PakMag Australia – October 2016 Issue 15 by Grand Publishing

ISSUE: OCT 2016

AUSTRALIA

Homework

HELPERS

HALLOWEEN PARTY

Gentle

PARENTING Halloween CRAFT

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CONTENTS

P.14

HELLO

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ISSUE NO.15 OCT 2016

Hello and welcome to our October edition of PakMag.

04 Feature: To Punish or Not to Punish

We’ve got some great features on helping parents and kids with homework and how to master no-punishment parenting (which, turns out, can actually be done!).

07 Education: Homework Helpers

But perhaps what I am most excited about this month is our story on the jobs of the future – this is a great read for parents with children of all ages. You will be amazed at what careers our next generation will most likely have in our technology-obsessed society of tomorrow.

11 Education: The Next

For our families who celebrate Halloween, we have some great Halloween crafts and party ideas for you to try. There's also a whole bunch of great prizes to giveaway. Have a great month with your family and don’t forget to tell everyone, you read it in PakMag.

Generation of Jobs

14 Bump And Bub: WIN 16 Halloween: WIN 18 Craft: Halloween Craft

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20 Celebrate: Halloween Party 23 Fashion: Race Into Fashion 24 Home with Caro & Kingi:

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27 Home: A Touch of Metallic

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STORY Jenna Galley

We all want to raise our children to be polite, kind, empathetic, honest and respectful. And we all know the best way to do this is to lead by example. But sometimes this doesn’t work. Sometimes we need to discipline them and to punish them to help get our message across. Or do we? One parenting trend these days suggests this is not the case. It’s known as gentle parenting and it is one of the leading parenting styles that promotes peaceful and positive parenting through a lack of discipline and rewards system. No bribes. No stickers. No toys for being good. And no time-outs for being bad. Sure, it sounds like the lazy way out but it requires a lot more persistence, patience and conscious parenting than other methods. Leading child development researcher, L.R. Knost describes the style as “guiding instead of controlling, connecting instead of

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punishing, encouraging instead of demanding. It’s about listening, understanding, responding, and communicating.” Sounds like an ideal situation – where parents and children co-exist together in a household without any conflict, any arguments or any poor behavioural concerns. But, let’s face it, it sounds like a fairy tale. According to leading gentle parenting expert, Laura Markham, you can bring this idyllic family situation into your life.

Of course, there are many concerns with gentle parenting: What happens if you try it and your kids won’t listen and are still acting out? Gentle parenting advocates admit that not all children are going to respond to this approach right away. However, it is suggested that by finding out the ‘why’ behind the behaviour – is he acting out because he feels left out, because something has happened at school, because he is not getting enough sleep? – is a good place to start. Through communication comes understanding and hopefully a way to thwart this poor behaviour.

FEATURE

Punishment vs Discipline – What’s the Difference? Punishment • The purpose is to inflict penalty for an offence • The focus is on the past • The attitude is anger and frustration for a parent • The result can lead to fear and guilt for the child • Acts of punishment can include taking away toys, time-outs and teaching them there are consequences for their actions

Discipline • The purpose is to instil the right behaviour • The focus is on the future • The attitude is concern for a parent • The result can lead to a sense of security for the child • Acts of discipline can include communication, problem solving and empathising with your child to determine the inner reason why he or she is acting out

How will your child know who is boss and understand that there are rules? Through a mutual respect, Laura Markham suggests. Treat a child with respect and they will do the same to you. According to gentle parenting advocates, a parent doesn’t need to be seen as an authority figure. Children should feel like they are an equal member of the household. What about safety issues? If there are no punishments, then how will they learn right from wrong? Gentle parenting experts suggest that children have the ability to learn right and wrong on their own and through example. No punishment necessary. Sorry, but no, my kids need punishments. And they need to know who is boss.

Many kids do. Methods like one-twothree magic, time-outs, taking away toys, losing a coin and teaching your children that they have to be responsible for their actions works for many households. After all, there are repercussions for doing the wrong thing in life – like speeding or showing up to work late – and children need to understand this from a young age.

You’ve probably noticed that parenting has become a lot more complex these days than when we were growing up. When we were kids, what Mum and Dad said is what went and that was that. The style was more authoritative and there was nothing wrong with a bit of punishment and a lot of discipline.

