FEBRUARY 2015
Inspiring kids for their future
When children miss out
Valentine crafts for the kids
A month of dates
Empowering parents to be the best they can be
If you run a childcare centre, primary school or OOSH why not give us a call to help with your fundraising this year. NO financial outlay, NO hidden costs, NO dealing with unhealthy chocolates or trying to keep track of products. Phone: 0415 216 186 or Email: info@smallstepsparenting.com
Contents
February 2015
Regulars 5 Letter from the Editor 9 Make a Change 10 Monthly Recipe - Skillet tuna mornay 11 Ask a professional - questions from readers 16 Your Story - Premature and perfect 18 Small Steps to business - with Chris Crowe 26 Something Extra - by Carolyn Galbraith 31 Kid’s fun 34 What’s happening online
Articles 6 When children miss out 8 How would you cope with a sick child? 14 Inspiring kids for their future 20 Tips for baby’s first summer 24 Burns in children
Special Features 12 22 27 28 32
Online safety and your kids Sneaky exercises Random facts A month of dates News story and lifetime opportunity
Our gorgeous cover image is by Kate DiBlasi Photography
Letter
ISSUE 17 SUMMER 2015 Creative Director Julie-Anne England
from the Editor
Contributing writers Abby Fleming, Carolyn Galbraith, Chris Crowe, Clare Christie, Dianne Ward, Kim Hendricks, Kirsten Mitchell, Lynne Hall, Michael Voss, Ruth Bosanquet, Sarah Cannata, Simone Yuen
Dear Reader, I always love the beginning of a new year‌ The feeling of a blank canvas, a fresh start. It fills me with an expectation and an excitement of what’s to come. Small Steps Parenting Magazine has lots of exciting plans for 2015 and we are so thrilled that you could be alongside us to support us in our growth and plans for the future. This article is jam packed with lots of interesting reads and we have some great new regular contributors who will be sharing on first aid for kids, family relationships and more. One of my favourites this month is the month worth of dates for couples. It gives you a total 28 dates which you can spread out for the year or just choose your favourites. Try to plan time for your family this year and make this the best year yet!
Contact us 0415 216 186 info@smallstepsparenting.com Www.smallstepsparenting.com
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Julie-Anne England All articles in Small Steps are for editorial purposes and not necessarily the opinion of the publisher. Small Steps does not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any of the information, content, or advertisements contained on, distributed through, or linked, downloaded, or accessed through this magazine or the corresponding website or facebook page, nor the quality of any products, information or other materials displayed, purchased, or obtained by you as a result of an advertisement or any other information. In no event shall Small Steps be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, punitive, or consequential damages of any kind whatsoever with respect to the service, the materials, and the products. You are encouraged to exercise discretion while browsing the Internet. No part of this publication or the corresponding website is to be copied or reproduced without permission.
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When children miss out
There’s no doubt Australia is one of the best countries in the World to bring up children. With it’s fantastic weather, it’s vast outdoors and beautiful coastlines, Australia a playground of giant proportions and a country that encourages children to get out there and ‘have a go’. If you add to that the child safety measures that are in place here to protect our children along with a free education system it’s becomes clear just how lucky our Aussie kids are.
in Australia right now, not in a developing country overseas, right here on our doorstep. Every day in our land of plenty, 10% of our Australian children are driven by hunger and the NEED for food, not the want.
All Australian children are given the opportunity for a free education and to go to school but for a child who lives in poverty, school can be a nightmare. If these children actually have the means or the energy However, not all of our Aussie kids are that to get there, once inside the school gates they are expected to focus and pay attenlucky, for some life is a genuine struggle. tion, if you can’t focus due to hunger then In Australia today there are one million that’s when trouble begins and so the cycle children living under the poverty line. To of poverty starts once more. put that into perspective, that’s one in every ten children who experiences hunger, One of the main ways to break the cycle of poor living conditions and going without poverty is through an education but if a every single day. Forget iPads for birthchild doesn’t have the right nutrition or days, some of these children would be equipment to go to school, a way to avoid lucky to get a decent meal. And the shock- getting in trouble and an easier option ing part about this is that this is happening would be to stay away. 6
These children going without have to grow up fast, dealing with very grown up situations, taking control sometimes of their younger siblings and they are exposed to daily stress and situations some of us could never imagine. Poverty tends to push them in the same direction of their parents or carers, avoiding school leads to poor education, for the girls it leads to teenage pregnancy and for the boys there’s a distinct link between poverty and poor education into crime and violence. It’s not all doom and gloom though and there are ways every day Australians like us can help and a way to teach your own children about giving back. Imagine what kind of place Australia could be if we could cater for these children, if there was a way to reduce the numbers of children living in poverty. Imagine what their future could be like but also the future of Australia. If every child got a fair go, if every child was fed and watered and in a safe environment, in a school and came out
with an education, with job prospects with self-esteem and self-belief in themselves. Imagine if in this generation of children we could do something and in ten years’ time Australia was able to reduce the number of Aussies in poverty by half and had more Australian’s in the workforce creating an even stronger and educated Australia. The best ways to help change these stats is to contact schools and education associations in your district and ask the questions ‘which schools need our help?’ how can I help in my community?’ and also get your own children involved, encourage them to donate some of their clothes or old toys to schools where the students may be the needy. Emma Ritchie is the founder of Goodie Goodie, an Australian social enterprise who provide a free school breakfast to Australian children in need with the sale of every Goodie Goodie muesli bar. www.goodiegoodie.net.au
Phone: 0408 660 673
www.facebook.com/emmajeangracedesigns
How would you cope with a sick child? If your baby is born or your child is diagnosed with a serious medical condition, how would you cope financially after the trauma of being told of the condition. Would you need to take time off work to care for your child or would you employ a nurse to do that for you? Would your health fund or savings cover the cost of the medical care and the other costs involved which might include special accommodation needs? What would the costs be financially and emotionally if it is a life time condition? Would the Government Disability Support Benefit be sufficient to cover your child's on-going needs? These are the issues parents with permanently disabled children face. Often the emotional distress of being told your child has a serious disability is only the beginning of the journey. The journey can end in total financial disaster unless you are adequately insured, either prior to the birth (ie pre pregnancy) of your child or during the child's formative years if that is when the injury or illness occurs.
