Yarra Ranges Kids Summer 2019

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SUMMER 2019/20

Steve Biddulph on

slow childhoods On the road

with 16 kids!

Summer fun at Gumbuya WORLD

&+5,670$6 $7 :$9(5/(< *$5'(16 Santa Snaps

Pet Pics

Get your happy snap with Santa for FREE! Just bring in the coupon below to claim your free Santa Photo.

Get your fur babies’ ready, because we’re having pet photography with Santa this year! Whether they have 2 legs, 4 legs or no legs, bring them in for a photo with Santa.

Christmas Funpix

Help support Very Special Kids

Each week we’re having a different Christmas photo station in centre. The fun designs will make it look like you’re part of a 3D image!

Volunteers from Very Special Kids will be in centre wrapping presents for a gold coin donation. All proceeds go towards supporting families of children suffering from life-threatening conditions. For more information on the wonderful work they do, visit www.vsk.org.au

For full details on all the activities happening this Christmas at Waverley Gardens, visit www.waverleygardens.com.au

Get a FREE photo with Santa* Redeem this voucher at Waverley Gardens’ Santa Snaps between 23 November 2019 23 December 2019 for a free 6”x8” photo print. *Terms and conditions may apply. For full details and for Santa Snap hours, visit www.waverleygardens.com.au

R YRM Ref RM

Cnr Police & Jacksons Road, Mulgrave | (03) 9547 6088 12411693-LB50-19

2 SUMMER 2019/2020

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About Us Make it a

summer to remember WELCOME to the summer edition of Yarra Ranges Kids. I am filling in on this edition for regular editor Melissa Grant who is on maternity leave spending precious time with her new baby boy. Mel finished up the Spring edition of Yarra Ranges Kids and little Brayden arrived two days later. I too am a mum. My daughter is 11 and finishing her last year at primary school (where do the years go?) and my son is 7. Like most mums, I am constantly trying to juggle the responsibilities of work and family life, while trying to enjoy these precious years as my children grow and mature. I have thoroughly enjoyed stepping into Melissa’s shoes and pulling together the Summer edition of the magazine. I think we have an interesting mix of articles, highlighting the joys and challenges of parenthood. I hope you agree. The Yarra Valley Midwives do an amazing job helping deliver babies all over the region. In this issue Romy Stephens speaks with Healesville couple

Joelle and Zephyr. Their baby son, Elio, was born after 43 exhausting hours of labour. Despite hoping for a home birth, Joelle ended up in hospital when Elio needed medical help to enter the world. Read their amazing birth story on page 10. I profile the amazing Emma Isaacs, a mum of five who also runs an international networking company. I heard Emma speak at a ladies lunch earlier this year and was impressed by her down to earth nature, humour and will to succeed. She was selfdeprecating about her role as a mum admitting that she too has good and bad days. Some days she has all the balls in the air and sometimes she drops one or two like the time she lost one of her brood at Disneyland! Family therapist and world renowned author Steve Biddulph is back again in this edition. Steve has written a thought provoking column about providing our children with a safe and, importantly, slow childhood. We all know what it feels like to be crushed by the mental load of modern life. Add to

this parents who both work, and a full schedule of after school and weekend activities and it is easy to see why families are time poor. Steve addresses this modern malaise and says governments and employers need to be on the side of parents in helping achieve that elusive work-life balance. There is so much happening in the Yarra Ranges over summer. I know my diary is already full of holiday activities I want to share with my family and friends. In this edition we have some great ideas for things to see and do over the summer months. Make sure you keep this edition handy as the long weeks of the school holidays unfold as you never know when you need some inspiration to get out and about and explore our fantastic region. Wishing all our readers a merry Christmas with loved ones and a happy and safe new year.

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HEALTH

Let us help you

Kids transform toilets with positive messages

Manchester Road Dental

When to tell people you’re expecting

Steve Biddulph on slow childhoods PAGE 7

Smart Readers

PAGE 8 Long labour ends in joy PAGE 10 Entrepreneur juggles work and motherhood PAGE 11 Holidaying with 16 children

Advertising Kerri Shinkfield

Cover There is plenty of summer fun to be had at Gumbuya World in Tynong. Picture: Courtesy Gumbuya World

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SUMMER 2019/20

PAGE 30 Summer calendar

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EDUCATION

Let children learn by their mistakes

Editorial Melissa Grant melissa.dorries@starnewsgroup. com.au Phone: 5945 0666

Kids books

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244 Maroondah Highway, Healesville, Vic 3777 Phone: 5957 3700 Fax: 5957 3777

Published by Mail News Group Pty Ltd ACN 99 006 310 498. Publisher/Managing Director, Paul Thomas. All material is copyright to Mail News Group Pty Ltd. All significant errors will be corrected as soon as possible.

How talk about the birds and the bees

One family’s surrogacy journey

Yarra Ranges Kids

Phone: 5957 3700

Party Time

Living with autism

Yarra Ranges Kids will be published quarterly prior to each of the school holidays.

kerri.shinkfield@mailnewsgroup.com.au

Acting editor,

CONTENTS IT'S YOUR LIFE

Yarra Ranges Kids magazine is a Mail News Group publication.

PAGE 31

Steve Biddulph on

slow childhoods

PAGE 21

On the road

Little Yarra Steiner School

with 16 kids!

PAGE 22 Swinburne Children’s Centre PAGE 23

Summer fun at Gumbuya WORLD

School reports, what they mean PAGE 24

PAGE 12

REALITY BITES

Young mums launch their own business

Holiday advice for grandparents

PAGE 13

PAGE 25

ENTERTAINMENT

Good Life Farm

Gumbuya World

Garden with kids.

PAGE 14

A Father's Mental Load

Summer walk suggestions

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PAGE 26

PAGE 15 Rayners Orchard a fruity experience PAGE 16 Paintball and Waverley Gardens PAGE 17

yarrarangeskids.com.au

facebook.com/yarrarangeskids

instagram.com/yarraranges_kids

It’s Your Life

Dealing with the challenges of having an autistic child By Sarah Booth IT has been more than a year since Glen and Krystal Barnett raised funds to purchase their six-year-old son, Rhys, a therapy dog. Rhys, who is on the autism spectrum, can struggle with sensory overload in simulating environments - such as bright, busy shopping centres - and changes to his routine. While he is yet to be matched with a therapy dog, Mr Barnett said his son had “made really great progress in the last twelve months.” Mr Barnett lists a number of strategies which have helped including keeping a regular routine and giving Rhys instructions in small blocks (‘get your school bag and then your shoes’), rather than all at once. The couple, who live towards the east of the Yarra Ranges, also taught Rhys and his sister Aria to “take their three big breaths,” when they are upset. “It doesn’t always work ... .it takes time, and you’ve got to have patience ... but once it happens it’s so worth it,” Mr Barnett said. Sometimes it even happens the other way around. When his children saw their dad crying after a long work week, they told him “daddy it’s okay, take your deep breaths.” “My kids are amazing ... to have a two-year-old and a six-year-old do that,” Mr Barnett said. The parents also encourage their children to have emotions, telling them it’s ok to feel angry or sad, their reaction just shouldn’t upset others. “We’ve found that has helped them to understand what they’re feeling, but also to understand how it can affect other people, and then just taking responsibility for their emotions,” Mr Barnett said. But a recent experience with horse therapy has given them hope about the further benefits a therapy dog could bring for Rhys. Rhys had to learn to calm down so he could build a relationship with the horse. “When he finally got to ride the horse, he was so excited, it was a really beautiful moment,” Mr Barnett said. While they hope Rhys is matched with a dog soon, there is one other thing Mr Barnett would like to change. The judgement from other parents. “His tantrums can be quite overwhelming ... and once they get to a certain point you can’t stop them,” he said. “There’s been a couple of times where he’s had one in the shopping centre ... and there’s nothing I could do. “You can see people thinking just pick him up and drag him out, but (they) don’t understand.” Autism is different for every child, so he said he doesn’t expect parents to actually understand the situation, but “just accept it.” “You don’t know their family story, what’s going on at home, how their kids behave ... so you can’t judge,” he said. Next time a parent is struggling with their child, Mr Barnett suggests giving them a smile or offering to help - even if it’s just to carry their bag. “You don’t need to understand, you just need to accept,” he said.

4 SUMMER 2019/2020

Glen Barnett with his son Rhys.

Picture: ROB CAREW

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It’s Your Life

Montgomery, Kate, Ruby, Miss Russell and Natalie standing in the newly transformed toilets at Monbulk Primary School.

Picture: Rob Carew

Kids leading the way to transform toilets By Danielle Galvin PLASTERED on the walls of the toilets at Monbulk Primary School are the words "there's no limit to what you can do". On another door, another inspirational quote reads "don't let the world change your smile". There's stars, flowers, and an eclectic mix of colours, paintings and designs all from the students at the school. But there's a change in the waters. Author and former high school teacher Dannielle Miller said school toilets are either tragic places "gross or covered in graffiti" or simply sterile facilities. Ms Miller, who is also CEO of Enlighten Education, read about a child in despair in a school toilet and it got her thinking. "I thought about all of the kids I had seen over the years who I had found in the toilets having a little cry or being comforted by their friends and I thought why do we accept school toilets are just foul? It's almost a given," she explained. "They are not foul in offices, they're not foul in shopping centres, and if they are, it's unacceptable." In her research, she discovered just how serious the problem is. Poor sanitation or below average conditions can put children off drinking water, in an effort to avoid using the toilet, and lead to them being dehydrated and lacking concentration. And while many children use toilets as their go to place when they need a moment or feel overwhelmed, they are often greeted with an out of date or run down facility, rather than an uplifting one. "I just thought we need to rethink this," she said.

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"I wanted students to rethink school toilets because then everything they learn is transferrable. "My ultimate goal is to teach students how does environment set my mood." That's where the idea for the 'School Toilet Project' came from, a way to reimagine bathroom facilities. Ms Miller said she started the conversation and now it's up to schools to take it up. She said the most important thing to do is for schools to involve students in it - the design and overall beautification process. "[Students] are creating a little refuge for themselves that isn't just functional that also impacts on their sense of connection and they are going to feel valued in their own school community and it's good that they have a voice," she said. In one example, a mum of a preschooler contacted Ms Miller to tell her about why her daughter was refusing school. She discovered it was because her young daughter was terrified to go to the toilet - the light bulb had blown and it was dark, and there were creepy crawlies in there. It would have been a simple fix, and yet it was having a detrimental impact

on the young girl's leaning and enjoyment. The story is much the same at primary and high schools. "No adult goes into that environment and when we don't see it, we don't value it and it's not good enough," she said. Monbulk Primary School Year 5 and 6 teacher Ruby Russell said there were plans to beautify the senior and junior school toilet blocks, as well as the staff toilets. She said they weren't neglected, but were simply sterile and functional. "After some research and being part of 'Champions for School Toilet Transformation' Facebook group, it really highlighted the importance of having an inspiring toilet space for students," she said. "I personally believe toilets should be a priority as often students, especially in older years, will go to the toilet if they are in need of a breather.

public school is difficult, the project has been supported by the local Bendigo Bank branch which provided a grant to the school. Miss Russell had read about the project all over Australia and was instantly intrigued. After pitching it to her students, she knew she was onto something special.

"If they are going to a space that is plain and boring vs. a space that is uplifting and positive, it will help with their mindset."

"I teach 5/6 and my class are super excited about the toilet project. Lots of the students want colour, quotes, affirmations, and jokes," she said.

Passionate about student wellbeing, Miss Russell said in her view it's critical each and every student feels safe and happy in a school environment.

"So far there have been lots of rainbows, suns and even some sustainability focused drawings."

While prioritising resources in a

"The feedback so far from the kids and staff has been fantastic."

SUMMER 2019/2020 5

It’s Your Life

David, left and wife Lauryn, right, with Jane Caro.

