AUTUMN 2020
Big bucket list of
fun outdoor activities How to
find your village Dealing with
horse obsessed kids
About Us
A golden time of year HI everyone! Welcome to autumn, a beautiful but busy time of year! Those stunning golden leaves will soon start falling and we've well and truly fallen back into the routine of daycare, kinder and school. For me, things have been a bit busier than usual. I've just returned from a second round of maternity leave and it's been a crazy time juggling two little kids with work! To be honest, I'm pretty bleary-eyed. However, I'm enjoying the snuggles and all those little milestones with our boy as
he is definitely our last. While it was an easy decision for my husband and I to stop at two children (we both only wanted two max!), for others it isn't as simple. In fact, it can be agonising and a major source of conflict. So how do you know if you're done having kids? We explore this very topic with a renowned marriage and family therapist on page 22. There's plenty more great stories offering interesting and useful advice in this edition. We've got great tips for dealing with horse obsessed kids, advice for broaching the often difficult conversation about death with your
children, and some suggestions about how to find your own village. Also, renowned author and psychologist Steve Biddulph returns with an insightful piece about how to raise boys with backbone and heart. There's so much to love about this issue and we hope you enjoy reading it as much as the team have enjoyed putting it together. Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Yarra Ranges Kids magazine is a Mail News Group publication. Yarra Ranges Kids will be published quarterly prior to each of the school holidays.
Yarra Ranges Kids 244 Maroondah Highway, Healesville, Vic 3777 Phone: 5957 3700 Fax: 5957 3777
CONTENTS
Editorial
Born to party
Melissa Grant melissa.grant@starnewsgroup. com.au Phone: 5945 0666
PAGE 21
Advertising
REALITY BITES
Kerri Shinkfield
When homely environments matter PAGE 14
How to know you're done having kids
Phone: 5957 3700
EDUCATION
PAGE 22
Horses healing troubled kids
Big bucket list of outdoor activities
PAGE 4
PAGE 22
PAGE 15
Dealing with horse obsessed kids
Community matters at Smart Reader
A world made from a child's imagination
PAGE 5
PAGE 15
PAGE 23
How to find your village
Getting the kids to school on time
Local author on writing about families
PAGE 6
PAGE 16
PAGE 23
Victoria's top baby names
Learning is fun at gymbaROO
Juggling mum life with farm life
PAGE 6
PAGE 16
PAGE 24
Hills inspire top author
An excellent education with passion and skill
Just For Dads - Gaming Fun
PAGE 7 Free car seat checks
PAGE 17
PAGE 7
Space to grow at Swinburne
BOOKS
Little locals loving language
PAGE 18
Teaching children about sounds
PAGE 8
All about community
PAGE 26
Easter comes to Caribbean Market
PAGE 19
Children's books
PAGE 10
Scattering kindness
PAGE 26
Pre-loved gold at Pipsqueakz
PAGE 19
PAGE 11
CALENDAR
Big bucket list of
Kids calendar
fun outdoor activities
Tech agreements for families
ENTERTAINMENT
How to
PAGE 11
Fruit through the seasons
PAGE 27
IT'S YOUR LIFE Ryan the roadside drummer
Scientists develop peanut allergy vaccine PAGE 13 Busting pelvic floor myths
PAGE 3 Dads create life saving device PAGE 3 Steve Biddulph on raising kind boys PAGE 4
Talking about death with kids
PAGE 14
PARTY TIME
Why I'll only have two children
HEALTH
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.
Cover Henry at the Alfred Nicholas Gardens in Sherbrooke. Picture: Rob Carew
AUTUMN 2020
PAGE 24
find your village
PAGE 20
Dealing with
horse obsessed kids
Gymnastics for all levels
PAGE 12
kerri.shinkfield@mailnewsgroup.com.au
PAGE 20
Healthy eating with Susie Burrell PAGE 13
Ticket giveaway for The Gruffalo's Child We are giving away a family pass for four people to see The Gruffalo's Child live on stage! Join the Gruffalo's Child on her adventurous mission in this magical musical adaptation of the much-loved picture book. The Gruffalo's Child brings together physical theatre, music and puppetry to deliver songs, laughs and scary fun for children aged 3 and up, and their adults. You can catch the show at the Atheneum Theatre on 28-29 March and 3-4 April. For your chance to win the family pass, visit www.yarrarangeskids.com.au/competitions
yarrarangeskids.com.au 2 AUTUMN 2020
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instagram.com/yarraranges_kids www.yarrarangeskids.com.au
It’s Your Life
Ryan the roadside drummer By Jed Lanyon SIX-YEAR-OLD Ryan Harris has captivated Healesville residents with his roadside drumming antics. Keen-eyed locals commuting home along the Maroondah Highway outside Healesville have spotted Ryan drumming his heart out on the back of a trailer. The sight of Ryan with his tongue poking out, intent on smashing away at his drum kit elicits many beeps from passing motorists, while others curiously pullover to grab a video or even offer him money. But the sounds of the bustling highway and peak hour traffic go unnoticed to the drumming phenom, equipped with a pair of headphones. Ryan’s dad, Jake Harris, says he takes him out along the highway sometimes twice a week in order to get his drumming fix. “People will drive past and will stop and go, ‘what the hell are you doing?’ ... It seems a bit strange, but I guess we’re just used to it now.” The Harris family recently welcomed baby Lachie into the world, putting Ryan’s love for drumming in jeopardy in fears of disrupting the sleep of his five-month-old brother. “If we couldn’t do this, we probably wouldn’t play. It would be too much of a disturbance. I know some people do anyway and they don’t care about their neighbours, but for us it really enables us to play and not stress about upsetting anyone.” And when the pair does drum at home, they use mesh coverings to suppress the noise created by the instrument. Ryan’s mum, Simonette Harris, said that her son is often mistaken as a busker by drivers pulling over offering to give him money. But they are quick to assure them that he’s just here to master his craft.
Ryan Harris playing his drums beside the busy Maroondah Highway.
“It’s important that he’s not keeping him (Lachie) up all day. But it’s also important that Ryan continues to practice consistently, so we don’t want either of them to be disrupted,” she said. Ryan loves to blast away to his own beat or will listen to music and follow along until he’s worn out. Mr Harris said that the highway is one of many locations he’ll take Ryan, another being tucked away in the Black Spur. Mr Harris said his own passion for drumming was quickly taken up by Ryan from a young age. “Ever since Ryzee (Ryan) was a little boy, from about nine months, he’d grab the sticks and sit on my lap and start playing a rhythm straight away.
Picture: Jed Lanyon
“I bought him a little drum kit, but it’s just way too loud to play in the house. I myself use to go to out and do it.” The family were surprised by the reactions from locals online after they had seen Ryan in action. “What made me feel good is that it made others feel good. There were a couple comments from people about how they’d had a really crappy day at work and he’d come home and see Ryan playing and that it’d put him in the best mood for the rest of the night,” Ms Harris said. Others commented that they had been inspired to share music with their own children.
Jake Harris and Ryan Harris.
Picture: Jed Lanyon
Upon hearing of the Mail’s story online, an audio engineering student reached out to offer her school’s studio for Ryan to use for practice.
Melbourne dads create life saving device By Danielle Galvin
It’s almost like a voice inside your head to check the back seat.”
A group of Melbourne dads have joined forces to create a device they hope will save the lives of Australian children. Father-of-two Andrew Orkin is one of the brains behind the Clever Elly device, a dual USB charger that plugs in to your car and reminds you each time you turn your car off to check the back seat. It's hoped the Clever Elly will prevent parents from accidentally leaving their child in a car, which can have fatal consequences. There are 10 different verbal reminders on rotation. The concept is simple, but Mr Orkin said it's all about building a "life-saving habit". "It's almost like a voice inside your head to check the back seat," Mr Orkin said. "It's become a simple, inexpensive device." www.yarrarangeskids.com.au
From left, Alex Vashchenko, Andrew Orkin and Sluv Yerusalimsky. Picture: Rob Carew
Mr Orkin and two of his friends from high-school developed the device and believe every car should be fitted with the technology to remind parents and grandparents alike. "The same way we put on a seatbelt, we should have this," he said. During their research, the Melbourne dads discovered how easy it is for parents on auto-pilot to suffer from a memory lapse, and forget their child is still strapped in their car seat. He said for some parents, it's hard to
come to terms with the fact that none of us are immune to these sorts of memory lapses. It was an experience of his own that spurred him on to develop the Clever Elly. "It's a good habit, it's a habit everyone needs to have," he said. "What happened to me was I had a phone call from work and I was driving to my kid to daycare. I took a phone call and it was intense and during the call, I realised I had started driving to work. "I only realised by accident, my son
made a sound in the back. "It was a series of unfortunate and unlikely circumstances that can happen." He said the long term goal is to make it standard in the automotive industry to have some sort of reminder to parents The technology is there, but he said there has to be a market for it. "We don't want to make money off it, we just want to change the industry I guess," he said. "The same way seatbelts took decades to introduce, this is a worthy device." AUTUMN 2020 3
It’s Your Life
Raising boys with backbone and heart By Steve Biddulph I'M sitting in a room with 200 mothers of boys. It's an all day workshop and we have enough time to really dig deep into what makes some boys turn out well, and some to go off the rails. I start off in an unusual way - I ask the women a question: What would be their idea of a perfect man? Now, in a room full of young mothers - in fact, any women really - this is a question that leads to some ribald humour. But then we get serious, and I write on a huge whiteboard what they call out. Soon we have a list of about 40 qualities. They range from kind, gentle, loving, thoughtful, through to trustworthy, honest, loyal, calm under pressure, and many more.There is something very poignant and moving about some of these answers. I'm aware that some of these women are describing things that their present or former partners may not have been. Many women have had painful and hurtful experiences of the men in their lives, though plenty, of course, have positive and good partners (perhaps just needing a few tweaks!) The reason I do this exercise is that for parents of sons, it's very important to know where you are going long-term with raising them to be good men. The qualities we see in good men are there for one reason alone - somebody raised them to be that way. In fact, there are really just two main qualities
boys and men need to have: Backbone and heart. Heart is what we most often think of first with goodness - being kind-hearted, caring, patient, helpful, warm, affectionate. And also open-hearted able to talk about sorrow, fears, hurts and concerns, in an open way. For most of the 20th century, men weren't able to do this and so were often a kind of walking time bomb, either frustrating to be around, or dangerous, since you felt their moods but couldn't talk about or work through them.The second quality that we want to and can instil in our sons (and equally our daughters of course) is backbone. Once in a school I saw a small boy stand up for his friend against some huge bullies. He was not strong or tough, but he knew that bullying was wrong, and it lent him courage. And in fact the bullies backed away, something about that small boy's moral courage got through to them. That is my idea of backbone. Doing what is right. It also includes being trustworthy - keeping one's word, showing up, being reliable. Not quitting when things get difficult. We can actively talk about these things and teach our sons how to do them. In the recent running scandals about private school boys' behaviour and attitudes towards women and girls on public transport, it seems to me that these kids had not been given these messages at home, at least not enough
As parents, we all have different ideas for what it takes to raise kind boys.