cleft lip, development dysplasia of the hip, Down's syndrome, infant death and stillbirth and other conditions. For a child aged over 2, the conditions include brain tumour or damage, cancer, stroke, organ transplant, meningitis or meningococcal disease, severe burns, blindness as well as death and other conditions. This type of lump sum insurance benefit does not replace the need for your child being covered by medical insurance but should be seen as additional financial coverage for what might be non-medical needs as well such as home care and resources. If you have any questions on the above please contact me at michael.voss@arrowfa.com.au.
There are baby options and child cover insurances available, linked to an adults insurance policy, to provide lump sum pay- Best wishes Michael Voss CFP ments to cover for a range of medical conditions for your child. These conditions for Disclaimer: This is general advice only a new born include congenital blindness, 8
Make a
Change Here at Small Steps Parenting Magazine we believe that each one of us has the power to make a difference in our world. Make a change is about that. It is about doing one thing each month to make a difference in someone else’s life and create a change in the atmosphere in our own community.
Do you know someone who needs a helping hand? If you know someone who is having a tough time right now way don’t you write in to us and let us know. We would like to extend our hand to help by offering a $50 grocery giftcard or a pamper session or a gift basket to meet their current need. So far because of people like you that have written in, we have been able to provide a grocery giftcard and flowers for a mum with sick kids, a pamper session for a mum who just lost her baby, a makeover and photo shoot for a mum after the death of a child and more. You can make a difference. Simply send your emails through to info@smallstepsparenting.com and impact a life. It only takes one life to make a difference.
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Skillet tuna mornay This dish is perfect for any season and can be whipped up in a hurry with pantry ingredients. I've used cauliflower in this dish - mainly because I love it - but also because it can be well hidden if your little ones have issues with eating vegies!. Its perfectly acceptable to use packaged breadcrumbs for the topping but if you did feel like making your own, its a very quick ten second spin in the food processor and using grainy bread will add another level of texture. This will be great served with cherry tomatoes and chopped cucumber. Ingredients: 30g butter 1 onion, diced 3 tbsp plain flour 2 cups milk 2 good tablespoons pesto 1 cup grated tasty cheese, plus 1/2 cup for the top 400g tuna 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (fresh or packet) 1 cup of cooked pasta 1/2 head cauliflower very finely chopped
Method 1. Add butter to your skillet or large pan, then add onions and fry for a few minutes - don't colour too much. 2. Sprinkle over flour and cook for a minute then add about 3/4 cup of milk and whisk until sauce thickens, then gradually add remaining milk, whisking continuously until sauce is thick and smooth. 3. Add the cheese and pesto, stir until combined then, add the finely chopped cauliflower and tuna. 4. Stir gently until all combined. Then add pasta. 5. Pour into a baking dish, top with bread crumbs and extra cheese and bake for about 20 mins until golden. This recipe is brought to you by Dianne Ward. Dianne is a mother of two young children, freelance food writer and founder of e-mag The Sassy Cook. Learn more about Dianne on our website. 10
Ask a Professional... QUESTION: I’m a young mum with a two year old and I find myself really low on energy much of the time. Is there something I can change in my diet to gain more energy? Yes, having a small child is enough to make most people feel tired however sometimes it can be because you are not focusing on your own nutrition. Try the following steps to help get you back on track: Firstly, make sure you are drinking plenty of water. Being hydrated helps to flush out your system and boost energy levels. Eat six small meals a day as opposed to three large ones. It will help keep your metabolism going. Be sure to eat 2 serves of fruit and five serves of veges per day. Some examples of a serving size is a cup of chopped vegetables or a small piece of fruit. Aim to choose low GI carbohydrates. These release energy over a longer period of time, helping to give you energy for longer. Some examples are low fat dairy products, sweet potato and legumes. They will also help to keep you fuller for longer.
This answer has been supplied by Abby Fleming who is a nutritionist. Learn more about Abby on our "About Us" page on our website. This is general information only and should be considered along with the care from your health care professional.