‘Our normal’: surrogacy success By Danielle Kutchel WHEN David and Lauryn Jordan decided they were ready to have baby, they knew it wouldn’t be an easy journey. Lauryn was born with MayerRokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Syndrome, a condition that meant she was born without a uterus. Undaunted, the couple went through two rounds of IVF that resulted in three viable embryos. The next step was to find a surrogate, so they joined the Australian Surrogacy Community Facebook group to explore their options. Surrogate Sarah got in touch with them and the trio gradually got to know each other through online messages before finally meeting face to face at the Australian Surrogacy Conference. “The easiest way to describe it is that it’s like dating, getting to know her, her husband and her kids,” Mr Jordan said. “We would go to each other’s houses and chat and get to know each other, which was a really valuable and important part of the process. “You need to lay the foundations and work out each other’s values to see if it’s going to work.” Legally, the Jordans were unable to openly ask Sarah to be their surrogate; they were therefore overjoyed when she made the offer to them one night in Canberra, where she and her family live. There were yet more hurdles though, including individual and group counselling sessions, psychological tests, legal advice and finally a submission to the Patient Review Panel - all part of the

6 SUMMER 2019/2020

surrogacy process. Once they were given the all-clear, the Jordans transferred an embryo to Sarah. Unfortunately, it miscarried at 10 weeks; but the next embryo was more successful. The pregnancy was “uneventful”, Mr Jordan said, with everything happening as it should, and the couple made every effort to get to Sarah’s appointments interstate. “She was so respectful of us too and included us in the milestones like the first kick and how she was feeling,” Mr Jordan added. The birth earlier this year was “one of the best experiences of my life”, he said. He and Lauryn were allowed in the room with Sarah and her husband in an experience that he will never forget. Their daughter was born healthy and well and given the name Everlie. Mr Jordan said Sarah, her husband and her children are considered “part of the family”, and they plan to tell Everlie the “absolute truth” about her birth. “We described it to Sarah’s kids as ‘Lauryn doesn’t have a house in her tummy’, so we’ll probably go with that,” he said. The Jordans are one of the families featured on the ABC TV show ‘New Dads’, which is currently available on iView. Hosted by Jane Caro, the show explores the lives of five Australian men navigating their first year as new dads. Mr Jordan hopes his segment will challenge the misconceptions and taboo around surrogacy. “It’s just our normal; it’s how we had to have a baby,” he said.

David Jordan with new daughter, Everlie, who was born via a surrogate.

Since the show first aired on ABC, he has been recognised by people who have told him how much they appreciated the show.

conversation about surrogacy.

“I went through the drive-through for coffee and a guy recognised me from TV. He said he really enjoyed the program and found it informative,“ Mr Jordan said.

“She has started to giggle and laugh, and she’s started to growl at us too. She’s much more aware of her surroundings and if we go out of the room she follows us. When we walk into the room there’s a big smile for us.

He and his family have also been featured on the Raise the Bar Radio podcast, which is available on SoundCloud, to continue to open the

Little Everlie is now seven months old, and Mr Jordan said fatherhood had been “eye opening“.

“It’s special. She’s growing as she should be. “It’s awesome being a dad.“

www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

It’s Your Life

World renowned author Steve Biddulph

show affection and warmth, lots of cuddles and quiet chats, and we let our kids know we love them, and that they are great. When we set boundaries, we are more likely to keep calm. It doesn’t mean we don’t have stressed out moments, but we understand that often kids are also stressed, or needing something from us that we haven’t taken into account. We check in with them to help them stay on an even keel, and are open when we have to rush things, so they understand. Pressure of time is still the thing that can undo us - it is probably behind 90% of all behaviour problems. In my talks and books, I help parents to see that the problem of overbusyness isn’t in us, often, but in the crazy way that life expects us to be always on the go.

How parenting has changed By Steve Biddulph I’M minding the house of some friends, near the beach in Hobart. It’s about 7.00 in the morning, and there is only the sound of the waves, and seabird’s cries. Then suddenly, on the street outside, an angry male voice rings out. “Get in the car you little shit!”. I go to the window and can see a dad, huge and red faced, standing beside his SUV, and a small boy five metres away, and backing away further still. Another child watches on, and I can make out a toddler already strapped into their seat. My heart is suddenly divided - I know what it feels like to wrangle small children, seatbelts, and cars, and be running late.

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But I feel for that little child especially if this is a dad who regularly talks to his kids in this way. I know from years of being a therapist that kids take a clear message from what parents say, especially if its accompanied by anger. There are few things more terrifying than an adult, ten times your size and weight, who has clearly lost control. We’ve come a long way in parenting, in the last 50 years. When I began working as a family therapist in the 1970’s, the aim was a very simple one. The parents who came to our clinic often had kids with serious behaviour problems - at school, or when a bit older involving courts and the police. Almost always, these families had developed a pattern of escalating negativity. Hitting, hurting, shouting, calling kids

We live in a society that claims to be family friendly, but is actually the very opposite. It wants us earning and spending, with no time in between. This month on my facebook community, I shared some news articles about the terrible effects that the government’s ParentsNext program was putting onto families who were in income stressed, especially single parents.

terrible names, might get them to comply out of fear, in the moment, but rarely worked for very long. The thing was, these were not bad people, but parents who loved their kids deeply, and wanted them to have happy lives. But the only tools they knew were negative ones - the same that had been used on them. We would talk about their own childhoods, as a way of creating empathy for the experience of their children. And begin to nudge into safer, more positive ways to get kids to behave, calm down, and be happy. My first book The Secret of Happy Children came out of this learning. Interestingly the country it sold most copies in was Germany where a generation of young parents absolutely rejected the childrearing methods of their past. Today parents are very different. We

Some terrible stories were shared in the comments section, backing this up. I believe we have a right to parent, to do it in our own timetable, and not be forced into working - or not working - by outside forces. Kids who are mentally healthy, don’t get into crime or drugs, and are good parents themselves, only happen when their childhoods are safe and slow. Governments, and employers, really need to really be on the side of parents, which they are not at present. All the same, try not to call your children little shits. They do take it deeply to heart. Steve Biddulph’s two books Raising Boys in the 21st Century and Raising Girls in the 21st Century are available in audiobooks for dads who don’t read a lot. His final round of talks will be in Melbourne and Sydney between August and October. Visit www.stevebiddulph.com for details.

SUMMER 2019/2020 7

It’s Your Life

Lifelong lessons in risky play HELICOPTER parenting and excessive cotton woolling are inhibiting children's development by limiting risky play. Risky play, even scary for some, is an integral part of a child's healthy development because it allows them to test their boundaries and limits. It enables children to grow, develop and learn as well as develop their ability to interpret and assess situations, and understand their boundaries and limits and what is possible. A natural part of children's physical play involves engaging in play that is challenging, a bit scary and somewhat risky, according to Ellen Beate Hansen Sandsetter, an internationally respected researcher in early childhood development. Children actively seek this thrilling kind of play. Sandsetter interviewed children about why they like to engage in "risky play" and the responses centred on positive emotions such as fun, enjoyment, thrill, pride and self-confidence. "It's very fun and very scary ‌ I feel both excited and really scared at the same time". Sandsetter's insights are amid an era of helicopter parenting and cotton wool approaches and growing deliberations over the balance of keeping our children safe and allowing them to take risks.

8 SUMMER 2019/2020

We have become a risk-averse society, becoming wary of and avoiding anything that may be considered a risk. There has been an increasing focus on children's safety, which has included safety in children's play and their play environments. While we all want children to be protected from harm, it appears that this innate drive to protect may be inhibiting children's development. "Recently, new voices have argued that an exaggerated focus on safety is problematic because we, in our eagerness to protect our children and to avoid serious injuries, restrict the children from experiences and stimuli that is important for their normal overall development," says Sandsetter. Much of the fear of risk also stems from confusion around the actual word and what it means. Marc Armitage, an independent consultant and researcher in children’s play and the wider social world of children and young people, highlights the way that this confusion inhibits opportunities for risk play. He cites 'examples of risks' to be avoided include not having sharp corners on furniture, keeping electrical sockets out of reach and non-slip flooring. However, Armitage argues that these are hazards in this context, not risks. For clarity, there is a difference

between a risk and a hazard. Hazard is something the children can't see for themselves. Allowing risk for children is not about deliberately putting children in danger but rather is about allowing children to test out their own boundaries and limits. Children need to have the opportunity to try things and make mistakes; this is how they learn. They need to be able to see and assess risk for themselves in a controlled environment where they learn to develop strategies to enable them to interpret risk and learn the difference between a threat and a hazard. This also equips them with essential skills that they will need throughout their life. If we take away the risk, we will also take away the opportunity for children to grow, develop and learn. We also take away their ability to interpret and assess the situation and to develop an understanding of their boundaries and limits and what is possible. We need to foster resilience in children and allow them to resolve problems on their own. Part of risky play is giving children opportunities for problem solving. It is important that we support them through a difficult situation by giving them the skills needed. For example, if they get stuck in a tree, we must try to resist the urge to physically help them

down but support them to work out how to get down themselves. This enhances their thinking about solutions and gets them to take responsibility for their actions. When they get down, they will have a great sense of achievement, which will raise their self-confidence. It will also help children be better equipped to manage risk now and later in life. Finding the balance between allowing children to explore and take risks while at the same time protecting them from a serious injury is not an easy task. We need to be respectful of safety legislation and taking reasonable steps not to put children in harm's way. Still, we also need to ensure that the over-zealous safety attitude doesn't restrict or inhibit children from the opportunities for challenge and excitement. In children's risky play, we must always consider the risk against the benefits. We need to have a sensible approach to ensure that we are allowing children opportunities for growth and development while protecting them from serious harm. It is vital to keep children safe and protect them from harm, but next time your child wants to do something "risky" also remember the amazing benefits of "risky play". - Article courtesy CIRE Services

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S

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HOLIDAY PROGRAM

Fun for kids during the school holidays Monday 6th January to Friday 24th January 2020

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SUMMER 2019/2020 9

It’s Your Life

Surviving a prolonged journey By Romy Stephens WHEN preparing for childbirth, women typically do everything possible to coverr all bases. From deciding where the birth will be, to establishing a support team that will take part in the journey. But there are some things that can't be planned, such as the length of labour. As Joelle Thom sat on the lounge room couch in her Healesville home, her partner Zephyr Ware held their 11-week-old son Elio by her side. Joelle recalled their experience with prolonged labour. "My birth photographer was coming out to do a maternity shoot, I was 39 weeks," she said.

Zephyr, Joelle and their son Elio. Zep

The next morning Joelle's contractions began, with surges initially con once on every 10 minutes.

"I was getting period cramps all week, but it wasn't any pattern or anything. "I lost my mucus plug that morning around 10am." To be safe, Zephyr came home from work early but the couple carried on business as usual and got some rest that night. It wasn't until about 4.30am Joelle was woken.

Picture: ROMY STEPHENS

Elio Ware.

"I woke up to this loud thud noise... When I stood up I had a gush of water," Joelle said. She woke Zephyr up, knowing her waters had broken, but the pair remained calm and went back to sleep.

This continued for most of the day an despite visits from Joelle's support and team tea - comprised of Robbie from Yarra Valley Midwives and Joelle's doula Steffi - there was not much that could be done but wait. Late that afternoon, things began to escalate. "Everything was getting a bit blurry because once the contractions get intense you can't really focus on anything else and you get a lot more inward," Joelle said. "I remember that being the last stage before things got really intense. "It was starting to feel real." Over the next five to six hours, Joelle and her team tried different techniques to alleviate the pain, such as playing music and sitting in a blowup pool full of warm water. Joelle even managed to get some rest that night.

Private Midwives providing personalised pregnancy, birth and postnatal services for the women of the Yarra Valley and beyond. Your ďŹ rst consultation will be bulk billed.

"I remember the morning light starting to come through and I thought woah it's another day," she said. "It's been over 24 hours." Despite Joelle's contractions slowly intensifying during the morning that new day didn't bring many new developments.

Our beautiful rooms are located a 1 McGrettons Road, Healesville with easy access and parking available

In fact, things seemingly went backwards when at 1pm the intensity of contractions lessened. "I started to get quite concerned and a bit confused," Joelle said. "It just wasn't what I thought would happen."