to stand up or stand apart from the mob behaviour. To turn out well, our boys need to be given enough love and care to be empathetic themselves. To be taught by fathers and mothers to treat others with respect, and see their dads doing that - being warm-hearted, being self-sacrificing, being strong and reliable. Having the conversations right from little boys (or girls) about what a good human being actually looks like,
and behaves like. So one day their partners will smile and say 'I married a good man'. And thank their parents for raising them that way. Steve Biddulph is the author of Raising Boys, and The New Manhood. He is visiting Melbourne just a few times this year, so be sure to catch one of his life-changing evenings for dads and mums. www.stevebiddulph.com
How horses can help heal troubled children By Eliza Henry-Jones
way that is non-confronting. Horses encourage children to reflect honestly on their behaviour and thoughts and to develop skills they may otherwise be resistant to developing.
THERE'S something pretty wonderful about spending time with horses. Spend time with any horse person and you're sure to hear all sorts of things - the way a horse smells, the softness of their eyes and the sight of them coming across the paddock to greet their humans. But there's science behind the fuzzy-feelings. Being around horses can help us to heal.
What happens in a session?
What is Equine assisted therapy? Equine assisted therapy involves utilising horses in therapy sessions through activities such as leading, obstacle course building, brushing and riding, as well as working with and observing loose horses. Some equine assisted therapy also involves riding horses. Equine assisted therapy has been used to treat issues such as eating disorders, anxiety, PTSD and depression. Why does it work for troubled kids? Children who have been brought up in 4 AUTUMN 2020
Being around horses can help children to heal.
challenging situations often struggle to regulate their emotions - an issue that can be carried well into adulthood and have big consequences. Equine assisted therapy allows children to connect with these emotions, to become aware of them and then work to regulate them. Children may also find it hard to
concentrate on tasks, relate to their peers and communicate. Horses are the perfect partners for this sort of learning because they are herd animals and respond to emotional cues. Children may also project their stories onto the horses, which allows them to explore challenging situations and issues in a
What happens in a session will vary depending on who's running it and what their preferred therapeutic model is. Some activities might include a general check-in to see how kids are feeling (this might be done with feeling cards or feeling toys) and then time spent with the horses, both individually and in a group. Some clinicians may encourage children to practice mindfulness or be around the horses without using their hands or with a blindfold on. Activities with horses can be tailored to the areas the individual needs to work on. Horses surprise us. They will patiently listen while a child whispers secrets into their ears. Horses prone to wild misbehaviour will become docile with a child who really needs them. There's something so special about horses. www.yarrarangeskids.com.au
It’s Your Life
Dealing with horse obsessed kids By Eliza Henry-Jones EVERYONE knows that one child who loves horses more than anything else in the universe. Perhaps you went to school with them and they tried to get everyone acting out the Melbourne Cup in the schoolyard. Perhaps you had to share a room with one growing up and had fiery arguments about them taking down the life-sized stable they'd constructed in the middle of the room. Perhaps you're married to one, watching in anguish as the number of horses in the paddock keeps increasing, as if by magic. Perhaps you're parenting one, watching in alarm as the walls of their bedroom disappear under a tide of horse photos. On road trips they beg to stop and pat anything remotely resembling a horse. This begging is undertaken with a sort of urgency usually reserved for lost limbs or collapsing houses. If you're the parent of a horse obsessed child, we've got some tips for you. What's a hand? A hand is a form of measurement. A horse's height is from the ground to the wither (point between their neck and back). A hand equals four inches or ten centimetres. Ponies are classified as being under 14.2 hands high. How much does keeping a horse cost? Parents of horse-obsessed children may fall into the trap of believing that the greatest cost of owning a horse is the initial purchase. These poor souls are very mistaken. Horses require ongoing costs. How much does a horse cost to buy? Depending on many factors, the price will vary dramatically from $500
www.yarrarangeskids.com.au
upwards. Generally, around $2000 will get you a nice, quiet pony for your child to learn to ride on.
($15-$20) and annual vaccinations ($40).
Do I need to buy lots of gear?
There are specialist equine veterinary practices in the Yarra Ranges. Other practices offer mixed practice - meaning that they deal with both small and large animals.
■ Dandenong Ranges Pony Club
How do I get around?
■ Monbulk Pony Club
In the good old days, horses got themselves from a to b on their own four hooves. Now, however, they require their own transport. You can hire a float for a reasonable cost, but make sure to check your car's towing capacity carefully. If you want to buy a float, you can get a basic secondhand float for $3000 or so.
■ Macclesfield Pony Club
How much gear or 'tack' you decide to buy with your horse is up to you. You will definitely need brushes (which are relatively cheap - you can get a kit for $20). You will also need a halter, lead rope and - if you want to ride - a correctly fitting bridle, saddle, saddle blanket and girth. The Yarra Ranges area has lots of great equestrian retailers and there are also specialty horse markets and car boot sales that run throughout the area. How much does horse feed cost? Generally, horses will require additional feeding throughout winter (and sometimes throughout the year). This becomes more likely as they age. Feed is a mix of grass hay and lucerne, chaff and pellets (which can be tailored to your horses needs). Generally, a 20kg bag of pellets will cost you about $20-$30 and a bail of grass hay will be $15-$20. How quickly they go through the feed depends on age, breed, size, their living conditions and how much work they're in. They need the dentist HOW often? Horses require regular dental care - at least annually. Horse's teeth are continuously growing and so require filing down to stop sharp edges forming. Dentists generally charge roughly $100 per horse. What happens to their feet? Like their teeth, a horse's hooves are continuously growing and require attention from a farrier, generally every six-eight weeks. You'll pay roughly $50 per horse for a hoof trim and $100-$200 for a full set of horse shoes. Do they need vaccinating and worming? Horses require quarterly worming
What happens if they get sick?