There are two sides to every parenting story and one of the biggest advocates against gentle parenting is prominent Australian psychologist Dr. Michael Carr-Gregg who has never been shy about suggesting modern day parents are “raising a generation of spoilt brats”.

Many families choose to stick to what they know –how they were raised – and this works perfectly for many families. Many parents need their children to know who is boss, who is in control and many children require discipline and guidelines in order to thrive.

Punishment and discipline, according to Carr-Gregg are essential as is saying no. After all, a child who is treated as a partner in the household but as inferior in the work force (because, let’s face it, we all have to start from the bottom when we enter the work force) can lead to frustration, anger, confusion and a whole slew of other issues too.

But there are options. And gentle parenting is certainly one of them.

Another concern is the lack of reward system – yes, children need to understand that they are not going to be rewarded anytime they do something right, but there is nothing that melts my heart more than showing my son that I am proud of him for doing a good job in school than by taking him out for the occasional ice cream. Is gentle parenting right for you? This depends on a number of things – your values, your background, your situation, your temperament and most importantly, your child’s temperament. Gentle parenting requires a lot of selfcontrol – after all, if you’re going to teach your children to communicate their feelings rather than lash out, then you’re going to have to do the same (even when someone cuts you off in traffic or your husband forgets to take the bins out for the third week in a row). It can also be hard in today’s busy society when we are often tired, stressed and drained. Sometimes it’s simply easier to say “No,” and when your child asks why, to reply with, “Because I said so.”

pakmag

Modern day parenting problems

The most important thing when it comes to raising children is that a child feels safe, feels loved and is treated with dignity and respect.

The 10 commandments of gentle parenting 1.

Thou shalt act the way I want my child to behave.

Thou shalt give choices, not commands.

Thou shalt promote a playful approach to chores and tasks around the house.

Thou shalt allow children to express their emotions.

Thou shalt look at the ‘why’ of poor behaviour rather than punishment.

Thou shalt not give bribes or rewards for good behaviour.

Thou shalt use communication as a form of discipline.

Thou shalt negotiate limits with the child rather than setting them.

Thou shalt treat children as partners in the household where everyone’s needs are met. There are no bosses.

10. Thou shalt take a time-out

myself if I start to lose control.

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EDUCATION

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HOMEWORK HELPERS It’s the debate that launched a thousand comments – to have homework or not to have homework. Whilst there are many discussions around the benefits and downfalls of homework, inevitably your children will have homework, in some form, during their school life. So here are a few handy hints and products to help everyone in the household handle homework.

Is Homework a Hassle?

STORY Maree Bowe & Michelle Breen, Trinity Anglican School. Homework is an important part of your children’s study program. Homework provides an opportunity for children to celebrate and share their academic successes at home. It supports classroom learning and provides children with the opportunity to consolidate their understandings. Homework promotes responsibility, self-discipline and concentration. It establishes organisational and time management skills. These are key life skills that are best learned in action. However, for every benefit there are plenty of concerns regarding homework (it’s time-consuming, it’s stressful for the parents, it takes away from family time, etc.). There have even been instances where schools or teachers have banned homework altogether. Most children don’t like doing homework, no matter what. Most would opt to play outdoors or with their toys or friends any day of the week. But one of the most important lessons that homework teaches our kids is that sometimes in life, we have to do things we don’t want to do. It’s called responsibility and it’s something that seems to follow us no matter where we are in life. So how can you prevent homework from being a hassle? The answer for parents is to be a facilitator rather than the one who hassles! Aim to support the homework process as much as possible but leave the responsibility with your children. Follow these handy homework hints to help support your child at homework time: • Firstly, familiarise yourself with your school’s homework policy.

