PakMag Australia – January 2017 Issue 18

ISSUE: JAN 2016

18

AUSTRALIA

Deadly 60's

STEVE Backshall Chats to PAKMAG

BACK TO SCHOOL CRAFT

Encouraging

ENTREPRENEURSHIP BACK TO SCHOOL PRIZE PACK

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JANUARY 2016 www.pakmag.com.au

CONTENTS

HELLO

WIN!

P28

ISSUE NO.18 JAN 2017 05 The Thing Is... With Bree James

Hello and welcome to the very special summer edition of PakMag Happy New Year! I truly hope that your Festive Season was filled with loads of laughter and love and that you are starting to relax with the kids.

We were very lucky to get up close and personal with Deadly 60 Host Steve Backshall which is really exciting!

06 Feature: Steve Backshall

Deadly And Down Under

09 Parenting: Encouraging

It’s a really great edition and we have loved putting it together for you, so we hope you love it.

We have a lot of exciting plans for 2017 and it’s also going to be our tenth birthday, we can’t wait to share our plans with you!

Entrepreneurship In Children

13 Skypeak Adventures Aerial Park

Until next time, have a wonderful month, stay safe if you are traveling, and don’t forget to tell everyone, you read it in PakMag.

Bree x

Challenges Sydney

15 Adult Education: Upskilling 17 Health 19 Healthy Snacks

BREE JAMES / PAKMAG PUBLISHER

21 Bump And Bub: Baby’s First Foods 22 Bump And Bub: WIN 24 Home with Caro & Kingi:

Gardens For Fairy Friends

26 Craft: Back To School PAKMAG P 4053 3331 F 4053 3350 E admin@grandpublishing.com.au PO BOX 7433 Cairns QLD 4870 FB www.facebook.com/PakmagAustralia T #pakmag ON THE COVER Steve Backshall PAKMAG'S CORE VALUES

Create happier communities

Love connecting families & business

Collaborate with creativity

Lead & engage with heart

28 Back To School Mega Prize Pack 30 Celebrate: Adventure Party

Publish authentic content with integrity

DISCLAIMER No part of this magazine, including the advertisements within it may be 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 advised to check details before visiting. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for errors, inaccuracies or omissions.

The expressions expressed within PakMag are not necessarily the views of the publishers, but those of individual writers.

Awesome Administrator Gleisy

Daring Designer Lise

Bree's Wingwoman Rose

Sales Star Lisa

Darling Designer Clare

Talented Trent

Grand Poobah Bree

Office Aficionado Janelle

Rad Sales Rep Jacqui

Word Wizard Jenna

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Savvy Sales Sandra

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The Thing Is...

STORY Bree James

It’s a new year. A time when we focus on our future. Excited we have a fresh start, a clean slate. This year is “The Year”, things are going to be different. Things are going to be better. But the thing is…

Are we setting ourselves up for failure with all this pressure!?

Is our quest for the best life, the best body, the best of everything too self focused?

Yes, Bree James has many goals, and 2016 was meant to be very different to how it turned out. I ended the year exhausted, and with a huge sense of WTF was that!?

Financially, emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually it was a tough year, one of my hardest yet and certainly not what I had planned.

But was it a bad year? Absolutely not. It was an amazing year really and I learnt a lot.

I learnt how strong I am. I learnt that your words and actions can help or harm people. I learnt change is a good thing.

And I learnt that goals are not everything.

Now don’t get me wrong, goals are important but when I looked into it, only one per cent of us achieve them. That is one in a hundred people! “Write down your goals and read them daily”. It sounds easy, but to be honest, writing that I plan to hit a certain number on the scales for the year and reading that every day only makes me reach for more icecream than a Mr Whippy van. So this year, I am focusing on setting standards instead.

1. Choose my company wisely. Limit exposure to people who make life feel like a fine dining napkin caught in a sewer pipe.

2. Try my best every day. Some days it will be cleaning up vomit, other times it will be giving a keynote on stage.

Whatever I do, I will try my absolute best.

3. Help one person every day. Whether it be teaching my mother who is 3,000kms away how to take a photo on her smartphone again, teaching my boys to lift the toilet seat… again, or teaching a room full of entrepreneurs how to do a 12 month content plan - I will teach someone, something, every day.

4. Learn every day. Whether I learn that a person is in fact an A hole, or that 85 percent of all plant life is found in the ocean. Every day, I will read, have conversations and try new things.

5. Spend 30 minutes of quality time with myself, my friends, and my family every day. This is not yelling at them to eat breakfast nor is it doing the food shopping to get some alone time.

6. Be mindful of the power of words - Words I say to myself, and words I say to others. Saying I’m fat to myself doesn’t help, nor does telling my friend that I think their partner is as painful as giving birth to a baby with two heads. Hold up..No..I should have said that.

7. Focus on one thing. As much as I’m typically as focused as a hyperactive child on red cordial, I will ensure that I complete at least one set task daily. Whether it be cleaning out the wardrobe or writing a business plan, I will consciously complete one major task I set myself... eeek!

The thing is, life is in our hands and the new year is a great time to set goals, but I’d love you to set some standards too.

So get cracking... I’d love to hear them.