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At this point Joelle was fully dilated so Lisa - Joelle's other midwife recommended she begin pushing, an effort that proved unsuccessful after four hours. It was now time to go to hospital, despite Joelle's desperate wishes to have a home birth. After arriving at the hospital, Joelle met with the doctor and discussed her options, which was either a vacuum extraction or forceps. After her choice of vacuum extraction didn't work, fear set in.

www.yarravalleymidwives.com.au 0410 692 929 - 0448 866 655 10 SUMMER 2019/2020

"That's when the most fear of the whole event washed over me," Joelle said.

Joelle with her newborn son Elio.

"Then forceps was mentioned and I really didn't want forceps, but I was happy with that over a c-section. "I agreed to it because I knew it was the only way. "All I could do was just stare into Zephyr's eyes because I had all these fears." With her support team by her side, Joelle managed to successfully get through forceps and finally welcome her baby boy Elio into her life. This was about 43 hours since Joelle's labour had begun. "He came out and I grabbed him under his arms and pulled him up. He was so lively and healthy-looking," Joelle recalled. "We were really happy together, I was kissing him all over. "It was a hard journey for both of us but he was so strong and instinctive." Despite such a tough journey, Joelle still looked back on the experience as one of beauty. She advised any woman that ever goes through prolonged labour to withhold fear and trust the process. "Get out of your mind as much as possible and just know that birth is a natural process. It's not a medical intervention," she said. "Come from a place of trust in our bodies and our babies." Joelle is also a holistic nutritionist, doula amd wellness coach.For more information on Joelle's story visit Joya Nutritional Care on Facebook.

www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

It’s Your Life

Entrepreneur and mum of five, Emma Isaacs.

Winging it her way By Narelle Coulter IF you are going to literally lose track of a child then Disneyland is a great place to do it. That’s the tongue-in-cheek advice from Australian entrepreneur and global CEO of Business Chicks, Emma Isaacs. The mother of five was in Australia earlier this year to speak at a women’s business lunch in Melbourne. “Yes, I have five lovely little humans waiting for me in LA. It’s a completely crazy life. They are all under 10 years of age. My youngest turns two next week. We are having a party but nothing is organised but I will get onto that as soon as I arrive home,“ Emma told the audience. Emma bought Business Chicks 14 years ago when it was on the verge of collapse and has turned it into Australia’s largest networking community for women. The company produces over 100 events annually, publishes a magazine and has a 250K plus social media following. She employs a team of 40 women spread over three continents and four time zones. Emma and husband Rowan moved their five children, Milla 10, Honey, 8, Indie, 6, Ryder, 4 and Piper, 2, from Sydney to Los Angeles in a bid to expand the Business Chicks empire into the United States. Emma spoke candidly about the myth of achieving a perfect work/life balance and gave the largely female

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audience her take on juggling work and family. She admitted she regularly fails at both illustrating her point with an anecdote about a family trip to Disneyland during which she lost two of her brood in one day. “The first time we lost one we didn’t know for 20 minutes. In a group of 12, five adults and seven kids, you think someone else is always watching,“ she said. “Suddenly my phone rang and it was a call from Anaheim, California. I thought that’s weird, I’m not going to take that. Next thing I get a text message from Shannon in Guest Relations saying ’I have your daughter, Honey, with me’. “If you are going to lose a child, lose them at Disneyland. They are very, very good.“ On another holiday to Hawaii this year she and Rowan forgot how many children they were taking with them. “The Isaacs en mass are quite a sight. For a start you have five children running in five directions, and we have 4000 suitcases. We’re not the shy and retiring types,“ Emma said. At a security check the official questioned why the family of seven only had six boarding passes. “We had forgotten to buy a ticket for our four year old boy. We didn’t leave him there, that would be weird, but it was definitely one of those Kevin Home Alone moments,“ Emma said, laughing. Emma gets asked all the time how she juggles her large family and

demanding career. “People see five kids, they see an international business, and see me travelling a lot for my work and think I have all the answers,“ she said. “I’ve leant a thing or two about trying to balance it all but I certainly do not have the answers. I just try to be the best parent I can when I am home with my kids and try to be the best when I’m working. “There are lots of weeks when I drink all the kale smoothies and take my make-up off and go to the kids’ schools for their school concerts. Equally, there are weeks when I work way too much and the kids haven’t brushed their hair in days and the only thing I’ve eaten is the crusts off their grilled cheese sandwiches. “It ebbs and flows like it does for all of us. I try to bring an awareness to it and be okay with the fact that sometimes I fail at work and I regularly fail as a parent.“ Through her work with Business Chicks and her book, Winging It, Emma said she aims to empower women to take risks and dive in before they are ready. “I really believe in doing what feels right, not always what we think is right. I am passionate about encouraging women to take on that mindset and give things a go before they are ready. “Winging it doesn’t mean do whatever you want, but it does mean back yourself and have a quiet confidence and explore the things that scare you. Fear is not a reason why you shouldn’t do something.“

When she’s not working or parenting Emma has a simple wellness routine involving massages, the odd glass of wine and a determination to be mindful in every single moment. “I don’t do that much exercise. I mean running after five small children that’s a sport and is better than a treadmill. “I keep a gratitude journal and try to get a massage when I can. We are very lucky in the US as we have amazing technology and apps. I go to my soothe app and say ’I want a massage’, suddenly there is a knock on the door. “I have a drink of wine, I am not a great drinker, but I certainly enjoy a glass of wine, and I drink a tonne of water. That’s what I’m capable of right now.“ Emma said she and her family were committed to the US for the foreseeable future despite Business Chicks not growing as successfully as she would like in the US market. “In lots of ways we were misfits in Australia,“ she said of her herself and Rowan. “We never kind of fitted in. America is a very creative place and I am confident we have a future there, even though I am not sure what it is yet. “All our kids have American accents and the older ones go to school in LA. “(Since we moved) there I wrote a book and had another baby. It has been a really beautiful time to recalibrate, sitting with it, how to fail and being proud of that and working out the next steps forward.“

SUMMER 2019/2020 11

It’s Your Life

On the move with 16 children By Rachel Hickingbotham TRAVELLING in a group of 21, when 16 of them are your own children is not for the faint-hearted. Holidays for the Bonell family, Australia's biggest, are usually short, sweet and on a tight budget, however earlier this year, parents Jeni and Ray Bonell surprised their kids with something extra special. They called a family meeting around the dinner table - "Mum and I have some news", announced Ray "anyone want to guess what it is?". Understandably, many of the children's guesses were "a new little brother or sister" followed closely by hopes of a pet dog. "First things first, Mum is not pregnant ... sorry ... and we are most definitely not getting a dog!", Jeni announced in her family YouTube video. The big news was that the couple had a holiday planned for their children. Everyone was invited including the eldest kids and their new babies. Before long a total of 21 tickets were booked for Port Douglas with promises of a day trip out to the Great Barrier Reef.

The Bonell Family (with one of their grandchildren) getting ready for their big family holiday.

Jeni's Big Family Packing Tips

"For most of us, this is the first time on a plane!", Jeni said.

1. Make Lists

Jeni Bonell is used to juggling life with her big family.

Get as organised as possible before you go. Give your kids a list of clothes they will need based on the weather forecast.

Her number one tip for travelling with children "is to organise as much a possible before a holiday to make the most of the time away".

2. Plan Outfits Lay out each day's outfit to decide on what you need to take. Take only what you need and do not over pack.

For the Bonells this means lists upon lists. "I am the Queen of Lists", laughs Jeni. "I made lists of all of our bags and what was in each one". Each suitcase had a matching ribbon tied onto it and was well-labelled and numbered.

3. Divide and Conquer

All 18 members of the Bonell family. 16 children ages 5 to 30.

"We count the bags as they come off the airport carousel".

forgot that some of the kids get motion sickness".

Although the Bonell family packed as light as possible, they still had a mountain of luggage.

Jeni is a caring mum but couldn't help giggling when explaining the crazy sight of her and Ray bouncing around the boat on choppy seas assisting vomiting children.

"I put a limit to 10 bags for the 21 of us. Two whole bags were just our 21 beach towels!", explained Jeni. When looking for places to stay, Jeni found searching online for accommodation that would house her entire family was very limiting. "All of the online accommodation companies only allowed her to search for up to 6 children". That's when booking.com came in. "Booking.com was able to help us find enough space for us all. We booked 3 villas with 3 bedrooms each". The holiday involved two buses and one plane ride which sounds simple. Imagine that with a group of 21. "Everyone had a buddy for the bus rides and the plane, so no-one got left behind", explained Jeni. It's safe to say that no matter how organised you are, life will always throw curve balls. On their day trip to the reef, Jeni said that "9 of us found our sea-legs while 13 found sea-sickness bags". In all of her organising, Jeni admits "I

12 SUMMER 2019/2020

"Having a big family eliminates your time to sweat the small stuff". Having a big family like this doesn't happen by accident. We were fascinated to hear that when Jeni was married at 19, she didn't want kids. Her husband Ray, arguably Australia's most persuasive partner, is one of 6 siblings and had his heart set on lots of children. He inspired his wife to try for one baby and, before long, Jeni was convincing Ray for a third child. "I agreed to have one, maybe two kids, but it was actually me who asked for number three because I loved being a mum so much," Jeni explained. "It is not for everyone, but it feels right for us". Jeni's love of being a mother grew with the birth of each child. "Each and every child is a gift for us". Now at aged 50, Jeni and Ray have 16 children ranging from 5 to 30 and are more than happy to welcome more babies in their lives. These days they are

fulfilling their craving for baby snuggles as grandparents since their two eldest children have had their first baby each. "These days we have only 13 of them living at home and counting out that few dinner plates still doesn't feel right". Jeni admits that all is right in her world when the entire family comes together for a Sunday roast and 21 plus plates are laid out. The Bonell family shares a big part of their large family logistics on social media including an ongoing series of YouTube videos. Jeni's inspirational rostering system to get their kids helping in their busy home plus tips on saving money by meal prepping are proving helpful to other families, big and small. "We do not put up the posts about our lives to get attention, we do it to share and help others. As mothers we should build each other up not pull each other down". One of the ways Jeni does this is by starting her week by sharing motivational words. Just as she says, her family of 16 did not grow by accident and believes that "people don't succeed by accident either. It takes standards, hard work, dedication, sacrifice and persistence". Her children have learnt this and will carry these lessons throughout their entire lives.

Pack each child's clothes and one pair of extra shoes into named totes/bags or packing cubes. Then pack them all together into a rolling suitcase. Make sure you include a plastic bag for each child to pack their dirty shoes into. 4. Colour-code and Number Bags Tie a bright ribbon in the same colour onto each of your bags. Number each suitcase and make a note of how many bags you need to count off the carousel.

The Bonell Kids Imagine needing to remember them all in order, not to mention their birthdays! 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.

Jesse Brooke Claire Natalie Karl Samuel Cameron Sabrina Tim Brandon Eve Nate Rachel Eric Damian Katelyn

www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

It’s Your Life

The range is called Mummafly.

Young mums start new skincare range

The mums have learnt valuable business skills in the program. Pictures: Kate Dyer

A group of young mothers have launched a range of handmade natural skincare products through the Swinburne Young Mums program at the Croydon campus. The micro business, Mummafly, is the culmination of hard work from the mothers involved in the program who are aged between 15-22. The program provides a supportive environment for the mums offers vocational qualifications to help them finish their secondary education. The students secured funding from a government community grant, Pick My Project and decided to create Mummafly. Project coordinator Anthea Riskas said it was an exciting project to watch grow. "It's been exciting to watch the students' confidence, teamwork and enthusiasm grow each week," she said. "They are incredibly invested and proud of what they have created with Mummafly, and so they should be." The Young Mums hope the proceeds will help them continue Mummafly in 2020 and beyond, while some students are now inspired to run their own businesses one day. Young mum Sarah, who joined the program following the birth of her son earlier this year, said she hopes to start her own business one day. "Mummafly has been a great insight into business management," she said. The range includes lip balm, lip

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scrub, body lotion, salt body scrub, shower oil and aromatherapy oil roller blends.