• Attend any parent information sessions at the outset of the school year to develop a working relationship with your children’s teachers and to find out specific homework expectations. • Never be afraid to communicate any homework queries or concerns to the teacher. • Establish a homework routine from the very beginning of the term. Even if homework has not been set, maintain the routine and use the time to read and revise. • Ideally, homework should be done at a table away from noise and other distracting influences. A well-lit space is also a good idea. However, some children enjoy working at the kitchen table and do so effectively. Sit down with your child to establish the best working environment. • Check that your children have everything they need to complete their homework. • Ask your children questions to assist them to clarify the requirements of the homework tasks. • Chat with your children to stay informed about their homework and how they are progressing and be ready to learn something new! Above all, remember that parents are not expected to act as the experts. Be helpful, keep homework hassle-free and support the development of those key life skills. References Brooks, A. (2015). Homework Tips for Parents. Retrieved from Kidspot: www.kidspot.com.au/school/primary/ homework/homework-tips-for-parents

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pakmag EDUCATION

Motivation for Mums and Dads STORY Jenna Galley

Staying motivated to get the homework done is not only a problem for kids. It can be a problem for adults too. After a long day of work, kid-wrangling, cooking and everything else on the agenda, many mums and dads can think of a million other ways they would rather spend their evenings than supervising a homework session.

Products for Productivity 1. Homework caddy – A homework

caddy is the perfect way to keep kids organised for homework time but also provide motivation to actually sit down and get the work done.

2. Timers – Timers are a great way • Set a specific time for homework. Not only is this your child’s homework time, but yours too. You may find that you have a burst of energy just before dinner or you may have more energy after dinner and clean-up is done. Work with your productivity time. • Choose to do an activity that allows you to stop and start if your child does need some help with a maths equation or understanding a question. Opt for a mundane activity to do alongside your child, like catching up on the gossip online, or doing a crossword puzzle - something that can’t be burned or broken if you do need to stop halfway through. • Sneak homework in during car rides. When stuck in traffic, take this time to do homework that doesn’t require books such as spelling. • Don’t get too involved. If you don’t understand the question, ask your child to flag it with the teacher and move on. No parent should have to spend hours Googling how to do an equation. • Be there to support, but avoid the urge to take-over. Sure, we all want our children to do well in school but doing the work for them will only lead to bad habits down the road.

The Golden Homework Rule: Aim for 10 minutes per day per grade

So, a child in year one should be doing 10 minutes of homework each night (this includes reading, sight words, writing, maths, etc). A child in year five should be doing 50 minutes of homework per night (this may include something like 20 minutes of reading before bed, 10 minutes of maths and 20 minutes of spelling). And take weekends off.

OCTOBER 2016 www.pakmag.com.au

to help kids stay focused for the allotted time (and to let them know that there is an end to the homework session). We love the Time Tracker Mini but you can also get Timer Apps which are definitely more affordable and especially great for tech-loving kids. Children’s Countdown is a great one to try.

3. Stickers and small rewards – It’s the little things that matter, especially for little kids and a sticker for doing a good job means so much to a child.

4. Multi-coloured pens – There is

something about having a special pen that is especially for your child and designed specifically for homework time. Your child may look forward to using the pen and may actually be more inclined to do the work.

5. Inspirational canvases – We all need to take a bit of a break when doing work and most of us will take this time to look around. Having a few inspirational canvases in their homework area can help keep them inspired and motivated.

EDUCATION

pakmag

The Next Generation of Jobs Are our kids prepared for the careers of the future? STORY Jenna Galley

Ask your children what they want to be when they grow up and you’ll probably get a whirlwind of hilarious responses (a princess, a superhero, a ninja turtle, for example). And while these answers can bring a smile to our faces, the concerns for the careers of our future generation are no laughing matter. When it’s time for our children to enter the workforce, some of today’s jobs may not be around or available. So what does this mean? Which jobs are here to stay? Which ones are on their way out? And how will this affect our kids? Rather than asking our children what they want to be, we should be asking our kids what they want to do. “The reality is that there will be many new types of jobs and careers in the coming years,” small business author Andrew Griffiths tells PakMag. “They might not make sense to parents, or seem like ‘real’ careers, but nothing should be dismissed.

Times, they are a changing. And we cannot hide from the fact that technology is playing a massive role in many aspects of society, including the job market. As much as we hate to rely on technology, it is part of the plan of the future and it’s important our kids are technologically advanced and aware. “Video game skills are now considered an asset for some new jobs. So all those years of nagging the kids to stop playing video games was probably not right,” Andrew explains. According to the Foundation for Young Australians, 44 per cent of jobs will be automated in the next 10 years. An incredible 60 per cent of current Australian students are training for jobs that may not even exist in the future.