Bree www.pakmag.com.au JANUARY 2017

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STEVE BACKSHALL 6

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FEATURE

pakmag

To be honest, I’m not a big fan of my kids watching TV, especially before bed. But there is a certain British accent that my kids absolutely adore and I have to admit, its become a family favorite in our house.

Some of the animals he comes into contact with sometimes make me want to choke on my dinner. And I do get a chill whenever my sons yell, “Mum come look at this!”, as more often than not it’s a spider or some other creepy crawly that they have found and they want to give it a deadly rating. Once, I was even woken from an afternoon nap with a spider in a jar so close to my face that I thought it was on me! The joys of raising kids fascinated with nature. Needless to say when I found out that Steve and his Deadly 60 crew were coming to North Queensland, we just had to get to know him better.

Steve has been passionate about the animals of the world ever since he could crawl. His show Deadly 60 is on ABC for Kids and captivates children from all over the globe. He has circumnavigated the globe time and again, wrangling snakes, swimming with sharks, and getting up close and personal with all of the deadliest animals in the world. And now he is getting up close and personal with children from all around Australia with his Deadly 60 Live show happening this January. I don’t know what I would be more scared of personally!

Introducing legend, Mr Steve Backshall.

BREE: “Steve, if you could choose to be any animal in the world, what would it be and why?

STEVE: “I would definitely be a Bird of Prey. Something like a Bearded Vulture soaring over the Himalayas, covering hundreds of miles every single day. Mind you, I’d probably not choose to feed on bone marrow (Bearded Vultures carry bones up high and drop them onto rocks to break them open).”

BREE: “As a child what did you want to do and be when you grew up?”

STEVE: “I wanted to be a ranger in an African wildlife reserve. I’d been on safari, and the guides seemed to know everything about wildlife, I totally idolised them and knew that what I wanted to do was work with animals!”

BREE: “What is something about you that would surprise the mums, dads and kids of Australia?”

to live in Oz for a bit too, and it’s a great country. I could certainly live somewhere like Tassie; the wildlife there is off the hook!”

BREE: “What is your favourite thing to do in your spare time?”

STEVE: “Exactly the same things as I do for my job! I go out kayaking or climbing, or perhaps take the binoculars and go birdwatching, or looking for lizards.”

BREE: “If you were stranded on a deserted island and you could wish for three things what would they be and why?”

STEVE: “Number one would be a machete ‘cause that is my number one survival tool. Then a flint for lighting fires and a fishing kit. If I had those three things, life would be pretty sweet!”

BREE: “If you could change the world in one way, what would it be?”

BREE: “If you could live anywhere in the world where would you live and why?”

STEVE: “I would take some of the world’s most powerful people out and show them the world how I see it everyday. Show them a planet of extraordinary beauty that we are simply killing. Try and convince them that there are more important things than economics...”

STEVE: “I love living in the UK, but have also been lucky enough

BREE: “For children who want to work with animals what is your advice?”

STEVE: “Errrrm, I don’t know. That I have a black belt in Judo? That I recently married an Olympic gold medalist? That I once got frostbite and couldn’t feel my toes for a year!”

STEVE: “Get started early! Volunteer for your local wildlife refuge, set up your own initiatives, learn as much as you can about the wild world, and GET STUCK IN. I promise it will give you the best life ever!”

BREE: “What is your greatest achievement to date?”

STEVE: “We did a live version of Deadly in the UK, and travelled around the nation to twenty different cities, giving free shows about wildlife. On the biggest single day, I spoke to 14,000 people about the need for nature in our lives. At the end, we’d spoken to several hundred thousand young people and knew it had genuinely changed lives. That was something we were all really proud of.”

BREE: “What has been your biggest challenge?”

STEVE: “I would say the expedition to try and climb Mount Amauri in Venezuela. We had terrible quality rock, storms, rockfall and tumbles, and were lucky to escape with our lives”.

For details on Steve’s amazing show, Deadly 60 Live, visit www.deadly60liveonstage.com for tickets and more information.

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PARENTING

pakmag

Encouraging Entrepreneurship in Children STORY Bree James If you’re into reading business blogs, flicking through the pages of a business magazine or generally just like to keep updated with the latest from the business world, you will have, no doubt, read countless times that entrepreneurship is the future of the global economy. And, even if you’ve never read a business article, you’re likely to have been exposed to the word ‘entrepreneur’ and the positive effects those people seem to have on the local community and beyond.

It is a commonly held belief that entrepreneurs are born, not made. And, whilst I somewhat believe this, I also believe that exposure to entrepreneurialism, and the related skills, is essential for both nurturing the spirit of a budding entrepreneur and teaching non-entrepreneurial children valuable transferable skills that can be taken to any career they choose.

Here are seven things that I believe entrepreneurialism teaches children.

1. Respect of Money The value Most of us know how to earn and spend money, but it’s important to teach children the value of making money. Talk to children about what you have to do to earn money. I like to break it down into hours. So, if I work for one hour, I could buy a $20.00 toy, or if I save that money, and work four hours then I can buy the family dinner out. This helps children know that parents have to work to earn money to pay for the stuff we want to enjoy in life and, when they break it down into how hard they have to work to get something, it makes them think about spending their, or your, hard-earned money.