It uses calming essential oils such as lavender, clary sage and cedar wood, and invigorating essential oils like

tangerine and spearmint. To see more, visit the online store https://mummaflyskincare.com/

SUMMER 2019/2020 13

Entertainment

Former Melbourne Storm player Billy Slater and his wife, Nicole, daughter Tyla and son Jake loved Gumbuya's new water attraction, The Break.

Gumbuya also features a host of native animals in its Wildlife Trail.

Gumbuya expansion makes a splash GUMBUYA MBUYA World has levelled up in the awesome stakes and is definitely one for your summer bucket list. Gumbuya is not just one world, but four. There’s Oz Adventure, with rides that don’t require you to get wet; Outback Explorers for smaller rideenthusiasts and Wildlife Trail, where you can get up close to over 50 species of Aussie animals. The fourth “world” is the section everyone is going crazy over, called Oasis Springs except now doubled in size. On Melbourne Cup weekend, phase 2 of 3 planned expansions opened to the public. The brand new $10 million water park upgrade of Oasis Springs boasts the state’s most impressive heated family wave pool. The massive pool called 'The Break', has been dubbed the ‘beach in the South East’, giving families endless water fun over summer. There is also a stand-alone kids' area, ensuring even the little ones can enjoy the new wave pool. Six new water slides are also included in the expansion including two gigantic twister slides and four lanerally race rides. These slides add to the already epic collection of water slides. You and your family can enjoy the exciting Typhoon Island, a 300 metre

L zy River, La Riv iver, heated he po and Surf’s Surf rf’s ’s Lazy rock pools and Up for surfing sessions. Oasis Springs also has 15 new cabanas, plenty of sun lounges, day beds and a dedicated group area and new outdoor showers. When you get hungry you can find delicious, quality options at Wal’s Fish and Chip shop and Gumbuya’s famous foot long dingo dog. Adults can even treat themselves with a cocktail at Brett’s Beach Club, while the kids enjoy the rides and soak up the summer fun. The redevelopment of Gumbuya World will continue over the next three years. The theme park will offer 50 new attractions as well as a range of onsite accommodation, new cafes, shops, a chocolate factory and a microbrewery. Plans also include Indigenous, dinosaur and wool shed precincts for educational programs. By 2022, it is anticipated that Gumbuya World will attract a million visitors each year from around Australia and the rest of the world - ensuring tourism remains strong in Victoria and the Gippsland region. Located on the Princes Hwy in Tynong, Gumbuya World is less than 15 minutes from Pakenham and 50 minutes from Melbourne. Check the website for summer opening hours.

Get Active at

Billy Slater and wife Nicole Slater tackle the water slide.

Croydon Indoor Sports!

TEAM sports have been shown to have a positive impact on children’s development. From an action-filled and unique children’s birthday party to a well equipped and friendly venue protected from the unpredictable Melbourne weather, Croydon Indoor Sports in Kilsyth South has you covered.

premises, for those after a little healthy competition. Croydon Indoor Sports Centre offers junior netball for girls aged from 10 to 18 on a Monday and Tuesday after school. In term two and term three during all weekdays, there is junior cricket for boys and girls aged from 10 to 16. There’s also junior soccer being offered after school Thursdays and Fridays during terms one and four for boys and girls aged 10 to 16.

Croydon Indoor Sports Centre is under new ownership and is committed to providing a safe, exciting and professional environment where people of all ages can get active and have fun. Croydon Indoor Sports Centre offers a state of the art indoor facility including two fully enclosed multipurpose courts with synthetic grass. The space is climate controlled, meaning you can still be active even when it’s meltingly hot or freezing cold outside. The venue 14 SUMMER 2019/2020

has a convenient upper mezzanine level with a licensed bar and function area, which is available for hire from everything from birthday parties to a cheeky parent’s day out! The centre can tailor parties to

include sports, NERF and time spent in the inflatable park!

Courts are also available for casual hire and there’s even a huge inflatable park complete with slides and tunnels for younger kids!

With all ages catered for, you can choose between indoor cricket, dodge ball, netball and indoor soccer. There are teams and regular matches held on the

For more information email info@ croydonindoorsports.com.au or call 9761 5413 or go to www. croydonindoorsports.com.au/ www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

Entertainment

All aboard for a

Yarra Valley adventure THERE will be plenty of opportunities for families to jump on board a heritage train and go for a ride at the Yarra Valley Railway over the summer holidays. The railway is hosting school holiday rides on the fully restored 22RM Walker Railmotor train which was originally built for the railway in the mid-1900s

and has since been restored to its former glory. Adults and children can take a step back in time as the train takes them through the scenic surrounds of the Yarra Valley. The ride begins in Healesville and travels across about 4.5km of restored railway. It passes through the Historic Tunnel before

coming to an end at TarraWarra Estate.

towards restoring the rest of the track.

The Yarra Valley Railway is a volunteer not-for-profit communitybased organisation that is restoring the railway between Healesville and Yarra Glen.

The Yarra Valley Railway said its vision is to completely restore and operate heritage rail services, including railmotors, diesel and steam locomotivehauled trains, between Yarra Glen and Healesville.

With the Healesville to TarraWarra section complete, train rides are running frequently and the railway is working

For more information or to book tickets visit www.yvr.org.au

Four walks to try in the Yarra Ranges this summer SUMMER is a great time for the family to pull on their walking boots and get out in the great outdoors. Here are four walks to try over the school holidays. By Eliza Henry-Jones THE Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail The 38km Lilydale to Warburton Trail is accessible via public transport as well as numerous car parks along the route. Enjoy beautiful views of the Yarra Valley and surrounding ranges. The walk is broken up between townships, with the shortest leg being 2.1km between Launching Place and Yarra Junction and the longest leg being between Lilydale and Mount Evelyn. There are plenty of cafes accommodation options along the route and if walking’s not for you, you can take bikes, dogs and horses! The Redwood Forest, Warburton One of the best kept secrets of the Yarra Ranges. The Redwood Forest is located 8km east of Warburton along the Cement Creek Road. The 1476 were planted during the 1930s and 1960s and include Bishop Pine, Douglas Fir, Californian Redwood, Radiata Pine, Western Red Cedar and Redwood. There is something otherworldly about the forest – there is no undergrowth and some of the trees stretch to a staggering 55 metres. Sounds in the forest are muted and light is oddly filtered. A beautiful and unforgettable day out of the family. www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

Birdsland Reserve, Belgrave Birdsland is a 75-hectare reserve located conveniently close to Belgrave, abutting Lysterfield Lake Park. The reserve includes a large lake, which is home to myriad of birdlife and other native animals. There are BBQ facilities and plenty of easy to navigate walking tracks, circling the lake and fanning out over the rest of the reserve. Bring your dogs and bikes! The Reserve opens at 7:30am every day and is closed on days of total fire ban. Sherbrooke Falls Walk The Sherbrooke Falls Walk spans between Sherbrooke Picnic Ground and O’Donohue Picnic Ground is an easy 2.4km through a lush forest of tree ferns and mountain ash. The area is home to plenty of native wildlife, including the stunning Superb Lyrebird, which delightfully mimics nearby sounds including other birds, chainsaws and sirens. The falls themselves are beautiful (particularly in wet weather!) with a lovely foot bridge to take in the view. Dogs not permitted on the walk.

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SUMMER 2019/2020 15

Entertainment

Orchard’s the pick of the bunch

RAYNER’S Orchard offers the opportunity to learn about everyday life on an orchard, how fruit grows and the chance to pick and taste your own fruit. Staff run fruit tasting tours and workshops that teach people how to preserve fruit without chemicals or additives. Located in the gorgeous Yarra Valley,

Rayner’s offers customers over 450 varieties of fruit.

“We have one of the largest fruiting plant nurseries in Melbourne,” Len said.

people as well as three generations from our family.

The farm shop features preserves, fresh fruit, sauces, preserving equipment and fruit leathers.

“We want to encourage visitors to experience the joys of tree-ripened fruit and to educate visitors about everyday farming life, including farming methods and practices, as well as picking, storing and eating a wide variety of fruit.”

"They all strive to deliver our customers an experience to be remembered,” Len said.

Rayners Orchard fruit products are free from anything artificial and staff use sustainable farming practices.

The orchard is located at 60 Schoolhouse Road in Woori Yallock and is open 9am to 5pm over summer (closed Christmas Day). For more information, phone 5964 7654.

Also available is a function room and cafe which serves farm style meals. As owner Len Rayner explained, Rayners Orchard has a welcoming family feel and staff share their knowledge with guests from all over the world.

INFLATABLE PARK

“We have 40 years of farming experience and our staff include local

Rayner's Orchard will run its annual Fruits of the Yarra Valley Festival on 15 and 16 February 2020.

Fresh & Fruity Family

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PHONE: 9761 5413 E: info@croydonindoorsports.com.au www.croydonindoorsports.com.au 16 SUMMER 2019/2020

Visit our farm cafe and check out our latest range of Jams, chutneys, preserved fruit & fruit leathers.

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Visit our fruit plant nursery located on the farm stocking 100’s of fruiting plants, specialising in dwarf varieties.

5964 7654 60 Schoolhouse Rd, Woori Yallock 3139

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- 2 Hour NERF Wars Parties or NERF/Sports Parties supervised by our instructors - Party food and drinks provided complimentary invitations & Lolly Bags - $20 per child (minimum booking of 12 children)

Ride around the farm behind the tractor a covered trailer - discover a new fruit, sample tasty fruit in season, Pick your own fruit straight from the tree. Suitable for ALL ages, eat as much as you like taste at least 8 fruit varieties. Tour duration - 1 hour. No bookings required s */). 53 !4 0%!#( #!&% &/2 ,5.#(

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Entertainment

A classic day out By Eliza Henry-Jones IN amongst the eucalyptus, you prowl from tree shadow to tree shadow. You can smell dirt. Your breath is held. Your heart is pounding a bit too fast. You hear a branch crack and fling yourself to the ground – but it’s too late. You’ve been hit and you’re now splattered with green paint. In a world where children are increasingly indoors and in front of screens, getting out into nature and being physically active has never been more critical. Being active and outdoors has been shown to have a positive impact across emotional, psychological and physical wellbeing for people of all ages. Established in 1988, PaintballGames has been serving up the best paintball experience to Melbourne for over a generation. Paintballing is a real classic day out and something that the whole family can enjoy, including children over the age of eight years. Each of PaintballGames’s three venues is situated in unique landscapes within an easy commute from Melbourne. Cockatoo is set in dense rain forest 50 minutes from the eastern suburbs, Ballan combines acres of bush scrub 40 minutes from northwest suburbs and the purpose built paintballing facility in Coldstream, which is

surrounded by bushland, is only 30 minutes from the eastern suburbs. Aside from being great fun, PaintballGames gives young people the opportunity to develop skills related to coordination, strength, stamina, agility, strategic thinking, communication and

teamwork. It gives young people the chance to get in amongst the trees; to get dirty and sweaty and use their bodies. It gives them the chance to fall down and then to get back up again. PaintballGames will give your child the chance to build resilience, to develop

self-confidence and discover a side to themselves – delightfully paint splattered – that they may not have seen before. Bookings are essential: (03) 9777 0613 https://www.paintballgames.com.au/

Free festive activities WAVERLEY Gardens Shopping Centre is getting into the Christmas spirit with a range of free activities for the whole family, while also supporting families in need; partnering for the third consecutive year with non-for-profit organisation, Very Special Kids. Last year, Waverley Gardens was elated to raise over $1,500 through various channels for Very Special Kids, to support over 900 families across Victoria and contributing to the $8.5 million it takes for the charity to operate each year.