Weddings Baby Showers Parties
Contact Lisa 0416 030 584 www.tuttifruttilollybuffets.com.au
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Online safety and your kids:
what you need to know Let’s create a better internet together The internet… when used appropriately, it can open up a whole new world for your kids. When it isn’t, the internet can pose a heap of dangers and worries for parents – the kind of worries that keep parents awake at night. Even if the thought of the internet makes you cringe, you can’t deny that the internet is an important aspect of young people’s lives. The Like, Post, Share: Young Australians’ experience of social media report that was conducted in 2013, only reiterates this further. The report found that the importance of the internet increases with age and significantly in terms of three age bands: eight to nine years, 10-13 years and 14-17 years. In other words: the internet is here to stay. With Safer Internet Day (SID) celebrated on the 10th February, every parent needs to battle-harden themselves and ensure they’re doing everything within their power to pro12
tect their children online. Unsupervised internet usage can result in a number of damaging consequences including: Unsuitable content: A decent portion of websites simply aren’t suitable for those little munchkins’ eyes. The study referred to above found that 20 per cent of children aged between eight and 13 had seen something that had disturbed them on the internet in the last year. Cyber bullying: Those horror stories aren’t just headline fodder: they’re real. The internet means that bullying is no longer restricted to the playground and it goes without saying that cyber bullying can mean some serious consequences for your kids. Viruses: We’ve all clicked on things that aren’t necessarily secure and kids clicking on unsafe sites can ultimately lead to viruses invading your machine. So, what can you do to be pro-active in terms of trying to prevent any of these nasty
consequences impacting your child? One thing’s for certain: Banning the internet altogether won’t work and isn’t a reasonable solution. Think back to when you were a kid: What did you do as soon as your mum or dad said ‘no way?!’ Chances are, you went ahead and did whatever they told you not to anyway. It’s only human nature. The difference is, the times have changed and you’re competing on a different playing field now. Marianne Doyle, Senior Advisor at Cybersmart says that no two approaches in terms of managing technology in households are the same. She provides the following pointers for parents: Recognise that it’s okay to say ‘no’ – some online apps and social platforms may not be appropriate and certain age restrictions may apply. Reinforcing these age limits when talking with your children is certainly helpful. Put consistent rules in place – some parents prefer to limit the amount of time spent online or on a certain device while others set a certain time of the day that technology can be accessed. Be consistent with
your chosen rules and stick to them! Define and be clear about your expectations when it comes to online behaviour - these shouldn’t differ from your expectation of their offline behaviour. How people are treated online and offline shouldn’t change. Communicate – Talk about the online world with your kids. Talk about what they’re doing online, the platforms they’re using and how to deal with any issues that may arise. It’s only natural for your kids to be inquisitive about the online world and whether we like it or not, it’s a big part of our lives. The answer isn’t silence: get talking with your kids about what is one of their favourite activities and keep that dialogue going.
Sarah Cannata works for HelpMeChoose.com.au, an online comparison service. As Communications Manager, she writes about health, lifestyle and a range of other topics on the Help Me Choose blog. Get in touch with Sarah by emailing her at: sarah.cannata@helpmechoose.com.au
Giving you the tools to deal with accident and emergency at your home or in your workplace www.citadelfirstaid.com Phone: 1300 854 353 13
Inspiring kids for their future Children are a blank slate…. A little vessel growing and learning everyday. As parents we all want the best for our children and often spend time day dreaming about their future and how we can make it the best for them. I believe that children should be excited about their future and be allowed to dream big! So how do we inspire children for their future? Always encourage them in their pursuits - this will give them a confidence in their own abilities and a trust in having you by their side regardless of what they are doing. Teach them problem solving skills this will equip them for dealing with situations in later life and allow them to see that they have the ability to overcome. As they are growing don’t just give them the answer to things immediately… encourage them to think of different ways around the problem and help them when necessary.
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Encourage them to dream big. Don’t use words such as can’t, impossible or it’s too hard. Instead use positive words and let you children know that they can achieve anything if they set their minds to it. Encourage them to plan for the future even just a few months down the track and set goals to achieve them. Helping your kids to complete tasks will allow them to feel satisfaction over their effort and allow them to have more confidence. Help them create a dream board provide them with magazines, newspaper and travel brochures and let them cut out images and glue them to a cardboard sheet. The aim is for them to find pictures of things they would like for their future whether it is a picture of a new bike, a photo of a holiday, a picture of someone working the job they want etc… Once it is completed they can hang it on their bedroom wall or somewhere else they will see it often so they can stay focused on their dreams. Talk to your kids about your own life where you had set yourself a goal and achieved it. Always teach them to never give up! What may appear as a failure can often be the teaching point that can launch our success. Encourage them to always keep learning! The more we learn, the better we can become!
After a disappointing result or an unexpected consequence encourage your child to look at what they learnt from the experience. Ask them what they would do differently next time. Praise them for the effort they put in and don’t make them feel bad for the result they got. Help them celebrate the wins! Make a big deal when your child accomplishes something that they had aimed for. Place stickers on a wall chart, take them out for ice cream, buy them something they have been wanting or just plan a night in front of the TV with their choice of movie. Encourage creativity. Even very young children can be encouraged in their creativity through spending time
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painting, drawing, building with blocks and playing make believe. Each of these things fosters a creative child and a creative child, if encouraged, will become a creative adult. Using these steps will allow you to foster a child that is ready for their environment and excited about their future. By equipping your child to plan for their future you are proving a basis for the best future possible! Written by Julie-Anne England, mother of two, child care expert and Small Steps Parenting Magazine’s Creative Director. Learn more about Julie-Anne on our website www.smallstepsparenting.com
Your Story Lisa’s story - Premature and perfect I want to tell you about an amazing man. One of the most incredibly compassionate, honest, witty and selfless men you would ever hope to meet. I was lucky enough to meet Mr Wonderful and am very proud to call him my Husband. Mr Wonderful, or Ren as he is otherwise known, works full-time in the corporate sector. He’s mad keen about everything related to soccer and (when he’s not watching it or talking about it) plays for a local team each year. He’s a great cook, has a fantastic bunch of friends and is the eldest in his family.
several weeks. At one stage, his weight dropped to just over one pound and he was given a 50/50 chance of living. Fearing the worst, his parents had him baptised in the hospital. Ren’s Mother, Joan, recalls that her fragile son’s mouth was too small for a bottle or breast feeding so she would feed Ren with a little liquid dropper every few hours.