Investing Investing money to make it grow is another important thing to teach our children. Putting money in the bank is the most obvious choice here but for a more entrepreneurial option try investing in something like soil and pots, potting some plants and selling it to make a profit. I also like the tidy metaphor with the plants – you’re

literally watching your money grow and this analogy can really help your children understand how investing works.

Residual Income I like to take it a step further and teach about growing money many times from one thing. This is called residual income and it’s something easy to show your kids how to do, and to encourage them to think like this. For example, one Yucka plant, if you look after it and nurture it, could produce many Yucka plants that you make money from over and over again. This is what song writers, book writers, and software developers, to name a few, do. They create one great product, and sell it numerous times. This is a really great skill to teach your child, as then the sky is the limit on how much they can earn if it’s a great product.

2. The Value of Hard Work and Persistence “Adulting” is hard, so it’s important that children are resilient and can ride through the storm, which means we can’t always come to their rescue.

Entrepreneurship is a ten-year overnight success most of the time

and your children need to know that nothing good comes easy. Talk to them about your ups and downs at work and then show them that you don’t give up. Teach them to reflect on what they can do better, and encourage them to fail. Sara Blakely designed Spanx in America. She is the youngest self-made female billionaire in our history. Each day as a child her father would ask, “So, what did you fail at today?”. And if there were no failures, her father would be disappointed. She learnt that failure is not really failing, it’s an opportunity to learn and grow. If more children learnt this and were taught how to use failures to their advantage, I think the world would have many more people who try a lot harder than they do.

3. Delaying Gratification Children need to know that they can get rewarded for effort and reprimanded for poor effort. We have a “Monkey Dollar System” in our house. It starts with the boys picking

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pakmag PARENTING an activity or object that they really want. It could be going bowling or it could be a Lego set. This gets put up on the wall as a reward – I liken it to a vision board – and it has a certain amount of Monkey Dollars attached to it, determined by the value of the item. You can then earn Monkey Dollars for being kind, helping, showing initiative and doing your bit to help the household. You lose Monkey Dollars for unacceptable behavior, not doing what you were asked and fighting.

It has made the boys learn to earn what they want from the age of three, and it's certainly a great way to warn children, “If you keep up this behavior, you will lose a Monkey Dollar”. Learning that there are rewards and repercussions is something that all children need to learn. This is a valuable lesson for a budding entrepreneur that if they work hard, they will be rewarded and being lazy, making bad choices or just not putting the work in will delay their success.

I highly recommend coming up with a reward system for your children.

Having one a long-term reward (family holiday that you are all working towards), and one short-term reward (activity or object) is also a great idea so that they learn about delayed gratification.

To get the Monkey Dollar template go to www.pakmag.com.au

4. ENTREPRENEURIALISM Encourages Learning and Growth Encourage your children to read books and articles about other kids and even adults who are entrepreneurs. Talk to them about amazing kids that have done things, like the little boy in Memphis who started selling handmade ties at the age of nine. He has sold over $200,000 worth of bow ties! Google these stories, look for Ted Talks on YouTube, you may just find you get inspired too. I know it gives me a kick up the bottom to try harder!

5. Solution Based Thinking Most of us are trained to look for problems. Any time your child comes to you with a problem, ask them, “How do you think we can solve this?” and let them solve it, or help them work out how to solve it. We need more solution finders in this world, then things will improve. If your child just looks for problems and hopes someone else solves it for them, it’s time to change that thinking.

6. Negotiation Skills Ok, this one is seriously annoying and I have to catch myself every time the words, "Just do what I say" are about to come out of my mouth. We are raising adults. Teaching children to ask for what they want, and negotiate for things to be better for them is a really great skill - don’t beat it out of them. If your child is asking for something and you don’t know which way to go after they have presented their argument to

you, ask for more time to think about it.

The child is heard, they feel better and you can think about it more objectively.

My boys have become really great negotiators but they also know that when I say no, it is no and why, and they accept that.

7. It’s ok to Push their Comfort Zone My dad did this to me all the time.

Sometimes, it was quite embarrassing and challenging, but I am really grateful for it now. My dad’s band played at my Year 10 School Formal, no one at school knew that I played in the band and had done so since Year Eight. He announced over the microphone for me to come up on stage, he had my saxophone and a mic set up and I had to sing and play in front of the whole grade, I nearly died! But, it gave me confidence to continue on that journey in life.

The more confident we are, the more likely we are to do things, so help your children find their courage, or do what my dad did and force it (obviously, be reasonable with this one!). There are certain things you can encourage your child to do that puts them out of their comfort zone, that as parents we should maximise. Think: selling school raffle tickets to neighbours, show and tell sessions at school or joining the school choir or band. All of these experiences teach your children confidence and should be valued as much as learning mathematics.

Whatever your child decides for their career in life, the above skills will help them. I wish you all the best in raising your children with some entrepreneurial spirit.

10 Signs your child could be an entrepreneur.

1. They often don’t fit in with other children at school as they

6. They are self-motivated, jump out of bed and get stuck

2. They are often creating things out of nothing, like boxes

7. They negotiate everything with you.

think differently. into go karts.

3. They want to earn money from a young age.

4. Money is attracted to them; they often find money

8. They are not usually an A-grade student, but if they want to apply themselves they do really well.

somewhere every time you are out and about.

9. They are stubborn, and want things their way.

5. They think about money, saving it, spending it, and

10. They are solutions based thinkers, always

making it grow.