In addition to the popular ‘Santa Snaps’, the shopping centre will be running complimentary Christmas Kids activities and play host to various musical performances from local schools, community groups, and students from Waverley Gardens’ Alpha Omega Education. The centre will be introducing its Christmas Funpix in the lead up to the 25th, opposite Woolworths. Each week will see a different Christmas design for shoppers to take their own snaps and give the illusion they are part of a fun 3D image. “We are so excited for Christmas this year at Waverley Gardens. In addition to our popular festive activities, we have introduced a range of new pop-ups, including our Christmas Funpix and Pet www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

Pics, and can’t wait to see the response from our customers. We want everyone, young or old, to see that Waverley Gardens is a great place to shop, eat and play this Christmas,” said Cassandra Chatfield, Centre Marketing Manager. “We are also very honoured to be working with Very Special Kids for another Christmas - they are an amazing organisation and the work they do for the children and their families is very humbling.” continued Chatfield. For last minute Christmas shoppers, a gift-wrapping station will be at the centre from 16th December until 23rd December. Shoppers will not only save themselves the headache of last-minute wrapping at home, they’ll also be supporting a great cause, with 100 percent of donations collected going towards Very Special Kids. For more information and trading hours, please visit www. waverleygardens.com.au

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This Christmas at Waverley Gardens, Santa Claus will be in his workshop, located opposite Coles, ready for ‘Santa Snaps’ with the whole family, including all-new fur-baby friendly ‘Pet Pics’; whether pets of Waverley Gardens have two legs, four legs or no legs, they can have a photo with Santa.

SUMMER 2019/2020 17

Party Time

Ready to party CROYDON INDOOR SPORTS For an action-filled and memorable kids birthday party, Croydon Indoor Sports in Kilsyth South has you covered. Your child gets to select three of the following fun sports - indoor cricket, indoor footy, indoor soccer, netball, basketball, big ball volleyball or dodgeball. Or they can choose an exciting Nerf Wars Party! There’s also the thrilling new archery tag parties for kids aged 12+. The centre will take care of the party food, drinks and lolly bags, so parents can sit back and relax while watching their child celebrate their special occasion with friends. Party bookings are available weeknights by request, and all day Saturday and Sunday. GAMR Step into a world where virtual reality gaming meets the excitement of

competitive laser tag! GAMR is a family friendly entertainment complex located in Chirnside Park, conveniently located on the edge of the Yarra Valley. Laser tag is available for groups of up to 21 people and takes place in an enormous 400sqm arena. Virtual reality experiences at GAMR comprise of a choice of 40 of the most popular fantasy, amusement and horror games and can either be enjoyed solo or in groups of up to eight people. The cafeteria and event space can cater for up to 70 people making it the perfect venue for your child’s birthday!

ages and abilities in a fun, safe environment. There are a huge selection of scheduled lessons and also options for skating at your own pace. Parties at the Victorian Skating Centre have a great range of food and extras on offer and are available during the Friday Night Disco as well as Saturdays and Sundays.

VICTORIAN SKATING CENTRE

REPTILE ENCOUNTERS

The Victorian Skating Centre is a skating rink based in Lilydale. Perfect for the child keen to try something new for their birthday! The rink prides itself on being a family-friendly venue, welcoming all

Throw that party everyone will be talking about! Reptile Encounters is a Melbourne based mobile zoo with the aim of connecting young people with animals and nature. Get up close and

personal with snakes, lizards, frogs and stick insects, sugar gliders and crocodiles. The team at Reptile Encounters are available for parties, schools and other events and can tailor their services to suit young children learning the basics through to older teenagers. While they offer a mobile service throughout Melbourne, the team also offer parties on site at Reptile Encounters HQ in Burwood and at Chesterfield Farm in Scoresby.

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Health

Does my child need braces? ONE of the most commonly asked questions received at Manchester Road Dental Surgery is “Does my child need braces?" and "If so, when?”

and overbites ■ Protruding teeth or teeth that sit in front of the lower lip ■ Crowded or crooked teeth

As parents themselves, the team at Manchester Road Dental Surgery understand the desire to want the best for our children, and also the difficulty in making the best decisions for them without all the information.

■ Jaws or teeth that are out of proportion to the face ■ A family history of any of the above ■ Habits such as thumb sucking after the age of five or prolonged dummy use past the age of 24 months

"We’re passionate about empowering parents to make informed decisions about if (and when!) their child needs orthodontic treatment.

■ Mouth breathing, sleeping with their mouth open or snoring

Why bother straightening teeth?" said a spokesperson. Crooked teeth can impact on children’s confidence and cause them to smile less. Smiling has been shown to improve self-esteem, and has proven social and professional benefits. But there are also some important functional considerations too: ■ Teeth that do not come together properly can make speech difficult. There can be trouble articulating particular sounds or putting the tongue in an ideal position. ■ Proper alignment of teeth is important for chewing efficiency. Sometimes teeth can cause feeding difficulties due to discomfort, or an inability to bite into or cut food efficiently. ■ Risk of trauma is significantly increased with teeth that are

protrusive or that sit in front of the lip. Unfortunately, this doesn’t just occur during contact sports - an unprotected fall is enough to damage these teeth. ■ Crowded teeth are more difficult to clean. This can cause food to get trapped between teeth, which predisposes them to tooth decay. Furthermore, when harmful bacteria are left to accumulate on the gums, inflammation can occur and this can result in bleeding and swelling of the gums and progress to gum disease. ■ Teeth that are misaligned can be worn down dramatically over time When should I get my child assessed for orthodontic treatment? Given that children develop and grow

differently, there is no set age for orthodontic treatment. However, we do recommend an initial orthodontic assessment for children when they reach 7-9 years of age. At this early stage we can determine the risk or presence of problems such as malocclusions or “incorrect bites”, crowding, impacted teeth, deep bites, open bites and cross-bites. There are a few signs that your child might benefit from early orthodontic treatment: ■ Baby teeth are lost early, late, or at an irregular time. This includes baby teeth that have required extraction ■ Teeth that do not meet properly when biting. This includes underbites

Detecting these issues early means that they can be addressed while the jaws are still developing and the bone is soft. When needed, early treatment at this stage is likely to be easier, faster and more effective than when carried out later in life. Even if immediate treatment is not necessary, the team is happy to continue monitoring the situation closely to ensure ideal timing of orthodontic treatment. Manchester Road Dental Surgery can provide a range of orthodontic treatment including expanders, plates, braces, clear aligners such as Invisalign and other treatments carefully tailored for your child’s unique needs. The team at Manchester Road Dental Surgery hope to be the familiar face not only for your orthodontic needs but also for your ongoing general dental care.

FREE DENTAL CHECK UPS For kids aged between 0-2 years old. Must mention this ad when making an appointment.

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Phone number: 03 9726 5484 www.Manchesterrddental.com.au 12431194-FA50-19

www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

SUMMER 2019/2020 19

Health

When should you tell people you’re By Eliza Henry-Jones YOU’RE pregnant. You’re nauseous. You’re inexplicably craving chips with strawberry yoghurt. You’re gazing at your midriff with a sort of morbid fascination – exactly how far can tummy skin stretch? And then a thought pops into your head. Who should you tell about your pregnancy? And when? While each trimester has their own difficulties, the first trimester is notorious for exhaustion, dizziness, nausea and huge hormonal changes. There’s also a lot of stigma around those early weeks, when the chance of having a miscarriage is high. You might be terrified and uncertain about your pregnancy or you might be elated. Either way, it’s a lot to keep to yourself. I found out I was pregnant at about six weeks and promptly told everyone close to me. I felt awful. I was constantly exhausted, dizzy and nauseous. Luckily, I worked from home. If I needed a nap or to curl up in a ball with a ginger tea for a while, I could do so privately and make up the time later. But I kept thinking about all the women out there who have jobs and commitments that don’t offer that flexibility – the women diving out of meetings to vomit and being so tired they need to sleep before they commute home. The women trying to juggle older children and extended families and everything in between.

Telling people was the right choice for me. I figured that if I did have a miscarriage, those were the people I’d want around, supporting me. Quite a few people told me I was “brave” for sharing the news so early; other people asked me if I was worried about jinxing the pregnancy. I waited until three months to make announcements on social media. “I waited to tell people,” says Sally. “And when I miscarried, nobody knew except my partner. It was pretty isolating. My next pregnancy, I told a few close friends and family and I’m glad I did.” But telling people early certainly doesn’t suit everyone. “Waiting was the only option for me,” says Anna, who has a five month old. “I have a full-on family and knew straight away that I didn’t want the pressure of people asking me about the pregnancy until I was out of the danger zone.” Phoebe miscarried at 10 weeks. “I was glad I hadn’t told anyone about the pregnancy. I couldn’t have dealt with people coming up and asking about the pregnancy. I told my boss and a couple of friends that I’d miscarried and that was it. I still struggle talking about it.” Things to consider:

pregnant?

need to tell your boss and make other arrangements ■ If you tell people you’re pregnant and then have a miscarriage, you’ll have to tell them about the miscarriage, too. While you might welcome the support, it can also be traumatic and exhausting having to re-tell the news to different people.- Are you ready for advice and lots of it? Once the news is out, chances are you’ll be inundated

32, O’Connors Road The Patch

with people’s opinions on pregnancy, birth and child raising. While some of this will be very welcome, some of it won’t be. Some people might keep the news to themselves into the second or even third trimesters. The bottom line is, when and how you share your pregnancy news is a very personal choice. There is no right or wrong decision. Do what feels right for you!

Are you worried about the way your child pronounces words, or expresses himself or herself, seems to struggle with following instructions or making friends? Want to give your precious little one a head start at school or kinder?

KIDS IN THE HILLS SPEECH PATHOLOGY SERVICES ( located in The Patch ) are taking enrolments for 2020.

Places are limited Give Elena Benatar a call on 0414 679 648 or 9752 1852 and

■ How good are you at keeping secrets? Sometimes you might intend to wait but find you just blurt it out!

we will discuss the best assessment/therapy options possible.

■ Are you around hazardous things at work? If you are, you’ll probably

NDIS plan-managed or self-managed participants are welcome.

No referral necessary, Medicare,

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www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

Education

Early education with a difference WITH a warm and welcoming centre, Smart Reader Kids in Yarra Junction is focused on fostering strong relationships with parents throughout their children’s early education journey.

Smart Reader Kids Yarra Junction is focused on fostering strong relationships with parents throughout their child's early

Parents are provided with daily updates on their child’s progress and can stay for a chat during morning drop-off. Smart Reader Kids educators are caring and passionate about teaching children through creative-play based learning. Three programs are offered including The Caterpillar Room for children 6 weeks - 36 months, The Butterfly Room for children three - five years as well as Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten programs, also for children aged three - five years. Nature is also a big focus at the day care centre, with the outdoor play area featuring a vegetable garden where children can experience growing and eating produce straight from the garden. Children are encouraged to explore and engage with their environment. Since new management took over in

October 2018 the centre has been updated with new fittings and furniture. Staff have also been retrained to ensure children continue to receive the highest standard for early learning moving forward into 2020. Smart Reader Kids Yarra Junction prides itself on being a small centre where families can get to know their children’s educators. “We have really good relationships with the parents,” said director, Ashley Ong. “Our educators are very loving and caring.” Children aged from six weeks to five years are welcomed at the centre, which boasts pre-kinder and kinder programs. Smart Reader Kids Yarra Junction is located at 4 Station Street Yarra Junction. Parents and carers are welcome to tour the centre during opening hours. For bookings or more information, call 03 5900 6724 or email srkyarra@sraus. com

education journey. Our educators are caring and passionate about teaching children through creative-play

4 Station Street, Yarra Junction, 3797 T: +61 3 5900 6724 E: srkyarra@sraus.com 12415746-LB16-19 www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

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based learning.

SUMMER 2019/2020 21

Education

A world of difference AS you walk into the Little Yarra Steiner School, your eyes are drawn to the curved roofs nestled in amongst the gardens that evoke the distant backdrop of the Upper Yarra tree covered hills.

imagination through a variety of learning styles. These base subjects are coupled with lessons in LOTE, Craft, Music, Games, Woodwork and Orchestra to form a truly rich and varied curriculum.

The education, which is based on the teachings of Rudolph Steiner, focuses on the development of the child at each stage of growth. It addresses the education of the whole child - head, heart and hands.

In the High School this diversity in education carries through. The Steiner school is often thought of as a school that primarily benefits artistic students, however Steiner himself was a scientist and our curriculum also reflects these academic strengths. In the upper years there is a maturity and mutual respect in the way students and teachers relate as they explore the engaging and thought provoking content together.