Oh, and one more thing about Ren, he was born 3 months prematurely.
“It took him an hour to consume just 50mL of fluid and then his stomach would swell up and you could see all the veins through his tissue-thin skin”, Joan told me with a reminiscent smile.
I didn’t mention it sooner because it is such an irrelevant part of his life now. Everything about Ren is “normal” (for lack of a better word) and his premature birth has left no physical or mental deficiencies.
His thigh was about the size of your thumb and there were no nappies or baby clothes small enough to fit around his tiny body. Handkerchiefs had to suffice for nappies and dolls clothes were used until Ren grew.
Of course, when Ren was born over thirty five years ago, it was an extremely relevant and important part of his life. As it also was for his Mother and Father, who had sadly lost another child at birth some years earlier.
Joan read books to him nearly every day, through the humidicrib, as his weight increased and he became stronger week by week. After six and a half weeks, Ren’s parents were overjoyed that his health was improving and he could come home. In coming years, they were delighted that he continually met all of the usual milestones for mental and physical development.
Ren came into the world, three months prematurely, kicking and screaming much like he does on the soccer field today. He weighed just 2 pounds, 2 ounces and was about the size of a soft drink can. Several years later, Ren’s two younger Neonatal equipment was less advanced in brothers were born, also some months the 70s compared to today, although Ren prematurely. Just like their older brother, was closely monitored in the hospital for both boys have grown into wonderful adults, with no signs that they were ever 16
I’m writing this simply to share a positive ‘success story’ about premature births. Ren’s brothers are married and now start- I’ve heard the anguish and fear in the ing families of their own. They have also voices of new or expectant mothers, conexcelled in their respective careers and cerned that their child was or might be share the same enthusiasm for sport. born prematurely. so premature.
There was no clear reason for their premature births. Ren’s Mum and Dad were in their early twenties and in excellent health. Both parents were (and still are) mentally and physically fit and extremely proud of how their precious, premature boys have grown into exceptional men.
Of course, every birth situation is different but please know that premature babies can grow up into intelligent, talented and responsible adults. I should know because I married one!
I would never have known that Ren was born 3 months premature, had he not told Earlier this year, Ren and I visited the me all those years ago. I look at him and hospital where he was born all those years simply see my amazing, handsome Husago. The staff had changed but, after band. some searching, they were still able to find records and photos of Ren and his Written by Lisa Cox brothers from all those years ago.
“Our wedding day was the day I married my best friend”
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Schools back – Time for YOU to shine and DREAM BIG Books are bought, new shoes purchased, hats found and lunchboxes are packed! School’s back for thousands of kids in Australia and parents everywhere are happily sending them off – some with tears (the parents that is!) and some with a big sigh of relief! If you are a business owner with children, the school holidays, while wonderful, can be challenging. Depending on your industry, having the kids home for the summer can be easy, or a nightmare! If you are lucky, while they were at home on holidays, you worked at night time, or maybe early in the morning and spent time with the kids during the main part of the day. If you had to work during normal day-time hours, hopefully you were able to arrange play-dates or other activities for your children so that your business still operated. Now that they’re back at school though, things can truly get back to normal. It’s your time again and let’s make this year YOUR year and your time to shine starts NOW! If you haven’t made plans and set goals over the quiet January period, now’s the time to do so! Set some big scary goals! I have a quote on my wall that says “If your dreams don’t
scare you, they’re not big enough”. Make your goals bigger than you can imagine and then go for it! To make them less scary, and totally achievable, break those goals down into smaller action items… and then work like hell. It’s the only way to make your dreams come true. And if you are thinking of starting your own business because your little one has just started school, then now is the time to start doing your research and start planning for the year ahead so that you can set up a successful business. So what sort of business should you start? Well, what do you love? What are you good at? What skills do you have? There are many options to start your own homebased business. Here are just a few ideas to get you thinking…. There are many, many more ideas out there for businesses! Crafty items business – if you are good with your hands and love to sew, paint or create, then find out what will sell well and go for it! https:// www.etsy.com/au/ is a good place to list your gorgeous hand made items for sale. Party plan – there are literally hundreds
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of potential competition, what you can earn, and where you can sell your product or service. And then plan, plan, plan! I can’t emphasise this enough. And then, using that precious time that is yours while your kids are at school and once you have your plans in place, TAKE ACTION!
different ones. What would you love to sell? Tupperware? Educational toys and games? Skincare? Cooking essentials? Do your research and check them out! Here’s a site we’ve found that will help you: http:// www.partyplans.com.au/ Computer-based jobs such as Virtual Assistant, IT, Website creation, graphic designer, copywriter, receptionist, transcriptionist, and pretty much anything else you can think of! Once again, do your research on running and setting up a business. For help with where to start a computer based business, contact me for a chat about your options as this is the industry I work in! chris@c2admin.com.au Find out as much as you can about your
www.angelbabes.com.au
I’m all about planning, but I’m more about taking action. You can have THE best plans the world has ever seen, but unless you put them into action, they will sit in the drawer and nobody will know how brilliant they are. Be brilliant – remember, this is YOUR time to shine! Until next month, Chris Crowe Specialist VA Coach www.c2admin.com.au If you have a business question you would like addressed in a future article in this magazine, please email Chris at chris@c2admin.com.au and she will endeavour to answer them in an upcoming edition.