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into their day and are quite organised.

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coming up with ways to make things better.

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Sydney’s highest and largest aerial adventure park, Skypeak Adventures, is now open for business, challenging visitors from across Sydney to test their limits at this exhilarating, at-height experience.

Built around an ancient River Red Gum that stands taller than the structure itself and spread over three levels reaching 22m or 8 storeys high, Skypeak Adventures’ ‘Atmosphere’ adventure course is waiting to be conquered by all those ready to step out of their comfort zone. A two hour session on the course will have guests hanging out on ‘cloud stations’ before each choosing their own unique path, whether they decide to tackle bridge walks, barrel runs, rope climbs, chasm jumps or trapeze swings, all whilst suspended in the air.

The activities are designed to test limits, presenting fun tasks such as tug-of war, skateboarding, rowing a boat and even riding a bicycle across a balance beam 4 storeys high. If visitors need a quick break before exploring the rest of the activities or taking on their favourite activity again, they can relax on the picnic table, however there is a catch - it is suspended at 9 metres high over the void. Those who are willing to relax at this height can take in the bird’s eye view of the area and out towards the Blue Mountains.

‘Momentum’ is where thrill seekers can quite literally take flight at Skypeak Adventures. Guests are invited to freefall into the unknown, straight off the top of Skypeak Adventures’ highest platform. Those who choose to take the leap of faith will experience a 15 metre free fall and an equally big adrenaline rush.

After five years of construction, Skypeak Adventures’ challenges are not to be underestimated. Amgad Botros, founder of Skypeak Adventures said, “Those that have experienced Skypeak Adventures have said it is far more challenging and surprising than they could have imagined. We want to provide visitors with a sense of adrenaline and the opportunity to test their limits, pushing themselves to achieve something out of their comfort zone whilst enjoying time outdoors with their friends and family.”

If visitors prefer to spectate and cheer but still want to share in the high-level fun, they have the option to explore the Skypeak Adventure activities from

the ‘Skypeak Walk’, designed to be interactive with those who are on the course. If guests are on the ‘Skypeak Walk’ at dusk, they can experience a breathtaking sunset over the Blue Mountains.

Skypeak Adventures also offers a Kids’ Course, which will allow for the little adventurers to get involved and try a 12 challenge course closer to the ground.

With Wi-Fi available and music playing around the venue, Skypeak Adventures offers not only a unique challenge but a fun experience for all visitors.

Coming soon, the ‘Skypeak Tree’ will be the ultimate tree climbing experience where adults and kids can scale the branches of the River Red Gum at the centre of the Skypeak Adventures structure.

‘Atmosphere’, ‘Momentum’, ‘Skypeak Walk’ and the Kids’ Course are now open and ready for all the daredevils out there to take them on.

Address: 215 Forrester Road, St Marys, NSW 2760 Opening hours: MON – SUN: 9:00am – 7:00pm, late night THURS. For more information about Skypeak Adventures or to book, visit www.skypeak.com.au, www.facebook.com/ SkypeakAdventures or www.instagram.com/skypeakadventures

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Upskilling and getting back to the work force STORY Rose Foster With the New Year, it’s time to think about new beginnings and focus on what we want to achieve for the year ahead.

One of the biggest factors that impacts our life is our career, so it’s important that we’re happy with our jobs. This January, why not take the time to assess your work happiness and make moves to improve your career?

Upskill for Success

3. Be Inspired

Whether you’re currently unemployed or in the workforce wanting to climb the corporate ladder, completing a course and learning new skills can be a great first step to achieving your career goals.

Teachers, tutors and lecturers are amongst the most passionate people on the planet. And those who want to learn voluntarily are a close second. By taking an educational course, you’ll be surrounding yourself with like-minded people from different backgrounds, with different views and with a whole range of experiences under their belts.

1. Realise your Dreams So many of us fall into jobs and career paths that we never imagined we’d be in. Sometimes this is for the good, but many times it’s for the worse and when looking back to our childhood and our ‘when I grow up I want to be…’ moments, we often feel a disappointment that we are not in the position we wanted to be. But it doesn’t have to be like this.

With so many courses out there, it’s possible, at any age, to gain the skills needed for the career you always dreamt of.

2. Discover New Passions Learning something new is a great way to broaden your skillset and, who knows, you may learn that you actually have a passion for something you never thought you’d love.

In this way, upskilling is not only great for career development, but it does wonders for your own personal development too.

Not only will this grow your list of contacts, which could be important when you’re looking to find a new job, but you’ll also likely find inspiration to do more, push harder and strive to succeed.

4. Open More Doors Whether it’s having more job advertisements you can respond to, negotiating a pay rise or meeting more business contacts, upskilling can help you open doors to a number of new opportunities that you didn’t have before.

Your new qualification can make you more desirable to potential employers or make you more indispensable to your current one. Either way, essentially the more skills you have, the more doors you’ll be able to open.

+ HEALTH Common School Illnesses STORY Dr Ben Ireland We’re on the brink of a new school year and whilst it’s an exciting time for both parents and students, it’s also a time to be mindful of the illnesses that can circulate in the classroom.

HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH

Hand, Foot and Mouth is a virus that causes blisters/sores on the hands, soles of the feet and in the mouth/on the tongue. The Coxsackie virus is easily spread from child to child through touch, sneezing and sharing drinks and food. The sores usually last from 7-10 days. There is no specific treatment for this virus, however it is important to monitor for dehydration as the pains from the sores can reduce oral feeding due to pain.

COMMON COLD / UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTION

Also known as a cold, this is a viral infection of the throat, nose and sinuses. Commonly, symptoms include headache, fever, sore throat, coughing, sneezing and runny nose. The treatment usually involves encouraging drinking fluids and over the counter pain relievers. Children usually get better in seven days.

SCHOOL SORES

Schools sores or Impetigo are skin sores which occur anywhere on

the body. The lesions can appear as crusty skin or blisters with a yellowish colour. The most common symptoms are itchy skin and visible sores.

School sores are highly contagious and spread with contact.

Treatment for lesions is usually topical antibiotics ointment; however advanced infections may require oral antibiotics.

GASTROENTERITIS Most cases of gastroenteritis are caused by viruses. The symptoms of nausea, abdominal pains, vomiting and diarrhea usually clear up in a few days. Usually nothing is required more than rest, drinking fluids and TLC. CONJUNCTIVITIS Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the lining of the eyelid (conjunctiva).

Symptoms include yellowish discharge, crusty sticky eyes, blurry vision and irritation. In children, this is most often caused by a bacterial infection. The spread can be rapid between people. Avoid touching

eyes, sharing towels and continue good hand washing. The treatment is antibiotic eye drops.

WORM INFECTIONS

Worm infections occur in the gut.

The most common symptom is an itchy bottom. Worms are passed on by children scratching their bottoms and not washing their hands and contaminating other children.

Usually they are easily cleared up by pharmacy medications. Best practice once a child has been treated is to wash all bedding and treat every person in the house at the same time.

HEAD LICE

Head Lice infestations are caused by wingless insects that live on the scalp. They feed on blood that arises near the hair follicle. They are easily spread with lice jumping from hair to hair when coming into contact.

Contrary to popular belief, clean hair makes no change to infections.

The main symptoms are an itchy scalp. Treatment is with medicated shampoos/creams, special combs or shaving.

OF NOTE

• Many common school illnesses can be prevented with good hygiene and hand washing.

• If your child is sick please keep them away from school and other children to prevent the spread of illnesses • With any illness it is best to seek medical aid for a definitive diagnosis and treatment. Seek medical assessment urgently if symptoms occur with high fever, difficulty breathing, rashes, excessive sleepiness or confusion, seizure, severe vomiting or diarrhoea or if you as the parent are worried.

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JANUARY 2016 www.pakmag.com.au

HEALTHY SNACKS

rry B Cranbe i t e s

nd Ban a o a c an Ca

m

ia &

a

Macad a

e k a C

This particular cake stays really moist and will keep in the fridge for up to a week

Makes 16 balls or 24 - 36 bites. Keeps up to two to three weeks in the refrigerator.

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS

3 ripe bananas 2 eggs 2/3 cup coconut oil (melted) 1/3 cup milk (oat or almond or dairy milk can be used here) 1/2 cup honey 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup whole meal self-raising spelt flour 1 cup almond meal 2 tablespoons cacao powder 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon bi-carb soda

1 cup almond meal 1/2 cup desiccated coconut 1/2 cup macadamia nuts 2 tbsp honey 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/3 cup natural pistachios 1/3 cup cranberries

HOW TO MAKE 1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and line a 30cm x 20cm x 5cm baking tin 2. In one bowl combine all the wet ingredients (bananas, eggs, coconut oil, milk, honey and vanilla extract) 3. In another bowl sift and combine all the dry ingredients (flour, almond meal, cacao powder, baking powder and bicarb)

HOW TO MAKE 1. Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend until mixture is well combined and sticking together 2. Using a tablespoon as a measure, roll mixture into balls.

Optional: Roll balls in finely chopped salted pistachio nuts for a different finish RECIPES CREATED BY: Liz Richards of Simple Nourishment. Check them out online: www.simplenourishment.com.au on Instagram: simple.nourishment or on facebook: /simplenourishment

4. Gently combine the two mixtures and pour into a lined baking tin 5. Bake for approximately half an hour or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted RECIPES BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Get your ingredients from The Source Bulk Foods.

Check them out on facebook: /TheSourceBulkFoods

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Baby’s

FIRST FOODS STORY Jenna Galley

It’s a rite of passage every new mum goes through – introducing her little one to the wonderful world of food! And while your little one won’t be ready to indulge in a steak dinner just yet, meal time is about to become a lot more fun for the whole family! And a lot messier too.

When to Start: Current guidelines suggest babies should be introduced to pureed foods at six months of age and not before four months. How do you know when bub is ready? The Department of Health recommends that bub is ready when: • He or she can sit on your lap and hold his/her head steady.

• He or she shows an interest in food (e.g. reaches for food when you are eating) and looks for more food after a full breastfeed.

• He or she takes pureed food from a spoon without pushing it out of the mouth with the tongue.

Weaning is an extended process and weaning completely off the breast or bottle and on to foods will take months. It is recommended that you continue to breast or bottle feed bub until at least his first birthday.

Good first foods to consider include pureed potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, carrot, apple, pear, peaches and apricots.

