pakmag - april 2010 edition

Issue 34 April 2010 Photography

! t NLYou S Ome KuIDLL

P

Cover Photo: Anya Ka rmansky from Cheeky Mo nkey

Kid’s mini mag inside!

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!!!

• Did you know ? • Loads of Comp s • Heaps of Prize s • PAK review

Raising little gentlemen

Heaps of kids activities Maintain the sizzle in your relationship What’s On for Easter

Pick up a

what’s stacked in pak this month

FREE

New Born Baby Checklist in-store

At Calanna Pharmacy we have all your baby care needs, from colic relief, to bottles, nappies, formula and much more.

 FEEL HEALTHY

Woree  600 Bruce Highway

What’s new

21

Kid’s Mini Mag

04

Sea FM’s daddy diary

22

Colour it in & win

editor’s note

06

Are we creating wimps?

23

Security at Cairns Airport

08

Catholic Education

23

Pak activities

10

Little gentlemen

30

Bopstars bulletin

Hello and welcome to the 34th edition of PakMag, our Easter extravaganza.

15 PakHealth - Hearing in children

32

Animal facts

If you made it to our last PakClub at Cazalys, Easter already came a little early and boy, did we have fun searching for Cadbury Easter eggs all over the footy field!

17 PakHealth - Healthy chocolate fix

This month has been great for us, Jordy is officially walking and already trying to run and jump. He usually succeeds with the jumping when he is throwing a tantrum. As much as it has been challenging, I am loving the age he is at, he has such a cheeky, fun loving and happy little boy. I am having trouble with him biting and hitting me though and any attempts to stop end up with him laughing. Since I have decided to put him into childcare soon I’m a bit scared he’ll get suspended like his Aunty Jess did when she was his age. I would be embarassed if he got suspended so soon in life! So, if you have any ideas about how to stop the biting let me know. Otherwise if you see me around wearing a protective shield and smelling like Tabasco sauce, you know what I have sunk to.

We enjoy being a part of your growing family.  FEEL GOOD

 North Cairns 355 Sheridan Street

kids

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Our next PakClub is a Super Hero Sunday on the 11th April from 5-7pm and we will have some special treats for the biggest heroes of all - Super Mums. We had over 300 people attending the last one so make sure you book a table if you want to eat and be sure of a seat. If you’re a business and want to be involved, please let me know.

Visit a Calanna Pharmacy on your way home, and experience the welcoming and nurturing support.

FEEL ALIVE

parents

Until next time, enjoy this edition and don?t forget to tell everyone you read it in PakMag. Bree

www.pakmag.com.au

16

PakHealth - Coeliac disease

19 Kids in the kitchen

baby & toddler

19 Parents in the pantry 20

Out & about photos

25

What’s On October

33

Out & about photos

35

PakBaby

39 PakParent

35

Baby toys

36

Gee whiz lactation facts

37

A moment for mum

38

Speaking hands

40 Weekender 42 A trip to…

44 Prize Winners/Fav Pet Shots

Things to Win

46 Business Directory 47 Kids Activities - Riders ready

19

Win a double movie pass

48 Kids Activities - Fitness can be fun

22

Colour it in & win

50

Eating out

23

Battle of the brains

51

Movie of the month

24

Word scramble

31

Civic prize pak

36

Mummy Honey Voucher

37

Win a Pouchmiss

52

Mystery PakMag prize

52 Time for a break

Editor: Bree James Sub Editor: Elaine Seager Website, What’s On & MiniMag Manager: Trent Stievano Sales & Administration: Angelina Mortley Graphic Design & Layout: Trina Jensen from Intrinsic Creative Articles: Elaine Seager, Susan Dillicar, Maria Nguyen, Joanne Whitton and submitted writers Phone: 4034 3331 Fax: 4034 3342 Email: info@pakmag.com.au Address: Level 2, 68 Abbott St, Virginia House, Cairns Q 4870 Postal: PO Box 7433, Cairns Q 4870 Sales & Advertising enquiries: sales@pakmag.com.au Stories, events, distribution: info@pakmag.com.au Accounts to: accounts@pakmag.com.au Photos to: photos@pakmag.com.au Disclaimer: No part of this magazine, including the advertisements within it may br reproduced, in part or in whole without the expressed permission of the editor. Whilst the greatest of care is taken to ensure that the information in the magazine is correct at the time of going to press, readers are advsied to check details before visiting. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for errors, inaccuracies or omissions. The expressions expressed within PaK Magazine are not neccessarily the views of the publishers, but those of individual writers.

1

what’s new!

New owners

Go and say hello to new owner Rosemary at the Baby Trading Post before she totally revamps it. Sale on all previous stock to make room for the new stuff coming, some below cost! In May it will be a totally new shop with a fresh new look, a new name and brand new designer kids clothing. Phone 4033 1227.

Living and loving together

Relationships Australia will be running their next ‘Living & Loving Together’ course for couples wanting to improve or enrich their relationships. It runs for 7 weeks from 28 April (6.30-8.30pm). Cost $10 per sessions. For more info or to book call 1300 364 277

Help! I’ve got a teenager

The next course is running from 22 April. Get really useful info about building better relationships with your teenager in this 6 week course for parents. Cost $10 per session. Lifeline, 188 Aumuller Street, 6pm-8.30pm. Call 4050 4955 for more info and bookings.

Youth theatre programme

The Young Company’s term 2 programme starts on 19 April including various workshops for kids 3-17 years. Lots of fun for kids whilst building their selfconfidence, creativity, communication and presentation skills. Held at 169 Bunda St. For info call 4041 4066 or email info@theyoungcompany.com.au.

You can also visit their website www.theyoungcompany.com.au

Art Start

The Tanks new Art Start workshop for under 5’s and their carers starts 16 April. It’s a 10 week circus, music and movement programme. Fridays 9.30-10.30am. Cost $100. For more info and booking call Lucy on 4032 6605.

Eggs marks the spot

Check out Gecko’s for some Easter fun during the holidays - find the Easter tokens in the playground equipment and receive an Easter surprise. Outside of the school holidays Gecko’s also have Tuesday activities 10am-noon: 20 April is book reading, 27 April is cooking with kids.

Trivia night

Cairns Youth Mentoring are hosting a Trivia Quiz Night at the Reef Casino Hotel (Michaelmas Cay Ball) on 8 May from 7pm. Help support this important local cause by purchasing tickets for the event. $10 each or $100 for a team table of 10 people. Email quiz@cairnsyouthmentoring.org to book.

Chile Dog Day

To help raise funds for children affected by the recent Chile earthquake, some local Mums have taken the initiative to hold a fundraising event on 11th April (10am onwards) on the Esplanade which will include a salsa band, salsa classes and, of course, Chile Dogs!

what’s new in entertainment!

Easter Egg Hunt

Melville’s Easter Animal Farm at Cairns Central

Operation Bunny

MAR 2010 Movie RELEASES

thanks to Birch carroll & Coyle Cinemas Nanny McPhee And The Big Bang (G) In cinemas Apr 1

Clash Of The Titans 3D (TBA) In cinemas Apr 1

The Spy Next Door (PG) In cinemas Apr 1

She’s Out Of My League (MA15+) In cinemas Apr 1

The Last Song (PG) In cinemas Apr 1

Date Night (M) In cinemas Apr 8

Kick-Ass (MA15+) In cinemas Apr 8

Cairns Regional Council are putting on a HUGE Easter Egg Hunt on the Esplanade from 9am-11am on Saturday 3 April. Enjoy free entertainment and a special visit from the Easter Bunny. FREE for the kids.

Book Of Eli (TBA) In cinemas Apr 15

Cute baby animals are back for the school holidays from Sat 3 April – Sat 10 April. There will be baby chickens, ducklings, geese, lambs & piglets. Opening times: Saturday 9am-4pm, Sunday - Monday 10.30am4pm, Tuesday - Wednesday 9am-4pm, Thursday 9am – 5pm and Friday Saturday 9am-4pm.

Beneath Hill 60 (TBA) In cinemas Apr 15

On Easter Sunday 4 April, look out for the Easter Bunny and a live Rhythm & Blues band touring the streets on the back of a truck. They are helping to raise funds for the SES starting from the Lagoon at 1.50pm and finishing up at Palm Cove at 7.10pm.

Hot Tub Time Machine (TBA) In cinemas Apr 22

Have you got something new that Cairns families should know about?

2 Email us at: info@pakmag.com.au or go to our website www.pakmag.com.au and add in your event

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3

daddy diary #12 Potts, one half of the Sea FM morning crew, continues his chronicles of first time fatherhood Who would have thought you’d

the only screaming came from me

have to pack so much for a baby to

over the drink prices. The whole trip

go interstate? Not us and certainly

was great for his development as

not JetStar when they charged us

well because he spent lots of time

$250 for excess luggage for our

playing with his cousins and met all

trip to Perth! In hindsight packing

of our friends’ little ones. And the

every blanket, the bottle steamer

best part of all? No teething so we

and enough nappies to soak up the

got some sleep. I’m sure I’ll regret

Trinity Inlet probably wasn’t the best

saying this next month.

idea but as first time parents we didn’t know any better. Do we take

I actually flew back a week earlier

enough food for a week or just a day

than Noah and Kylie and it’s amazing

and buy the rest when we get there?

how bored I was for that week.

Do we take 27 food containers

Noah may only be 7½ months old

which are very awkward to pack?

but I can’t remember what I used

And why did we only have 25kg

to do when he wasn’t around. Kylie

excess luggage on the way there but

and Noah caught the “red eye”

41kg on the way back? Surely I can

flight home and arrived at 4am on

claim this somehow on my tax…

a Monday morning and it was the only time I’ve ever looked forward

The flight over there was fine with

to getting out of bed at 3am on a

Noah sucking quietly on a bottle

Monday. I knew hugs and kisses and

during take-off and landing. He was

his cheeky little smile were only a

an angel the whole way. In fact,

short drive away in the dark.

g n i t a r o c e d t i ! u y c a Bis kid ’s pl inmEnt Erta is t n E iday EastE

r

ho l o o h sc

Bring the kids along to mt sheridan Plaza these school holidays for some great biscuit decorating fun. Kids will be able to decorate their very own biscuit with a variety of edible decorating products. so come and join in the fun at mt sheridan Plaza these school holidays. tues 6th - sat 10th april 10am - 2pm

l

106 Barnard Drive Mt Sheridan Ph 07 4036 3150

Get fit the fun way AMERICAN STYLE Cheerleading Classes

For males and females of all ages

Sign up now for all new classes at Smithfield YMCA

Potts & Pacey

Kindy Cheer Program available for 2 to 5 year olds. Combination of song and dance + fun, fitness and friends!

t he SeaF M Morn i ng C r e w

weekday MorningS FroM 5.30aM

Classes starting from only $10

on the loCal you know,

For more information contact Tamara 0402 225 630 or email info@awesomecheerleading.com or visit www.awesomecheerleading.com

99.5 SeaFM CairnS. 4

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AWESOME

5

Are we creating wimps?

As kids in the 1970’s we would head to the park minus adults all day, climbing trees, checking out creeks & hurling down hills on bikes & billy carts.

I had a boy’s bike, skateboard, pogo stick and home-made sling shots. We climbed trees, rode bikes for kilometres and walked to shops across busy roads. My three siblings and I had endless minor scrapes and one gashed his leg pretty badly on his bike. But no-one broke a limb and we are all now as tough as nails physically and mentally.

Fast forward and my three kids are wimps. They are not good bike riders, don’t go to the park alone and want a bandaid at the slightest sign of a scratch. They wouldn’t know a billy cart if they fell over one and have only seen skateboards in shops. And I don’t even consider myself a soft parent!

University of Technology Sydney engineer Dr David Eager says part of the problem with today’s kids is their playgrounds are boring and too safe.

He says over-zealous fun police have cut out all the exciting bits, and parents compound this by not letting kids do anything that could even slightly hurt them. As a result many children are not developing a sense of adventure or learning to cope with minor scrapes, bumps and bruises.

