step-parent, especially when you’re trying to impress your partner’s kids. You’ve got to get used to the fact that you’ll have a weird, awkward relationship with them at first.

As disheartening as that sounds, in their eyes, you’re the bad guy. Maybe there was a terrible falling out in the family before you and your partner started a relationship with each other. Maybe it takes a while to get to know the kids because they put walls to protect themselves. Although it sounds like a not ideal situation, having a positive attitude and feeling like you have purpose in getting to know the kids is all you can offer as a step-parent. Here are some of our top tips to ease the transition of being a step-parent and what you can do to start building a healthy relationship with them.

CONSIDER FORMER PARTNERS It takes a while to adjust a new routine with the children so at first, maybe you should have minimal contact with the former partners and focus on the present. It’s easy to feel like you have to compare yourself to them and assume that you’re there to fill the gap of said parent. You should be able to make your own mark when it comes to interacting with them and not be afraid in being yourself when getting to know the kids.

Falling for the comparison trap is a no-no and whatever time the children spend with your partner’s ex is their business not yours.

FOCUS ON THE POSITIVES While it can be difficult to focus on the positives right now, reflect on your past experiences with your stepchildren and take the moment to show yourself praise when you do make them smile or laugh. It’s easy to feel misguided sometimes but when you have some motivation to interact with the kids, you’ll feel a lot better about yourself. Though it can feel like a long journey being part of their lives, you have to be patient and understanding of the situation. Give them the space and time to appreciate the little interactions you share and reflect on these for more improvements in your relationship down the track.

TAKE THE TIME AND GET TO KNOW YOUR STEPCHILD Stepchildren are a different category because sometimes you’re getting to know teenagers instead of little kids. With little kids, they can be more forgiving in that sense due to their young age and how it’s much easier to build a relationship with them overtime. Teenagers can be much harder because they tend to be more reserved and private with their lives.

They may not like you at first and may make things unpleasant for you. Just remember that they may not have fully accepted the relationship you have with your partner, but in time they’ll be able to see how much effort

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you’re putting in. If they see you are getting to know the good and bad parts of themselves as well as their likes and dislikes, you’ll earn their respect in no time.

CARE FOR YOURSELF It can be exhausting trying to please your stepchildren and the rest of the family. For many, it’s a difficult adjustment and the challenges you face may drain you. It’s okay to feel like this at times and you don’t need another person’s permission when it comes to self-care. If you need to take a break and reserve your energy at another time, then do it! Taking care of yourself should be part of the routine. Remember that forming a proper relationship with your stepchildren isn’t an instant thing, it takes lots of progress and baby steps!

TAKE IT SLOW As mentioned above, it’s important to not rush things when it comes to being a part of your stepchild’s life. Taking it slow is all you can really do and this may be frustrating for some people at first. In the first year or two, you should be showing care and support for the children but to also know your boundaries as well. This could mean not taking on an active parenting role and just staying on the sidelines for a little while.

In all honesty, it’s totally fine if you have to do this because in the end, to truly nurture the relationship between you and your stepchildren is to reach a level where you can be comfortable with one another.

Being a step-parent can be rewarding depending on how much effort you’re willing to put in when getting know the stepchildren. It’s okay to feel like you’ve failed and that you don’t have their approval at first. They will eventually come around and make you feel at home when they realise you are showing the same love and respect like any other parent would.

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VOTE NOW Go To www.mychildmagazine.com.au april 2018 | mychild

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FASHION

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WHAT’S IN OUR STORES THIS MONTH BABY

BOYS

Baby Jumper $8.00 rrp Baby Track Pant $5.00 rrp Baby Bodysuit $4.00 rrp

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Fleecy Sweat top $8.00 rrp Mix N Match Track Pant $8.00 rrp T-Shirt $3.00 rrp BESTANDLESS.COM.AU

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Gucci Wool Sweater $355.00 rrp Gucci Striped Pants $189.00 rrp MELIJOE.COM

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INTERIORS

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GET THE LOOK:

interiors Leah Shannon is a designer and owner of Parade and Company, a lifestyle brand specialising in decor for children’s rooms. She has 15+ years experience in design and a passion for creating children’s spaces that inspire, educate and spark the imagination.