If you're rethinking purchasing a horse for your horse-obsessed child, you're in luck! The Yarra Ranges happens to be one of the most prolific horse centres in the country and there are plenty of options to keep your children happily involved in all things equine. Riding lessons Often, riding centres will offer programs that happen throughout school term or on the school holidays. Riding lessons are great because you don't have to worry about the upkeep or expenses associated with horse ownership. Some local riding schools include: ■ Ranges Equestrian Centre (Yellingbo) ■ Beltain Park Horse Riding Centre (Seville) ■ Wandin Riding Academy (located Wandin North) ■ Broadway Park Equestrian (Gruyere) Pony Club All pony clubs across the area are run under the Pony Club Association of Victoria. While it's generally a place for children who have access to a horse to ride, some clubs offer Riders Without
Horses programs, where children will be able to make friends with likeminded folk, spend time with horses and learn lots of practical and theoretical horse facts. Some local pony clubs include: ■ Seville Pony Club ■ Lilydale and Mooroolbark Pony Club
■ Doongala Pony Club Trail Riding So, it might be the case that you quite like horses too (not enough to buy one, but STILL). You want to share the experience with your child. Trail riding is a great way to spend time as a family around horses without the intensity of riding lessons. The Yarra Ranges offers stunning trail riding and doesn't require the continuity of riding lessons. Some places for trail rides: ■ Yarra Valley Trails (Christmas Hills) ■ Dandenong Ranges Trails (Kilsyth) Events There are lots of events happening across the Yarra Ranges throughout the year. These local events are free for spectators. Some events coming up include: ■ 9 March Moomba Show Jumping @ Dandenong Ranges Pony Club, Belgrave South ■ 14 March Yeringberg Horse Trials @ "Yeringberg", Coldstream ■ 15 March Combined Training & Dressage @ Doongala Adult Riding Club, Kilsyth ■ 20 March Australian Eventing Championships @ Wandin Park, Wandin North ■ 28 March Freshman's @ Wyena Pony Club, Warrandyte South ■ 26 April Dressage Jackpot @ Upper Yarra Pony Club, Wesburn
AUTUMN 2020 5
It’s Your Life
How to find your own village By Eliza Henry-Jones ISOLATION and loneliness are increasing problems for people in Australia, with one in four of us feeling lonely. In fact, young, single parents are particularly at risk of social isolation, with 38 per cent of men and 18 per cent of women impacted. Isolation and loneliness sometimes overlap but are separate issues. Loneliness is a more subjective and personal experience, while isolation is more quantifiable - linking to how many people you interact with. For instance, you can be isolated by not lonely, or lonely but not isolated. As parents - and people in our own right - it's vital for us to find our village, the people who make up the fabric of our lives. Finding a village for ourselves and our children can be exhausting, difficult work. One thing to keep in mind is that people don't need to be in your life for hours every week to be important parts of your life. Think of the people in you and your children's lives as a tapestry even if people write a letter every few months, call once a fortnight or take your children out for a day in the school holidays, it all counts. It all adds up into something beautiful and vital. Where have your friends come from? Take a look at your friends - your village. Where did you make those friends? Perhaps you met them at school or grew up together because your parents were friends. Perhaps you met them at a book club or a car club or while playing sports. Perhaps you met them through mutual friends or perhaps you ran into each other at the doctor's office and started chatting. Chances are, you've made friends before and you can definitely do it again. Where do we learn how to make friends? You've learnt a lot about making and maintaining friendships from your family. Are there similarities between how your parents conduct their social lives and how you conduct yours? Or do
It’s vital for parents to find their village, the people who make up the fabric of their lives.
you seem to make friends in a way very distinct from your parents? It's useful to reflect on where your approach to friendship comes from. Making friends and creating a village for yourself and your children is not only a wonderful thing to do short-term, it also shows children how to foster and maintain healthy friendships as they move into adulthood. How can we make a village for our children and ourselves? Be open. Notice the people around you and the ones that you interact with. Put down your phone/laptop/tablet and engage with the people around you. If people reach out to you, recognise it and (if you can) reciprocate. Go and have that cup of coffee; take your child for that play date at the park. Be vulnerable. This doesn't mean spilling all of your darkest secrets the moment you meet someone but it does mean putting yourself out there. Strike up conversations with people - they might be someone working at your local cafe, another parent at the school gate, someone who works with you. Ask them
to grab a coffee with you. Get out there. Love reading? Join a book club. Want to learn to sew? Go to a local community house. Have a child who loves swimming? Take them to the pool. Engage with your passions and your community. Cyber-friends. Social media has been linked to our increasing sense of loneliness, but it can also help us to connect. Join Facebook groups, particularly local ones, and do a call-out for people who might like to catch up. Find other people who share your values or interests. Don't take things personally. If you're feeling lonely or isolated, it's easy to believe that people don't want to spend time with you. If a parent at the school gate says they don't have time to talk that day, remind yourself that it's very unlikely to be about you. Everyone has a lot of things going on in their lives. Reconnect. While there can be reasons we lose touch with people, sometimes it's worth reconnecting. Reflect on the people you've been close to over the
past few years and consider reconnecting with those who you'd like to see more of. This might be school friends, family or old neighbours. Recognise. We're all unique people. We might want friends who message us every day, or see us weekly, while other people might find that this is far too intense. People may not be able to support you or see you as often as you'd like, recognise that everyone has their own stories and lives and that, chances are, they're doing the best they can. Ask questions. Get to know people. Time is so precious, it's a wonderful thing to spend your time actively listening to someone and asking about their lives. Small things. Friendships need to be maintained. Send messages, write letters and make phone calls. Offer to pick up someone's groceries if they're sick, send a card on their birthday. Let people know you're thinking of them however makes sense to you, even if you don't have time for frequent catch-ups.
Victoria’s favourite baby names revealed By Danielle Galvin THE most popular Victorian baby boys and girls names have been revealed with Oliver and Olivia once again topping the list. According to the Births, Deaths and Marriages Register, there were 419 Olivias born in 2019 and 537 Olivers born. Both choices have been high on the list for the past decade. Charlotte, Mia and Amelia continue to be popular girls' names for the ninth consecutive year in a row, while Jack, William and Noah have continued to place in the top five baby names for boys since 2014. Acting Attorney-General Ben Carroll says choosing a name can be tricky. "The birth of a baby is a wonderful 6 AUTUMN 2020
Our favourite baby names have changed little over the past decade.
and special time for parents - but settling on what little bub will be named is not always an easy decision." he said. "It's always fascinating to learn why parents have chosen a particular name for their child, whether it is because they
Top 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
boys names for 2019 Oliver Jack Noah William Thomas Leo Lucas Charlie Henry Ethan
Top 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
girls names for 2019 Olivia Mia Charlotte Amelia Isla Ava Chloe Zoe Ruby Harper
simply like the name, or because it has cultural or significant family ties." All births in Victoria must be registered with Births, Deaths and Marriages, which can now be done online at www.bdm.vic.gov.au. www.yarrarangeskids.com.au
It’s Your Life
Hills a major influence for top author By Eliza Henry-Jones
complex, flawed and utterly engaging characters.
ALISON Evans is the acclaimed and award winning author of the young adult novels Ida, Highway Bodies and their recently released, Euphoria Kids.
Alison is a fierce advocate for diversity in fiction.
"I grew up in Emerald and then moved to Monbulk when I was 13," Alison tells me. "The place in Emerald was 12 acres of bushland so I grew up kind of wandering around that which was really fun. Growing up in Monbulk, just surrounded by trees and forest and everything. I can't not write about it." The hills continue to influence Alison's work. I read Alison's debut novel, Ida, years ago and was entranced by the beautiful writing, the very visceral Dandenong Ranges setting and the
There is immense value in fiction as beautiful, vivid and imaginative as Alison's. Alison's novels stay with you long after you've finished reading and aren't afraid of weaving in the mystical and the surreal. Their latest novel, Euphoria Kids, is playful, magical and positive. "It's deliberately about the good side of being trans," Alison says. "I know gender dysphoria is more talked about in relation to being trans and I think that can be harmful. I want to focus my work on gender euphoria." Alison started working on Euphoria
Anecdotal evidence suggests two thirds of car seats are incorrectly fitted.
Free car seat checks VICTORIAN parents can now access free car seat fittings and safety checks.Professional fitters are inspecting child car seats to make sure they're installed and being used correctly.
greater if a child is seated in a poorly installed restraint.
The free car seat fittings and safety checks will take place across council areas at numerous locations including neighbourhood houses and community centres.
"The data tells us that kids are far more likely to be injured if they're in a poorly-installed restraint. That's why it's crucial they are in seats that are checked by the experts," Health MInister Jenny Mikakos said.
Parents and carers are also provided with information on how to check whether their precious cargo is travelling safely. The initiative comes after worrying data revealed around 70 per cent of child car restraints are not fitted or used correctly - making injury up to seven times more likely. Kidsafe Victoria data revealed the risk of life-threatening injuries in a car accident can be four to six times www.yarrarangeskids.com.au
Alison Evans grew up in the hills.
Kids after the 2017 marriage plebiscite.
kids to be aware of.
"I was quite depressed and so I decided to write a book about all of my favourite things. Euphoria Kids is about three trans kids who have loving families who support them. A witch curses one and they have to help each other."
"They just need support," says Alison. "They can be an at-risk group. With support, suicidal ideation goes down 80 per cent. Do research, talk to other parents. But just love your kids. Believe what they say."
Diversity in fiction is vital not only for the people being represented, but for everyone else. I ask Alison what they'd love for parents of trans and non-binary
Euphoria Kids is suitable for readers 12+ and can be picked up at your favourite Yarra Ranges bookshop. Website https://www. alisonwritesthings.com/
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. Our beautiful rooms are located a 1 McGrettons Road, Healesville with easy access and parking available
On average, six children under the age of 13 are killed and around 160 are seriously injured in vehicles on Victorian roads each year.
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Alison, who is non-binary and 29 years old, now lives close to the city but grew up in the hills.
"I never saw myself in fiction and it was really lonely," Alison says. "I guess that's the reason why I write the characters that I do, so that teens know that they're not alone."
"I urge all parents and carers to take advantage of this landmark program - it will help keep kids safe and give them the important peace of mind that their children are properly secured." Parents and carers can register their interest to attend a child car seat safety check session at kidsafevic.com.au/road-safety/ free-child-car-restraint-checking-
www.yarravalleymidwives.com.au 0410 692 929 - 0448 866 655 AUTUMN 2020 7
It’s Your Life
Learning a new language... children at Cire’s Yarra Junction Children’s Centre.
Little locals loving language children's cultural awareness, strengthen their sense of identity and build their self-confidence to enhance creativity, literacy and problem-solving skills. In addition to learning words in a new language, children also develop their "native" vocabulary as they describe and share their new experiences.