Dr Eager says taking risks in the playground helps develop problem solving, self-esteem, persistence, resilience, the ability to handle dangerous situations and a love of exercise. While he doesn’t want to encourage serious injuries and says equipment must meet Australian standards, he wants a return of “scary” elements like merry-go-rounds and swings with long chains. “Child development involves taking risks and children operating outside their comfort zone,” he says. “If children are prevented from taking risks they may stagnate… and development may be impeded.”

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Children will have accidents regardless, and to a degree we must accept that.

No-one wants serious injuries but as they say, no pain no gain. Children need to learn what is safe and what isn’t and part of this comes from trial and error.

If children don’t experience physical challenges how are they ever going to learn their limits? If you ride your bike too fast you might fall; if you climb too high it might be tricky to get down; if you wrestle too hard someone might get hurt.

School playgrounds have also come under fire. Largely due to the threat of litigation, some ban physical games, tree climbing, swings, slides or anything slightly risky. Such mollycoddling means kids are now less able to cope with adversity, and some rush to the school sick bay with the slightest sign of a scratch. My oldest daughter says this sort of thing is relatively common. “One time there was a sooky la la in my grade and he wanted to go to the sick bay for a paper cut,” she says.

My kids find it hard to believe that our generation basically only went to the sick bay with concussion or broken limbs.

As I tell them, it was a rite of passage to learn from our physical scrapes. Now if a kid is hurt many parents want someone or something to blame; a school, another child or a “faulty” playground. And that’s

not teaching our children a good lesson at all.

Cheryl Critchley is the author of Unspoil Your Kids; Escape the Parent Trap (Wilkinson Publishing, $9.95). Available at newsagents.

Good playgrounds • Stimulate imagination • Provide excitement and adventure • Allow children to develop their own ideas of play • Are safe and meet Australian standards • Involve children in the planning • Encourage the development of motor skills • Provide manageable challenges to develop physical skills and test physical limits • Allow some risk-taking, which helps teach trial and error, how to cope with failure and build self-esteem • Have things like swings with long chains, merry-go-rounds & the opportunity to climb high

Source: Dr David Eager, University of Technology Sydney engineering lecturer.

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Vote with your feet

Br Michael Green from St. Augustine’s College assesses the MySchool website After all the media frenzy the launch of the MySchool website turned out to be a bit of a fizzer like Cyclone Olga: much promised, little delivered. So much fuss about so little information! Like five million other Australians, I was keen to get onto the site as soon as possible to see how we measured up. Of course, I knew our own results well enough, but I wanted to have a sticky-beak at everyone else’s.

and analysing that information, but what seems to be lacking is much data of any depth concerning Year 12 outcomes.

I would suggest that parents who are assessing potential secondary schools for their children would gain more by reading as much as possible about the end-results in Year 12, rather than some non-curricular specific measures done over three days in May of Year 9.

I had been confident enough that St Augustine’s College would stack up well on both the national stage as well as within any batch of “statistically similar” schools. That proved to be the case, even though, like many principals, I was quite baffled as to exactly which statistics were similar among the eclectic array of institutions with which our College was lumped.

Of course, all schools should be held to account since both government and non-government schools receive high levels of public money. The taxpayer has a right to know if that is being spent to good effect for individual students, and for the common good of the country.

Nonetheless, there are probably much more informative ways of extracting this information.

What disappointed me was how little information was being used to make such big comparisons. The colours and layout of the site attract the visitor’s eyes immediately to the NAPLAN results – those skills tests the students do in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. For us secondary people, that’s only Year 9. Admittedly, there is some additional information on the site, and some useful ways of massaging

In addition to receiving government funding, private schools need to charge fees to make up the shortfall in their costs of operation (which, by the way, are typically significantly less than government schools). This makes them immediately accountable to parents and, while MySchool is an effective way of conveying that accountability, parents already know what’s going

1/4 Page Pakmag Ad

2/12/09

7:51 AM

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on from their children. Parents get the ‘inside story’ on their child’s school every night of the school year and they soon work out whether or not the school is delivering on its promises. Children and adolescents have an acute sixth sense for inconsistency and empty rhetoric. Parents can see first hand how the school is performing in terms of academics as well as its ability to enthuse or engage its students, promote self-esteem and other outcomes. They will see it all first hand and, if they don’t, they’ll probably vote with their feet.

That’s quite raw accountability.

No school is perfect, and part of an education is learning to live and work with imperfection in others, without being deterred or defeated by it. But it is incumbent on schools to be as open and transparent as they can. At St Augustine’s we welcome any opportunity to do so through parents’ nights for example. Face to face is always better than some depersonalised and decontextualised website or league-table.

Michael Green is the Principal at Saint Augustine’s College, Cairns.

Chances are, you started thinking about your child’s future school long before he or she was born.

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• Your child to fulfil their potential in life • Respect and discipline conducive to quality learning • Christian values • A caring, safe and nurturing environment • A school that is affordable and welcoming to all

Then it’s time you considered a Catholic school for your child.

Baby Trading Post has new owners

massive sale

on all previous stock, some below cost!

• In 45 days it will be a totally new shop with a fresh new look, a new name and brand new designer kids clothing not seen in Cairns

If you’re looking for:

Tel: (07) 4050 9700

Attention all Mums!

• Funky fashion for kids and teens is nearly here, watch this space

Trading Hours > MON-FRI 9.30am-5pm > SAT 9.30am-12.30pm > Closed Public Holidays www.cns.catholic.edu.au www.pakmag.com.au

Shop 15 Charlotte Cl, Southside Shopping Village behind McDonalds Woree PHone 07 40331227 www.pakmag.com.au

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Little gentlemen The issue of raising girls in a world that sexualises children is very topical but what about boys? Sue Dillicar considers the challenges of raising well behaved sons.

Boys are magical creatures. Their energy, way of looking at the world, enthusiasm for life and physicality are a joy to behold.

Watching my son as he grows up is a constant source of delight and surprise to me and yet I know his rambunctious energy needs direction to ensure that he grows up to be the best man he can be.

One of the most important ways we can do that, as parents, is to raise our boys to be gentlemen.

When we raise our sons as gentlemen, we are giving them a powerful rulebook to guide them through life. Being a gentleman teaches a boy three important lessons in life: • How to honour their masculinity and manliness • How to treat other people with respect and courtesy • How to be build a character to be proud of It may seem an old fashioned concept; yet raising our sons to be gentlemen is as important a part of being a parent as teaching them right from wrong. It means teaching them to be courageous and considerate; to protect, not abuse; and to choose solid values to live by, rather than the poor values promoted in the media.

How do we do it?

As parents, we need to teach our boys gentlemanly ways and model it because

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it won’t just happen by accident.

Manners are both “caught” and “taught” as children constantly observe the way we treat others. Here are some tips to raising gentlemen: [1] Teach boys to have a respectful attitude towards others. The rule you are teaching them is to ‘treat others as they would like to be treated’.

Encourage them to greet people with a handshake and a smile; to always say ‘please’, ‘thank you’ and ‘excuse me’ instead of ‘huh?’; to not use words that could offend the listener, such as swear words (I tell my son that swear words were invented for times of extreme pain or emotion – if he chops off his finger with an axe, then he can swear all he likes!). Gentlemen are also courageous enough to apologise when they have hurt someone so teach them to say ‘I’m sorry’.

[2] Teach boys the many little gestures of respect and courtesy that they can show towards women, such as opening doors and pulling out chairs at the dinner table. Although there was a period where women felt it was condescending, today most women recognise that it is just a way of showing respect and kindness.

By teaching our boys these little gestures from an early age, we are inculcating an attitude of respect towards women which will last a lifetime. Here is a list

of courtesies we can start teaching our boys: • Open car doors for your mum or pull out a chair for her as she sits at the table.

• Always stand up and offer your seat to women (especially if they’re pregnant!) or old people, whether in a waiting room or on a bus • Offer to carry things for others who look like they’re struggling.

• If a woman drops something, pick it up for her.

• Stand up when a woman enters the room, when she leaves the table or when you are introduced to her.

[3] Limit the media that your son is exposed to, as many of the messages objectify women or encourage bad behaviour. Teach your son to be critical of this instead of blindly accepting what they see. Talk with them about the scenes in TV shows, commercials and music that depict males as crass and women as deserving of disrespect.

[4] Teach them to have the courage to accept responsibility for their actions, good or bad. A boy can learn to be proud of himself, even when he has done something wrong, if he has learned that you will respect him for owning up to

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Little gentlemen - continued... his mistake.

[5] Give boys a code of conduct. Teach them that real men don’t lie, steal, cheat or bully their way through life. Show them that real men act with dignity and respect – for themselves and others.

[6] Teach boys to honour their masculinity and manliness. Teach them that their strength and courage is to be used to protect women and the weak.

Teach them that boys NEVER hit or hurt a girl, but instead always protect them from harm. Teach them to look out for the weaker child in class, to speak out when someone is being bullied, and to have the courage to say no when they are being pressured into doing something they know is wrong.

[7] Develop a habit of reading stories of brave, kind men so they can imagine themselves becoming that way too.

Little boys become teens and teens turn into men. By teaching our sons to be gentlemen from an early age, we are arming them with the skills and knowledge they need to be confident, good men that they – and we – can be proud of.

Parents looking for extra support can enrol their boys in programs such as Mini-Manners which teaches manners and other important skills such as treating others with respect and putting people at ease. You can contact MiniManners on 0416 198 576.

Celebrate your special occasion with an ICeCream Cake. Starting from only $39.95

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pak health

Hearing in children Functionally normal hearing is an essential component in the development of normal speech and language skills. It is generally agreed that significant hearing loss needs to be addressed before 6 months of age in order to give the best chance of speech and language developing on a par with other children in the same age group.

By Rachel Green In Australia, the incidence of congenital hearing loss (hearing loss you are born with) is approximately 2 children in every 1000 live births. In 2009 there were more that 2600 babies born at the Cairns Base Hospital alone. Based on these figures 4-5 children per year would expect to be diagnosed with a permanent congenital hearing loss in this area. And that’s not taking into account children born at the Cairns Private hospital, home births or children born in more regional or outlying areas.

E

VEday SAver y

In Queensland all newborns are offered a neonatal hearing screening prior to discharge from hospital. Children born outside of the hospital are offered this hearing screen during routine child health checkups. Should your child have a weaker response on this screen they are referred for further diagnostic audiological assessment and in this way the majority of congenital hearing losses are diagnosed and rehabilitated prior to the critical age of 6 months.

However, even if your child passes the hearing screen, there is still a chance that they can develop a hearing loss later in childhood; these hearing losses are known as acquired hearing losses.

There’s a store near you Woree - 600 Bruce Hwy PHONE: 4054 2440 Nth Cairns - 355 Sheridan St PHONE: 4031 4222

E: sales@calannapharmacy.com.au W: www.calannapharmacy.com.au

Some risk factors for acquired hearing loss are:

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• A significant family history of hearing loss • Genetic syndromes such as Down’s Syndrome or Ushers Syndrome • A significantly low birth weight of less than 1500 grams, breathing problems, seizures or prolonged ventilation as an infant • A history of meningitis or other significant illnesses as an infant • Cranio-facial abnormalities • Infections during pregnancy such as Rubella, CMV or herpes • Middle ear infections • Exposure to Ototoxic medications such as gentamicin • Traumatic injury to the head and/or ears Most of these risk factors, if evident at the time of the neonatal hearing screen, will result in your child being referred for a routine audiological assessment at approximately 9 to 12 months of age.

However, it is important to be aware of these possibilities and to request a hearing test for your child should you have any concerns.

Hearing loss is described on a graded scale from a mild to a profound impairment. It can sometimes be quite

difficult to detect a child with a mild to moderate hearing loss as they often develop speech and language skills but may rely heavily on hand gestures and lip reading and could possibly miss a large percentage of normal conversational speech. An infant with normal hearing will show reliable behavioural response to sounds they are interested in, this may include eye twitching, eye opening and an increase or decrease in sucking, these infants should also show a startle reflex in response to loud sounds such as a door slamming or an older child yelling (jump, twitch etc). If you have concerns that your infant or young child is not showing appropriate behavioural response to sound or that speech and language skills are not progressing as expected it is important to follow-up with your Audiologist as soon as possible.