10 tips for baby’s first summer Baby’s first holiday celebration can be the cheapest one you ever have because they will have no memory about what they didn’t get. While you will no doubt get caught up in the spirit of presents, your baby will have a lot of fun playing with the wrapping, enjoying the noise of crumpling paper and playing peek a boo with the Christmas boxes or the packaging. It’s lovely watching your baby’s look of wonderment as she looks at the Christmas lights, colour and movement of the Christmas decorations. A trip into the city to see the Christmas stories in the shops can also be exciting for babies closer to the age of one as they watch the colour and movement. The holiday season is hot in Australia so your baby needs to be cool, comfortable and well hydrated. Here are ten tips for getting through your baby’s first summer: 1. One of the hardest things to do is trusting in the fact that you need to take clothing off
your baby rather than adding more. Babies are very happy in just a nappy at home so leave the dressing up for special occasions or whenever the weather is a little cooler. 2. Muslin wraps are perfect for our summer heat and humidity. All your baby needs is a nappy on and to be wrapped in a muslin wrap. If more covering is needed, another muslin wrap can be used as the sheet on top. Small babies in particular still like to feel snuggled. 3. Be careful with covering the pram with anything as it can reduce air circulating and risks overheating your baby. You should also be able to see your baby at all times while in a pram or stroller. If the back baby’s head is damp, she is hot. Put a hat on your baby as soon as you can, before it becomes a game for her to take it off and throw it out of the stroller. You’ll be surprised at how many you lose and how 20
much she enjoys the game!
10am and 2pm. There are some very cute ‘rashies’ on the market for babies that should 4. Use a fan to circulate the air around your be worn anytime they are in the sun or wababy especially if you use a clear silicone ter. Reflected sun will burn your baby even bassinette (which are brilliant and handy but though you think she is shaded and prodon’t allow airflow). Your baby will not get tected. Be careful when baby wearing a chill or a cold from the fan or from air con- (which is a great thing to do) making sure ditioning, only a virus will give your baby a her head is covered and her feet and arms are cold. Anytime you feel the baby is too cool, loosely covered so they don’t burn. There just layer with another cover on top of the are some brilliant baby wearing designs that baby. This is certainly one of the times you allow you and your baby to stay cool in sumnever need to wake a baby to put more cloth- mer. ing on! Blowing a fan over the baby also keeps the mozzies from landing! 9. Look after yourself! Lots of fluids to satisfy your thirst and try and keep up healthy 5. Breastfeed babies need a lot of fluids and snacks especially when you don’t feel like amazingly your breastmilk adapts in volume your usual meal. Sleep when your baby and characteristics for the frequent feeding sleeps, be careful with the holiday drinks as babies need through the hot weather. The they can be dehydrating and reduce your good news is that babies under the age of six baby’s interest in feeding and put your milk months don’t need boiled water or any other supply at risk. Stay indoors through the heat fluid except breastmilk. Phew, saves time for of the day and sleep when your baby sleeps. you as well! Share a tepid bath together, feed the baby and have a sleep while she sleeps! 6. Formula fed babies can be offered cool boiled water in addition to their feeds to sat- 10. Enjoy the holiday season with your baby isfy their thirst on hot days. Babies become but don’t push yourself. December and Januvery lethargic and quiet if they are too hot or ary are especially hot and sticky, catch up need more fluids. You can’t depend on her with friends and meet in the malls when it’s to grizzle or be unsettled as a sign of overreally hot to stay cool and comfortable! Take heating or needing a drink. Anytime you are the baby to the movies when it’s mothers not sure, off some clothing and give her a and babies day. Have a safe and happy holidrink. day season. 7. Dip your baby in and out of a tepid bath at each nappy change through the day. It cools her down and makes her feel more comfortable, like a quick dip in the pool. She will have dripped dried on the towel by the time you put the nappy on. This can work on hot sticky nights too.
Written by Lynne-McKensey Hall IBCLC 0419245966 www.betterbeginnings.com.au Breastfeeding and Baby Matters Also seeing clients at: Suite 106, Level 1 Quadrant C, Main Street, Rouse Hill Town Centre
8. Remember the saying ‘mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun?’ this should apply to all of us and especially babies. Keep your baby out of the sun between 21
The sneakiest but most important exercise …your pelvic floor Whether you are male or female, mature, young, pre natal or post natal … your pelvic floor can be one of the most underestimated, overlooked and under activated muscle in your entire body!
and assisted in birthing. In men it supports the prostate.