EVERY Wednesday morning, from 9.30am until lunchtime, children at Cire's Yarra Junction Children's Centre gather to sit on a rainbow mat to learn about Japanese language and culture. Their first session began with the basics: Learning to say "hello". Each child's name was called out by language teacher Chie, prompting each youngster to rise from the mat and attach a picture of themselves to a colourful tree mural, before bowing and greeting Chie with an enthusiastic "Konnichiwa".
Activities such as origami are fun and full of intentional learning, but also provide invaluable opportunities for children to develop control of small muscle groups and increase their fine motor dexterity. Incorporating language into everyday activities increases children's vocabularies in a fun, casual and engaging way.
The children were fascinated to hear the nursery rhyme "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" sung in Japanese, eagerly raising their hands above their heads to create diamonds in the sky. They then created origami, a challenging activity for small hands, but the children were thrilled with the results! Chie, an experienced language teacher from Yarra Junction and a native Japanese speaker, was beaming with joy as she led the children in their very first session. She was particularly excited because her daughter attends Cire's child care and Chie loved watching her engaging in and sharing her family culture with her peers. "We love living here, but it can feel isolated sometimes," Chie said. "We're part of a Japanese play group but have to drive all the way to Knox to attend!" Chie spoke of an incident in a Yarra Junction park, which made her realise how important it was for children to have opportunities to learn about different cultures. "I was speaking with my daughter in Japanese, and a small child came up to us, asking "Why can't you just talk with normal words?" "The child didn't realise there were
8 AUTUMN 2020
During the Yarra Junction session, Chie taught the children the Japanese word for "snack", then offered them the choice between a snack break or a chance to play. Allowing children to make these types of decisions may seem small to adults, but are critical in helping build independence. languages other than English! Children are so innocent and so amazing, this is the best time for them to start learning about other people and other languages". Funded by the Department of Education, Cire's language program is designed to offer regional children cultural experiences that are far more accessible to those living in more densely populated metropolitan areas. With a $17.5m investment from the Victorian Government, about 5000 pre-schoolers will have the chance to learn a language in addition to English, at no additional cost to parents. Cire Children's Services successfully applied to offer Japanese at Yarra
Junction and Spanish at its Mount Evelyn centre, following a consultation process with parents. It was guided by the needs of the community, local opportunities for continuation of language study and the cultural diversity of the area. "We chose Japanese for Yarra Junction because it is taught at many of the local primary schools, so the children will be able to continue their learning," said the Centre's Director Melissa Saaghy-Walsh. "It's a unique, new program for early childhood and we're excited to see where it goes!" Early childhood is the optimum time to learn a language and the benefits are far reaching. It helps increase
Such valuable learning opportunities and cultural appreciation can be easily recreated well beyond the classroom. You could try cooking a recipe from another country or culture each week with your child, listen to traditional stories together or even learn about people living in different countries via YouTube! By asking open-ended questions and engaging in active listening, you can encourage the development of their vocabulary as well as introducing new concepts. When asked what she enjoyed most about the first Japanese language session, four-year-old Chloe didn't hesitate: "Learning all the different new words!" And her favourite new word? "Hirugohan!"
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Cire Childrenโ s Services
HOLIDAY PROGRAM Fun for kids during the school holidays
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contact us TODA Y
0499 003 821
12443965-DL12-20
You may be eligible for Child Care Subsidy (CCS)
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AUTUMN 2020 9
It’s Your Life
The picturesque lake at Caribbean Gardens.
Easter is coming to Caribbean CARIBBEAN Gardens is the place to be this Easter with lots of fun activities planned for kids of all ages. Bring your family from 9am on Easter Sunday and book in for one of the planned Easter Egg hunts available for three different age groups. Other activities include face painting, wooden Easter egg decorating as a well as a visit from the Easter Bunny. With rides such as the jungle safari,
chairlift and train ride open (weather permitting) as well mini-golf and playgrounds, why not come early and make a fun family day of it.
Beach Bar' on the banks of their gorgeous lake complete with truckloads of sand for an authentic beach oasis vibe.
When you get hungry you can head to the Street Food area, the cafe or use the barbecues in the picnic area.
Enjoy the fully licensed Cocktail Bar, delicious food options as well as live music and DJ's.
Caribbean Gardens are always expanding and adding more family fun activities to their menu.
The Beach Bar will be set up right through March and possibly into April, so get down there to check it out before it's gone. Reservations are essential.
This month they are trialing a 'Pop Up
Caribbean Market and Gardens are open on Wednesday from 8.30am to 3pm and Sunday from 8.30am to 4.30pm including the school holidays. For more school holiday fun, don't forget Caribbean Rollerama is just next door For details on upcoming activities check the website www. caribbeangardens.com.au or the Caribbean Gardens and Market Facebook page.
ENJOY YOUR DAY AT CARIBBEAN MARKET
FUN EASTER SUNDAY AND SCHOOL HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES SEE WEBSITE OR FACEBOOK FOR MORE INFORMATION
1280 FERNTREE GULLY ROAD, SCORESBY, VIC 3179 12443112-LB12-20
10 AUTUMN 2020
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It’s Your Life
Pre-loved gold at Pipsqueakz WITH six tonnes of textiles and clothing going to landfill in Australia every 10 minutes, retailers offering pre-loved and recycled goods have never been more vital. Tucked in amongst the trees in the heart of Mount Evelyn, Pipsqueakz Recycle has the local community covered. There's a growing demand for recycled goods as people continue to recognise the financial and ethical benefits of pre-loved rather than new. It's something the local Mount Evelyn community has been embracing since Pipsqueakz Recycle opened in 2000. The store has been offering recycled (and new!) baby and children's clothes, toys and other products for over 20 years, catering from newborn through to 12 years old. "It's a real community," Rachel, the owner of Pipsqueakz Recycle says. "It's a very family oriented place. Everyone talks, everyone's happy and it's very laid-back." Pipsqueakz also offers a consignment service, where goods are priced and
It’s not just clothes at Pipsqueakz!
sold on behalf of clients. Rachel notes that the store is a regular haunt of many local parents, who take advantage of the thousands of goods on offer as well as trading in and picking up items as their children grow. Purchasing secondhand toys and clothes is also far cheaper than buying the same items new - an important consideration when children may only wear something or play with a toy a handful of times before outgrowing it. Pipsqueakz Recycle is worth a visit, whether you're local or from further afield. https://www.pipsqueakz.com/
Some of the wide variety of pre-loved clothes.
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Starting positive digital habits young By Danielle Galvin
to people you know online.
PARENTS should develop a family tech agreement as a family when their children turn 3, the eSafety Commissioner says.
ABC Playschool favourites Big Ted, Jemima and friends are heading up the new campaign, and feature in the tech agreement designed especially for young children.
The idea is for all family members to agree to it, and keep it on the fridge or somewhere visible. "The reality is children are on devices from a younger age - they're learning to swipe before they take their first steps," eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, said.
"Young children are surrounded by technology, so with the help of the Play School toys (trusted friends of our audience) we're giving them the best tools to navigate the digital world to ensure they have a safe and positive experience online," Amanda Isdale, ABC Children's Development and Co-Production Manager, said. Ms Inman Grant said another thing to consider is exploring the internet together.
"These rules not only provide parents with tools to help keep their children safer online, they encourage kindness when using technology and help limit potential 'tech tantrums'.
"It's really important for parents and carers to model good digital behaviour in order for their children to effectively develop good online habits," she said.
"The Family Tech Agreement makes it easier for parents and carers to set boundaries around the use of tablets, TVs, computers and gaming consoles in the home.
"We encourage parents and carers to build these good habits together — deciding on the right amount of screen time and setting clear rules is a great example.
"Family discussions around the agreement can also help build a young child's understanding of networked technologies and set good online habits early in life."
"By including young children in decision making will help them think critically about the content they watch and how they spend their time online."
Rules include asking before using a device or playing a new game online, only using devices in shared spaces of the home and only talking
For more information visit https:// www.esafety.gov.au/parents/ children-under-5/family-techagreement
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New and Quality Pre- Loved Childrens Items, Designer Clothing, Nursery Furniture, Prams, Toys and more. Mon: 9.15 to 3.00 Tue to Fri: 9.15 to 4.30 Saturday: 10.00 to 2.00 FIND US ON
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A family tech agreement is a set of rules about how digital devices are used in the home.
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www.pipsqueakz.com AUTUMN 2020 11
It’s Your Life
Discussing death can be difficult, but it's important to talk to your child about their experience and what's going on.
Talking about death with kids By Eliza Henry-Jones HOW can we help children process grief and bereavement when we're not sure how to process it ourselves? I spoke to Hayley Lowe, who runs children's groups at the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement (ACGB). She also works in private practice and as a school counsellor. At the ACGB, Hayley runs the KidsGrieve2 program, for children aged between 6 and 12 years. The program helps children who have lost fathers, mothers, siblings and other family members. First, let's unpack some of the terminology. Bereavement refers to what's happened to you - your partner or parent or sibling has died and you are bereaved. Grief is the individual experience of that bereavement. "We all experience our grief very differently," Hayley says. "I describe grief as being like fingerprints. We all have our own prints. No one has the same prints."
By shying away from concrete language with younger children, we're preventing them from understanding their grief.
and out of puddles. They're in that puddle, they're sad and crying and missing mum and dad, and then all of a sudden they're out.