It is important to remember that a child with hearing loss may initially develop normal baby ‘babbling’ sounds, while still showing inconsistent or unreliable responses to sound.

The earlier a hearing loss is detected and treated or rehabilitated, the smaller the long term impact on the development of speech and language skills will be. Early intervention is the key.

Talk to your GP or call Cairns Audiology Group on 4054 5561 should you have any concerns regarding your child’s hearing.

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pak health

pak health

Is your child Get your chocolate out of sorts? fix the healthy way!

Coeliac disease is a condition that affects at least one in 100 children in Australia, but four out of five are not diagnosed.

According to Paediatric Gastroenterologist, Dr. Don Cameron, there is an urgent need to raise public awareness of this condition because if it’s not diagnosed and treated it can lead to severe health implications in later life.

Coeliac disease is caused by a total intolerance to gluten which is found in wheat, barley, oats and rye. Coeliacs are unable to process food properly so their bodies become starved of essential nutrients. It is a permanent lifelong condition requiring a strict gluten free diet under medical supervision.

The condition typically starts in childhood between ages 4-7 although symptoms can present at any age. Dr. Cameron says the condition can be difficult to detect because the symptoms are so varied and can mimic other conditions such as gastroenteritis or food allergies. He encourages parents not to diagnose their children themselves but to seek medical advice.

A year ago, local boy Matthew Rillie (3½), was unwell and nobody knew why. According to his Mum, from the day he was born he had terrible diarrhoea, was irritable and restless, didn’t sleep at night and kept pulling his legs up and crying.

Everyone told her he had colic and would grow out of it but when he started to lose weight rapidly she insisted on seeing a specialist. Within seven days of starting treatment he was happier, started sleeping properly and within three months the diarrhoea was improved.

Coeliac Awareness Hotline 1300 273 272

Ring the Coeliac Awareness hotline on 1300 273 272 for a free information brochure if your child has any of the following unexplained symptoms: • Bloated tummy • Diarrhoea or constipation • Vomiting • Lack of stamina • Anaemia • Mouth ulcers • Failure to thrive • Difficulty concentrating • Feeling generally ‘out of sorts’

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By Joanna Whitton Homemade chocolate cakes, truffles, smoothies, biscuits, and even chocolate, can be a beneficial part of your diet if you make them from wholesome ingredients and eat them in moderation.

I always recommend using the best quality ingredients you can get, for example, organic cocoa or raw cacao powder, unrefined flours or ground nuts, a healthy sweetener (such as rapadura), organic eggs, non-homogenized milk (or rice/nut milks), and butter or healthy oils. By using wholefood ingredients, you will avoid nasties such as additives, preservatives and artificial colours entering your diet. At the same time, your body will be benefiting from the vitamins

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and minerals it needs. This results in less ‘junk’ food cravings.

When you’re choosing a cocoa, organic, chemical-free cocoa is better than regular cocoa, which is usually heat extracted with solvents. But for the best health benefits, try raw cacao powder (available at health food shops).

Organic, cold-pressed cacao powder has over 360% more anti-oxidants than regular cocoa, 21 times more antioxidants than green tea, and 7 times more than dark chocolate. Importantly, it does not raise blood cholesterol, contains vitamins and minerals such as calcium and magnesium, has a fair amount of protein and fibre as well as all three types of energy: fat, carbohydrates and sugar.

So, it’s the perfect energy food!

There is no caffeine in cacao (or cocoa, contrary to popular opinion), although it does contain small amounts of theobromine, which is similar to caffeine but has less effect on the central nervous system. Theobromine is not addictive and is a much gentler stimulant than caffeine, but it’s still best not to overdo it, so enjoy it in moderation.

For lots of healthy chocolate recipes check out Joanna’s blog - http:// quirkycooking.blogspot.com/. They include Raw Chocolate Banana Nut Ice cream made with cacao. Joanna Whitton is a Thermomix Consultant in the Atherton Tablelands. For more info email her at whitton6@gmail.com

17

kids in the kitchen

parents in the pantry

Easter cakes

Club Sanga

with Teah

Ingredients: Rich Chocolate Cake Mix & ingredients needed to make it.

Packet of chocolate easter eggs with caramel or other creamy centres.

Method: (1) Preheat over to 180o or 160o if a fan forced oven.

(2) Make cake batter as per instructions on the packet.

(3)

Use a large muffin tray and either grease well or use large patty cake papers.

(4)

Fill with cake mixture and then put a easter egg into the middle and push down till it is cover with cake mix.

(5) Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

You can serve them straight away nice and hot with ice cream and strawberries or just wait till they cool down.

Either way you get a nice rich surprise in the middle.

18

www.pakmag.com.au

www.pakmag.com.au

with Tracey McCarthy

In a Jel Ring Ingredients: • 1 café loaf of bread • 100g shaved ham • 4 eggs boiled & mashed with mayo & salt/pepper • Quarter lettuce - shredded • 2 carrots peeled & shredded • 1 cup grated cheese Method:

(1) Cut crust off bread and butter one side of each slice.

(2) Place buttered side up overlapping each piece around base of jel ring.

(3) Layer lettuce then half slices of bread butter side down on top of lettuce.

Win a double Movie Pass Send in your reader recipe for the chance to win a double pass to the movies.

Email your recipe to: competitions@pakmag.com.au

Entries close: 20/04/10

(4) Layer cheese then half slices of bread again, pressing down between each layer.

(5) Layer ham then half slices of bread.

(6) Layer carrot then half slices of bread.

(7) Layer eggs.

(8) Then layer full slices of bread overlapping tucked in the middle and the outside, buttered side down.

(9) Freeze for 30 minutes and then turn out on a plate.

19

! t NLYou S Ome KID

ll u P

out & about

b

Proud fishermen Ma

Cazaly’s Easter PakClu

cca, Bren and Ch

ays

25

!!!

Cazaly’s Easter Pa

kClub

The Fiano’s go tropical

Cazaly’s Easter Pa

kClub

20

Cazaly’s Easter PakClub

www.pakmag.com.au

• Did you know? • Loads of Comps • Heaps of Prizes • PAK review

To enter this fantastic competition just colour-it-in and mail to: PAKMAG, Colour-it-in April PO Box 7433 Cairns Q 4870 and you go into the draw to WIN a Prize! Closing Date: 20 April 2010 For more copies of the colour-it-in and win download from our website

Security at Cairns Airport Security is an important thing to think about whenever you are at an airport.

At Cairns Airport there are several types of people involved in keeping the airport secure. They include Safety Officers, Customer Service Officers, Customs Officers, Quarantine Officers, Security Contractors & the Australian Federal Police.

Police at Cairns Airport The Australian Federal Police (AFP) is the primary law-enforcement agency at eleven major airports in Australia, including Cairns Airport. Their job is to deter, prevent and respond to crime and threats of terror in the airport area. The AFP also investigate serious and organised crime and perform a community policing role at the airport.

If you ever see something strange at Cairns Airport or you need assistance you should call 131 AFP (131 237) or if you can see a police officer, let them know.

to daily training and constant attention.

They start training when they are about two years old and may keep working until they are about nine years old.

For emergency assistance call 000.

Dogs at Cairns Airport The AFP canines (dogs) and their handlers are an important part of the AFP team at Cairns Airport. The dogs are strictly working dogs and are highly trained to be able to detect firearms, explosives, drugs and money. They might also be used when special people, like Presidents from other countries, come to Cairns Airport.

The AFP uses Labradors. They are extremely intelligent dogs that respond well

Question 1: Who was the special guest at the pakclub easter night at cazalys on the 13th March 2010?

Question 2: ANSWER THIS: 5 + 4 + 10 + 21 = Question 3:

Answer all the questions and you could win a fantastic prize pak!!!

What date is Mothers Day? Question 4: How many days in April 2010?

Question 5: How many millilitres in a litre?

Name:_________________________________________________________________Age:________________________________________ Parent/Guardian:____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone:_________________________________________________________________Email:_______________________________________ Post entry form to PAKMAG, Colour-it-in April, PO Box 7433 Cairns Q 4870 or you can drop it off at reception - Level 2, 68 Abbott Street.

22

www.pakmag.com.au

Entries close: 20 April 2010 Email your answers to: competitions@pakmag.com.au Or post your answers to: Battle of the Brains, PAK MAG, PO Box 7433 Cairns Qld 4870

www.pakmag.com.au

23

JOKES

sudoku

(Q) What do you call a dinosaur that never gives up?

5 4 2 4 5

(Q) What do you call a dinosaur that smashes everything in its path?

4

(Q) What do you call Tyrannosaurus Rex when it wears a cowboy hat & boots?

3 2

• 70 years ago: The teletype and PVC (polyvinyl-chloride) were invented.

• 60 years ago: Otto Hahn discovered nuclear fission by splitting uranium, Teflon was invented.

• 50 years ago: Velcro was invented.

• 40 years ago: An all-female population of lizards was discovered in Armenia.

• 30 years ago: The computer mouse was invented.

Fri 2nd Sat 3rd

Sun 4th

(A) Tyrannosaurus Tex

word scramble Mother nature (1)

Eesrt

_____

(2)

Evalse

______

(3)

Oflwser

_______

(4)

Irdt

____

(5)

Hgitlinng

________

(6)

Inwd

____

(7)

Niar

____

(8)

Sagrs

_____

(9)

Viserr

______

(10) Terllwafa

_________

Prize!!!

Win a Mystery and send the Simply un-scramble the words answers + your name and contact info to email competitions@pakmag.com.au or post them to PO BOX 7433 Cairns. Entries close: 19/04/10.

24

DATE

Thu 1st

(A) Tyrannosaurus wrecks!

6

did you know?

RED = FAMILY

(A) Try-Try-Try-ceratops!

2 1

1

pak’s what’s on guide april

Mon 5th Tue 6th

Wed 7th

Thu 8th

Fri 9th

Sat 10th

VENUE

Brothers Cairns St Margaret's Anglican Church Edmonton Library Fullers Edmonton City Place Mondos Hilton City Place Esplanade Toys R Us Esplanade Esplanade Esplanade Esplanade Cell Art Space Brothers Cairns Fullers Edmonton Vertigo Bar Mondos Hilton Cairns Cinemas Cairns Cinemas Cairns Cinemas Brothers Cairns Fullers Edmonton CourtHouse Port Douglas Vertigo Bar Earlville Library Gordonvale Library Gecko's Smithfield Brothers Cairns Mondos Hilton Vertigo Bar Cairns City Library Manunda Library Brothers Cairns Brothers Cairns St Margaret's Anglican Church Cairns City Library Mossman Library City Place Mondos Hilton City Place Various Esplanade City Place Fullers Edmonton Mondos Hilton Toys R Us

Green = kids

blue = adults

ENTERTAINMENT/EVENT NAME

Live Music - Out of the Blue PlayConnect - Helping Children with Autism Storytime for Kids - Bookings Required Live Music - Barbary Coasters Chris 'Live & Acoustic' - Solo Unsigned & Unplugged Barbary Coasters DRUM UP BIG Super Hero Saturday - School Holiday Programme Esplanade Markets Moondog Gypsy Band - Duo JACS EASTER ACTIVITIES Feat. Bree & the Bopstars The Last Nautilus by Madeleine Challender Live Music - Sunset Raga Live Music - Small Baggage Live Music - Belinda Butler and the Good Things Easter Egg Hunt from 11am Movie Marathon #1: Kick Ass, Green Zone, Wolfman