Of course, the good thing about these incredible technological advancements is that we will be creating countless new positions, some that may not have even been imagined yet. These will be the jobs that our children (and our grandchildren) will get to fill. And the even better news is that these new possibilities not only look promising, but diverse, dynamic and destined to make our future more sustainable and safe.

Changes in Technology and Careers So what’s causing our career transition? The Rise of the Driverless Car Sure, you might still be getting used to the idea of Uber but driverless cars are actually a thing, and something that pretty much every transportation company in the world are working on. Between now and 2030, driverless cars will most certainly be on the road meaning our transportation industry may be taking a back seat. Careers that could suffer from this technological advancement include

taxi and limo drivers, delivery and mail carriers, traffic police, meter maids and more. Of course, there will be plenty of new careers in this industry, from engineers to mechanics, from marketing experts to design specialists. The Reliance on Flying Drones Flying drones are already lifting the possibilities in a number of different industries. Flying drones may also take over a number of careers in the delivery, agricultural, surveying and monitoring industries. For example, drones may be used to spray and water farms, to herd sheep, to survey land, to deliver pizza and even to put out fires in remote locations. However, we will always need people to monitor, maintain, service and market these drones. Going Robotic - Robots and Automated Machines - Robots are already taking over the manufacturing industry and it is expected that this trend will continue. Retail careers may be the first to go as more companies turn to online and self-scanners and check-outs become the norm. Customer service jobs, including data entry roles, are also down due to outsourcing as well as automation.

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pakmag EDUCATION

Jobs of Tomorrow Some of the jobs with the highest expected growth rate, according to Career Cast, include: Statisticians (34 per cent growth outlook) Financial Planners (30 per cent growth outlook) Interpreters/Translators (29 per cent growth outlook) Market Research Analysts (19 per cent growth outlook) Information Security Analysts (18 per cent growth outlook). Andrew Griffiths predicts our future generation will be blessed with some of these job titles:

What industries are here to stay? For our generation, industries that require hands-on involvement are not going anywhere just yet. One day we may have robots that can deliver babies or fix our leaking faucets but we’re still relying on our next generation to keep this personalised hands-on touch. • Our society will still need doctors and dentists (unless, of course, someone makes a real life BayMax) as well as qualified tradespeople, hairdressers and teachers. • Digital technology won’t be going anywhere either. And while we’ve already seen the decline in many print-related careers, there will be plenty of digital careers available. • Environmental careers are expected to have a massive spike, especially in terms of clean energy and careers that focus on sustainability for the future. • Other industries that are expected to prosper include advertising, marketing, aged care, health care, finance and education.

• Telesurgeon • Garbage Redesigner • Simplicity Expert • Crowd Funding Expert • Rewilder • Gamification Designer • End Of Life Designer • Healthcare Navigator • Disruption Advisor • Industry Dismantlers • Big Data Doctor • Productivity Counsellors • Robotic Counsellors • Opportunity Spotters • Idea Brokers • Baby Psychologists • Pet Companions • Drone Pilots • Senior Everything • Nano Medics And don’t worry, if you read these careers and are unsure of what half of them even entail, you’re not alone. Let’s just hope our children will know!

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“If there was one skill I would be teaching my children it would be adaptability,” says Andrew. “Be flexible, learn to embrace uncertainty and always be looking ahead at what is changing in the world and the opportunities this will create”. There will be plenty of untapped ideas and resources out there. And while we may not be prepared to tap into these solutions, our children will be. Our kids will be the ones to find the missing links, to discover the solutions and to fill the gaps accordingly. After all, never before have children been more educated, more aware and more technology-conscious than our kids. And it is this forward-thinking that will lead to the next generation of job growth.

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SIX WAYS TO BOOST YOUR MILK SUPPLY

EASING YOUR CHILD INTO A NEW EARLY LEARNING CENTRE

Babies are known to fuss at the breast and want to feed constantly. Often mums assume the reason is because their milk supply is low. While this is sometimes the case, if bub is gaining weight, then you do not have a problem with milk supply – you simply have a baby who likes the comfort and the closeness that breast feeding can provide.