Telling children that their loved one is up in the sky can lead to children trying to find them. In extreme cases, children may not understand the permanency of death and will attempt self-injury in order to join their loved one.
"What's really important for healthy grieving is that we oscillate between those two. It's a great indication that they're processing. They're able to have that moment, be in that sadness and then jump out of that puddle."
Children may also spend time looking or waiting for their loved one to return. Sometimes parents will tell children that daddy's gone to sleep and he's not waking up, leading to children experiencing sleep disturbances, fearful that if they go to sleep, they'll die, too.
There are five aspects to understanding death that children progress through.
"It is hard in our society. In western culture, death is seen as taboo," says Hayley. "At the end of the day, we're kind of scared of our own mortality. We want to protect them but it's really important that we have open conversations with them." Adults have a tendency to underestimate how much their children are noticing.
Processing emotions, including grief, is a learnt skill. Helping children to identify their emotions is the first step towards regulating them.
"Kids are great observers," says Hayley. "A common thing we hear from parents is 'oh, they don't understand' but really they do. Their developmental and chronological age plays a part."
"Our job as adults is to teach them how to regulate. As they mature and get older, that's when they learn how to self regulate, that's when they've had that support," Hayley says.
"Given that 77 per cent of communication is non-verbal, chances are, your child is noticing far more than you think they are - even if you're not openly communicating."
As parents, we want to protect our children. In situations of grief and bereavement, often these impulses can lead to children becoming more confused, sad and distressed.
Parents can also struggle to understand their children's grieving processes.
"It's really important that you talk to your children about their experience and what's going on. Children are so aware," Hayley says.
12 AUTUMN 2020
"Often we'll have parents saying 'they were crying five minutes ago and then two seconds later they were playing'," says Hayley. "But kids grieve differently to adults. They grieve in doses. Like jumping in
UNIVERSALITY "They're really quick to understand that people are getting old. They might have a pet die or one of their favourite characters on television or in a movie might die. They start to understand that it's a universal experience," Hayley says. "They question - well, if mum has died and my dog has died, does that mean that I can die as well? They start asking those kinds of questions." IRREVERSIBILITY "As they start to understand that everyone around them can die they unpack what death means, that it's irreversible," Hayley explains. "Developmentally, a 3-year-old will think they're going to come back. With a 14-year-old, it's more concrete. They understand that they're not coming back." NON-FUNCTIONALITY "Children are very curious about what happens when the body dies. We see that quite frequently. We have a book that we read to the kids that's called 'what does dead mean' opening a space to create conversation to help them understand what does death mean," says Hayley. "Common questions we get include, 'what do you do when you're dead? Can you hear? Can you see? Do they go to the toilet?'"
CAUSALITY This is when they make meaning and make sense of what death actually is. Hayley says: "They start to ask, what causes death? Why do people die?" Children are generally very egocentric and we find sometimes this can lead to them having a lot of internalised guilt. For example, a parent saying that "you'll be the death of me" and then dying. Children will feel as though they killed their parent. CONTINUING BONDS "Children try to make meaning of where religion and their beliefs come into play," Hayley said. "Where does the soul go when you die? Will I ever come back to life again? That's what they're trying to understand." TOP TIPS FOR TALKING TO YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT LOSS ■ Use concrete language. For example, "dad's died and that means he's not coming back". ■ No false promises. For example, a child might ask "are you going to die?" Don't promise your child that you're not going to. Have the conversation and be honest. For example, "One day, I will die but right now that's very unlikely." ■ Check-in with your children. Ask them what they're feeling and experiencing and gently help them identify those feelings if they're struggling to. ■ Listen. Listen more. ■ "At the end of the day, kids just want to be heard," Hayley said. The ACGB recommends the Children's Book: What does dead mean? By Caroline Jay, Jenni Thomas, Unity Joy Dale (Illustrator) For more information, please visit: https://www.grief.org.au/
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Health
Tips on healthy eating from Susie Burrell By Eliza Henry-Jones
Banana Nut Bites PREPARING healthy food for your children - whether they're just starting solids or jetting into the teenaged years - can be difficult.
Recipe by Susie Burrell
Susie Burrell, one of Australia's most well-known dieticians, knows all the tricks in the book for getting kids to engage with healthy eating habits.
• 1 cup oats shredded coconut
Turns out, we need to start by focusing on what we're eating, particularly when we're around our children. "The most powerful thing parents can do is model healthy eating behaviours themselves," Susie says. "Next, only keep the healthy foods at home that you want your kids to eat and enjoy family meals together as often as possible." Anyone who spends time with toddlers will probably know one (or 50!) who just love white food - rice, bread and pasta. Susie, an ambassador for healthy spread brand Mayver's, notes that these sorts of foods are very easy to overeat and don't have much nutritional value. So what foods are important for fussy toddlers? Susie recommends a focus on nutrient rich lean proteins such as oily fish like salmon, which is very important for omega 3 fats, lean red meat for iron and then at least two serves of brightly coloured vegetables such as peas, spinach, carrots, sweet potato or beans every day. "Offer these foods at 1-2 meals each day to ensure optimal nutrient intake," Susie advises. "And then add some dairy, wholegrain carbs such as wholemeal bread and good fats like avocado and 100% Mayver's nut spreads, where there are no allergy concerns in the family." It can sometimes take 7-10 introductions of a new food before a
• 2 mashed bananas • 1 cup Mayver's Peanut Butter
METHOD: 1. Blitz bananas, peanut butter and oats together in food processor 2. Roll into balls then roll in coconut to cover 3. Put in fridge for two hours to set Notes: For a chocolatey twist, add some cacao powder or substitute regular peanut butter for Mayver's Organic Peanut & Cacao Spread.
child will accept it. Parents can help though. "Make the foods taste and look appealing," Susie says. "Let the kids see you eating new foods and as long as kids eat a few different vegetables and types of fruit, it doesn't matter if they don't eat everything you offer. It's important to let children make a mess with their food, particularly when they're very young and experimenting with new tastes and textures. Susie also recommends setting firm boundaries around food. One mistake Susie notices parents making is encouraging fussy eating. "Giving kids too much choice and letting kids snack too much so they refuse to eat their main, nutrient rich meals," Susie points out.
Leading dietician Susie Burrell at home.
Eat the sorts of healthy, nutrient rich foods you'd love your kids to eat, sit down together for meals and enjoy the family time.
■ https://www.lifestylefood.com.au/ recipes/24450/susie-burrellssandwich-sushi
Some easy, healthy recipes that parents can make with their toddlers
■ https://mouthsofmums.com.au/ recipe/banana-ghosts/
■ http://www.shapeme.com.au/blog/ balanced-breakfast/ ■ https://www.girl.com.au/banananut-bites.htm
Scientists working on peanut allergy vaccine RESEARCHERS at the University of South Australia are working to develop a vaccine to cure potentially lifethreatening allergies to peanuts. The vaccine would help reprogram the body's natural response to peanut allergens. Severe allergic reactions can include impaired breathing, swelling in the throat, a sudden drop in blood pressure, dizziness, and even death. Peanuts are one of the most common food allergies and the most likely food to
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cause anaphylaxis or death. In Australia, there is particularly high prevalence of peanut allergies with one in 200 adults, and almost three in every 100 children affected. Dr Preethi Eldi, who is leading the project, says it has great potential to change lives. "Parents are constantly protecting their child from being exposed to peanuts in all forms - from popular breakfast cereals and school snacks, to biscuits, cakes and even health foods -
whether at home, school, or in social situations. "And, it means being vigilant and imposing very stringent dietary restrictions, not only for the child, but often, also for family members," Dr Eldi said. "If we can deliver an effective peanut allergy vaccine, we'll remove this stress, concern, and constant monitoring, freeing the child and their family from the constraints and dangers of peanut allergy."
Professor John Hayball is also working on the vaccine and explained it would trick the immune system into seeing peanut allergens in a new light, so that the body responds normally. "We're effectively reprogramming the body to see peanuts as an entity that can be cured by a vaccine, rather than an allergen that elicits an allergic reaction," he said. It is being developed in partnership with Biotechnology company, Sementis and UniSA's Experimental Therapeutics Laboratory. AUTUMN 2020 13
Health
When homely environments matter THE environment we're in matters more than we think. Speech Pathologist Elena Benatar offers a warm, welcoming home environment and can also work with children and their families in their homes and schools - meaning children are relaxed, open and likely to get far more out of their sessions. Getting any speech issues your child is experiencing assessed early is essential. Elena, who is located in The Patch in the Dandenong Ranges, can help children with a wide range of issues including early language development, articulation, dyspraxia, literacy, stuttering, autism spectrum disorders and auditory processing difficulties. Elena has over 20 years experience as a Certified Practicing Speech Pathologist and is a full member of Speech Pathology Australia. She is passionate about working with children
gently and playfully and is committed to using evidence-based practice. Children working with Elena feel comfortable and safe. "Parents comment that their kids really enjoy the homely, playful and easy going atmosphere," Elena explains. At Kids in the Hills, Elena will work together with you and your child, your child's teacher and any other professionals involved to ensure the best possible outcome. These may include dentists, local GPs, paediatricians, occupational therapists and psychologists. Elena is passionate about involving, educating and empowering parents, so that they can be partners in their child's journey. Appointments with Elena can be made full-fee, through Medicare referrals, private health funds and children with different disabilities who have NDIS package. Elena also provides school, kinder and home visits. https://kidsinthehills.com.au/
Muscle strength is one of the important things that needs to be checked when assessing the pelvic floor.