START TIME

7:00 PM 9:30 AM 10:30 AM 7:30 PM 12:00 PM 7:30 PM 12:00 PM 7:00 PM All Day 8:00 AM 11:00 AM 3:00 PM 9:00 AM 7:30 PM 7:00 PM 7:30 PM 9:00 PM 11:00 AM 11:00 PM MM #2: Clash of the Titans 3D, The Dark Knight, Sherlock Holmes 11:00 PM MM #3: Shes out of my League, GI Joe, Dance Flick 11:00 PM Live Music - Carrizma 5:00 PM Live Music - Barbary Coasters 7:30 PM Live Music - Sarah Booker 6:00 PM Live Music - The Sunbirds 8:00 PM Baby Rhyme Time - Bookings Required 10:30 AM Storytime for Kids - Bookings Required 10:30 AM School Holidays @ Geckos 10:00 AM Live Music - Take 5 9:30 AM Family Night with Terry Doyle & Rachel the face painter 6:00 PM Live Music - Triple J Unearthed Band - The Venus Project 9:00 PM Storybook Adventure Workshops presented by Young Company 10:00 AM Storytime for Kids - Bookings Required 10:30 AM Live Music - Carrizma 5:00 PM Live Music - Giles Smith (trio) 7:00 PM PlayConnect - Helping Children with Autism 9:30 AM Storybook Adventure Workshops presented by Young Company 10:00 AM Storytime for Kids - Bookings Required 10:30 AM Mikey Hayman Solo 12:00 PM Unsigned & Unplugged 7:30 PM Brooks Brothers Duo 12:00 PM SANDS - Stillbirth And Neonatal Death support 10:00 AM MARKS AUSSIE ANIMAL SHOW 7:00 PM Relay Rockers - Rock N Roll Dance Group 7:30 PM Live Music - Juicy Fruits 7:30 PM Live Music - Prodigal Sista 6:00 PM Super Hero Saturday - School Holiday Programme All Day

FOR MORE INFO:

COST:

www.brotherscairns.com.au Free

(07) 4033 6966 (07) 4055 1421 www.brotherscairns.com.au www.cairnsesplanade.com.au

(07) 4052 6780 www.cairnsesplanade.com.au www.cairnsesplanade.com.au

www.toysrus.com.au www.cairnsesplanade.com.au www.cairnsesplanade.com.au www.cairnsesplanade.com.au www.cairnsesplanade.com.au

www.cellartspace.com www.brotherscairns.com.au www.brotherscairns.com.au

0404 848 666 (07) 4052 6780 www.birch.com.au

www.birch.com.au www.birch.com.au www.brotherscairns.com.au www.brotherscairns.com.au

0404 848 666 (07) 4044 3766 (07) 4056 1365 www.geckosplay.com.au www.brotherscairns.com.au

(07) 4052 6780 0404 848 666 (07) 4044 3720 (07) 4044 3779 www.brotherscairns.com.au www.brotherscairns.com.au

(07) 4033 6966 (07) 4044 3720 (07) 4099 9496 www.cairnsesplanade.com.au

(07) 4052 6780 www.cairnsesplanade.com.au nerissahealey5@bigpond.com www.cairnsesplanade.com.au www.cairnsesplanade.com.au

www.brotherscairns.com.au

(07) 4052 6780 www.toysrus.com.au

Free Free Free Free Cost Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Cost Cost Cost Cost Free Free Free Free Free Free Cost Free Cost Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Cost Free Free Free Free Free Free Free

pak’s what’s on guide april RED = FAMILY DATE

VENUE

Sun 11th

Mon 12th Tue 13th

Wed 14th

Thu 15th

Fri 16th

Sat 17th

Sun 18th

Brothers Cairns Fullers Edmonton Trinity Beach Hotel Esplanade Esplanade Esplanade Espanade Cazalys Mondos Hilton Vertigo Bar Cairns Esplanade Brothers Cairns Bellavista Vertigo Bar Stratford Library Smithfield Library Gecko's Smithfield Brothers Cairns Mondos Hilton Vertigo Bar Cairns Cinemas Cairns City Library Brothers Cairns Brothers Cairns St Margaret's Anglican Church Mossman Library Stratford Library City Place City Place Mondos Hilton Esplanade Vertigo Bar Brothers Cairns Brothers Cairns Fullers Edmonton Tanks Art Centre Mondos Hilton Vertigo Bar Esplanade Esplanade Esplanade Cazalys Brothers Cairns Fullers Edmonton Vertigo Bar Mondos Hilton Brothers Cairns

Green = kids

pak’s what’s on guide april

blue = adults

ENTERTAINMENT/EVENT NAME

Live Music - Out of the Blue Live Music - Karoake with Kaz and Gaz Kids Club Esplanade Markets Koahlition Latin Jazz Excursion NQ Games: Closing Cermony feat. 'Disco Divas' FREE PAKCLUB - SUPER HERO SUNDAY - Heaps of prizes All Day Dining: with Bean Bags & Lawn Games Live Music - Belinda Butler and the Good Things Fundraiser: Chile Dog Day Live Music - Carrizma Monday Madness - $5 pizzas all day Live Music - The Sunbirds Storytime for Kids - Bookings Required Baby Rhyme Time - Bookings Required School Holidays @ Geckos Live Music - Billy May Family Night with Terry Doyle & Rachel the face painter Live Music - Triple J Unearthed Band - The Venus Project Babes in Arms: Bounty Hunter Storytime for Kids - Bookings Required Live Music - Mark Button Live Music - Muthafunk PlayConnect - Helping Children with Autism Storytime for Kids - Bookings Required Baby Rhyme Time - Bookings Required YOUTH WEEK: YOUTH WEEK: Vikarious Unsigned & Unplugged YOUTH WEEK: Foreshore Fireshow - Cycas Circus

START TIME

7:00 PM 7:30 PM 5:30 PM 8:00 AM 11:00 AM 3:00 PM 2:00 PM 5:00 PM 11:00 AM 9:00 PM 10:00 AM 5:00 PM All Day 8:00 PM 10:30 AM 10:30 AM 10:00 AM 9:30 AM 6:00 PM 9:00 PM 10:30 AM 10:30 AM 12:00 PM 7:00 PM 9:30 AM 10:30 AM 10:30 AM 12:00 PM 12:00 PM 7:30 PM 7:00 PM Live Music - THE ORIGINAL 80s SUPERSTARS PSEUDO ECHO 9:00 PM Live Music - Giles Smith Band 8:30 PM Live in the Auditorium - "Wendy Matthews - Holiday Tour" 8:00 PM Live Music - Shari 7:30 PM Sneaky Beats 6:00 PM Live Music - Azonic 6:00 PM Live Music - THE ORIGINAL 80s SUPERSTARS PSEUDO ECHO 9:00 PM YOUTH WEEK: Esplanade Markets 8:00 AM YOUTH WEEK: Frontear 11:00 AM YOUTH WEEK: The Venus Project 3:00 PM Live Music - Tunes With Trent 7:30 PM Live Music - Sunset Raga 7:00 PM Live Music - Karoake with Kaz and Gaz 7:30 PM Live Music - The McMenamins 9:00 PM All Day Dining: with Bean Bags & Lawn Games 11:00 AM Live Music - Carrizma 5:00 PM

ee St Fr rn B igg e g Hunt in Cai s! easter eg

apri l 2010 9am-11am ~ Satu rday 3r d ment from “Bopstars” be found Free event with entertain Over 2000 Cadbury Easter Eggs to m “Bunning’s EastEr Bunny” Special gueSt appearance FrO .com.au our website www.cairnsesplanade For more info call 4044 3715 or visit

RED = FAMILY FOR MORE INFO:

COST:

www.brotherscairns.com.au Free www.brotherscairns.com.au Free

nikki@nikkitheclown.com Free www.cairnsesplanade.com.au Free www.cairnsesplanade.com.au Free www.cairnsesplanade.com.au Free www.cairnsesplanade.com.au Free (07) 4054 1464 Free (07) 4052 6780 Cost 0404 848 666 Free

DATE

Mon 19th Tue 20th

Wed 21st

Donation www.brotherscairns.com.au Free www.blueclickphotography.com

0404 848 666 (07) 4044 3733 (07) 4044 3711 www.geckosplay.com.au www.brotherscairns.com.au

(07) 4052 6780 0404 848 666 www.birch.com.au (07) 4044 3720 www.brotherscairns.com.au www.brotherscairns.com.au

(07) 4033 6966 (07) 4099 9496 (07) 4044 3733 www.cairnsesplanade.com.au www.cairnsesplanade.com.au

(07) 4052 6780 www.cairnsesplanade.com.au

0404 848 666 www.brotherscairns.com.au www.brotherscairns.com.au www.brotherscairns.com.au www.tanksartscentre.com.au

(07) 4052 6780 0404 848 666 www.cairnsesplanade.com.au www.cairnsesplanade.com.au www.cairnsesplanade.com.au

www.cazalys.com.au www.brotherscairns.com.au www.brotherscairns.com.au

0404 848 666 (07) 4052 6780 www.brotherscairns.com.au

$5 Free Free Free Cost Free Cost Free $8.50 Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Cost Free Free Free Cost Free Cost Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Cost Free

Thu 22nd

Fri 23rd

Sat 24th

Sun 25th

Mon 26th Tue 27th

Wed 28th

Thu 29th

VENUE

Esplanade Bellavista Vertigo Bar Smithfield Library Gecko's Smithfield Cairns City Library Brothers Cairns Mondos Hilton Vertigo Bar Cairns Cinemas Babinda Library Woree Learning Centre Brothers Cairns Brothers Cairns St Margaret's Anglican Church Mossman Library Earlville Library City Place City Place Mondos Hilton City Place Brothers Cairns Fullers Edmonton Mondos Hilton Marine Hotel Brothers Cairns Fullers Edmonton Trinity Beach Hotel Esplanade Esplanade Esplanade Brothers Cairns Mondos Hilton Esplanade Kuranda Aphitheatre Bellavista Brothers Cairns Manunda Library Gecko's Smithfield Mondos Hilton Vertigo Bar Cairns Cinemas Isabella State School Brothers Cairns Brothers Cairns St Margaret's Anglican Church Mossman Library

Green = kids

blue = adults

ENTERTAINMENT/EVENT NAME

YOUTH WEEK: The Soul Objective Monday Madness - $5 pizzas all day Live Music - The Sunbirds Storytime for Kids - Bookings Required Story Time @ Geckos - from Collins Book Store

START TIME

3:00 PM All Day 8:00 PM 10:30 AM 10:00 AM FREE Financial Management Workshop Managing Cash Flow 1:30 PM Live Music - Out of the Blue 9:30 AM Circus Themed Family Night 6:00 PM Live Music - Triple J Unearthed Band - The Venus Project 9:00 PM Babes in Arms: Nanny McPhee 10:30 AM Storytime for Kids - Bookings Required 10:30 AM Communities For Children - Meeting 4:00 PM Live Music - Small Baggage 12:00 PM Live Music - Small Baggage 7:00 PM PlayConnect - Helping Children with Autism 9:30 AM Storytime for Kids - Bookings Required 10:30 AM Storytime for Kids - Bookings Required 10:30 AM Hillbilly Goats Duo 12:00 PM Mark Lane Solo 12:00 PM Unsigned & Unplugged 7:30 PM Relay Rockers - Rock N Roll Dance Group 7:30 PM Live Music - 10 Foot Tall 8:30 PM Live Music - Justin Wellington 7:30 PM Live Music - Azonic 6:00 PM Live Music - Barbary Coasters 7:30 PM Live Music - 10 Foot Tall 7:00 PM Live Music - Karoake with Kaz and Gaz 7:30 PM Kids Club 5:30 PM Esplanade Markets 8:00 AM McMenamins 11:00 AM Kian & Ko 3:00 PM Live Music - Carrizma 5:00 PM All Day Dining: with Bean Bags & Lawn Games 11:00 AM ANZAC DAY Entertainment 3:00 PM OUTDOOR Event - Lee Kernaghan 6:00 PM Monday Madness - $5 pizzas all day All Day Live Music - Carrizma 9:30 AM Baby Rhyme Time - Bookings Required 10:30 AM Cooking With Kids @ Geckos - creating a Masterpiece 10:00 AM Family Night with Terry Doyle & Rachel the face painter 6:00 PM Live Music - Triple J Unearthed Band - The Venus Project 9:00 PM Babes in Arms: Last Song 10:30 AM Free Family After-School Programme - BOOK B4 16th April 3:30 PM Live Music - Carrizma 12:00 PM Live Music - Big Noise 9:30 AM PlayConnect - Helping Children with Autism 9:30 AM Storytime for Kids - Bookings Required 10:30 AM