In the preschool years there is a focus on rhythm, routine and self initiated play, which helps to develop an active and rich imagination. The day for the kinder children is very structured, with times of concentrated activity, like painting, drawing or story and singing time. There is also scheduled free-play time, where children can explore their own imaginative ideas through play with others and naturally build an understanding of complex social dynamics. On some days, the children make their own bread rolls and the smell of them baking for morning tea fills the room. Other days, they might take a picnic and go for a walk on the farm, waving to the alpacas and kangaroos as they pass. Moving through to the primary classrooms, the evidence of that rich imagination is everywhere - in the wax figurines on display, the artwork

It is in the adolescent years, where the creativity developed in the early years really comes to the fore, as the creative and critically thinking aspects of the mind meet.

adorning the walls and the many creative ways in which their school work is presented in their books. The teaching of English, Mathematics, History and Science is all

brought to the students in an engaging and creative manner. These lessons include elements of physical activity, academia, speech and bookwork, capturing each student’s attention and

VCE students have the opportunity to undertake a graded VCE option in Year 12, similar to most other schools, that results in an ATAR, or to choose the ‘Independent Project’ option, where they will finish with a VCE certificate. The Independent Research Project allows students to focus on one area of study that particularly interests them over the course of their final schooling year. For more information, or to book a tour of the school, please visit lyss.vic. edu.au or call us on 5967 1953.

12402296-LN50-18

To find out more about our rich curriculum, please book in for a tour online at: lyss.vic.edu.au

205 Little Yarra Rd Yarra Junction, VIC 22 SUMMER 2019/2020

phone: 5967 1953 office@lyss.vic.edu.au

www.lyss.vic.edu.

School bus service to: Warburton, Mt Evelyn, Healesville & Dandenong Ranges www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

Education

Schooled for life long success SWINBURNE Children’s Centre is a renowned childcare operation with successful centres already running in two Croydon locations as well as in Wantirna. Swinburne Children’s Centre is now bringing its nurturing, colearning environment to Lilydale where it will offer local families a platform from which their child can achieve lifelong success. Beyond developing skills related to literacy and numeracy, early childhood is increasingly being recognised as a critical time for emotional, psychological and cognitive development. Providing children with opportunities to develop these skills alongside literacy and numeracy is the focus of Swinburne Children’s Centres, where play based learning approaches; intentional teaching and inquiry-based investigations are embraced. Through this, Swinburne Children’s Centre has an innovative focus on child development alongside key curriculum concepts such as early literacy, early numeracy. This way, children are given time to develop these more academic skills in a holistic context, empowering them for the next steps in their education. Children at Swinburne Children’s Centre are encouraged to develop a strong sense of identity, to connect and contribute to their world, to have a strong sense of wellbeing, be

confident and involved learners and affective communicators. Swinburne Children’ Centres are open to the whole community, providing full-time and part-time care and education. Their highly trained and qualified educators empower children to develop inquiring minds and to experiment within a trusting environment.

The brand new, state of the art centre is conveniently located on Maroondah Highway in Lilydale and will offer 122 childcare and kindergarten places. Proudly, all of Swinburne Children’s Centre’s existing services have been assessed as “Exceeding” the National

Quality Standards. Please register your child’s details on the waitlist by emailing belinda@ swincc.vic.edu.au Tours will commence April 2020. For more information go to www. swinburnechildrenscentre.com.au.

OPENING 2020, ENROL NOW

With Reggio Emilia inspired learning environments our brand new Lilydale Centre will feature a diverse range of indigenous cultural influences and many community programs for children and families. Offering Full time and part time care and education for children from 0-6 years and including an integrated 4yo Kindergarten program focussing on school readiness.

OUR PROMISES TO YOU Ź Safety & Security Ź Highest Level of Care Ź Successful & Capable Learning Ź Quality Educators

Our highly trained and qualified educators empower our children to develop enquiring minds and experiment in a trusted setting.

Ź Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Cultures Valued

Proudly, all of our Centres have been assessed as `Exceeding’ the National Quality Standards.

Ź Parents & Families Are Respected

Ź Equality, Inclusion & Diversity 12422882-SG50-19

THE BRAND NEW SWINBURNE CHILDRENS CENTRE LILYDALE WILL BE OPEN IN APRIL/ MAY 2020

Waitlist enquiries: Please Contact E: belinda@swincc.vic.edu.au or 0419 412 213 | www.swinburnechildrenscentre.com.au www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

SUMMER 2019/2020 23

Education What your

child’s report card really means

Report card expert ... Dr Selina Samuels, chief learning officer of Cluey Learning.

HAVE you just got your child’s end-ofyear school report? Are you wondering what it actually says about your child’s progress? Chances are you aren’t alone. Teachers typically use a range of descriptors to describe how your child is tracking academically - and some need deciphering. School report expert Dr Selina Samuels says some terms clearly indicate your child is doing well, while others indicate there are issues that need addressing. She should know - she proofread end-of-year school reports for several years. “It was immediately obvious that each teacher had their pet words, phrases or grammatical constructions,” the chief learning officer of Cluey Learning says. “Even taking into account individual idiosyncrasies, some terms emerge the winners.” Here, she explains the phrases teachers use in report cards and what they really mean. Decoding common phrases in school reports ■ Erratic or inconsistent: These words tell parents that little Susan is probably playing to her strengths and ignoring anything not already easy and familiar. It’s also a veiled request to the parents to have a look at the family infrastructure around homework and for more consistency at home. ■ So much potential: If your child’s teacher uses this phrase, then they’re saying your child is bright enough but lazy. If they ‘lack focus’ they

24 SUMMER 2019/2020

aren’t applying themselves. ‘Emerging skills’ tells you there is a glimmer of hope and they haven’t given up on them just yet.

worried about. If skills are ‘secure’ and there is talk of ‘improvement’, everything is going in the right direction.

■ Very social, bubbly, or engages enthusiastically in discussion: These terms mean your child is likeable but chatty, and probably distracts the children around them.

Comments about your child’s ambition or hunger for learning may also indicate he/she is not being fully extended in class and the teacher wants you to explore opportunities for additional extension.

■ Independent: Students who are ‘independent’ are probably not good sharers.

Phrases that indicate your child may be having difficulties

■ Good listener: This means your child never asks questions or contributes in class. ■ Knows his/her own mind: Your child may be stubborn and uncooperative. ■ But: If your child’s report card is peppered with positive statements followed by ‘buts’ - such as ‘Samson is a keen student but his efforts are not always rewarded’, chances are his teachers are fond of him but a bit exasperated at the same time (you probably are too). ■ Pleasing: If your child’s work is ‘pleasing’, that probably indicates the teacher is writing report comment number 58 and has run out of new adjectives. ■ She/he is a pleasure to teach: If your child’s teacher says this, chances are it’s true. Teachers do not use that phrase gratuitously. Phrases that indicate your child is doing well Phrases like ‘sophisticated understanding’ and ‘confident application’ are strong indicators that your child is working at an impressive level. If he or she has a ‘clear understanding’ and their work is ‘effective’, they are noticeably making progress and you have little to be

If your child is only able to demonstrate certain skills ‘at times’ or has ‘some or little understanding’, it is likely he/she needs a fair amount of academic support. If they are passive or quiet, it may be that the teacher is finding it difficult to diagnose levels of knowledge and ability.If your child’s report cards talk a lot about ‘inconsistencies’, particularly between different modes of expression, it’s worth getting more information. If your child is described as having ‘difficulties adjusting to rules and routines’, this might be the teacher telling you he/she is naughty, or it may suggest that there is something else going on. Equally, pay attention if the teacher mentions that your child finds it difficult to adjust to changes in routine. If a teacher describes your child as a ‘perfectionist’, this is not necessarily a good thing. It could be that he/she is so particular about presentation or so frightened of getting something wrong that he/she resists submitting anything for feedback.

you can work with the school to provide necessary support. The worst report comments are jargonistic and procedural - telling you what the class has covered but giving very little information about how your child is progressing. It’s also important to note that report cards are not merely retrospective, but also provide genuine advice about where your child’s focus should lie for the next term or year. Deciphering letter grade systems While some schools don’t incorporate grades into their formal reports, a five-point letter grade system (A-E) is included in the achievement standards of the Australian National Curriculum. ■ A: Awarded for extremely high achievement and is described using words such as ‘sophisticated’ and ‘confident’. ■ B: For work that is ‘effective’ and demonstrates ‘clear understanding’. Students are awarded B grades for work that is capable and secure. ■ C: Awarded where the student ‘is able to’ demonstrate particular skills or where understanding is ‘developing’. Skills may be inconsistent.

The best and worst comments

■ D: Awarded where the output of the student shows ‘some understanding’ or where the student is only able to demonstrate skills ‘at times’. D grades may indicate that the student has not done much or what they have submitted is incomplete.

The best comments are ones specific to your child and show you that the teacher really knows them. The worst are merely generic. Even if you are being told something negative about your child’s academic abilities or behaviour, it is better to hear it so that

■ E: Show the student may have ‘little’ or only ‘rudimentary’ understanding of the concepts covered in the subject. The student may require considerable teacher support to demonstrate any understanding or skills.

www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

It’s Your Life

It's important everyone is on the same page.

School holiday tips for grandparents By Danielle Galvin FOR many Australian kids, spending time with their grandparents over the summer school holidays is a rite of passage. With nearly six weeks off over Christmas and into January, many parents call on their own parents to watch the kids during the week. It's a chance to spend some quality time together, at the beach, heading to the park for a picnic, or a trip to the movies. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby, a government funded website and resource has some tips to make sure families stay harmonious. One tip includes being upfront about how many hours you can babysit so that everyone is clear on the expectations. Grandparents Victoria director Anne McLeish agrees and advises grandparents to sit down and have a chat with parents beforehand, to make sure everyone is on the same page.

www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

She said a common problem that comes up is who pays for the day's activities, especially when kids have an expectation to be kept busy. "I'd tell (people) to have a face to face meeting, and sit around a table and even write down what the agreement is," she said. "So often we find people have different understanding about what the grandparents or parents agreed to do. "It sounds very formal, but having those points can make things clear to people. "The thing that needs to be addressed is who pays for what.

She said another issue that comes up is parents failing to pick up their kids on time. "Grandparents need to know when they knock off for the night, so to speak," she said. Ms McLeish also suggested sending lunch boxes for kids lunches and snacks, particularly if your child is a fussy eater. Another suggestion is being clear about rules, boundaries and how to handle tantrums. She said in her view the mantra "my house my rules" is a reasonable approach.

"The single most common complaint we have from grandparents is that they pay for far more than what they can actually afford to pay for, particularly over the school holidays when kids want to go to the movies, go out for a picnic or go to McDonald's.

But it's also a lovely chance to build a special bond.

"I'm not accusing parents of deliberately taking advantage, it's another case of it getting lost."

"Child centred play brings grandparents and grandchildren together."

Both children and their grandparents relish in that time together, with a chance to make memories together. "Grandchildren often stimulate the inner child in the grandparents, and it's play that does it," Ms McLeish said.