Busting pelvic floor myths By Eliza Henry-Jones WHEN I am eight months pregnant, I can still simultaneously manage to sneeze and not pee. This, in late pregnancy, is regarded as a sort of miracle. "Enjoy those muscles while you've got them!" a family friend advises me. Other friends tell me that I'll definitely wet myself the first time I ride my horse after having a baby. I am, quite rightly, terrified. Pelvic weakness is too often normalised following pregnancy and birth - particularly traumatic, vaginal births. But we have much more control over our recoveries than we think. I spoke to Jen Varner, a mother of four and physiotherapist with a keen interest in women's health, about the misconceptions surrounding pelvic floor health and what we can do to keep ourselves strong. The first thing we talk about is time. Our bodies take a while to heal. Often, our bodies can still be healing up to two years after giving birth. This shocks me. I had, like so many other mums, assumed that my body would spring back within a matter of weeks after birth.
Speech Pathologist Elena Benatar.
Picture: Damien Pleming
32, O’Connors Road The Patch
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 we will discuss the best assessment/therapy options possible. No referral necessary, Medicare, NDIS plan-managed or self-managed participants are welcome.
"Education is a big part of an appointment," Jen tells me. "We screen for any issues that may be there and that screening includes comprehensive birth history, prior obstetric history and also encompasses fluid and dietary intake that can influence bowels - touching on lots of sticky subjects!" Jen laughs. One myth that Jen encounters regularly is that there is no point visiting a physiotherapist before the typical six-week postpartum checkup. While it's unlikely that a physiotherapist will do an internal examination earlier than six weeks due to the risk of infection, it is an opportunity for concerns to be addressed, an initial program planned out and mums getting information on pelvic floor health and perhaps beginning some gentle exercises. "During the six week post-natal check, with either your GP or your obstetrician, the focus is widespread - baby, feeding, PND risk and mental
health screening, scar or stitches. "It usually does not include a check of your pelvic floor. I think that's why it's important that we start to normalise a pelvic floor check for all women post-natally." Examinations with a physiotherapist after the six-week mark can generally be either internal or external. "There is an option to assess pelvic floor using a real-time ultrasound but that doesn't convey information about muscle tone and strength. We can see if someone is activating or not, but can't assess the strength of the muscles," Jen explains. "Another thing you miss is if there has been any tissue stretch or potential for prolapse. But the ultrasound is an avenue if someone doesn't feel comfortable having an internal. " Alarmingly, most women don't know how to activate their pelvic floor muscles - a vital skill for any sort of pelvic floor strengthening. Jen tells me about recent research that found between 60% and 70% of women will incorrectly activate their pelvic floor when given written instructions on how to do it. "This is some of the feedback we can give to mums during an internal exam," Jen explains. "Whether they're correctly using those muscles." Another misconception that Jen frequently encounters is the idea that muscles will just improve on their own. "Natural recovery will see them improve. However, why don't we encourage all women to get as strong as they can?" Jen points out. Jen finds the work she does incredibly rewarding. "I love working with pre-natal women, to maintain fitness, to deal with issues like pelvic girdle pain and lower back pain that may occur during pregnancy and that also gives me the opportunity to plant to seed to strengthen pelvic floor before baby arrives," Jen says. "What the body's going through is such a massive thing and we're so lucky to be able to go through this journey and while it can put our body under pressure, it's an amazing thing."
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14 AUTUMN 2020
www.yarrarangeskids.com.au
Education
Bucket list of outdoor play AN independent school for girls in the UK has come up with a bucket list of fun and outdoor activities for children to tick off before they turn 5. Burgess Hill Girls in West Sussex developed a list of 50 things for girls to do to get them outside, build their curiosity and love of nature, and get them away from their screens. It follows research showing that many preschoolers are spending less and less time in nature. Some of the things to do include hunt for worms or fly a kite. The school, for girls aged 2.5 to 18, has made headlines around the world with the novel idea. Headteacher Liz Laybourn told Danielle Galvin they know young children love to play on their parent's phones, iPads and tablets, and have even mastered the "swipe" action early on. "In the same vein, playing and exploring seems to be a thing of the past and children are not developing some of the most important life skills resilience, ability to failure, taking risks, adaptability, being comfortable in the environment and trying things that they have never been encouraged to do," she explained. "It was relatively easy to think of the 50 things, as many we had ourselves
done as young children, and then we thought about the types of activities we now encourage our nursery pupils to do. "Our focus as a school is on outdoor learning and allowing the pupils to try real live things. "Education is best when it is alive." Ms Laybourn explained while they weren't necessarily witnessing young children being addicted to screens, it's an ongoing issue for both parents and educators. "Not necessarily screen addiction but a definite lack of dexterity in their motor skills due to being used to swiping screens rather than using keyboard skills," she said. The school posted the challenge with a graphic on their website in January, encouraging parents to take part and share their successes. The list encourages girls to mix potions, make slime and mud pies, and gaze up at the stars. Although there's one activity Ms Laybourn had to explain - egg rolling. "Egg rolling is when the children paint hard boiled eggs - make them truly pretty and individual and then find a really steep hill to roll them down," she said.
Community matters at Smart Reader SMART Reader Kids in Yarra Junction is absolutely dedicated to creating a sense of community, fostering strong relationships with parents and keeping their numbers low to create a warm, family feel throughout the centre. "They take so much interest in my child," Tahlia, a parent from Smart Reader Kids, commented. "I have not experienced this level of communication with other centres." The centre receives regular positive feedback from happy parents who love the programs on offer at Smart Reader Kids. "My son has really enjoyed Aboriginal studies. A few months ago, we were out for dinner and he saw an Aboriginal flag on the menu. 'Oh that's the Aboriginal flag! The red is for the land and the black is for the people, and that's the sun!' he informed us," Lana, a parent at Smart Reader Kids, explains. "He has really enjoyed learning about and painting the symbols, he couldn't wait for kindy to start again so he could draw Aboriginal maps. Thank-you!" Aside from the focus on a fun, engaging education program and developing strong relationships with families, Smart Reader Kids is committed to getting children outside into the natural environment, with the outdoor play area including a gorgeous vegetable garden where
A happy student at Smart Reader Kids.
children can experience growing and eating produce straight from the garden. Children aged from six weeks to five years are welcomed at the centre, which offers long day care, pre-kinder and kinder programs. Smarter 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
"A tradition in some areas of the country but great fun!"
Smart Reader Kids Yarra Junction is focused on fostering strong relationships with parents throughout their child's early education journey. Our educators are caring and passionate about teaching children through creative-play
The list created by the school.
www.yarrarangeskids.com.au
4 Station Street, Yarra Junction, 3797 T: +61 3 5900 6724 E: srkyarra@sraus.com
12443105-RC12-20
based learning.
AUTUMN 2020 15
Education
Ten steps to get the kids to school on time By Julie Cliff
Children learning and exploring at GymbaROO.
Picture: Sudiozphotography
Learning is fun at GymbaROO through the Visualisation Theme each term, which provides age appropriate, essential fine and gross motor skills development.
OVER the past 35 years, GymbaROO at Mooroolbark has been offering the opportunity for parents to be actively involved in fun, quality time with their children. The main ethos of GymbaROO is that 'movement is the key to learning'. The motor system is so important for development and is dependent on opportunity and repetition.
At GymbaROO, every song sung, every game and activity played, is specifically designed to increase your child's ability, leading to enhanced co ordination, concentration and confidence. Experienced facilitators offer support and provide direction, ideas and advice regarding any specific concerns.
The foundations for growth of all children must be carefully nurtured from infancy.
To create awareness among parents and involve them in their child's development, parents have access to different information each week with articles that emphasis the significance of early childhood neurological development, behaviour and health issues.
Children learn more in their formative years, especially in their first 12 months, than at any other time of their lives. Recent research has confirmed that age appropriate learning experiences and stimulating activities in these early years does have a positive impact on a child to reach their full potential.
The pure joy of working with the parents and their children, by providing a program that nurtures each natural stage of development, is just so rewarding.
The Mooroolbark GymbaROO program provides a safe and challenging environment, for exploratory free play, with different specialised equipment circuits each week.
Enjoy a lot of fun together and set them up for success, is a win, win for all.
There's also structured group activities
For further information, phone 03 9726 8740
IF you have school age kids you will have no doubt spent hours in the mornings yelling "hurry up, where are your shoes, clean your teeth faster, turn off the telly, hurry up (again)" and racing out to the car and swearing at the traffic. But it doesn't have to be like this. Follow these 10 steps to get to school on time with less stress and less shouting! Research 1. Know how long it takes everyone to get ready: Even if the kids have been at school for years, do a dry-run on the weekend, and time each stage - shower, dressing, breakfast, pack bag. Also time how long it takes you to drive to school, park the car and walk to the classroom. Once you know this information you can plot out your morning. The most important times being the time your alarm goes off and the time you walk out the door. Stick to these times and you will rarely be late again! After School 2. Unpack school bags: Each afternoon the kids need to unpack their bags as soon as they walk in the door. Put lunchbox on sink to be washed out (or straight into the dishwasher, or better still, get them to wipe it out and put it away for the next day). School work, diary and take home books put in a dedicated spot. Before bed 3. Kids to shower: Save arguments over wasted water, knotted hair and shampoo in the eyes by getting the kids to have their shower in the evening. 4. Prepare clothes: Get all school clothes out and lay on bed. Ensure shoes are under the bed (there are few things worse than looking for shoes as you are trying to get out the door in the morning). Add underwear, socks and hair accessories.