Then introduce cooked and pureed meats, fish, chicken, pork, tofu and various legumes and beans.

As bub enters the second stage of feeding (around eight to ten months), you can start to experiment with textures and tastes.

What to Avoid: Current guidelines recommend that there is no reason to delay the introduction of foods that commonly cause allergies such as egg and nuts. However, for your child’s introduction to food, you should avoid: • Hard food that could be a choking risk • Raw or cylindrically shaped foods like whole nuts, popcorn, baby carrots, whole hot dogs or whole grapes • Soft drink, cordial, teas, fruit juices and cow’s milk

What To Use:

• Added honey, salt or sugar

When making your own pureed food, you will need to steam or boil veggies of your choice until they're extra soft. Blend the mixture and let it cool. You can freeze baby food by placing the puree in ice cube trays or baby food containers.

That way you always have fresh and healthy food ready to heat up when you need.

One Last Thing…

What to Feed Bub: For baby’s first foods, stick to fruit and veg and an ironfortified cereal. Start with one teaspoon after a breast or bottle feed and go from there.

One thing all new mums need to remember is that there are a number of different ways to introduce your little one to foods. Some mums choose to buy packaged baby food while others opt to make their own purees. Some mums choose to let baby take control of the food reins through baby led weaning (see below) while others stick to purees for several months.

As long as you are providing bub with a safe and sanitary feeding experience, then you’re doing it right.

Baby Led Weaning Forget the mush, bypass the puree – baby led weaning involves letting your little one feed himself (at six or seven months of age).

When opting for this method, always choose finger foods that are soft and suitable for his age such as soft, cooked meat or fish, chunks of avocado, banana pieces, lentils, cooked pasta shapes and a variety of breads.

Supervision is important when baby led weaning, as is a decent vacuum - you can expect most of the foods to end up on the floor, especially as bub learns the process of chewing and swallowing.

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BumBp

AND BU

www.pakmag.com.au FOR YOUR CHANCE TO Win!

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MU SL UV SU N PR OT EC TIO N BA BY CO VE R WEB www.musluv.com RRP $79.95 ’s delicate skin How are you planning to protect your baby is much thinner skin baby that know you Did against the sun? from UV rays? ge dama that adult skin, and more vulnerable to protection is easy Starting your baby’s lifelong routine of sun is the only cover It . cover baby ction prote sun v with a muslu and provides a 50+, UPF made of cotton muslin which is rated and the skin ’s baby your en betwe r year-round safe barrie rays. ful sun’s harm

DREAMBABY ® PELI'S BATHTUB PLAY POUCH WEB www.dreambaby.com.au RRP $34.95

THANKYOU NAPPIES AND MUM & BUB BUNDLE WEB shop.thankyou.co RRP $78.00 The Thankyou baby range includes nappy and baby care products with 100% of the profits going to child and maternal health programs for families in need. The nappy is the first on the Australian market to feature monochrome prints and be lined with Aloe Vera and Vitamin E, while the baby care range is dermatologically tested, pH balanced and free from nasties like SLS, SLES, EDTA and parabens.

Prize pack includes one ‘Baby, We Can Change the World’ calico bag, one ‘Mums and Bubs’ Massage Oil – 125ml, one Baby Bath Milk – 300ml, one Baby Shampoo – 300ml, one Baby Ointment – 40ml and one box of Thankyou nappies.

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Bath time is an enjoyable time for all children, and the Dreambaby® Peli’s Bathtub Play Pouch will make it even better! This wonderfully designed pelican shaped toy storage area (AKA “Peli”) is a delightful accessory for your bathroom. It is fun, functional and will entertain your children, as they load and unload their toys, one by one.

CAUTION – Never leave children unattended in the bathroom. There is no substitute for proper adult supervision.

Teach your child to be a hand washing superstar!

Making Toddler Meal Time Easy

STORY Goodstart Early Learning – Kylie Warren-Wright, National Safe Work & Wellbeing Manager

Meal time with toddlers is never a simple experience. From when babies first start eating solids, the tantrums and tears begin, as does the mess. Ryan O’Neill, founder of innovative baby brand GizmoTots shares some tips to make the process easier.

Did you know that hand washing is one of the best ways to avoid getting sick and spreading illness to others?

Many diseases are spread by not washing hands with soap and clean, running water. The simple act of hand washing can prevent 30% of diarrhoea-related illness and 20% of respiratory illness, including colds.

And in children under five years this percentage is even higher – frequent hand washing with soap and water can reduce the number of illnesses and infections by at least 50 per cent.

Showing your child how to wash their hands properly and encouraging them to wash their hands regularly doesn’t have to be a chore. For children, washing hands can be a fun and entertaining activity! And it’s simple enough for even very young children to understand.

30 seconds is all it takes, so hum a song and give hand washing a high five!

1. Wet – wet your hand with clean running water.

2. Apply soap 3. Lather – rub your hands together to make a lather for at least 15 seconds.

Palm to palm, back of hands and wrists, in between fingers and around thumbs, and don’t forget the tips of your fingers!

1. Sit at the table: When possible, always ensure the toddler is sitting at their highchair or the table. Sitting upright is important to prevent choking but it also helps to feed the child in the same place so they can learn the association between food and eating.