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Credit: @ninaeberhardt

Wallpaper $72.00 per lineal metre thesewalls.com.au

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Rug $399.00 rrp olliella.com.au

Bed $249.00 rrp ikea.com/au

Bunny Mobile $65.00 rrp hellolittlebirdiestore.com.au

Sleepy eyes $18.00 rrp pretty-in-pine.myshopify.com

Floating shelf with leather $117.00 rrp interiormotivesaus.com.au

Rattan Shelf $295.00 rrp thefamilylovetree.com.au

Timber rainbow $140.00 rrp honeybeetoys.com.au

Pink Leather Plant Basket $69.00 rrp hideandco.bigcartel.com

Timber animals in clothes $65.00 rrp zoomodern.com

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Art $350.00+ rrp minted.com

Crib $749.00 rrp tinitrader.com.au

Rug $850.00 rrp westelm.com.au

Leather Moroccan Pouf $137.00 rrp cushandco.com.au

Black Basket $15.00 rrp target.com.au 98

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Credit: Designer: Kelly McInvale (@kboudreau) Photographer: @marisastonephoto

Floor Lamp $499 rrp houseofhome.com.au Glider $640.00 rrp babyletto.com

Faux Fiddle Leaf Tree $126.00 rrp greeneryimports. com.au

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TOY REVIEWS

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TOY REVIEWS REVIEWED BY SHEREE ECHLIN

VTECH BRILLIANT BABY LAPTOP Explore and learn with the Brilliant Baby Laptop. There’s many features including nine brightly coloured shape buttons and a movable mouse (in the shape of a cute little toy mouse) that interact with the light-up screen. Choose animal mode to learn about animals and their sounds; shape mode to explore colours and shapes; or music mode to hear a variety of songs, melodies and short tunes. Close the laptop, and it’s ready for on-the-go fun with a chunky carrying handle. Learning fun is a click away!

encourages fine motor skills. One down side is there are a few different toy laptops on the market these days so it’s all up to personal preference, but I really can’t go past the cute little mouse, it just suits it perfectly!

Our verdict The littlest member of your family can be just like you with their very own little toy laptop. It’s bright, colourful and makes all the noises (sometimes they can get a bit much) that are perfect for your growing child’s mind. It has all the pros in promoting language development, it’s great for discovery and exploration and sensory development and another big plus is it

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rrp $2900 Available from: Target and other toy retailers

5/5

LEAP FROG COUNT ALONG TILL Help them learn how to count and explore their imagination with their very own cash register.

Featuring a singing till friend with more than 50 fun phrases and educational songs, your little one will adore learning and playing. Kids can get right into the fun, setting up their own little shop with 20 checkout items including milk, bread, eggs and fruit and vegetables. There are coins to insert or swipe a shopping card to pay.

They’ll be running their own little business in no time.

While it might not be real money, it creates a great opportunity for kids to learn about money skills and buying food, something they’ll definitely need to know about for the future.

Loads of fun, encouragement, music and bright colours all rolled into one toy. It’s also a great sharing and role-playing toy with one child the shopper and the other operating the till, but watch out as it’s a popular toy that could cause arguments!

Our Verdict What kid doesn’t want the fun of running their very own little business, pushing all the buttons on a cash register and earning a few coins?

rrp $39.00

Available from: Big W, Toys R Us

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FISHER PRICE IMAGINEXT DC SUPER FRIENDS ROBO BATCAVE

4/5

There’s trouble brewing in Gotham City, it’s off to the Robo Batcave for everyone’s favourite caped crusader, Batman! Turn the first Power Pad to open the gate, raise the Bat-shaped head and reveal the Batbot (the Batman figure fits inside). Turn the second Power Pad on the bottom of the play set to move the Batbot forward and march him into any crimefighting adventure you can think up. In an allout battle with Gotham City villains, just turn the third Power Pad to swing the Batbot’s arm that can be fitted with a claw, jaws of life or Gatling gun accessory. And if the Robo Batcave comes under attack, push the button to fire the projectile launcher or throw captured villains in jail. There’s no end to the adventures when kids use their greatest super power - imagination!

in a robot Batcave and it ups the ante and fun factor even more. The crime fighting adventures are endless with just a little bit of imagination (and maybe a few more purchases) you’ll find yourself doing battle with the likes of The Joker, The Penguin and many more of Batman’s foes. Let’s face it, robots are pretty cool and this one is pretty easy to operate with a few twists, turns and button pushes. Watch out, this one may just serve up a battle between the “big” and little kids of the house to see who gets to play with it next. It’s even a toy that’s caught the attention of my two little girls, who are usually found with dolls in their arms. Never underestimate the power of Batman!