FOR MORE INFO: www.cairnsesplanade.com.au

0404 848 666 (07) 4044 3711 www.geckosplay.com.au info@fnqvolunteers.org www.brotherscairns.com.au

(07) 4052 6780 0404 848 666 www.birch.com.au (07) 4067 1112 (07) 4051 6560 www.brotherscairns.com.au www.brotherscairns.com.au

(07) 4033 6966 (07) 4099 9496 (07) 4044 3766 www.cairnsesplanade.com.au www.cairnsesplanade.com.au

(07) 4052 6780 www.cairnsesplanade.com.au

www.brotherscairns.com.au www.brotherscairns.com.au

(07) 4052 6780 nikkivance@barbarycoasters.com

www.brotherscairns.com.au www.brotherscairns.com.au nikki@nikkitheclown.com www.cairnsesplanade.com.au www.cairnsesplanade.com.au www.cairnsesplanade.com.au

www.brotherscairns.com.au

(07) 4052 6780 www.cairnsesplanade.com.au

www.ticketlink.com.au www.brotherscairns.com.au

(07) 4044 3779 www.geckosplay.com.au (07) 4052 6780 0404 848 666 www.birch.com.au

(07) 4054 1260 www.brotherscairns.com.au www.brotherscairns.com.au

(07) 4033 6966 (07) 4099 9496

COST:

Free $5 Free Free Cost Free Free Cost Free $8.50 Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Cost Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Cost Free Cost $5 Free Free Cost Cost Free $8.50 Free Free Free Free Free

pak’s what’s on guide april RED = FAMILY DATE

Fri 30th

VENUE

Green = kids

blue = adults

ENTERTAINMENT/EVENT NAME

City Place Mondos Hilton Brothers Cairns Brothers Cairns Fullers Edmonton City Place Mondos Hilton

Lucky Phil Unsigned & Unplugged Live in the Auditorium - "Damien Leith - Keys & Strings Tour"

Live Music - 4 in a Groove Live Music - Small Baggage Bel Lui Solo Live Music - Prodigal Sista

START TIME

12:00 PM 7:30 PM 8:00 PM 12:00 PM 7:30 PM 12:00 PM 6:00 PM

FOR MORE INFO:

COST:

Free Cost www.brotherscairns.com.au Cost www.brotherscairns.com.au Free www.brotherscairns.com.au Free www.cairnsesplanade.com.au Free (07) 4052 6780 Free www.cairnsesplanade.com.au

(07) 4052 6780

spot

starring Sam Powers at Velvet underground - Every Mon through to Sat @ 7.30pm

GO Bowling Cairns

Specials on all month for adults, kids, birthdays and groups! (07) 4053 3497. Super Special Sunday Sessions - 3pm till Late ($13.95 p/p for 3 games) Cairns Recreation Centre MON > Boot Camp 9.15am ($10)

Teen/Kid Fitness 4pm ($7)

Enduro Trg 9.15am ($10) TUE > Boot Camp 6.30am ($10)

Tiny Tots Fitness 5.30pm ($7)

Teen/Kid Fitness 4.30pm ($7)

Turbo Fit Session 5.30pm ($10) WED > Boot Camp 9.15am ($10) Inline Hockey 4.30pm ($9) THU > Boot Camp 6.30am ($10) Circuit Trg 9.15am ($10)

Tiny Tots Fitness 11am ($7) Teen/Kid Fitness 5.30pm ($7) FRI > Boot Camp 6.30am ($10) Teen/Kid Fitness 9.15am ($10) SAT > Heaps of activities all day Call 4053 5353 for further info SUN > Heaps of activities all day

Call 4053 5353 for further info Esplanade Lagoon Mon - Aqua Aerobics @ 6.30am & Walk / Run Circuit @ 5.15pm Tues - YOGA @ 6.30am Wed - Sarge’s Army Boot Camp @ 5.30pm Wed - Beach Volleyball Clinic @ 5.30pm Thurs - Pilates @ 7am & Petanque @ 10am Thurs - Aqua Aerobics Class @ 6.15pm Thurs - Esplanade Learn to Run @ 5.30pm Fri - Aqua Aerobics @ 6.30am Fri - Mums & Bubs @ 8am (meet at funship)

Atherton Markets

- the first Saturday of each month from 7am at Platypus Park, Herberton Rd

Wed throught to Sat - Live Music @ 7.30pm

Brothers Leagues Club

Tues - Seniors Morning “Club Gold” @ 9.30am

Brothers Leagues KIDS Club

Every Sun - Kids Disco 3.30pm-6pm (ages 3-12yrs)

Cairns Indoor Sports

Multi Sport Madness @ 1pm - 3pm everyday (07) 40322 844 The SANDS Support group meets on the second Friday of each month 10am-2pm at the Marlin Coast Neighborhood Centre in Smithfield (45 Cumberland Ave).

If you would like more info call Nerissa on 4098 3089 or Kelly on 4033 7917. The 24/7 phone listeners line is 1800 228 655.

Babinda Markets

- the first Saturday of each month, except January, from 8am, Munro Street

Rusty's Markets

- All day Friday, until 2pm Saturday and Sunday, Grafton Street, Cairns

Nov at Marcs Park

Gordonvale Cottage Markets

- every Saturday from 7am - noon under the raintrees in Mossman

- every Saturday from 8am - noon at Lions Park - on the first Saturday of each month from 8am - noon at Norman Park

Innisfail Red Cross Markets

- held the 3rd Sunday of each month at Anzac Memorial Park

SPeewah Markets

- Every Saturday from 8am - 4am at Fogerty Park, Cairns

- every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday at 9am - 3pm in Therwine St

- Every Sunday 8am-2pm Carpark of the Speewah Tavern, Speewah Road. 6ks past Kuranda

Mt Sheridan Markets

Malanda Markets

- the first Sunday of each month at Morrow Park Race Course

Mareeba Markets

- every 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month at the Tully Showgrounds.

- 2nd Saturday of every month

Night Markets

- Everyday from 4.30pm-11pm, Entry from Espanade or Abbott Street, Cairns

Northern Beaches Markets

- the 3rd Sunday of each month from 9am - 3pm, Smithfield Shopping Centre

Tanks Art Centre Markets

- the last Sunday of each month from 9am-1pm, Cairns

- the 3rd Saturday of each month from 6am - noon at Jack May Park - the 2nd Saturday of each month at Centenary Park, Byrnes Street

Mission Beach Markets

- 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month from 6.30am - noon, Opposite Hideaway

Monster Markets

- the last Sunday of each month from 8am - 2pm, April til

Try practicing in front of a mirror to help perfect each motion. Ensure that they are each clear and sharp don’t let them blur together.

See if you can help the Easter Bunny spot all of the differences!

Port Douglas Markets

Kuranda Markets

Esplanade Markets

Once you have the idea of what a motion is you need to make it ‘sharp and snappy’. This means your arms should be tight and your muscles stiff, transitions should be quick neat and sharp. Your shoulders should be relaxed and low, don’t let them inch up to your chin.

Mossman Markets

- every Sunday from 8.30am - 2pm at Anzac Park

Tolga Markets

Perfect arm motions

Arm lines are also referred to as Motions. The key here is that they all need to be slightly in front of your body, not in line with it, this is what makes such a strong looking shape. There are many motions to learn- try looking them up on google. A key note with motions is your hands. They need to be in a tight fist with the thumb on the outside and it does make a difference if your thumb or pinky is to the front so make sure you find out. Your wrists should never be bent, there should be a straight line from your elbow to your knuckles. Hands may also be in blades or spirit fingers depending on your choreography.

CAZALY’s

Cooktown Markets

Cheerleading

So you now have your squad organised and a teacher that is willing to help. Where to now? Lets start with the basics! All squads need tight arm lines, great jumps and synchronisation. These are the underlying keys to getting high points on the scoresheet and wowing your crowd. This month we will start with arms.

Sat - Sahaja YOGA @ 7.30am, Aqua Aerobics @ 8.30am & Boxercise @ 8am

regular markets

Awesome

BY: Tamara Manning www.awesomecheerleading.com

regular weekly events

Sam Powers EXTREME ILLUSIONS

AWESOME

PaK

Tully Markets

Next month look out for jump tips. Until then enjoy your practice and ‘let your spirit soar’.

science Suspended paper clip

Yungaburra Markets

- Held the 4th Saturday of each month from 7.30am - 12.30pm in the Main Street

Swap Meet @ Rodeo Drive-in Mareeba

- open every Sunday from april til september, Highway 3 (Near Bremerton Airport)

Materials you will need: • String • Magnet • Scissors • Paper Clip • Scotch Tape • Glue (optional) • Clean Glass Jar with a metal lid Steps: [1] Cut the string about the length of the jar from top to bottom.

[2] Tie the paper clip to one end of string.

[3] Tape the other end of string to the bottom (inside) of the jar.

[4] Tape or glue the magnet to inside of lid.

[5] Now show your audience the jar with the paper clip lying at the bottom of the jar.

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[6] Place the lid on the jar and turn it upside down so that the paper clip hangs from the string.

[7] Carefully turn the jar right side up so that the paper clip is being pulled by the magnet.

It appears that the paper clip is suspended in the air. This is due to the fact that the string is preventing the paper clip from being pulled flat to the magnet.

Pakmag-netic Fact: Magnets have a special power that enables them to attract other magnetic things such as iron, steel, cobalt and nickel. Magnets have two main forces - push and pull.

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CAN YOU SPOT THEM ALL? THERE ARE 8 TO FIND

Bulletin #29 The totally amazing, incredible, fantastic adventures of Bopstar, Bree and the Boppers!

Bulletin: Part XXVIIII

LAST EDITION: “If only we could do something to help all those poor farmers.” Sighed Trina, as she watched the tractors and harvester floating across the fields. “What can we do though?” asked Trent, also gawking out the window at the amazing sight that could be seen.

What could they have done… they were not prepared for such an experience and they had to now go into the town centre and warn as many people as possible. “Wait!!!” yelled Bree, with a figurative ‘light bulb’ above her head, continuing “I have an idea!”

“What is it Bree?” asked Trina, anxiously awaiting her ingenious idea. “I have it! Trent, what I need you to do is use your Freezy-Frozy-Injectionation-Laser to firstly help Mareeba and then Cairns!” proposed Bree, looking increasingly excited about her plan. “What will that do?

I’m not in the mood for mango ice-cream again.” Trent replied, puzzled as to what she was getting at. “No, no, no…what I want you to do is use your FFI Laser to divert the water from Mareeba and direct it to the ocean!” Bree explained.

“Do you think you will able to freeze that amount of running water?” Trina asked, curious as to the power of Trent’s laser. “I don’t think I will be able to freeze that amount of water but I think if we can get another source of water and freeze it to make a barrier, this could possibly divert the water to away from the city heart and decrease the damage.” Trent exclaimed. “What do mean, ‘a barrier’? replied Trina, very interested in how this plan will work. “Well…what I can do is freeze the water in a big line and this would divert the water in the direction we want. Like a berm corner on a BMX track.” Trent explained, hopefully making it clearer.

With that, the Boppers zoomed towards the south side of Mareeba, quickly outrunning the raging water and making sure they had enough time to put their plan into action and hopefully save the city of Mareeba.

Seconds later, the team had landed next to the Rodeo drive-in and knew that they had to act fast. “Quickly look for a hose or something to use as a secondary water source!” rushed Trent, searching for a tap. The Boppers searched and searched, quickly running out of time and they three boppers began to get worried. “What are we gonna do?” cried Trina, worried as she knew that the huge wall of water getting closer and closer.

“I can’t seem to find any taps that work and it looks like the fire hydrant is out of order!” exclaimed Trent, worried that they would never find water before it was too late.

Quickly trying to think of another plan, Trina pointed up to the top of a tower just in the distance. “What is that?”

Trina asked.

“Perfect!” jumped Trent, “It’s a water and it looks like there are heaps of them. Great work!” congratulated Trent.