2. Patience! It takes time for toddlers to eat themselves and it can be extremely frustrating when it doesn’t go to plan. Mess is unfortunately a part of the process but it can be reduced by using a silicone plate that sticks to the table or high chair so toddlers can’t throw or knock over their whole plate.

3. Demonstrate: Children learn so much from observing.

While toddlers are learning to eat it’s especially important to sit down for meals when possible and focus on eating together, even if it means the adults eat with their fingers to demonstrate the process.

4. Make kids excited for meal times: Cutting foods into shapes is a tried and tested technique to disguise food from fussy eaters. While it can help make meal times more appealing, it can be very time consuming. GizmoTots is a silicone plate made specially to help ease toddlers into selffeeding with eye-catching colours and designs.

4. Rinse – rinse your hands under well under running water.

5. Dry – dry your hands using a paper towel or shake it dry.

Good hand hygiene prevents and reduces the spread of illness and disease. As a parent, you can help keep your family healthy by teaching your child a good hand washing technique, reminding them to wash their hands, and washing your own hands with your children.

Children should wash their hands before eating or preparing food, after going to the toilet, and after playing or touching animals or dirty things.

Once a child learns how to properly wash their hands, they will happily teach their younger siblings and encourage them to wash their hands too, helping to keep the whole family healthy and happy.

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Gardens for

Fairy FRIENDS With The Block's Caro and Kingi

Spark their imagination and bring your backyard to life with a fairy garden. These miniature worlds filled with whimsical wonder are highly popular and plenty of stores sell fairy garden accessories. Here’s some ideas to consider when planning your fairy garden. t.com

www.magnoliamarke

Space and Shelter

Opt for an area that won’t get damaged by wet weather (or pets). A planter is a good choice but you can also use a large bowl as the base for your garden (this is especially handy if you want to move the garden in the future). Your fairies need a place to sleep and fairy cottages are elegant to say the least.

Signage

Help your fairies navigate through their forest with signs that sparkle and glow. You can purchase these or make your own using paddle pop sticks, glitter and a Sharpie pen.

Personalised Fairy Garden Sign Etsy Store: Tinytopia4u (RRP $5.50ea)

In addition to a few signs, add fairy lights or miniature Christmas baubles around the garden for extra lighting. Fairies are known to come out mostly at night, after all.

Pathways

Create pathways for your fairies to walk along with dirt, stones and little bridges to cross over. Fairies are known to love colour so you may want to include a few painted rocks or coloured pebbles to help brighten their world.

Handmade Oak Fairy Garden Tree House Etsy Store: Tinytopia4u (RRP $75.00ea)

Plants and a Pond

Fairies also love greenery so add some plant life to your garden. Ferns are especially popular and little mushrooms placed underneath make for the perfect sitting area for little creatures. Give the fairies a place to cool down with their very own pond with rocks around the edges.

Handmade Mini Gnomes with Glow Swirl Hats Etsy Store: Tinytopia4u (RRP $12.00 for three)

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Fairy Sisters Reading www.gardensparkle.com.au (RRP $19.90ea)

Handmade Mini Naughty Gnome The "Spirit" Drinker Etsy Store: Tinytopia4u (RRP $15.00ea)

Forest Fairy Cottage www.gardensparkle.com.au (RRP $72.00ea)

Micro Mushroom House www.gardensparkle.com.au (RRP $10.10ea)

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BACK TO SCHOOL C r a ft With the silly season over, it’s time for back to school mode. While there’s still plenty of time to enjoy the rest of the summer holidays, it’s always fun to get creative, especially on a rainy or unbearably hot day.

And what better way to prepare for the return to school than by making a craft that is not only cute, but handy for school too?

We’ve got an adorable pencil holder and the perfect book cover to add an element of personalisation to your child’s back to school supply list.

Upcycled Jean BOOK COVER WHAT YOU NEED: • 2 pieces of denim, cut into rectangles as well as a scrap piece of pocket • A binding machine • Several pieces of scrap paper and page protectors (if you want) • Flower embellishment • 2 Chipboard or pieces of cardboard • Glue and hot glue gun • Needle and thread • Ribbon and binding rings

Breathe new life into your old denim with this adorable and useful book, perfect as a diary, journal, organiser or scribble book.

1. Cover one side of the chipboard with denim and make mitered corners. Glue and fold over edges. Do the same for the other. This will be your front and back book covers.

2. Stich the pocket of the denim on the front and glue on flower embellishment. You can pick flowers up at any craft store.

3. Add a few pens in the pocket.

4. Cut the scrap paper to size to use as the book pages and protect them with page protectors if required.

5. Bind it together with a binding machine and secure with rings or tied ribbon. Add a few pieces of ribbon to the rings for extra embellishment.

Note: If you don't have a binding machine, choose a book to cover with a solid spine and cut one large piece of denim.

Thanks to: www.lifemadecreations.blogspot.com.au

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DIY PENCIL TOPPERS WHAT YOU NEED: • Wooden pencils • Scraps of felt in different colours • Needle • Thread in different colours • or a hot glue gun if not sewing • A thin black Sharpie pen Personalise your pencils with a heart shaped DIY pencil topper.