5. Pack lunches (or at least non perishable): Add as much to the lunch as you can the night before. In theory, you certainly can pack the whole lunch including sandwiches and put them in the fridge overnight. At least spend some time on the weekend cutting up fruit - this will keep for at least three days, longer for some fruit. 6. Set the table for breakfast: Decide what's for breakfast the night before and get out plates, bowls, spoons etc along with cereal or bread. 7. Set an alarm: Parents have great success giving ownership to the kids here. Give them an alarm clock, let them figure out how to set the alarm and leave them to get up when it goes off in the morning. In the morning 8. Checklist: Create a checklist and ensure kids tick off all their 'jobs' (breakfast, get dressed, pack bag, etc) before they are allowed freetime. 9. Time to go: Know the time you need to head out the door to the car and set an alarm in your phone with a five minute warning. 10. Parents/caregivers: Follow all of the above for yourself so that you aren't the one holding things up in the morning! Next steps? Following at least a few of these 10 steps will drastically change how your school mornings run. Julie Cliff is a Professional Organiser at Space and Time which helps busy working mothers live easier, far less stressful lives through simple, easy to implement organising systems to clear the clutter - both mentally and physically. Sound familiar? Julie would love to hear from you via info@spaceandtime.com.au
BOOKINGS NOW OPEN FOR TERM 2, 2020 Australian researched and designed program Nurture the natural stages of neurological development 12443114-LB12-20
Explore movement on our specially designed equipment Teach families about the importance of each stage of development Develop through exercise, dance and music
Celebrating our 36th year in the Yarra Ranges SESSIONS
CONTACT US
TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY
MOOROOLBARK GYMBAROO
Babies: 6 weeks - 12 months Toddlers: 1 - 2 & 2 - 3 years Pre School: 3 - 4 years School readiness: 4 - 5 years
125 Brice Ave, Mooroolbark VIC 3138
16 AUTUMN 2020
Mooroolbark Community Centre mooroolbark@gymbaroo.com.au 9726 8740 www.gymbaroo.com.au
FREE
SESSION ON PRESENTATION OF THIS COUPON
Getting the kids to school on time is no easy task!
www.yarrarangeskids.com.au
Education
An excellent education with passion and skill Older students in the science lab.
THE Little Yarra Steiner School greeted its first students on its current site in 1986. The property, in Yarra Junction, is comprised of 60 acres, and is bordered by the Little Yarra River. Eighteen acres of the property are used for the school and kindergarten, while the rest is dedicated to organic farming and revegetated wetlands. As you walk into the Little Yarra Steiner School, you are immediately immersed in a creative, peaceful and nurturing learning environment enhanced by the natural beauty of the surrounding mountains. The educational model, based on the teachings of Rudolph Steiner, and found in over 60 countries worldwide, addresses the education of the whole child - head, heart and hands. Children are encouraged to learn through making, doing, producing and creating. The activities children engage in varies as they progress through the grades. The children are given lots of
opportunities to safely explore the property as well as learn things such as cooking, drawing, sewing and gardening. Young preschool children are given ample time to play and enjoy their childhood. As the children grow, they move into the primary classrooms. Here, children often have the same teacher throughout their entire primary school journey. Children continue to create and learn vital communication skills as they negotiate the increasingly complex projects and explorations that characterise their academic learning experience. This holistic and diverse approach to education continues on into secondary school. VCE students have the opportunity to undertake a graded VCE option in Year 12, similar to most other schools, that results in an ATAR. They also have the option of choosing the 'Independent Project' option, where they will finish with a VCE certificate. The Independent Research Project allows
Students in a music lesson.
Students enjoying the animals at Little Yarra Steiner School.
students to focus on one area of study that particularly interests them over the course of their final schooling year.
passions nurtured over so many years, while still having a breadth of knowledge and experience is is what makes Steiner education so powerful.
In this way, young people emerge from their time at Little Yarra Steiner School ready for whatever their next journey in life will be. Having had their
For more information, or to book a tour of our school, please visit lyss.vic. edu.au or call us on 5967 1953.
The need for imagination, a sense of truth and a feeling of responsibility lie at the very heart of Steiner education.
Yarra Valley’s Independent Steiner School K-12 205 Little Yarra Rd, Yarra Junction, 3797 t: (03) 5967 1953 e: office@lyss.vic.edu.au w: https://lyss.vic.edu.au www.yarrarangeskids.com.au
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For more information or to book a tour please contact us on (03) 5967 1953
AUTUMN 2020 17
Education
Space to grow at Swinburne SWINBURNE Childrens Centre is a renowned Early Childhood Education service. They are bringing their nurturing, co-learning environment to Lilydale, with tours of the new learning spaces commencing in April. The Lilydale centre, which will have state-of-the-art facilities and capacity for 122 children, is located conveniently on Maroondah Highway. Excitingly, this latest centre is set up with child development in mind. "There's an acre of brand new, purpose built experiences for children to enjoy," Belinda Wilson says. "We have large, open spaces that enable our year round indoor/outdoor program, reflecting our philosophy at Swinburne Childrens Centres." Providing children with opportunities to develop psychosocial skills alongside literacy and numeracy is the focus of Swinburne Childrens Centres, where play-based learning, intentional teaching and inquiry-based investigations are embraced. This way, children's natural curiosity and interest in the world is channelled to help them to develop vital, life-long skills. Swinburne Childrens Centres are open to the whole community,
William Simpson, Ashley Johnson, Kelly Carruthers, Latifa Nadivi.
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.
All of Swinburne Childrens 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. To register for updates please email belinda@swincc.vic.edu.au
OPENING SOON 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 12443104-NG12-20
THE BRAND NEW SWINBURNE CHILDRENS CENTRE LILYDALE WILL BE OPEN IN JUNE 2020
Waitlist enquiries: Please Contact E: belinda@swincc.vic.edu.au or 0419 412 213 | www.swinburnechildrenscentre.com.au 18 AUTUMN 2020
www.yarrarangeskids.com.au
Education
All about community
Scattering kindness GHILGAI is a small, well-established Steiner School nestled at the foot of Mount Dandenong. We are sheltered by trees and occasionally we see an eagle in the blue sky above us. Our simple but beautiful classrooms blend into the landscape.
YARRA Ranges Kindergartens is committed to the community. Their 18 not-for-profit centres stretch from Warburton to Kilsyth and from Boronia to Coldstream. Focusing on play-based learning, the centres cater for children aged three to five years of age. "It's about creating experiences for children that parallel their interests," says Yarra Ranges Kindergarten Inc. CEO, Andrew Wright. "But also to give them learning opportunities and experiences that help them to develop social and kinesthetic skills, basic numeracy and literacy and all those sorts of things." YRKI began in 1996 with a small group of kindergartens in the Yarra Valley. They've slowly expanded over the past 24 years and now have 70 staff. Andrew Wright estimates that about 800 families utilise Yarra Ranges Kindergartens across the Shire of Yarra Ranges, and their sole kindergarten in Knox Council. "We aim to have an impact in the community and engagement with community. What we make we give back." Staff at Yarra Ranges Kindergartens
Children absorb energy from their surrounds. They need to be in touch with the natural environment - trees, rocks, earth, sky, clouds, wind, rain, birds, insects. A beautiful place fosters wellbeing. Staff at the Long Service Award Ceremony.
are all highly qualified, some of whom have been with the organisation for over 20 years. "We look for staff that give a little bit extra. It's important in this type of organisation to have people that have a passion for what they do. "We contribute to local fairs and events. We hold the annual Chestnut festival, now in its 30th year, which is organised entirely by parents," Andrew Wright tells me. "That's just an amazing event. There are many other smaller things we do, but that's got the biggest impact. The stories that pop up from nowhere are what make it so special." For further information about Yarra Ranges Kindergartens, visit: https:// www.yrkinders.com or phone 9726 0439.
YOUR KINDER OF CHOICE
The cultural environment of a school is even more important, the attitude and behaviour of all those who make up the school community generates ‘weather’, and the child absorbs energy from this too. Dissension and disrespect create a nasty dark smog that corrodes wellbeing; whilst empathy and respect are sunshine for the soul. Our Code of Conduct is strong. Acceptable and unacceptable behaviour are described clearly. But there’s more - a culture is a dynamic entity, it needs ‘food’ to support its growth. At Ghilgai we practice ‘Kindness’ in order to nourish the wellbeing of our children. We spread it on the wind and let it fall in unexpected places.
A student enjoying the kind environment environment.