Hopefully there was enough time to open the water tank and freeze the water before the ‘wave wall’ arrived…“OH NO!” yelled Bree, “LOOK!” To Be continued…

Where there’s a SHOW that needs a GLOW, a SMARTY that needs a PARTY, Bree and the boppers are ready to entertain the people of Cairns! But when Trouble arises and there’s no one else to call, The Bopstars use their Super Special Powers and embark on Exciting Expeditions to protect and preserve.

IN CINEMAS APRIL 1 OPENING IN VICTORIA MARCH 25

FOREVER! TOGETHER! BOPSTARS! www.pakmag.com.au

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ANSWERS - NO FEATHERS. NO PIG. NO HEADLIGHTS. NO MEDALS. BLUE TROUSER LEG. NO RIBBON. NO LICENCE PLATE NUMBER. NO BACK WHEEL.

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out & about

Tawny Frogmouth Proudly brought to you by

b

Cazaly’s Easter Pa

kClub

Cazaly’s Easter PakClu

PAK Facts Did you know?

DID YOU KNOW? Frogmouths pair for life?

There are three kinds of Frogmouths found in Australia. The Marbled Frogmouth, Papuan Frogmouth and the Tawny Frogmouth. The Tawny frogmouth is the most widely distributed Frogmouth, found in every state through out Australia.

Frogmouths are not owls. A lot of people think they belong to the owl family, however they differ mainly in two ways. One being their face.

Owls have quite flat faces with their eyes found in the middle of their heart shaped feathers, where as the frogmouths have more shape with their beaks taking up the majority of their face. Their eyes are also found more on the side of their faces not in the middle like the owl.

The second difference is their talons, or claws. Owls have quite strong talons which they rely on to catch their prey, where as the frogmouths have quite weak feet and rely mainly on catching their prey with their large beaks.

Nocturnal like the Owl, Frogmouths sleep all day and come out at night when it’s dark and go hunting for their prey. Frogmouths mainly rely on the more slower type of prey, unlike their cousin the owl who can catch a mouse or rabbit on the run. Preferring large insects, baby birds and mammals the Frogmouths have to catch their prey with their large beaks and after killing it with a wack on the branch they eat it whole.

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The frogmouths are quite romantic and mate for life. They choose a life partner who they will roost, feed and mate with until they die. It is quite often that if you see one, the second wont be far away.

Cazaly’s Easter Pa

kClub

Cazaly’s Easter PakClu

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DID YOU KNOW? The colour of the Frogmouths feathers help them to camouflage in the branches of the trees during the day so as to avoid being prey to Eagles and Hawks.

Cazaly’s Easter Pa

kClub

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pak babies

Come rn and relea your ABC

Baby toys

  

l w yo u r lo CA g et to kn oin es tr n Ce g AB C le Ar n 44 & 2  4045 31 eDmonton 1 /edmonton .au childcare.com 2  4054 1400 kAnimBlA 1 & /kanimbla .au m .co childcare 22  4041 20 CAirns north /cairns-north .au m .co re ca child 4032 0570 mAnoorA  /manoora .au m childcare.co t  4032 1390 mAnunDA wes /manunda-west .au m .co re childca 4034 3444 BrinsmeAD  /brinsmead .au m .co re ca ild ch 88  4057 91 trinity BeACh /trinity-beach .au m childcare.co 54 4400 woree  40 /woree .au m .co re ca child 66  4054 55 woree north /woree-north .au childcare.com 77 ens  4036 41 forest gArD /forest-gardens .au m .co childcare l  4032 0440 moorooBoo /mooroobool .au m .co re ca child 2640 rDens  4036 tAmArinD gA /tamarind-gardens .au childcare.com

Please come and see what we do, meet your ABC team and share your ideas on how we might do it even better.

Call our Centre Directors if you would like to know more or visit our website childcare.com.au/qld

Maria Nguyen reviews the best baby toys Thanks to science we have gained a pretty good understanding over the years about the way babies learn and develop their senses. Toy companies have capitalised on this growing trend of educational toys for babies, with an influx of toys saturating the market in recent years. Every manufacturer claims its products best stimulate the young brains, engaging even newborns.

Their names suggest it: Play Gro, Bright Starts, Baby Einstein.

Your baby indeed has a lot of skills to show off, and playtime helps him develop them.

In the first months however, he won’t be able to do much besides looking and listening. His vision will still be fuzzy and for the first couple of weeks his eyes will fix on objects only 20-30 cm away. He will also prefer faces and high contrast colours like black, white and red to pastel shades or stationary objects.

WHEN: Mon-Fri 9am-10am Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri 10am-11am COST: $10 per class (There is also a $40 annual registration fee)

Many first time parents find it overwhelming and confusing to know which toys to buy for their precious one. After all, there are so many, and they are all so similar. The following toys are great, if not essential, for your newborn.

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Cot mobiles: Babies love things that move and play soft music. Their eyes take time to focus on objects other than their parents’ faces, but by the second month they can track moving objects and find them fascinating. Mobiles help develop their vision and music is said to improve cognitive ability. Tiny Love SymphonyIn-Motion is probably the best mobile on the market. Designed with the tiny brain in mind, Symphony-In-Motion comes in interesting shapes, bright colours and plays 20 minutes of classical music composed

by Mozart, Beethoven and Bach. The complexity of classical music has been proven to boost spatial intelligence over time, making this mobile a favourite among many parents.

Cot books: Cot books are great not only as decoration for your baby’s bed; their oversized and colourful illustrations help your baby entertain himself when he’s awake. Cot books are said to help babies focus their eyes; they also hone visual perception and spatial awareness. The books come in washable material as well, which will last longer than board or paper

books. First Cot Book by Andy EverittStewart or Tiny Love Doubled-Sided Cot Book are good choices.

Wrist rattles: Lamaze Gardenbug Wrist Rattle and Foot Finder Set is a great gift for your baby. This new twist on the classic rattle encourages movement even before babies learn to hold toys in their hands.

Play Gym: Tummy time is important in the first months of your baby’s life. It helps strengthen muscles and stimulate vision and sense of touch. Tummy time is essential in developing later skills like crawling. Gyms like Lamaze Gentle Vibrations Turtle Gym, Space Symphony Motion Gym and Baby Neptune Ocean Adventure Gym are designed especially for tummy time. They come with bright peeka-boo flaps, mirrors, and squeaky plush animals, plenty for your baby to look at and explore when he’s on his tummy. And it’ll take your baby a little longer to acquire, but he will eventually enjoy grasping and batting at the dangling toys when he’s on his back.

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pak babies gee whiz lactation facts

pak babies Babes in arms Fancy doing something a bit more adult on a Wednesday morning? We love our littlies but they are generally not great cinema companions except for Wednesday mornings. Go and see these movies at 10.30am at Birch Carroll & Coyle and you’ll be surrounded by other mums with noisy under 5 year olds: 14th April Bounty Hunter, 21st April Nanny McPhee, 28th April Last Song.

Mummy Honey

To prove that your boobs really do contain Mummy Honey, check out these amazing facts: [1] Human milk has over 300 ingredients, including interferon, white blood cells, antibacterial and antiviral agents, while formula has only 40 ingredients.

[2] Human milk has been shown to kill cancer cells in a laboratory dish.

[3] The human breast “custommakes” antibodies to fight whatever pathogen the infant is exposed to in the environment.

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[4] Breast milk has been used to treat eye infections, ear infections, pimples, cold sores and nail fungus.

[5] Donor milk is being used to treat numerous medical conditions inc. renal failure, ulcerative colitis, IBS, immunodeficiency diseases and infectious diseases such as intractable diarrhoea, gastro, pneumonia, and hemorrhagic conjunctivitis.

It is your right to feed your baby whenever and wherever you want but if you still prefer a bit of modesty, check out the breastfeeding shirts at www.mummyhoney. com.au. They are practical and stylish for discrete breastfeeding mums.

TO WIN: We have an $89 Mummy Honey voucher to give away to one lucky reader.

For your chance to win simply tell us: what is Ankyloglossia? Send your answers to competitions@pakmag.com.au

a moment for mum Get This:

Try this:

Do This:

A cleaner

Chocolate fondue

Try something new

One of the best Mother’s Day gifts has surely got to be a cleaner! So, now is the time to start dropping hints to your family. Cleaning By Us are a local cleaning business that offer gift vouchers ($50, $80 and $100) for their non-toxic and environmentally-friendly cleaning services. Cleaners are paid $25 p/h (3-bedroom houses take approx. 3 hours for a full clean). This is also a great present for new mums. Call 0439 963 400 for more information.

This year the Easter Bunny has been looking after Mums too. The Chocolate Room on Grafton St (opposite City Cinemas) actually welcomes mums with prams, so head over there on Monday mornings to share a delicious chocolate fondue together. It is pure chocolate heaven. Who said Easter was just for the kids?

It’s so easy to get in to a rut when you’re a mum. What would you like to try for fun? Write a list eg. hang-gliding, salsa dancing, writing poetry. Be imaginative and then throw caution to the wind, get out there and give it a go. You only live once. If you wait until the kids have left home to start living your own life again you will have forgotten what you wanted to do in the first place!

WIN This: Couples comedy ‘Date Night’ stars Steve Carell and Tina Fey as a married couple hoping to spice up their romantic life. We’re not sure how funny it is but it sounds like a good excuse to get out and have a date night yourselves.

TO WIN tickets to a movie of your choice: email us at competitions@ pakmag.com.au and tell us how long it’s been since YOU had a date night together.

[6] Adoptive moms, grandmothers, and yes, even men (!) have been able to lactate for an infant.

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carry on According to Coco Chanel “a woman should be two things: classy and fabulous” but as we all know that’s a bit hard with a baby. Luckily mum Ros Canales is attempting to make it easier with the invention of the Pouchmiss which combines the functionality of a nappy bag with a stylish handbag. It retails for $39.95 and is available at Juniors, Hot Mummies or online at www.thepouchmiss.com.au If you would like to win one, simply tell us the dimensions of the bag by going to their website. Send your answers to competitions@pakmag.com.au

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pak babies

pak parent

Speaking hands

Maintaining the sizzle:

Sarah Scheller O’Donnell explains how baby sign language offers new hope to parents Communicating with babies and toddlers has never been easy. In fact, it’s been near impossible to understand the needs of your infant as they navigate their way through life’s early challenges.

Only now, through developments aimed at improving communication between parents and children, can mums and dads muster a collective sigh of relief.

One such innovation is Australian Baby Hands (ABH), a localised baby sign language system developed exclusively with the Australian infant in mind. The brainchild of Sydneysider, Jackie Durnin, ABH is the only system in Australia fully accredited by AUSLAN and the Deaf Children Association.

three products to help families learn sign language including a book, a flashcards book and a DVD. All three have clear, easy-to-follow instructions or diagrams of the most popular signs.”

Sign for ‘Milk’

How is it taught?

Sign language can be taught from birth, however most parents will start teaching their baby at around six months. It’s recommended to start with no more than five words and once there’s indication of these being understood, more can be introduced. An important point for parents to remember is that consistency is crucial. Getting other family members involved, such as siblings or grandparents, will help accelerate learning and is a great way to have fun along the way. There are a number of ways baby sign language can be taught.

Australian Baby Hands have released

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In addition to these products, families can also take classes. Australian Baby Hands workshops offer a learning environment that is both fun and educational. When choosing a class, parents should check the credentials of the learning process and teachers.

Under ABH, for example, each class, whether beginner or advanced, has been developed with the guidance of childcare educators and Auslan professionals to ensure the best learning conditions for the children.

but these calls were often the only real conversation we had all day! For variety, try texting and emailing, it’s surprising how flirty and chatty husbands can be with a mobile phone!

Specifically, a one-hour class will include learning different ways of using the new signs (through song or stories and activities), learning new signs relating to a specific theme, meeting other parents who are interested in signing and giving your bub an opportunity to interact with other bubs.

[3] Make the effort to touch each other affectionately every day.

Hold hands when you are shopping or walking and give them a kiss every morning. Adults need gestures of affection just as much as children. My kids groan and complain whenever they see us kissing or when I sit in their father’s lap but I know that they are learning an important lesson about how to treat their future partner.