STORY Goodstart Early Learning

However, if you have consulted a doctor or midwife and bub is not gaining weight, it could be due to low milk supply. Formula is always an option, and a perfectly acceptable one at that, but you can also look to natural ways to increase your milk supply. While there is no magic formula that works, here are a few ideas that may help you:

There is no doubt that leaving your child at an early learning centre for the first time can be a stressful experience – for both your child and for you as a parent. Separation anxiety is something that can peak between 14 and 18 months old and typically decreases throughout early childhood. Sometimes it can last longer if there have been difficult separations in the early years and it may reflect the child’s attempts to hold on to what is safe and what is comforting in the child’s world.

latching. It’s a lot harder than just placing bub to breast.

While there’s no magic formula to make separation anxiety miraculously disappear, here are a few tips that can help:

supply and many babies will need to feed every 1.5 to 2 hours.

• Take your child to visit their new centre for orientation and to meet the educators before their first day.

1. Get help from a lactation consultant or midwife on efficient 2. Feed frequently. Demand feeding can help boost milk

3. Offer both sides at each feeding. 4. Avoid dummies and bottles if possible. 5. In between feeds, express on both sides, even if you hardly get anything out.

6. Seek assistance from a doctor. Supplements may help

boost milk supply including herbal medications (such as Mother’s Milk herbal tea and Fenogreek) and well as Reglan, Motilium, Eglonyl, Dolmatil, Sulpitil, Sulparex and Equemote.

PREGNANCY & INFANT LOSS

• Talk to your child about what will happen at the centre, when you are leaving and reassure them that you’ll be coming back. • Work together with your child’s teachers and educators – they have plenty of good ideas and reassuring advice. • Try to keep goodbyes short. It’s important to be strong, leave when you need to go and don’t linger at drop-off time. • Let an educator settle your child doing something they enjoy, such as playing with the blocks, or with a friend they look forward to seeing. • Be calm, respond to your child’s distress and comfort them, but remain firm about leaving.

It’s something that impacts one in four families – miscarriage or infant loss. There are no words to describe the agonising heartbreak, the sadness or the pain that comes with losing a baby even when in the womb.

• Spend extra time with them to reconnect when you come back and ask them about their day.

15 October is International Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day. It's a special time for parents and families to honour their babies who passed away from miscarriage, stillbirth or newborn death. SANDS will be holding their annual Walk to Remember to help families commemorate their babies during this time.

For information regarding Goodstart centres, call 1800 222 543. Their team will organise a centre tour and discuss your needs and childcare availability.

In Cairns, a Walk to Remember will take place on 18 October, 8.30am, Funship Parklands, Cairns Esplanade. For more information www.15october.com.au or www.sands.org.au

• Ask your educator for some useful questions that can help encourage your child to open up about their experience.

SOURCES: The Goodstart Practice Guide: An Essential Resource for Early Learning Professionals. 2016. Social Emotional Separation Anxiety Fact Sheet, Noah’s Art Children’s Services Resources Unit. Separation Anxiety in Infants, Centre for Emotional Health, Macquarie University.

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pakmag CRAFT

CR AFT GO BATTY WITH THESE RECYCLA-BATS If there is one thing we love more than a Halloween craft it’s one that takes all of five minutes

to make. And these Recycla-bats are so easy to make with hardly any materials needed at all. So how can you bring a little bit of spooky spirit to your house?

WHAT YOU NEED: • Toilet paper rolls (one toilet paper roll makes one bat) • Black construction paper and white pencil crayon or chalk • Scissors and glue • String and a hole punch • Black sharpie pen

HOW TO MAKE THEM: 1. Start by folding the tops of the toilet rolls to create the bat ears. Glue the fold into position to keep the ears pointy. 2. Draw the outline of the wings on the black construction paper and cut out. Glue the wings in place on either side of the toilet paper roll. 3. Using the black pen draw a funny face on your toilet paper bat complete with googly eyes and sharp teeth. 4. Punch a hole at the bottom of the toilet paper roll and attach a string to it. That way your bats can hang upside down from anywhere in the house. Make a whole family of Halloween characters to showcase at the end of the month (start saving those toilet paper rolls now!). Thanks to mollymoocrafts.com 18 OCTOBER OCTOBER 2016 2016 www.pakmag.com.au www.pakmag.com.au

COOL GHOULS It’s just not Halloween without a ghost craft! There are plenty of different ways you can make ghosts out of everyday objects but we especially love these cool ghouls. A trip to your local craft store and you will have all the materials you need to make a handful of haunted friends, perfect to hang from chandeliers, fans or outside around your awning.