Our verdict Batman is still just as awesome today as he was years ago when I was growing up. Throw

Available from: Target and other toy retailers

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rrp $55.00

FISHER PRICE THOMAS & FRIENDS DARING DERAIL SET Kids will feel like part of the adventure as they watch their favourite number one blue engine once again avoid disaster. When an explosion blows the bridge out of position, it forces Thomas to derail, but as we all know, not even a dangerous blast can stop him! As your child sends motorised Thomas around the train set and up towards the bridge, the crate of TNT pops out of his cargo car, creating an explosion that shifts the bridge and causes “flames” to shoot up. The busted bridge derails Thomas, forcing him onto the dirt slope, but he quickly recovers and gets back on track. For another way to play, kids can adjust the railway sign to send Thomas over the bridge without derailing him.

Our verdict The diehard Thomas fans will love zooming around the track with their favourite blue engine who always manages to save the day. It’s a great opportunity for your little ones to get creative with adventure ideas and see how Thomas will get through his next disaster. Maybe the one down side is it can get a little repetitive but you can connect to other TrackMaster train sets and expansion packs (which are sold separately) to create a bigger, more exciting motorised railway. Sing it with me “they’re two, they’re four, they’re six, they’re eight….”

3/5

rrp $49.00 Available from: Big W and other leading toy retailers

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Fast

FOOD

GET THE LITTLE ONES INVOLVED TO HELP CREATE MASTER MEALS USING OUR RECIPES THAT ARE KID FRIENDLY & CAN BE MADE WITH LITTLE EFFORT.

fig and muesli bowl

Ingredients 0.05 Prep Servings 1

• 2/3 cup vanilla yoghurt • 1 fresh fig, quartered • 1/2 cup muesli clusters • Fresh mint leaves, to serve • Honey, to drizzle

Method Step 1: Place yoghurt in a bowl. Top with fig, muesli and mint leaves. Drizzle with honey.

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Photo Credit: Jeremy Simons

eggs in bread with wilted spinach and hollandaise

Ingredients

Photo Credit: Brett Stevens

0.05 Prep 0.05 Cook

• 4 slices bread (rustic or sourdough)

Serves 4

• 60g unsalted butter • 4 eggs • Hollandaise sauce to serve

Method

• Wilted spinach, to serve

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 200°C. Use an 8cm round cutter to cut a hole in the centre of each bread slice.

minutes until eggs are just set.

Step 3: Transfer to plates with a fish slice, then serve with spinach and hollandaise sauce.

Step 2: Melt butter in a large ovenproof frypan over medium heat. In batches if necessary, cook bread on one side for 1-2 minutes until golden, then turn the bread over. Transfer all bread, toasted-side down, back to the pan (or a lined baking tray), then carefully crack an egg into each hole. Season, then bake for 3-4

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eggplant and prosciutto with rocket pizza

Ingredients 0.10 Prep 0.35 Cook Makes 2 pizzas

Photo Credit: Mark O’Meara

• 1 quantity Basic pizza dough (see related recipe)

• 200g mozzarella, thinly sliced

• 1 quantity classic pizza sauce (see related recipe)

• 50g baby rocket leaves

• 12 slices prosciutto, torn

TOPPING • 4 tablespoons olive oil • 400g eggplant, thinly sliced

Method Step 1: Make pizza basic pizza dough.

Step 2: Make classic pizza sauce.

Step 3: Preheat oven to 230ºC. Heat 1/2 of the olive oil in a large frying pan. Cook 1/2 of the eggplant for 3-4 minutes each side or until golden. Transfer to a plate lined with paper 110

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towel. Repeat with the remaining olive oil and eggplant. Top the pizzas with mozzarella and the eggplant. Bake, swapping trays halfway through cooking, for 15 minutes or until mozzarella melts and the base is crisp. Top with prosciutto and 50g baby rocket leaves.

honey mustard chicken

Ingredients

Photo Credit: taste.com.au

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

• 100ml light cream

0.10 Prep 0.10 Cook

• 600g chicken tenderloin fillets, sliced

• Steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Servings 4

• 1 carrot, thinly sliced

• 1/4 cup coriander leaves, to serve

• 175g pouch MasterFoods Honey Mustard Chicken Recipe Base

Method Step 1: Heat oil in a medium non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add chicken and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until brown. Add carrot and cook for 1 minute.

Step 3: Serve chicken with steamed rice and coriander leaves, if desired.