The classes are a great bonding experience for parents and their bubs, and are suitable for 0-3 year olds.

[4] Show appreciation for your partner. Compliment each other and remember to say thank you. These little kindnesses make a person feel valued. Do your partner’s mundane chore one day just because you love them.

Apart from the obvious benefit of improved communication skills between parent and child, baby sign language can also help to accelerate brain development, co-ordination skills and vocabulary. Contrary to some beliefs, sign language will not delay the speaking process, as when a word is signed it should also be said. Research has proven that signing infants have a 50word head start on their vocabulary when they start talking.

Baby sign language has been steadily gaining ground here, and around the world, as parents and child carers discover the benefits of being able to communicate with a pre-verbal baby or toddler.

7 ways to protect Mummy & Daddy’s relationship

One of the greatest benefits is that a pre-verbal, signing child can tell them what he/she wants, thereby eliminating frustrations and the ‘terrible twos’.

Many parents also talk of the strong bond signing has given them with their child. Signing, and indeed the learning process, helps give parents an insight into their baby’s thoughts and interests.

Another advantage is a boosted selfesteem as research indicates that those exposed to signing are generally more confident.

For more information go to: www.australianbabyhands.com

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By Sue Dillicar Although being a parent is a wonderful experience, there’s no doubt it’s a demanding full time job and, if they don’t take care to look after their relationship, many parents wake up one day to realise they’ve lost the intimacy and fun they once had together. Sustaining a happy relationship between the parents is not only important for you as a couple, it also enables your children to thrive, but it often takes a conscious effort to maintain.

So, here are some tips for keeping the sizzle going during those hectic years of raising kids: [1] Show your partner that they are a priority in your life. Make time for each other every day, whether it is a quiet word over a cup of coffee, a walk hand in hand around the block, or a laugh over a movie. Make sure you have time alone, free of chores and children, every day, even if it’s only 15 minutes while the kids are in the bath.

[2] Stay in touch with each other. My husband used to call me for a chat every day which always warmed my heart. Like a lot of men, he is prone to being monosyllabic (‘yes’, ‘no’, ‘huh?’),

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[5] Make use of family or friends who are willing to help out.

Have a regular day off when you can wander the shops together, catch a movie and grab a bite. I like to send the kids to their Grandmother’s for a weekend. Not only does it give them an opportunity to really get to know their grandmother, but I get to spend uninterrupted time with my husband. We don’t usually do anything exciting but it is wonderful just being able to focus on each other. We play board games, cuddle in the pool, watch movies and laugh a lot.

[6] Look after yourself. Making the time to do things that you each enjoy individually will rejuvenate you and allow you to reinvest energy in your relationship. Take time out for a leisurely bath, meet friends for coffee, join a club or try a new hobby or have a regular girls/guys night.

[7] Be spontaneous. Routine creates a sense of security in the family but it can also make your relationship feel dull. Do something unexpected to liven things up. Tuck a love letter in their lunchbox, arrange a date or surprise them with an overnight stay at a resort.

Keeping your relationship alive takes communication, respect and patience, pitching in and helping out - and above all, looking after the friendship which forms the basis of all good love affairs. So make time to hang out, laugh and talk. Your kids will blossom in an environment of love – and so will you.

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weekender lovely gift which subsequently became an important part of her stay, so much so she insisted it be locked in the room safe when we weren’t there!

There are a range of room types with private balconies. Although the hotel does have interconnecting rooms for larger families, our room contained two double beds, which was great on two accounts – I would only have to stagger a couple of metres to my right when Miss-5 year old needed me in the middle of the night and Miss-5 year old was so chuffed with having her very own BIG bed, she stayed in it all night.

I am wondering if we could take out a permanent booking?!

The hotel is well serviced with many facilities some of which include 24 hour reception and room service, guest laundry, internet café and a courtesy shuttle bus to and from the City Centre every hour if you don’t feel like driving.

Plus, there’s a choice of dining options with Teshi’s Restaurant and the Blue Mango Café Wine Bar (cocktails, yum!).

Eggcellent Easter Value Just in time for Easter, Angelina Mortley tests out the family credentials at the Mercure Cairns Harbourside The Mercure Cairns Harbourside is offering families over-nighting in Cairns a little extra value with a new accommodation package for families providing an economical night or weekend away.

Most hotels boast about their “friendly staff and personalised service” and having stayed in many hotels all over Australia, I’ve heard this statement a lot,

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but after my recent stay at the Mercure Cairns Harbourside, I would have to say, they certainly do live up to it – they get a resounding 10 out of 10 from my family.

that point, the receptionist would not have known we would be checking in, but she welcomed us whole-heartedly anyway so we immediately felt at home.

Upon entering the main reception we were immediately welcomed with an uplifting smile and warm greeting before we had even approached the front desk. Arriving a little earlier than the 2pm check-in time and without any bags at

What particularly impressed me was that upon reaching the front desk she not only welcomed my husband and I, but she also made a point of acknowledging and personally welcoming our 5 year old daughter. Our daughter was given a

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From a parent’s perspective, the Mercure Cairns Harbourside received a number of ticks: [1] The mini bar isn’t automatically supplied, so no whining from Miss-5 year old why she can’t have the chocolate, soft drink or peanuts, however mini

bar supplies are readily available upon request.

“Definitely my present, the pool and going for breakfast in the restaurant.”

[2] There’s a lovely big lap pool, complete with spa and small children’s wading pool, positioned on the harbour side so you can enjoy the glorious view at the same time.

During the month of April, you can take advantage of the hotel’s Family Package:

[3] Lovely lawns and bike paths on the Esplanade straight across the road with the Pirate Ship and Muddies Playgrounds a hop, skip and jump in either direction – plenty of options for burning off some excess energy.

[4] The breakfast buffet had some really good simple, healthy choices that kids will actually eat.

As anyone who has spent time away from their own bed would know, one of the biggest contributors to a bad night’s sleep is a bad pillow. Part of the hotel’s ‘personalised service’ includes a “Pillow Menu” – have you ever heard of anything so delectable? Because the comfort of their guests means so much to them they offer you a choice of Latex Pillow, ‘V’ Pillow or Feather Pillow…. needless to say with Miss-5 year old in her own bed all night and my head resting blissfully upon a feathery mound I slumbered beautifully through until the daylight hours.

From only $119 per room, per night – kids stay and eat breakfast and dinner free when dining off the children’s menu as well as receiving a gift on arrival, plus you can also have a late 1pm check-out.

For more information on this great value package, or to make a booking, call the “friendly staff” on 4051 8999 or 1800 079 131.

When asked what her favourite part of our stay was, Miss-5 year old said

Family Package From $119 per person conditions apply • Kids stay, eat breakfast and dinner free when dining off the children’s menu • Gift for Child on arrival • Late check-out, 1pm

Mercure Cairns Harbourside

MERCURE CAIRNS HARBOURSIDE 209-217 The Esplanade Cairns Queensland 4870 Tel +61 7 4051 8999 Fax +61 7 4051 0317 Reservations 1800 079 131 Australia wide Email reservations@mercure-harbourside.com.au

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a trip to...

Artistic kiddie fun at the Cairns Regional Gallery The Cairns Regional Gallery is located right in the middle of town but it’s easily forgotten, especially if you’ve got noisy kids in tow.

ACADEMY OF TELEVISION

a m a r D Build your confidence and discover yourself through Drama!

Film &TV

Acting Workshops

For Juniors (7-11) Teenagers (12-16) and Adults (17+) FOR MORE INFORMATION

CALL 4059 1141

By Tricia Davey However, if you’ve never really bothered visiting the Gallery, it’s worth checking out because they have an extensive programme of classes and sessions designed specifically for children (including during the school holidays).

One of it’s popular classes is ‘Tiny Tacker Tuesdays’ which is formulated for 2–5 year olds. The children and their parents or carers are treated to a creative morning of art appreciation and activities suitable for little fingers and it’s been a huge success since it was first introduced. They are hosted

by Kate Hard, an experienced art educator, and are designed to introduce small children to the worlds of colours, textures, and shapes. Kids love the process of imagining, exploring and being creative, sometimes even more than actually finishing the product, but by the end of these sessions there is usually a parade of brightly coloured finger puppets and pictures making it’s way

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out of the Gallery. Tiny Tacker Tuesday’s is structured over 4 week terms, with sessions held on alternate weeks. It costs $50 per term and the next ones are scheduled to commence on the 4th and 11th May. The Gallery also has a Hayley Gillespieloyal band of budding artists attending their Childrens’ Fine Art Classes which is hosted by a talented local artist. The classes, for the 8 to 12 year age group, focus on drawing and painting skills such as still life sketching, shading, colour mixing, perspective and imagination. The children complete a canvas painting in acrylic during the course and the finished works are exhibited at the Gallery on completion of the course – an extremely exciting afternoon for those who are involved.

These classes have been so popular that they are now going to be offered on Saturday mornings from 10–11.30am.

The 5 week terms cost $90 per child.

offers a variety of art workshops with a different activity each day. Kids have an opportunity to experience a wide range of materials and methods which may include textiles, portraits, landscapes, mask-making collage, stamping, stencils and sculpture. The single common ingredient is fun with activities structured around the exhibitions on display in the Gallery spaces. The Gallery’s school holiday programmes are always fully booked so now is the time to start thinking about reserving space for the June Holidays.

All classes and sessions commence with a short visit to the ever-changing exhibitions on display in the Gallery prior to settling down to the serious business of ‘art fun.’ To maximise one-on-one interaction, class sizes in all activities are limited and bookings are essential.

For further information, contact Kellie Robson on 4046 4888 or email programs@cairnsregionalgallery.com.au

During school holidays the Gallery

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fav pet shots

Photo of the month wins a mystery prize to the value of $30!

for parents + kids

This month’s entries:

MARCH WINNER!

Sunday 11 aPril 5-7Pm CAzALYs FunCtion Room

Tickles loved by Rory

Prince loved by Ashton

super Hero sunday

Peppa loved by Brooke azia-Karen

Fiddy loved by Olivia

Celia loved by Sh

Email your photo, name/s and address to: photos@pakmag.com.au Deadline for photos is 20 April for our May 2010 edition.

prize winners Congratulations to our March prize winners!!!

Colour it in & win

Battle of the brains

Win a ‘designer dummy’

You have won a Hi-5

• Maddy Brake, Trinity Beach

• Kym Chastley, Port Douglas

Merchandise Pack • Seamus Fowler, Trinity Beach • William Boddington, Whitfield • Nyah Mosbauer, Bentley Park

Word scramble • Keely Jones

Win a apple&bee prize pack • Samantha Aims, Mareeba

• Hannah Giles, Manoora

Win a Nanny McPhee prize pack

• Mary Fowler, Trinity Beach

• Kayla Adams, Mount Sheridan

• Prizes for best dressed super heroes • Heaps of fun activities for the kids • Special activities and gifts for mum in the lead up to mother’s Day Bookings are strictly limited so hurry and book your table now!!!

Phone 4054 1464!

Kids eat free from the buffet* Buffet $15 for members and $17 for non members *under ten year olds eat free from the buffet with each paying adult.

Proudly brought to you by: To claim your prize drop into our office on Level 2, 68 Abbott Street between 9-5pm Monday to Friday to collect your prize from reception.

FacSimile: 4033 2038 • email: promo@cazalys.com.au • WeBSiTe: www.cazalys.com.au Terms & conditions apply: You need to be a member of Cazaly’s to enter due to the Qld Liquor Act 1992, which is $5 for the year, Pak Club visitors get $5 venue cash back on the spot.

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BUSINESS DIRECTORY Services

entertainment

entertainment

• Face Painting • Puppets • Balloons • Games • Music • Other costumes available 4057 8019 or 0408 183 032 www.nikkitheclown.com

Rachel

Bradley

kids activities

Riders ready!

When you ask Portia Eden (aged 3) why she likes to ride her bike at BMX she gives you a big grin and says “it’s fun to ride down the big start ramp” and her brother Flynn (aged 4) adds “it’s good fun making new friends and also winning trophies”.