WHAT YOU NEED: • White Cheesecloth fabric (or similar) • Fabric stiffener • Googly eyes and styrofoam balls • Glue and thread • Small water bottle

HOW TO MAKE THEM: 1. Cut cheesecloth into squares. You can make the squares as big or small as you like depending on what size ghosts you want to make. 2. Place a Styrofoam ball on top of an opened water bottle to make the ghost shape. Attach with glue. 3. Dip the cloth into fabric stiffener and remove any excess. 4. Place the cheesecloth over the Styrofoam ball and drape over the bottle. Allow four to six hours for the ghosts to dry. 6. Glue googly eyes onto your ghosts and then hang with thread.

Thanks to blog.consumercrafts.com www.pakmag.com.au OCTOBER 2016

pakmag CELEBRATE

PARTY PARTY

Goblins, ghosts and ghouls! Oh My! Like it or loath it, Halloween is coming up at the end of the month and it’s a great excuse to bring out the costumes and indulge in chocolate and candy. If you do decide to partake in the Trick or Treating festivities or if you want to host your very own Halloween bash, then we’ve got everything you need right here.

FREAKY FOOD IDEAS

EERIE ENTERTAINMENT

Monster cupcakes – add extra eyes for extra gruesomeness.

Halloween is all about scary movies but most Halloween movies are simply too terrifying for kids (and some adults). Steer clear of the Halloween series and stick to a less-scary selection such as Hotel Transylvania, Hocus Pocus, Casper, Coraline and Edward Scissorhands.

Boo-nanas – bananas and chocolate chips are all you need. Vampire donuts – complete with creepy eyes and teeth.

Stage a competition in terms of the best costumes in different categories for all your guests. You can make trophies out of miniature skeletons!

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Pumpkin platter – make with manderin slices and berries.

20 SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016 2016 www.pakmag.com.au

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Sonny Angel Halloween Series www.playmackay.com.au (RRP $16.95ea)

Icingbits Cake Toppers www.icingbits.com

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Race into

Fashion WITH GERLINDA

With the lead-up to the Melbourne Cup in early November, it’s time to start the search for the perfect outfit and accessories. As mums we don’t often get a chance to dress up so take advantage of this special occasion – hire a sitter, grab the ladies and enjoy a lengthy lunch at one of the many venues around town.

What to wear? Liana Hastie from Sonlia sat down with PakMag’s style guru, Gerlinda Stella to discuss all things race wear: Staying ahead of the race with the top trends: • Hats are a big trend this season. Crowns, flower crowns and headbands or small headpieces are also really on trend this season. Crowns especially look stunning with hair out or a high ponytail. • If you are entering a Fashions in the Field competition, try and stick to a neat and polished look • Off the shoulder styles, including cut out shoulders and amazing sleeve features in almost every imaginable style • Frill sleeves, slit sleeves, puffy and embellished when teamed with a tailed style of dress looks stunning • Lace is also another key trend in lots of striking styles and textures. • High neck styles and neckties are also a big trend as are fishtail skirts and frill features.

include white lace, black and white, pastel shades such as pinks and icy blues, bright spring floral prints and metallics, especially golds mixed with nudes and navy Mums in a rush – tips for perfecting your look: • A great way to make getting ready easier is to arrange a babysitter earlier in the day. This will give you uninterrupted time to get dressed.

• Arrive at the racetrack a little early so you can put your millinery piece on after you get out of the car as larger hairpieces can be damaged getting in and out of the car. • Most importantly relax and enjoy your day out, you deserve it! Check out the incredible range at www.sonlia.com.au or email Liana at sales@sonlia.com.au for more info.