How it can weaken? Multiple or close age gap between births, a large baby birthed (over 4kg), instrumental What are the Pelvic Floor Muscles? deliveries or tearing. Constipation; chronic Imagine a hammock of muscle that stretches coughing; high impact exercise or heavy from the tailbone to the pubic bone (front to lifting (including lifting washing baskets and back) and from one sitting bone to the other children!); obesity and age. As the ham(side to side). Above this hammock are your mock of supporting muscle weakens and pelvic organs. It can move up and down bears down, pelvic organs may drop and can plus can be consciously controlled. The result in an organ prolapse. muscle not only supports the pelvic organs, controls bladder and bowels, it also aides How do I know if I have a prolapse? sexual function and supports abdominal and Incontinence…If you struggle to hold your lower lumber muscles, stabilising the spine urine or faeces, it is a sign your pelvic floor and pelvis. In a pregnant woman the uterus is compromised. For females, if you feel and baby is supported during their term “something coming down”/ lump in the vagina, reoccurring UTIs, discomfort during sexual relations. How can I remedy a weak Pelvic Floor? Exercising the pelvic floor can be done as often as possible…anywhere…no excuses… no specific scheduled time needs to be set. It can be done whilst driving, washing up, bathing the kids, ironing etc etc. In fact it is important to practice in all different actions of life for relevance to YOUR life!
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How to perform your sneaky workout?
Contract the muscles around your front and back passage and vagina, and lift up inside as if trying to stop passing wind and urine. Lift these up as high as you can and count to 10 and then let them fully go. Repeat 3 times. Practice short pulses, for fast twitch reactions (ie coughing and sneezing). Lift up your Pelvic Floor and count 1-2 and release,
repeat 10 times. To avoid urinary tract infections, never try to lift your pelvic floor midstream whilst urinating. Note: always seek medical advice if you suspect you have a prolapse. Written by Kirsten Mitchell is a personal trainer and owner of Moves to Motivate. Learn more about Kirsten on our website.
www.facebook.com/pramwrapclips or phone: Belinda 0413 358 907 23
Burns in children
From kids washing up under a very hot tap, to an accidental tipping of a coffee cup, burns are a potential hazard in every home. In fact, burns, especially scalds from hot water and liquids, are some of the most common childhood accidents. Babies and young children are especially susceptible — they're curious, small, and have sensitive skin that needs extra protection. Although some minor burns aren't cause for concern and can be safely treated at home, other more serious burns require emergency medical care. But taking some simple precautions to make your home safer can prevent many burns. Sunburn As we are in the holiday season, families are going away together, to spend their time with extended family, by going to the beach or the pool, to swim.
Even though the sun does not feel hot at the time, because we are cooling off in the water, the sun can do irreparable damage to our skin, without us realising it. By taking some simple precautions to make your holiday enjoyable, we can prevent severe sunburn for us and our children. Wearing a hat which covers your face and neck, applying 30+ or higher sunscreen regularly through the day, especially after swimming, reapply. Remember, the younger your children are, the more sensitive their skin. Did you know, that cloudy days are the worst time to become burned by the sun? Even trips in the car, there is a risk of severe sunburn. Types of Burns Burns are often categorized as first-, second-, or third-degree, depending on how badly the skin is damaged. Each of the injuries above can cause any of these three 24
types of burns. But both the type of burn and its cause will determine how the burn is treated.
Keep children away from radiators.
Be alert around hot drinks.
All burns should be treated quickly to reduce the temperature of the burned area and reduce damage to the skin and underly ing tissue (if the burn is severe). What to Do:
Check the temperature of bath water before putting a child in the tub. Check smoke alarm batteries at least once a month.
If your child is severely burned, call 000 right away. While you wait for help, begin these treatments:
Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen.
Remove clothing from the burned areas, except clothing stuck to the skin.
Do not allow young children to play in the kitchen while someone is cooking.
Always make sure your children are in the shade on a hot day.
Run cool, not cold or icy, water over the burn until the pain eases.
Make sure they wear sun protection swim wear.
Lightly apply a non stick dressing or moist cloth.
Do not put any ointments, butter, or other remedies on the burn — these can make the burn worse.
First aid is an essential skill for the entire family to learn. Learning CPR and what to do in an emergency could save your child’s life.
Do not break any blisters that have formed.
To book a first aid course call Citadel First Aid on 1300854353 or
Seek Emergency Medical Care If:
go to our website www.citadelfirstaid.com for more deThe burned area is large (cover the area with a clean, soft cloth or towel). tails.
The burns came from a fire, an electrical wire or socket, or chemicals.
The burn is on the face, hands, feet, joints, or genitals.
The burn looks infected (with swelling, pus, or increasing redness or red streaking of the skin near the wound).
Think Prevention!
Be careful when using candles, space heaters, and curling irons.
Written by Kim Hendricks, owner of Citadel First Aid and mother of two.
McGraths Hill Children’s Centre Inc
Open 6.30am-6.30pm From birth to 6 years Nutritious meals daily Community based Not for profit centre Preschool transition programs 69 Andrew Thompson Dr, McGraths Hill
Relationship-based reading Learning to read can be a challenge for any child, and the process can be stressful for any parent. Often the child wants to be able to read immediately and finds the process of 'sounding out' words laborious. And many early readers have a limited vocabulary and so can be either boring, baffling or both.
choose their own words is also important. From an early age (before age two) I have written up words that are important to my children - mum, dad, dinosaur, picnic - on the bathroom wall. At bathtime and changing time they would look at the words, point them out, tell me what they said. The words were their words.
This is especially so when a child already has difficulty with language or with understanding; but it can also be the case for gifted children who are wanting to read for meaning and aren't enjoying the process.