The Singing Face Painter Available for themed childrens’ & adult parties

For bookings cAll 0428 600 213

Kids Moves • Birthday parties • One on one sessions to help with progression of gross motor skills • Special functions anywhere you need children to be entertained • Mobile services available

Call Lee on 0427 849 775 or 4053 6837

Flip Ripley

entertainment

Magic shows • Characters • Clowning Comedy workshops • Juggling Unicycles • Comic telegrams 4039 0622 or 0410 510 095 flip2@westnet.com.au www.flipripley.com

Art

restaurants

Kids

Brighten your child’s room with personalised art

0407 324 465

DIRECTORY LISTINGS FROM $50 46

PHONE 4031 9915 www.pakmag.com.au

By Fiona Mundie Brothers Braydan and Ethan Cassaniti agree with their friends and say that it’s lots of fun going over the jumps with Ethan adding that the frozies are really good after coaching!

These four little “sprocket rockets” joined the Cairns BMX Club only 12 months ago and have already competed at many race meets and events around the region. Both boys and girls race at the club with many more girls joining this year then ever before.

BMX stands for Bicycle Moto Cross. It is based on pedal power where riders skillfully direct their bicycles over a track ranging from 320 to 400 metres in length while racing against other riders. Cairns BMX Club has one of the largest memberships in Australia and is fortunate enough to have a track of

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national standard on its home turf in Scott Street.

This is one of the few sports where total family participation can take place with riders as young as 3 participating right up to the Over-50 class. For those with a competitive streak, or those who just want to have fun and ride their bike, racing takes place at the club on Scott Street on Friday nights from 6.30pm to 9pm. Safety is paramount, all riders must wear a full faced helmet, long sleeve shirt, long pants and gloves. Newcomers can start out with their own bike from home until they’re confident enough that they want to continue BMX riding.

When you see the faces of the little riders once they’ve completed a race, it’s easy to understand why families are flocking to BMX. This is one of the fastest growing sports in the country since it debuted at the Olympics in 2008.

With the “sprocket rocket” junior riders being the future of the sport, the Cairns BMX Club has coaching programmes in place to ensure they are learning the correct bicycle skills at an early age.

Sprocket rocket riders are aged 3-7 and ride for fun but they still receive the same encouragement award at the race events.

So if you’re looking for a sport for your child that involves a lot of fun, family participation and children learning in an outdoor environment, why not check out the Cairns BMX Club. More information can be found on their website www. cairnsbmx.org.au or drop down to the track on Scott Street on Tuesdays from 5pm to 6pm to discuss with the committee how your child can join one of the fastest growing sports in the nation.

The Cairns BMX Club is one of the hosts of the Suncorp NQ Games in April (9-12).

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kids activities

Cairns regional gallery CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES

Fitness can be fun!

TINY TACKER TUESDAYS ARE BACK!!

More classes! More spaces! More fun!

Special art-based programs for 2 - 5 years.

Classes running fortnightly (4 classes per term).

Two class sessions (45 minutes) available, Sessions times: 10am & 11am.

Costs: $50 per term/$15 per session.

Program commences May 4 and May 11.

Every Wednesday night from 5.30pm the Cairns Road Runners and Triathlon Club hosts a free social run from Muddies along the Esplanade where anyone is invited to join them as they pump some blood while enjoying the scenery and catching up with friends.

CHILDREN’S FINE ART CLASSES Hosted by Hayley GIllespie Program commences Saturday May 8, 10 - 11.30am.

6 week term, $90 per child includes all materials.

CHILDREN’S SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAM

also been proven is that when children are engaged in regular sporting activities, it forms a good foundation for healthy exercise habits in the future.

Easter School Holiday Workshops are fully booked!!

Enquire now for June School Holiday Workshops.

FREE FIRST SATURDAYS Free entry to Cairns Regional Gallery on the first Saturday of each monthto view the current exhibitions on display.

Children tend to enjoy running without too much encouragement from adults so why not capitalise on their enthusiasm at a young age and get them running as a regular daily exercise? It is relatively inexpensive (all they need is a good quality pair of running shoes), can be done anywhere and it’s great training for other sports. If they really enjoy it they can get more involved by participating in cross country events. The Cairns Roadies have a dedicated junior training program and four cross country events, including the David Todd Memorial Mile, leading up to the Queensland State School Cross Country competition in July. They currently have 40 junior members under 19 years.

By Lorraine Lawson Some of these ‘Roadies’ are preparing themselves for the half marathon being staged on 11 April in Cairns as part of the 2010 Suncorp North Queensland Games; some are just doing it for the fun, including families who bring along their prams and dogs for a walk.

Adults who run are usually very healthy. Their hearts are strong, they have dense bones (which will be important later in life), and they have a reduced risk for several diseases from the common cold to cancer. Running is one of the best aerobic exercises for physical conditioning of your heart and lungs, ensuring the efficient flow of blood and oxygen around the body and decreasing the risk of a heart attack. Not only are there tremendous health benefits associated with running but, like many other forms of exercise, it’s also a great stress reliever. One of the many things that runners love about their sport is the euphoric, clear and calm state they get after a good long run – otherwise known as the “runner’s high”.

So, is it any good for kids? Medical experts agree that active children are healthier than those who are sedentary. What’s

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BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL FOR ALL CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS

Tel: 4046 4800 E: programs@cairnsregionalgallery.com.au for further information Cnr Abbott & Shields Sts Open 10am - 5pm Monday to Saturdays 1 - 5pm, Sunday & Public Holiday

Of course, like any activity, there are risks. Children need to be encouraged to drink sufficient fluids, warm up properly before running and stretch afterwards. It’s important to guide and supervise them so they avoid injury and allowing them to join a club will provide the necessary support if their parents are not runners.

Party Plan 1

Running is a wonderful activity to share as a family, although, don’t be surprised if your kids eventually start competing with you! The Cairns Roadies promote fitness to the whole family (family memberships are $65 per year, juniors are $20) with weekly social runs, races and a series of fun runs throughout the year. These include the 2010 Suncorp NQ Games 3k/5k Fun Run (10 April), the Babinda Boulders Burst (29 May), the Moonlight Gorge Gallop with glow sticks and free pizza (25 June) and the “Fancy Dress” Jason Hedges Halloween Run (30 October). There is a small entry fee for races but junior members can run their races for free.

Party Plan 2 Entry, Skate Hire, Invitations Chips & Lollies, Hot Dogs, Hot Chips, Bottomless Drink, Slushy, Birthday Song, Tea & Coffee for Mum & Dad

$16/person $1 extra during night sessions

Lorraine Lawson is the President of the Cairns Road Runners and Triathlon Club. They are a not-for-profit organisation that promotes health & fitness to all runners and walkers regardless of age and ability. They have a Beginners Clinic for those who are just starting out.

$13/person $1 extra during night sessions

Party Plan 3 Entry, Skate Hire, Invitations Chips & Lollies, Mini Meat Pies Chicken Nuggets, Bottomless Drink, Slushy, Birthday Song, Party Bag, Tea & Coffee for Mum & Dad

• All parties must be booked in $19/person and numbers confirmed 24 hours $1 extra during night sessions prior to your event.

• A non-refundable deposit of $50 must be paid on booking.

• Minimum number of party guests is 10.

• Parents or siblings of party guests wishing to skate must pay session prices.

For more information call Lorraine on 0450 324 637 or visit their website at www.roadrunners.org.au

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Entry, Skate Hire, Invitations Chips & Lollies on table Birthday Song, Tea & Coffee for Mum & Dad

44 Behan Street, Manunda PHONE 4053 5353 www.pakmag.com.au

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eating out

A little taste of choc heaven Bree James indulges her chocolate fantasies at the chocolate room The delicious smell of chocolate hits you like a big kiss as soon as you walk in to the chocolate room and then your eyes are drawn to the sight of handmade chocolates, cakes, and the biggest chocolate freckle you have ever seen.

Drooling and dribbling customers come with the territory so watch out for big slippery wet patches on the floor!

The chocolate room is a quaint little gem right in the heart of town opposite the City cinemas on Grafton St. It’s been open for 3 months and really is a paradise for chocolate lovers with over 20 flavours of hot chocolate, chocolate fondues’, chocolate melting pots, a variety of chocolate cakes, waffles with strawberries covered in hot chocolate sauce, pancakes and ice-cream with chocolate sauce, raisin toast - of course, drizzled in hot chocolate sauce, plus the usual items like coffee and tea for those not feeling in the chocolate spirit. Drooling yet?

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We had a mint flavoured hot chocolate that tasted like a yummy liquid mint slice followed by a hazelnut hot chocolate (if you like Ferrero Rocher, I’ll say no more).

The 3 kids we had with us from aged one to fourteen where happily bouncing off the walls and colouring-in to their heart’s content. This is a great spot for mums with prams - there is a perfect little side area that has enough room for about 6 to 8 mums with prams (I suggest booking this with the owner Terry as it’s a popular spot within the café).

For our next course (yep, we weren’t finished yet!) we had a chocolate fondue with delicious strawberries, marshmallows and other goodies to dip. This would be a real treat for a children’s party, they are only $10 and the kids will absolutely love dipping yummy fruit into chocolate and trying to get it into their mouths without ‘wasting any’ then having to lick the table!

Hot chocolates come in two sizes, the

smallest being their cute ‘Cuddle Cup”.

Mondays are “Mothers Mornings” with a $5 coffee and cake special. Groups of 6 or more can also try 7 hot chocolate tasting shots accompanied by award-winning handmade Belgian chocolates for $5 per person.

Mums, the chocolate room wants your business so you’d be foolish not to go and treat yourselves. Go and say hello to Terry and the team and enjoy an indulgent moment with your friends, with or without your kids. You will love it.

The chocolate room is located at 115 Grafton Street. It is open from 8am on weekdays, 9am on weekends. Phone 4031 8102 for bookings. Visit our website: www.thechocolateroom.com.au

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ON ORDER

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Time for a break

e e r F t S e g B ig in Cairns! easter egg Hunt

d apr il 2010 3r ay d r tu Sa ~ m 1a -1 m 9a opstars” e event with entertainment from “B Fre nd fou be to gs Eg ter Eas Over 2000 Cadbury unning’s EastEr Bunny” “B m FrO e nc ra pea ap eSt gu l Specia te www.cairnsesplanade.com.au bsi we our it vis or 15 37 44 40 l cal For more info

Jokes

Car Trip Joke While on a car trip, an elderly couple stopped at a roadside restaurant for lunch.

After finishing their meal, the elderly woman left her glasses on the table, but she didn’t miss them until they were back on the highway.

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By then, they had to travel quite a distance before they could find a place to turn around.

The elderly man fussed and complained all the way back to the restaurant. He called his wife every name he could think of, making her feel guilty

for causing them so much trouble.

When they finally arrived at the restaurant, and the woman got out of the car to retrieve her glasses, the man yelled to her, “And while you’re in there, you might as well get my hat, too...”

Down 1. Biblical boat 2. Neckwear 3. Lyric poem 4. Noisy fight 5. Bound 6. Exclude 7. Entomb 13. Fruit 14. In addition 15. Cogwheel 16. Ill-mannered 19. Simian 20. Irritate 21. Insect

Across 1. Particle 5. Tennis stroke 8. Travel by horse 9. Flightless bird 10. Part of a hull 11. Atmosphere 12. Vacant 14. Concur 17. Romanian currency 18. Molten rock 22. Lamentable 23. Overt 24. Metal-bearing mineral 25. Adjacent

launch of the new program New FRee classes staRtiNg in May which include:

Win a mystery PakMag prize!

Name this movie

‘Heart moves’, ‘Fit Kids’ & increasingly popular ‘ZumBa’

What 1975 blockbuster sees Roy Scheider utter: “We need a bigger boat”?

FuN FRee FitNess showcase: On the 8th of may 2010 at the Western events lawn

Email or post your answers to us: competitions@pakmag,com.au or PO BOX 7433 Cairns 4870. Don't forget to include details. Entries close: 20 April 2010.

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For info call 4044 3715 or go to www.cairnsesplanade.com.au

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