Step 2: Stir in recipe base and cream and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. april 2018 | mychild

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mediterranean fettuccine

Ingredients • 375g Barilla Fettuccine 0.15 Prep 0.15 Cook

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Servings 4

• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 250g cherry tomatoes • 1/3 cup dry white wine • 1 tablespoon drained capers, chopped

Method Step 1: Cook pasta in a saucepan of boiling, salted water, following packet directions, until tender. Drain. Cover to keep warm.

Step 2: Heat oil in a frying pan over mediumhigh heat. Add tomatoes. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until softened. Add garlic. Cook for 1 minute. Add wine, capers and lemon rind. Bring to the boil. Stir in pasta, olives and oregano. Top with ricotta. Serve.

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Photo Credit: Mark O’Meara

• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind • 1 cup kalamata olives, pits removed • 1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves • 150g ricotta cheese, crumbled

salmon with roasted cauliflower and currant brown butter

Ingredients 0.10 Prep 0.20 Cook Servings 4

Method

Photo Credit: taste.com.au

• 1 head cauliflower (950g), cut into large florets and with 2cm of stems intact (650g) • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided • 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly torn • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Step 1: Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 210C (190C fan-forced). Place a sturdy baking tray on the rack. In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower with 1 tablespoon of the oil to coat. Season with salt and transfer to the preheated baking tray. Return to the bottom rack and roast for about 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is caramelised and tender. Transfer the cooked cauliflower to a bowl, add the parsley and lemon zest, and toss to coat. Hold in a warm area.

Step 2: Meanwhile, heat a large heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and salmon and cook top side

• 4 (180g) skinless salmon fillets • 100g butter • 1/3 cup oven-roasted whole almonds, coarsely chopped • 1/4 cup currants, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes, drained • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

down for about 4 minutes, or until the salmon has a golden crust underneath. Turn the salmon over and cook 1 minute longer, or until the salmon is mostly opaque with a rosy centre. Set the salmon aside.

Step 3: Wipe out the pan and return to mediumhigh heat. Add the butter and swirl for about 2 minutes, or until the butter has browned, but not burned. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the almonds, currants, garlic, and lemon juice.

Toss half of the brown butter-currant mixture with the cauliflower. Divide the cauliflower and salmon among 4 plates and drizzle with the remaining brown butter-currant mixture. april 2018 | mychild

113

berry cheesecake parfaits

Ingredients 025 Prep

• 250g reduced-fat cream cheese • 1/4 cup caster sugar

Servings 4

• 170g tub low-fat berry yoghurt • 300g frozen mixed berries, thawed

Method Step 1: Using an electric mixer, beat cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in yoghurt and 1/4 cup berries until just combined.

Step 2: Divide 2/3 cup remaining berries between four 2 cup-capacity glasses. Sprinkle with half the biscotti. Spoon 2 tablespoons cheese mixture into each glass. Repeat layers, finishing with berries. Serve.

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Photo Credit: Jeremy Simons

• 150g packet almond biscotti, chopped

apple and mascarpone tarts

Ingredients

Photo Credit: Steve Brown

• Melted butter, to grease

• 150ml double cream

0.45 Prep 0.15 Cook

• 125ml (1/2 cup) maple syrup

• Ground nutmeg, to serve

• 80g butter

PASTRY

Makes 4

• 4 small (about 530g) green apples, cored, each cut into 12 wedges

• 150g (1 cup) plain flour

Method

• 125g mascarpone

Step 1: To make the pastry, process the flour, butter and icing sugar in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the water and process until the dough just comes together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.

Step 2: Preheat oven to 180ºC. Brush four 11cm (base measurement) fluted tart tins, with removable bases, with melted butter. Divide the pastry into 4 portions. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out 1 portion on a lightly floured surface. Line 1 tin with pastry. Trim excess.

Repeat with remaining portions. Place on a

• 100g chilled butter, chopped • 2 teaspoons icing sugar • 3 teaspoons water

baking tray. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 3: Meanwhile, place the maple syrup and butter in a large frying pan. Bring to the boil, stirring, over medium heat. Add the apple, in a single layer, and cook for 5 minutes each side or until tender. Set aside to cool completely.

Step 4: Gently combine mascarpone and cream in a bowl. Divide the mascarpone mixture among tarts and spoon over apple and syrup.

Sprinkle with the nutmeg.

All recipes sourced from taste.com.au

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