• If this is not an option, you can begin to get prepared the night before. Wash, dry and straighten your hair and paint your nails. • Don’t forget to pack essentials such as band aids, bobby pins, license, credit card, cash and race tickets.

• Colour combinations to consider

www.pakmag.com.au OCTOBER 2016

pakmag HOME

WITH THE BLOCK’S CARO & KINGI

Placing your little ones in the same bedroom comes with plenty of perks – it offers a wonderful bonding experience and frees up space in the house. It also means you can use the extra bedroom as an office, a guest room or a playroom. But how can you create a cohesive design all the while giving each child their own individual space? Choose accessories that both kids will love This can be especially tricky when one child is begging for Minecraft and the other one wants Cinderella. But it can be done. Think about colour schemes, not just characters, especially as cartoon characters go out of style with every new movies or TV series that comes out.

Bunk up Opting for bunk beds is one of the smartest solutions for freeing up space. And while it means you have to hike up to the top bunk anytime you need to change the sheets, it also means there is enough space for the kids to move around, to place a table and chairs and to make a play area in the bedroom as well.

Set boundaries through storage solutions

Think neutral colours for the big items And add a splash of the brighter and bolder pinks, reds, blues and greens in the accessories such as pillows, rugs, lamps and money boxes. Monochrome (black and white) is a great choice for canvases and doonas as it can be used for both boys and girls and creates a unified look.

Declutter (and often) Shared bedrooms are known to build up excess items quicker than any other room. Make it a routine to give the room a good declutter at least once a month and get rid of all clothing, toys, books, piles of artwork and other items that have managed to find a home on your child’s floor, under the bed or in the closet.

Kids are going to always fight about what belongs to who but a simple storage solution can help prevent this. Have different baskets or drawers for each child or invest in a shelving system so each child has a shelf to put their prized possessions.

Cabin Kids Bunk Bed www.fantasticfurniture.com.au (RRP $599.00) 24

OCTOBER 2016 www.pakmag.com.au

lifethrualens.net

Cuddly HUGGLO Night Light Toy www.luminouslights.net.au (RRP $49.90ea)

Round Table With Two Standard Chairs www.earthtoys.net (RRP $299.00)

Tooth Fairy Boy - Ragtales www.playmackay.com.au (RRP $21.00)

Princess & the Pea - Ragtales www.playmackay.com.au (RRP $65.00)

Flora Fox www.earthtoys.net (RRP $59.95)

Reginald Fox www.earthtoys.net (RRP $59.95)

Large Miffy Night Lamp www.luminouslights.net.au (RRP $299.90)

Penn Floor Lamp www.earlysettler.com.au (RRP $199.00 $99.00)

Jesse Bunk www.fantasticfurniture.com.au (RRP $429.00) www.pakmag.com.au OCTOBER 2016

OCTOBER 2016 www.pakmag.com.au

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A TOUCH OF

It’s time to embrace your inner bling and get on board with one of the top trends in home design this year – metallic. For those who love the look of gold, brass, chrome and copper, then you are going to absolutely love these metallic finds that will leave your home sparkling with style. One good thing about the metallic trend is that it is actually relatively affordable to pull off. You can find some pretty unique metallic antique items at thrift stores or even give an older item an upgrade with a can of gold spray paint. When decorating with shiny metals it’s a good idea to keep the palette neutral. Stick to greys, whites and light blues as your main colour scheme with adding metallic touches to a room. The heavy metal look can complete any room in the house but it’s probably best suited for your living room, dining area and kitchen. Some of the best accessories to complete the metallic look include candle holders, plant pot holders, light fixtures, bookends, mirrors and even pillows. And you can’t go past brass pots and pans!

www.thedesignfiles.net

Escape Table Lamp www.fantasticfurniture.com.au (RRP $20.00) Designer Concrete Products www.facebook.com/bespokedesignerliving (RRP Various)

Copper Square Cushion Assorted www.fantasticfurniture.com.au (RRP $25.00ea)

Geometric Copper Candle Votive (Large) & LED Tealight www.luminouslights.net.au (RRP $15.00 $11.90)

Myla 3 Seater Sofa www.fantasticfurniture.com.au (RRP $649.00)

Copper Grand Maroq String Light www.luminouslights.net.au (RRP $69.90)