Top tips from Pregnancy, Birth and Baby ■ Be upfront about your needs and understand those of the parents so there are no unwelcome surprises or unmet expectations. Setting boundaries around things like the number of hours and days of the week you are available, and the meals you provide can help things run smoothly. ■ All parents will have their own views on things like how much TV time or outside play is best for their child. Finding out what these are and respecting those views from the outset will give your grandchildren a consistent message and avoid potential conflict. ■ If you feel your grandchildren need discipline while in your care, check with their parents first about what they would do. ■ Think about whether you might need to make some changes to your home before children arrive so it's safe for young exploring children. Make sure things such as dangerous chemicals and sharp or breakable objects are well out of reach. For more information about how to access support, setting boundaries and maintaining a healthy life balance visit www. pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/ grandparents. SUMMER 2019/2020 25

Reality Bites

Instagram fun for great play ideas By Melissa Grant COMING up with ideas to keep the kids entertained at home can be difficult. Children typically get bored of new toys pretty quickly and there are only so many times you can draw and paint together. Also, you don't want to spend a fortune (otherwise you would just go out, right?). This is where Instagram can come in handy. The social network features a number of impressive accounts where creative mums share their best play ideas. Some have attracted hundreds of thousands of followers. The pages feature a wide range of do-it-yourself play ideas, including craft, word building activities, water activities and cardboard modelling. Some even giveaway toys and crafts to followers. Many of the popular pages have been created by mums with backgrounds in early education. Jennifer Simpson started her page @ little_play_ideas while on maternity leave from her early education teaching job. The mother of two, based south of Perth, has more than 129,000 people

Great Instagram accounts to follow for play ideas: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

play_at_home_mummy the_paige_diaries busytoddler toddleractivitiesathome adelines_hearts_and_crafts

following foll fo llow win ing g her he Instagram page. page She says her most popular posts tend to be simply do-it-yourself activities. "A lot of my followers are just like me - parents of preschoolers, looking for ways to keep the kids busy without spending a fortune," she said. "I love sharing ideas that involve using everyday items from around the house because saving money is always a win and I know so many people are going to find it really useful. "My most popular post to date involved spoons and pegs." So how does Jennifer, whose daughters are aged 2 and 5, come up with her play ideas? She says years of teaching have definitely helped give her an understanding of learning through play and early childhood development. "I consider what the girls are interested in or need to work on first, then I create or find an activity to suit," she explained. "So it's really the kids that inspire the activity ideas more than anything else. She started her Instagram page after friends praised the play ideas she had been posting about on her personal account. "I had a lot of mummy friends telling me they found the ideas really useful for their own kids, but felt like I was spamming everyone else with endless baby photos," she said. "So I decided to make a second account under the name @little_play_ ideas to keep all the play activities in one place. "I had no idea it would end up being useful to so many people!"

The Magic of Good Life Farm were a great solace to her. "It had such a profound effect on me as a young person," she says.

By Eliza Henry-Jones GOOD Life Farm is giving young people aged 7-17 amazing opportunities to develop skills that will help them throughout the rest of their lives. Situated on six acres in the lush Yarra Valley, Good Life Farm is home to 58 animals and runs programs where young people can connect with each other, the animals and the environment.

Good Life Farm is home to dogs, horses, donkeys, goats, sheep, alpacas, turkeys, geese, chooks, pigs, axolotl and fish. Currently there are also orphan wood ducks and black ducks. It's managed according to permaculture principals, which revolves around sustainability and self-sufficiency. The Good Life Farm program is all about grassroots healing. "We show them [the young people] that we can live alongside things. We don't have to impose ourselves on anything. We can just let things be. "

There is a wealth of evidence that indicates the benefits of gardening, being around animals and being in experiential learning environments across physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing. In the programs that utilize these things, magic happens. "I love seeing the wonder in their eyes when piglets are born or when we talk around the environment or we visit s a waterfall. I love the excitement and enthusiasm when they connect -to an animal, a person and the land," Lesley explains. "Children need to connect to nature and animals." The programs run at Good Life Farm are for a diverse range of young people - anyone who wants to engage with the animals, place and people. "We have 26 SUMMER 2019/2020

young people on the spectrum, young people who are homeschooled and those who've fallen through the gaps. We don't discriminate. People come for many different reasons," Founder and Manager Lesley Porter explains. "Time

out for building confidence, self esteem. Some are being bullied some are being bullies." Lesley herself connected with horses and the environment at a riding school in Healesville at a young age and they

Good Life Farm also provides morning tea and lunch for young people, with the aim of reducing their sugar intake, reducing waste and teaching the young people about homegrown food. Good Life Farm works closely with services such as Anglicare, CareConnect and other services, who refer young people to the farm. "Kids need experiential learning. Some of the young people we have really struggle to sit in classrooms - they game all day," Lesley says. "We need more hands on programs." www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

Reality Bites

Gardening over summer with your kids By Eliza Henry-Jones THOSE summer holidays are stretching ahead. Lots of family gatherings, beach trips, mosquito bites, sunburn and icy pole fingers. Summer is also prime gardening season and you might be surprised at what you can grow! You don't need a giant backyard (although, that definitely doesn't hurt). Gardening has been linked to improved mental health, immunity and mood. Getting your kids involved in gardening is a great move for the entire family. It can be daunting working out Ask yourself (or your kids!) what do your kids love eating? Strawberries? Lettuce? Carrots? That can be a great place to start on your gardening journey. What you can plant over summer around Melbourne: Amaranth, Basil Beans, Beetroo, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussel's Sprouts, Cabbage, Capsicum, Carrot, Chicory, Chilli, Chives, Coriander, Cucumber, Eggplant, Endive Fennel, Kohl Rabi, Leek, Lettuce, Mustard, Greens, Okra, Onion,

Oregano, Parsley, Parsnip, Pumpkin, Radish, Rocket, Rockmelon, Shallot, Siverbeet, Squash, Sunflower, Swede, Sweet Corn, Tomato, Turnip, Watermelon What you need: ■ Seeds or seedlings Seeds can be purchased online through places such as The Diggers Club and Backyard Seeds. Generally, local nurseries will also have a selection. You may prefer to start with seedlings rather than growing seeds from scratch. Seedlings can be purchased from local nurseries and local farmer's markets. ■ Punnets Some seeds require being started in punnets rather than sowing directly in the garden. For these seeds, you'll need punnets and somewhere sunny and warm. Punnets can me made using things like toilet paper rolls, empty milk cartons and even rolled up newspaper. You can also purchase them at nurseries and hardware stores. ■ Good soil Start seeds in seed raising mix. This will give you the best germination rate. Make sure beds (or pots!) have lots of well-rotted organic matter and give

them a dig over to loosen up the soil and prepare the bed. ■ Mulch Mulching will help keep weeds at bay and also plant beds moist and this means less need for watering. There are lots of options for mulch! Consider the "miles" involved in getting mulch to your garden. While sugar can mulch is popular, it all has to be transported down from Queensland. Straw or pea straw is also a good option. Some people will even lay newspaper or cardboard down around their plants. ■ Watering can/hose A hose or watering can will help you keep those seedlings hydrated. Be careful watering seedlings when they're very young as it's easy to damage them with too much water pressure. For the same reason, try not to water seeds after planting until they've germinated moisten soil when you plant them and then cover them so they stay moist. ■ Gardening gloves Gardening gloves are a must especially for children! Most potting mixes advise avoiding contact with bare skin and there are all sorts of creepy crawlies in the garden.

■ Trowel You'll need a trowel for preparing beds for your seedlings and even digging up weeds. Trowels are inexpensive and a very handy and versatile gardening too. TOP TIPS Start small. If you're new to growing things focus on a few plants and see how you go before investing in more. Follow growing instructions on seed packets or pot labels. If something says grow in winter, chances are it's not going to thrive in summer One of the most eco-friendly ways to deal with slugs and snails in the garden is to head out with torches on a wet night. Pick slugs and snails off plants and either squash them or put them in a bottle full of water with the lid on. Did you know? If you save the root section (and about 2cm above) of a spring onion and leave in water, the top will grow back! Early summer is not too late to grow tomatoes! Pick up a plant from your local nursery, add lots of well-rotted manure or compost to the bed (or pot) and enjoy those delicious fruits.

A Father’s Mental Load JUST

FOR DADS WITH JARRED KELLERMAN MY wife recently shared an excerpt from a comic called “The Mental Load” which has inspired me to write this piece. Before we proceed I feel compelled to clarify that I am not intending to dismiss the experiences of new mothers nor should this be taken as a competition between parents. In fact, good communication and mutual empathy of the difficulties that both www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

parents face is the key to a successful partnership in child rearing. The purpose of this piece is to dispel some myths about the father experience and hopefully give parents some points to discuss if they feel they are having difficulties. “The Mental Load” depicted a story of how new mothers may be viewed as the “managers” of household chores by fathers and that this means they have to organise and execute the majority of the tasks in the home. The need for mothers to remember everything all of the time is referred to as the “mental load” and the comic implies that fathers do not share in this, which may be reinforced if they overlook household chores or rely on their partner to ask for help. While there is a lot to break down with this narrative I thought it best with the limited word count to simply share a story to

demonstrate a fathers “mental load”. At the time my daughter was born I was in charge of a wellbeing department in a mid-sized government school. In my role I managed psychologist referrals, GP appointments, supervised placement students, managed at risk students and supported teaching staff with difficulties in the classroom. None of this disappeared while I was on paternity leave for a week and so in the midst of discovering how to be a father, change nappies and supporting my wife I was also carrying the mental load of work building up in my absence and the safety of students. The comic also showed men returning to work as a sort of fun adventure when in fact for many men returning to work can be difficult as we try to strike a balance between meeting performance requirements at work and

supporting our partners and children at home. If we are away for 40+ hours, it can be difficult to keep track of the rapid developmental changes of our child and we often feel on the outside of the mother / child bond. So what might be seen as reinforcing a “manager” role on the mother may in fact simply be burnout and a lack of continuity. The prevalence of postnatal depression in men could be as high as 10% and so while it is definitely important to recognise the immense pressure that mothers are under, narratives that serve to dismiss the difficulties of new fathers are not helpful. Communication and empathy are the best tools for new parents to survive the storm that is parenthood. - Opinion of Jarred Kellerman, Business Support Manager and Cire Corporate Services SUMMER 2019/2020 27

Reality Bites

Talking about the ‘birds and the bees’ By Melissa Grant

and that they are aware of the consequences."

TALKING to your child about sex and reproduction can be pretty awkward.

But what if your child isn't asking questions about the body and sex as they get older?

Their questions may make you feel uncomfortable, or you might think it's time to 'have the chat' but don't know how to start it. But there are things you can do to make those 'birds and the bees' talks less difficult. First of all, it's important to understand most parents find these conversations tough. Relationships Australia Victoria senior clinician, Jayne Ferguson, says even experts find it difficult to talk to their kids about how babies are made. "It's an anxiety provoking conversation, even for experts," she said. "Even the term the birds and the bees - it's almost our embarrassed way of saying 'let's talk about sex'. "I have kids and I do feel anxious, because kids can ask the most candid and unexpected questions." Those questions may also begin earlier than you anticipate. Many pre-school aged children will ask questions about their body parts and may even ask what sex is. Ms Ferguson says it's best to be open and honest, while giving age appropriate answers. "A five-year-old might ask 'what is sex?' "You can say 'that's a good question, how did you hear about that?' "Maybe they caught a glimpse of a TV show sex scene or someone at kinder said 'my parents have sex'." Asking what prompted the question can help you answer it. When it comes to making babies, all small children really need to know is that when two people love each other they get their bodies together. Ms Ferguson says you may also want to explain that there are other ways to conceive a baby, such as IVF. What you shouldn't do is make your child feel bad for asking a question or avoid answering it. "The minute we close down those conversations they become shameful," Ms Ferguson said. "What we do know is that when kids aren't given the right information they will go searching for it, particularly if they are in their teenage years." They may type their unanswered questions into an internet search engine, a move bound to yield x-rated results you'd prefer them not to see. If your teen is asking questions about sex, then it's important to have a conversation about contraception. "If that's something happening in their peer group you need to be giving cautionary information," Ms Ferguson said. "They need to understand the consequences. The message needs to be that when they are asked to do it, it needs to be something they want to do

Well, it's up to you to bring it up. Relying on sex ed is never a good idea, Ms Ferguson says, as kids can be dismissive of information they learn in the classroom. So how do you broach the topic of baby making? "If you are watching TV or visiting a baby in hospital, it may be appropriate to have a conversation," Ms Ferguson suggests. "Tell your child about their own birth story - as long as you say it with love, kids are more likely to be interested if it's about them." There's also nothing wrong with giving your child a book explaining where babies come from. Once you get the conversation started, it's important to keep it going. That's because there are many topics to cover, including changes to the body during puberty and body safety. As a parent, remember you probably know how much information your son or daughter is ready to digest. "You're much more likely to know what your child will understand," Ms Ferguson explains. "There are no golden rules or specific times about when to have these conversations. "Some parents will find it trickier than others, but you should always have open and honest conversations with your children."