Once my daughter had a number of words, I made some cards for her with her favourite words on them. Occasionally she'd ask me to add to the cards with words like 'market' or 'beach' - her favourite places. As she grew older she wanted 'princess' and 'circus'. My son's favourite word is 'snackbox'!
So what can parents do to link meaning and interest to the learning process? The first step, of course, is to read to your children regularly - exciting books which draw the children in. Going to library regularly and allowing your children control over choosing and borrowing their own books - both fiction and non-fiction is a great way to develop an interest in reading. But giving your children the power to
The children develop a relationship with the written words, so that the words belong to them. They point them out if they see the words in real life, and explore characteristics of the words - why, for example, does the 'c' in 'circus' have two different sounds? While I have introduced the letter-sound relationship to them (d for dog and so on), the true relationship is the sense of owner26
ship they have of words, of their words. And not only does this system help their reading, but it gives you insight into the things that are important to them, the ideas, routines and themes which are of particular interest to them at that time. Studies have shown that while most children leave school able to read, few pick up
a book voluntarily once they're adults. Learning to love reading is as much part of the teaching process as learning the mechanics of reading. It's not something you can teach with rewards or competitions it's about the relationship between the individual and the words. And that relationship is something worth having.
Random Fun Facts
In 2009 more babies were born in October than in any other month.
In 2013 Sophia was the most popular girls name, for boys it was Noah
A newborn babies head accounts for 25% of it’s entire weight
The most popular day to give birth is a Tuesday! 30% of pregnant women crave non food items, an eating disorder called pica The average weight of a newborn baby is 7.5 pounds.
As of 2014 the global sex ratio at birth is estimated at 107 boys to 100 girls
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A month of dates
It’s the month of romance but for those of us who have been in relationships for a while we get a little bit bored when it comes to dating our spouses. So here is a month worth of dates to keep the romance alive….
February 1st - Why not start off the month with a date to get him enjoying himself? Go for the sporty date and take him out for a game of bowling, tennis, golf or other game he would enjoy. Let your competitive side come out and maybe have some fun prizes for the winner!
February 4th - Hiking is a great way to expend some energy and see the local scenery. Don’t forget to pack water and sunscreen plus a few snacks. You could even do some bird watching if you and your date enjoy that.
February 2nd - As summer will be soon coming to an end, plan to spend an evening at the beach. Pack your swimmers and chase each other through the waves. Don’t forget to get some great snaps!
February 5th - Waterfight! Grab some water pistols (the really big ones) plus some water bombs and get soaking!
February 6th - If you are the adventurous type plan a day to go four-wheel driving. There’s no better way to say “I love you” February 3rd - Find something you both love than squealing around a sandy track! like chocolate, coffee, Mexican etc and spend a whole day out looking for this thing. February 7th - Find a photo booth in the Look up chocolate cafes, homemade fudge local mall (or set up your own at home) and shops and more. Try to centre your whole create lots of fun memory strips. Go preday around your choice. pared and take hats and scarfs for a bit of 24
extra fun. Put the strips up where you can see them often to remember your date. February 8th - Decide which interests you most… speedboats, sleek cars, motor homes etc and spend the day viewing them at your nearest store. See if you can do some test driving. February 9th - Take a class together, whether it be dancing, learning a language, fitness or cooking. You be surprised how much fun you can learning together. February 10th - Get your aim on with a fun game of lazer tag… or you could even go paintball if you don’t mind the bruises. Either way it’s a great way to have some fun running around with your partner. February 11th - Set up a blind tasting for each other. Have some sweet and savoury things and let your partner taste each one while being blindfolded. Award points for correct guesses.
February 15th - Create a yearbook of the year before. Look through all your favourite photos and put them into a keepsake yearbook of your memories. You may even want to scan movie ticket stubs, mini golf score cards and anything else you might want to remember. February 16th - Try out a restaurant that you have never been to. If that makes you nervous, you can check out some reviews online first. For those of you who are more adventurous why not get in the car and drive using a coin to direct your way…. Heads is left, tails is right, every second street is a straight through. Stop at the first restaurant you find and enjoy! February 17th - If you have ever dreamed of being Robin Hood (or Maid Marian) perhaps you would enjoy trying your hand at archery. Look online to see if there is somewhere nearby and get shooting! It really is a whole lot of fun.
February 18th - Go geocaching. For those of you who haven’t heard of it, it is using a February 12th - Grab another couple (or more) and have a scavenger hunt. Get some- GPS transmitter (like your smartphone) to find a hidden object… basically like a treasone else to organise clues and in pairs run around to be the first one to finish! Winners ure hunt! It’s becoming really popular these days and you can find some very unusual get a free dessert at the local restaurant. items. Try getting a geocaching app to get you started. February 13th - Love being near the water? Rent some canoes or paddleboards and get February 19th - Meet for the first time…. Go out into nature. You can even turn it comout somewhere each on your own. Casually petitive by racing each other. make each other’s acquaintance and start a conversation as if you just met. Allow the February 14th - Since today is the internaconversation to grow and then take it to a tional day of love why not have a stay in bed restaurant, movie or kissing spot. This is date with your spouse. Eat breakfast in bed, always a lot of fun to watch observers with play a board game and watch a romantic this as they can’t believe it could be so easy movie (and of course enjoy some snugto pick up! gling!)