1. Cut the scraps of felt into heart shapes. You will need two hearts per pencil.

2. Sew around the edges with the thread.

3. If you’re not keen on sewing, you can glue the edges with a hot glue gun.

4. Leave a gap for the bottom of the pencil.

5. Draw silly faces to complete your DIY pencil topper.

6. Slide in the pencil and enjoy!

Thanks to: www.kidsactivitiesblog.com

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BACK TOMEGASCHOOL Prize Pack 1

3

2

4 5 6

Enter www.pakmag.com.au 1. FRIXION ERASABLE PENS RRP $35.00 WEB www.pilotpen.com.au // Whether going back to work or getting children ready for the new school year, Frixion pens are a great addition to the school bag, briefcase or hand-bag. Featuring thermo-sensitive ink which is removed through heat and friction, you can make a mistake and rub it out with the built-in eraser and start again. 2. LOVELY LITTLE LUNCH BOXES BOOK RRP $24.95 WEB www.barefootkitchens.com.au // Lovely little lunch boxes is a collection of 30 lunch box friendly recipes free from gluten, refined sugar & nuts created by mum of 7 Jen Shaw. Jen makes real food and lunches easier with this essential guide to creating healthy and delicious lunches! 3. THE TODO GAME RRP $29.95 WEB www.todogame.com.au // The To Do Game is a collection of creative, innovative and technology free activities for families to do together. A Sydney couple and their six year old daughter created the game as a way to help families switch off their screens and rediscover the joys of quality time together. 4. PUNK ANGEL HAIR PRODUCTS RRP $99.75 WEB www.punkangel.com.au // Punk Angel is a unique and safe range of hair care especially designed for kids! Sulphate free, paraben free, petrochemical free and alcohol free, kids can use these products knowing they are safe and contain no nasty ingredients. There are currently five products in the range - Wax, Gel, Shampoo, Conditioner & Detangler. 5. GOODBYN INSULATED SLEEVE LUNCH BAG RRP $28.95 WEB www.biome.com.au // Keep your kids school lunches fresh with a Goodbyn Insulated Sleeve Lunch Bag from Biome Eco Stores. The carry bag fits a Goodbyn Hero or Bynto lunch box in an upright position and features a zipper closure, front zippered storage pocket, side mesh bottle holder and detachable clip making it perfect for attaching to another bag. 6. GRIT FLUXX MINI RRP $170.00 WEB www.gritscooters.com.au // Have you got grit? Grab your helmet and sense of adventure. The Grit Fluxx Mini is designed to suit smaller riders with a short deck length (17� long) and smaller bars (46W x 50H cm). Featuring an alloy deck with built in grind rails and Grit’s skeletonised down tube for extra strength, flex brake, 100mm alloy core wheels and premium bearings for a super smooth ride.

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The world is filled with places to explore, things to discover and lessons to learn. And this is no more the case than when you are a child. For your little one’s next birthday party, why not nurture this sense of adventure with a party that oozes with excitement?

If your children love treasure hunts, jungle safaris, Geocaching or even Pokemon Go, then an adventure party is a great option. Rather than the traditional birthday party games, set the stage for an imaginative escapade through the backyard as your guests hunt for animals or search for buried treasure (and treats).

Adventure is Out There

www.petitandsmall.com

There are plenty of different themes to consider when planning your adventure party.

• Jungle safari – Stick to green, brown and tanned colours for decorations and bring the jungle to your backyard with plastic lions, tigers, bears and zebras.

• Pirate adventure – Set sail for the seven seas with black, white and checked decorations, pirate hats for each guest and a scavenger hunt that leads to a treasure chest of surprises.

• Reptile explorers – Transform your house into a garden of discovery with plastic insects, lizards and snakes to search for.

Treats • Ants on a log (sticks of celery with peanut butter and sultanas on top) • Dirt cups (cookie crumble and chocolate mousse with gummy worms placed on top) • Trail mix (various nuts, dried fruit and chocolate M&Ms)

Lolly Bag Ideas

Quins Play Teepee Medium www.earthtoys.net (RRP $120.00ea) Backpack Terra Kids - Haba www.playmackay.com.au (RRP $79.90 $54.95ea)

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www.hipandhooray.com.au

Up the ante of adventure with themed lolly bags. Here are some fun gadgets to send the kids home with:

• Gold chocolate coins • A colouring in treasure map • Toy binoculars • A plastic compass • Plastic army people

Entertainment • Let the kids dig for buried treasure in a sand pit. Add plastic insects, jungle animals or chocolate gold coins.

• Set up a scavenger hunt in the backyard or at a nearby park.

• Set up an obstacle course in the backyard with obstacles to jump through, climb over and squeeze under.

• Consider playing Capture the Flag where the kids are divided into two teams and the play area is divided into two areas. The objective is to “steal” the opposing team’s flag from a hidden position within their area. For extra toughness, add a strip of coloured face paint to each child’s cheeks.

Nature & Explorer Case www.earthtoys.net (RRP $58.00ea)

Pony Rider Good Times Wall Dot 44cm diameter, korufurnitureand homewares.com.au (RRP $80.00ea)

Icingbits Edible Cake Toppers www.icingbits.com

www.thecakeblog.com Great Adventure Kit www.earthtoys.net (RRP $59.95ea)

Kaisercraft Kaisercolour Free Spirit Colouring Book www.prettylittlesomething.com.au (RRP $12.00ea)

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