TIPS FOR PARENTS ■ Use appropriate terminology. Referring to the reproductive organs as vaginas and penises from the get-go, makes later conversations easier. ■ Honesty is the best policy. Always be open and honest when your child asks a question about sex or the body. If you aren't sure how to answer, say it's an interesting question and you'll get back to them. ■ Be guided by what your child says and give factual information. ■ Provide age appropriate answers. For children up to five years, for instance, it's appropriate to talk about bodies and how they work. ■ Make body safety part of the conversation. Talk about inappropriate touching and what to do if it happens. ■ Explain that explicit online content is a crime. Your child needs to know that posting 'nudes' can have serious consequences, including criminal convictions. Explaining how babies are made can be awkward.

28 SUMMER 2019/2020

www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

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Books The book to get you

back into play By Danielle Galvin

and my 2-year-old boy was just not interested in doing craft."

LIKE many great ideas, Alice Zsembery's book 'Real Kids, Real Play' was born from a gap in the market.

In her own words, Alice, a maritime engineer and port planner, is not all that creative.

When the Stonnington mum welcomed her second child, she quickly discovered she needed to entertain her 2-year-old son who was climbing the walls as the newborn slept.

That's why she needed a resource she could quickly turn to.

And she wanted a way to keep him engaged that didn't involve a screen. Real Kids, Real Play has more than 150 quick, easy and "old-school" activities to keep 0-5-year-olds busy and stimulate their creativity. "I had a 2-year-old boy literally pulling the house apart and I was stuck with what to do with him," she explained. "Like many parents these days, I bought him everything he could ever want or dream of, under the misconception that would keep him occupied but he wasn't actually engaged or doing any activity. "It was kind of then that I was looking desperately to find something to keep him entertained. "All I could find was books on crafts,

What she wanted was a book that had it all - activities using basic household items that could be quickly and easily set up. "I was looking for a book that had activities I could do at home with him, it was really simple. I was surprised I couldn't find it anywhere," she said. "That was when I really saw a gap for a coffee table book or reference book, where you could be guaranteed you can do the activity and set it up in a few minutes and that it would be engaging. "It was one of those cases of, it doesn't exist and I believe in it strongly so I thought I'll do it myself." Alice says it has been a labour of love creating the book. She tried and tested 200 or more activities with her own kids, determined to ensure that the activities met all of her criteria. "There's so many misconceptions and

Alice with her children Emily and Tom.

pressures on modern day parents," she said. "There's this myth that the more your child has, the better set up they are or that kids need to entertained constantly or that the best toys are the most fancy. "Kids need to exercise their own imagination." The beauty is in the fact that the book is a simple concept - Alice wanted to see a return to the way many of us used to engage in creative, unbridled play. The book has become a resource for early childhood professionals and has been endorsed by Maggie Dent. "There's quite a big market for people like my mum who have to think about entertaining grandkids," she said.

Picture: Rob Carew

"I get a lot of feedback from people that it's how they used to play when they were little - which is really lovely." The other benefit to the book is the fact it finds ways to reuse and recycle basic items. Alice is passionate about the fact that parents sometimes put too much pressure on themselves to get their child every toy - and so often young children end up with a room full of toys they never play with. She believes there's a lot to be said about less is more. Real Kids, Real Play is available in all good bookstores and online at www. realkidsrealplay.com.au

Children’s books...

Disgusting McGrossface

Whitney and Britney Chicken Divas

Pearl The Brave Unicorn

Rove McManus

Lucinda Gifford

TV personality Rove McManus has ventured into the world of children’s books and the result is a bit, well, disgusting. Rove’s story centres around a creature called Disgusting McGrossface, who reeks because he hasn’t bathed for weeks and has a collection of snot-filled tissues. Kids will love the rhyming text in this tale that spells out all kinds of terrible hygiene habits (some of which your child may have). They will also enjoy Rove’s colourful and animated illustrations. Who knew the TV host was such a talented illustrator?

OOPS they did it again - chicks Whitney and Britney have spent another day dozing! The two glamorous chooks snooze from morning until night as they lead a fun, but tiring, secret double life. Every night they head to Club Sparkles where they perform as Whitney and Britney the Chicken Divas. The clucky pair live with the elegant Dora von Dooze, who is totally clueless to why the two chicks spend their days dozing. But will the chicks’ secret unravel when Dora spots some glitter on Whitney’s wing? A fun read for kids aged 3+.

Sally Odgers & Adele K Thomas

Scholastic, RRP $16.99

Scholastic, RRP $17.99

A CUTE tale about a smart unicorn discovering her magical abilities. Pearl the Unicorn and her Ogre friend, Olive, are throwing a surprise birthday party for their friend Tweet the bird. However, not all goes to plan. First Pearl’s magic delivers a wet birthday cake and froggy balloons. And then Olive is a no-show! The search for Olive takes Pearl and Tweet to places they have never been. A peanut trail leads the pair to their dear friend, who has unfortunately been abducted by gobble-uns. Will Olive make it to the party? Scholastic, RRP $12.99

The Odd 1s Out: How to be cool and other things I definitely learned from growing up James Rallison EVER feel like the odd one out? Many kids do at some stage - even the ones who become famous! In this hilarious book, YouTube star James Rallison shares his stories of growing up as the ‘odd one out’. During high school, Rallison wasn’t in the cool crowd. He wasn’t partying or playing footy like his older brother. Instead, he posted comics on the web. Now Rallison is an internet sensation, with his YouTube channel ‘The Odd 1s Out’ amassing over 11 million subscribers. A funny read for tweens and teens about the trials and tribulations of growing up.

A Flair for Hair By Bilyana & Mauro Di Costanzo A FUN book about expressing yourself through hair styles. Each page features an amusing caricature-style illustration of an animal with it’s chosen hairdo, including a camel with buzz cut and a lion with a curling iron. This lovely children’s book is an excellent early reader for both girls and boys due to the high frequency of easy words and rhymes. A Flair for Hair is both an enjoyable and educational book for ages 3+. New Holland Publishers support the Starlight Children’s Foundation New Holland, RRP $19.99

Scholastic, RRP $19.99 30 SUMMER 2019/2020

www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

Kids Calendar

What's on

this summer

■ Tuesday 7 January - Saturday 25 January @ The Memo Healesville, 235 Maroondah Hwy Healesville

15 - 16 FEBRUARY

Sunday 8 December 10:30am - Emerald Studio

■ Monday 13 January - Saturday 25 January @ Mooroolbark Community Centre, 125 Brice Ave Mooroolbark

Sunday 8 December 4pm - Ferntree Gully Studio

https://www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/ Experience/Events/NGV-Kids-on-Tour

Burrinja Theatre

16 - 19 JANUARY

The 5km foam fest is a fun run with a difference. Tackle 22+ obstacles including mud pits, the world’s largest inflatable water slide. Open to adults and children over 8 (under 12 must run with an adult). There’ll be delicious food, a beer garden and a free zone for kids under 7!

NOVEMBER - 29 DECEMBER

For ages 3+. There are three shows across the two days.

Santa’s Magical Kingdom Caulfield Racecourse

Saturday 7 December 2pm - Yarra Valley Studio & Inter/Senior

Now in its eighth year, this much-loved family event marks the start of the festive season for many. Running until 29 December, Santa’s Magical Kingdom’s delightful walkthrough wonderland includes Snowland, a meeting with Santa, Gingerbread Land, a Christmas Circus Spectacular Show and unlimited rides, plus plenty more! As always, Rudolph’s birthday will also be celebrated at Santa’s Magical Kingdom. Visit www.santasmagicalkingdom.com. au

NOVEMBER - 29 DECEMBER Lynley Dodd Exhibition Yarra Ranges Museum The Lynley Dodd Story is a familyfriendly exhibition coming to the Yarra Ranges Museum in Lilydale. It will showcase original illustrations from the world-renowned author and illustrator of the Hairy Maclary and Friends™ book series. The exhibition is curated around 11 of Dodd’s characters.

Cnr Glenfern Road and Matson Drive Upwey https://www.burrinja.org.au/

10 DECEMBER Sensitive Santa @ Emerald Library A free event specifically for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other sensory issues. They’ll have the opportunity to meet Santa in a sensoryfriendly environment and take home a USB of photographs. Bookings are essential. Siblings welcome. 11:30am - 7:30pm Emerald Library

5k Foam Fest

CherryHill Orchard’s Lunar New Year Festival

Wandin Park Estate

CherryHill Orchards is celebrating the Lunar New Year at their orchard! There’ll be exciting Lunar New Year entertainment including lion dancing shows, traditional drumming demonstrations, Kung Fu demonstrations and stunning calligraphy show. There’ll be Asian inspired workshops for children and adults, delicious food and plenty of cherries to buy. Tickets and further information on the website.

https://the5kfoamfest.com/australia/

305 Victoria Rd, Wandin North

23 FEBRUARY

400A Belgrave-Gembrook Rd, Emerald

9am - 5pm

https://www.cclc.vic.gov.au/event/ sensitive-santa-2/

480 Queens Road Wandin

Breastfeeding Education Class

https://cherryhill.com.au/

10am - 4pm daily (excluding public holidays)

A four-hour workshop style class including refreshments, handouts, local resources and other goodies. Participants must join the Australian Breastfeeding Association before the workshop.

Yarra Ranges Regional Museum

10am - 1:30pm

35 - 37 Castella Street, Lilydale

Rolling Hills Playgroup Rooms

culturetracks.info

54-56 Landscape Drive Mooroolbark

7 DECEMBER

Tickets via eventbrite.

Superhero Saturday The perfect event for your walkers through to four-year-olds! Dress up as your favourite superhero. There’ll be a real life superhero, games, yummy food and lots of fun. Tickets available through eventbrite.

14 DECEMBER

9:30am - 10:30am

Queens Park, 36 Don Road Healesville

The Parents Hub 168 Manchester Road, Mooroolbark

7 - 8 DECEMBER Kreationz End of Year Showcase Kreationz Cheer and Dance presents its End of Year Showcases. Each Showcase will feature students from Kreationz Emerald, Ferntree Gully and Yarra Valley Studios performing in styles such as Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Contemporary, Hip Hop and Cheerleading. Runtime is 180 minutes with 20 minute interval. www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

Healesville Community Carols Fun community carol event for the whole family! 6:30pm - 10pm

7 - 25 JANUARY NGV Kids on Tour A collection of fun events for kids around the Yarra Valley these school holidays. The activities are tailored around the 2020 theme of PLAYTIME. Adult supervision is required for children under 12. There are various events around the area: ■ Tuesday 7 January - Saturday 25 January @ Arts Centre Warburton, 3409 Warburton Hwy Warburton

23 JANUARY - 26 JANUARY

16 - 17 MARCH

Watch fabulous movies under the stars at the Lilydale Showgrounds! $5 for children and $10 for adults which includes access to the movie, bar and entertainment. Gates open at 7pm. Bring along blankets, small chairs, food and water. No soft drink or alcohol is permitted. The Toyota Lounge is the VIP seating area that includes a reserved area, a bean bed and small popcorn for just $20. Tickets via eventbrite.

RAISING BOYS/RAISING GIRLS WITH STEVE BIDDULPH

■ Toy Story 4

The following night, hear Steve’s powerful, funny and moving talk to help you raise your daughter to be wise, warm, and strong. The five stages of girlhood. The importance of dads. The special role of aunties.

23 January 7pm - 11:30 pm ■ Aladdin 24 January 7pm - 11:30 pm ■ Big Hero 6 25 January 7pm - 11:30pm ■ Red Dog 26 January 7pm - 11:30 pm

Come and hear Steve’s world famous talk, covering boys of all ages. How to raise sons who are kind, confident, and safe. Boys and school, housework, so much more. On Monday 16 March 2020 at 7pm, Manningham Function Centre, Doncaster.

On Tuesday 17 March 2020 at 7pm at the same location. Visit https://www.stevebiddulph.com for more information. SUMMER 2019/2020 31

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32 SUMMER 2019/2020

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