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February 20th - Have some fun in the kitchen together and cook up a three course dinner. Plan the entrée, main and dessert and then sit down together to enjoy it. Make it really restaurant style by setting the table and adding candles and soft music. February 21st - Get to know each other even better. Each of you write down at least 20 questions on a piece of paper. Then you have to answer all the questions about your partner while they answer it about you. At the end award them one point for every answer they got correct. Include questions such as “what is my favourite childhood memory”, or “my first pet’s name was…” Loser gives the winner a massage!
other’s photos. You could even print your favourites and make it into a memory book of your day out. See who’s photos are the most creative. Make sure you get some with the two of you in it together…. go selfies! February 26th - Create the perfect keepsake by having your portraits done. You could go caricature, watercolour or pencil sketch and then have it framed to keep. Make sure you get the date put on it too.
February 27th - Enjoy betting? Make a date night out of it…. Give each person a handful of plastic coins and bet on everything you do that night…. What colour the next traffic light will be, what colour the next car to drive past is, how long your meal will take February 22nd - Grab some snacks and sit to arrive, what colour hair your waitress will down together and write a marriage bucket have etc. For each wrong bet the loser must list. Write down everything you want to do give one of their coins to the winner. At the together, even the ones you think might not end of the night the one with the most coins happen. Plan to do at least a handful of them wins! Winner also gets to choose dessert! this year if you can. February 28th - Create your own treasure February 23rd - Dress up and grab a friend hunt. Sit down together and plan clues and to take photos of the two of you together. locations. Decide on what the treasure will Change outfits a few times and get some be and hide it in the chosen location. Invite a great shots that you will treasure forever. group of your friends to find the treasure Get a professional if you have the budget for through the clues you send them via SMS. While they are searching enjoy watching it and choose a really great location. your favourite TV show together. At the end of the hunt invite everyone over for dessert. February 24th - Have a night time picnic. Find a great location where you have views over the city, pack some delicious treats, bring your candles (and mossie spray) and a really big blanket to sit on. Use this time to Share your date stories with us talk about your future plans, your favourite and we will choose one to memories and get to know each other a little share in our magazine or on more.
our blog. Send your stories to info@smallstepsparenting.com and win a $50 meal voucher!
February 25th - Go sightseeing together. Even better both bring your own camera and take pictures along the way. At the end of the day, sit down and look through each 26
Kids Fun! I love you beary much printable
Bee mine, paper craft
Full instructions plus printables are all available from our website. This resource is available for download from the resource page on our website. 29
Opportunity of a lifetime may be a few Small Steps away for Julie-Anne England
Mother of two and Creative Director of Small Steps Parenting Magazine , JulieAnne England has her eyes set on a brand new goal…. Being one of the lucky ones to be picked for a brand new reality show. This is your Life Change, is the brainchild of Mark Bowness of BBC Paradise or Bust fame, in which six lucky individuals are transported to a remote Fijian island to turn their hopes, dreams and aspirations into reality. And here’s the kicker it’s totally FREE – all expenses paid! The selected six will work with a team of experts including a life coach, business coach and personal trainer to transform themselves, both physically and mentally, and develop a comprehensive plan to turn their ideas into reality! With their lives transformed, they will return home to start their new journey and have a positive im-
pact on their own families, friends and communities. Julie-Anne’s dream is to grow the quality parenting publication in order to touch more lives and impact more families. JulieAnne believes that parents have within them the abilities to be the best parent they can be for their child and she aims to provide the information and support they need to do this. She also wants to increase the reach for impacting the lives of individuals and families who are doing it tough. “Last year we were able to directly impact the lives of families by providing gift baskets, hampers, gift cards, Christmas presents and more to families dealing with loss or struggling with financial uncertainty. Knowing that we were able to make a difference is everything I had dreamed of when I created the magazine” 27
Julie-Anne said. Mark, and his Australian based team business coach, Ryan Magdziarz and personal trainer, Sofia Toumbas - are looking for six people from any walk of life with big ideas and a desire to change their lives and the lives of others, “…a teenage mum, a corporate lawyer, an unemployed graduate – anyone with a compelling story and a big idea to make the world a better place can apply,” Mark said. The life changing prize package is valued at $200,000 and the whole adventure will be filmed for what Mark anticipates will become a groundbreaking new TV series, This Is Your Life Change. “Whether it’s launching a business, developing a product or starting up a charity - we are looking for people who are willing to step out of their comfort zone
and create the life they know they were born to live. We want people with an undeterred passion to make a change that will benefit not only themselves, but also the broader community,” he said. More than 1400 people have already applied for the opportunity via the project’s website ThisIsYourLifeChange.com, from 17 counties, with thousands more expected to join them. The six successful applicants will be flown free of charge to the remote island of Vorovoro in the South Pacific, where the transformations will take place!
Applications are now open www.thisisyourlifechange.com MEDIA ENQUIRIES: Mark Bowness - 0499 077 127 - media@thisisyourlifechange.com
Receive our quality publication conveniently delivered into your inbox each month or subscribe to the gorgeous full colour print version to receive it right to your door! www.smallstepsparenting.com info@smallstepsparenting.com
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On our blog... There is plenty of fun to be had through our blog this month. Find Fun quiz to do with your partner Preparing for school printable Fun dice game for kids printable 10 things to do before summer ends Getting your year organised Plus lots more
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