Kindness warms the other and at the same time it creates a glow in the heart of the Giver. Within each of us there is a hunger for warm and nourishing human contact and ‘the milk of human kindness’ soothes this deep yearning. Children need this special food every day in order to thrive. Ghilgai cultivates kindness. It blooms in our school community. Ghilgai is located at 295 Liverpool Rd, Kilsyth. For more information, phone 9761 8369 or visit http://ghilgai.com.au
Ghilgai Steiner School 295 Liverpool Rd Kilsyth 3137
NOW OPERATING 18 KINDERGARTENS FERNHILL - HANSEN PARK - JOY AVENUE - LANCASTER LAUNCHING PLACE- MILLGROVE - MONTROSE - MOUNT DANDENONG SARAH CRT - SASSAFRAS - UPWEY - UPWEY STH
Foundation to Class 6
Playgroups
Tours Monthly Phone: 9761 8369 Website: ghilgai.com.au Facebook: www.facebook.com/GhilgaiSteiner/
WARBURTON - WOORI YALLOCK
9726 0439 enrol@yrkinders.com www.yrkinders.com.au
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BELGRAVE - CHIRNSIDE PARK - COLCHESTER PARK- COLDSTREAM
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www.yarrarangeskids.com.au
AUTUMN 2020 19
Gymnastics for all levels
Entertainment
ECLIPSE Gymnastics is a family-owned and run business which started operation in 1992. The facility is filled with equipment designed to fit the smallest athletes right through to internationally certified equipment for competitive gymnasts. Eclipse boasts multiple beams, bars, trampolines, rings, a foam pit and a brand new international standard sprung floor.
Fresh produce, straight from the orchard
Alison Hill is a director at Eclipse Gymnastics. She said the facility is child-friendly and known amongst the local community as being the cleanest gymnastics club in Victoria.
Fruit through the seasons RAYNER'S Orchard is located in the heart of the lush, fertile Yarra Valley.
the orchard daily from 9am - 4pm (5pm in summer).
While many orchards close down for periods during the year, Rayner's prides itself on providing quality seasonal fruit all year round.
There is also a U Pick optional on tours for most of the year. Alongside the fabulous fruit, Rayner's has a vibrant cafe, which is open daily (apart from Christmas Day) and a popular function room.
During summer you'll enjoy an abundance of stone fruit including peaches, nectarines, plums and apricots. As the nights lengthen and the days grow cooler in autumn, you can purchase feijoa, guava, persimmon and pomegranate. Throughout winter and spring, Rayner's has kiwi fruit, tamarillo and citrus fruits on offer. The best way to enjoy the yearlong fruit, straight from the orchard, is to book onto a Fruit Tasting Adventure Tour, which run through
"Eclipse Gymnastics is a child-safe environment committed to the wellbeing, inclusion and empowerment of all children, and has systems in place to protect children," she said. "Eclipse Gymnastics has zero tolerance for child abuse."
If the delicious fruit at Rayner's has you or your children inspired, you can sign up to one of the bottling workshops that runs throughout the year or start your very own orchard off by visiting the extensive Rayner's Fruiting Plant Nursery. 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.
Eclipse is perfect for children of all ages and abilities.
the latest information regarding skill technique, learning styles and child development. Eclipse Gymnastics provides highquality classes for all children aged 2 years and over, from Kindergym through to International level gymnastics with a program to suit everyone. Gymnasts will use all of the equipment and will learn how to do handstands, cartwheels, somersaults, swings on bars and have lots of fun flipping into the foam pit.
The culture of Eclipse Gymnastics has been built on a tradition of five key values which include respect, continuous improvement, excellence, integrity and dedication.
Eclipse is committed to providing the best possible learning environment for children to develop their gymnastics skills as well as ongoing life skills such as persistence, goal setting, patience, communication and discipline.
These values guide staff in their roles and their interactions with parents, gymnasts and each other.
All of this is achieved by Eclipse's passionate and dedicated team of coaches and administrators.
All Eclipse coaches are accredited and registered with Gymnastics Australia and Gymnastics Victoria.
Eclipse Gymnastics is located on Maroondah Highway in Ringwood.
They also regularly attend services and workshops to keep up to date with
For more information, call 9870 4515 and mention this publication for a free trial class.
Fresh & Fruity Family Fun This Autumn /0%. %6%29$!9 !- 0-
7E HAVE 5 0ICK &RUIT !,, 9EAR s FRUIT TASTING ADVENTURE TOURS
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.#( Visit our farm cafe and check out our latest range of Jams, chutneys, preserved fruit & fruit leathers.
5964 7654 60 Schoolhouse Rd, Woori Yallock 3139 20 AUTUMN 2020
12443089-NG12-20
Visit our fruit plant nursery located on the farm stocking 100’s of fruiting plants, specialising in dwarf varieties.
12435729-NG12-20
s &25)4 0,!.4 .523%29
www.raynersorchard.com.au www.yarrarangeskids.com.au
Party Time
Born to Party! CAROUSEL ICE CREAM Carousel Ice Cream has been operating in Melbourne since 1993. All the ice cream is made on-site using as many local ingredients as possible. As well as ice cream, Carousel also offers frozen yoghurt and gelato. Carousel Ice Cream can make a stunning ice cream cake for your child's birthday, working with you to pick the perfect size, flavour (there are over 40 to choose from) and design. The cake is then crafted carefully, just for your child. Excitingly, Carousel is also able to host children's birthday parties at their shop in Bayswater North for an event crammedfull of ice-creamy delights!
INFLATABLE WORLD Inflatable World is the most exciting, high energy party venue in the Knox area. Every weekend the Knox Indoor Sports Centre is transformed as countless play spaces such as obstacle courses, slides and jumping castles are inflated
to fill the room. Book your child's party here and you can enjoy watching their happy faces and laughter as they run, jump and bounce over the different equipment, all under the careful watch of supervising staff. Hosting your child's birthday at Inflatable World is easy - just turn up and decorate your allocated party table. We can provide the party food for you or you can bring it yourself. Our cafe serves hot drinks for the adults and you can pre-order platters of food and even an ice cream cake from our friends at Carousel Ice Cream if you wish. At Inflatable World, we can pretty much guarantee smiles all round!
built an exciting party space perfect for hosting kids birthday parties. So, for parents who are hesitant to have kids running around the house, we now have the perfect alternative.
REPTILE ENCOUNTERS
Josh from Reptile Encounters has been providing these parties for over 12 years. "It's great to see the kids really engaging with our wonderful animals because they are the wildlife ambassadors of the future," says Josh.
Why not do something a little bit out of the box for your child's next birthday party? Kids are usually pretty excited come birthday time, however if they know there's going to reptiles coming this goes to a whole new level! Reptile Encounters have recently
Reptile parties are a unique idea for kid's birthdays. Not only will the children experience something different, but they are guaranteed to be entertained. Imagine getting to hold a crocodile or snake on your birthday and get up close to a range of native fauna. Parents can sit back while a trained wildlife professional keeps their kids engaged and entertained for an entire hour.
ANIMALS ON THE MOVE Looking for a hands-on, fun and
hild's educational experience for your child's party? We offer animal learning experiences, animal care programs and d educational pet parties. Our aim is to increase children's appreciation and awareness of animals and promote a connection with nature. Why not invite all your friends to a farmyard party? Our farmers for the day can help your children with handling and feeding the animals. We can take the stress out of your child's big day. We offer the whole experience, you can even play our 'Pin the Tail on the Piggy' game! Animals on the Move's Party Pets 2U aims to help educate children about animals and their well-being, while they enjoy the benefits of their company. Cuddle Babies is perfect for parties, shopping centres and public events due to its smaller animal pen set-up with cuddle bunnies, ducks, chickens and guinea pigs.
• Carousel Ice Cream & Cake •
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Open 7 Days
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Mon – Thurs 9.30am – 9.00pm | Fri & Sat 9.30- 10.00pm | Sunday 10.00am – 9.00pm F2 – 3/96 Canterbury Rd, Bayswater Nth PH: 9720 2911 | www.carouselicecream.com.au 12443190-NG12-20
PH: 1300 760 354
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Wide range of Ice Cream Birthday Cakes Including our famous `Marble Crunch’ cake
2 GAME LASER TAG PARTY
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MINI VR PARTY
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MINIMUM 8 PEOPLE TO BOOK ALL PARTIES INCLUDE FOOD, DRINK & LOLLY BAGS
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(03) 9726 9433 WWW.GAMR.COM.AU 25 FLETCHER ROAD CHIRNSIDE PARK MENTION THIS AD TO RECEIVE THE BIRTHDAY CHILD FOR FREE!!
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AUTUMN 2020 21
Reality Bites
Why I’ll only have two children By Melissa Meehan I always wanted to be a mum. For me it was something I felt I was born to do. I've been blessed with two beautiful girls and it's everything I ever wanted. But how do you know when you're done having kids? For me. The decision was easy. Before I met my husband I always wanted three. He wanted one. So we agreed on two, and I always thought I'd be able to twist his arm for a third. But after giving birth to my second daughter in August - I know for sure that I'm done. I always marvelled at the female body. How a woman could be growing a baby while still living her normal life, beaming with that pregnancy glow. I never experienced that glow - the closest I got to it was working up a sweat while heaving into the nearest toilet bowl. Full house ... how do you know when you've finished adding to your family?
How to know you’re ’done’ having children By Danielle Galvin FOR some parents, the decision on how many children to have is an agonising one, very often a source of great conflict. When one parent wants just one more, and the other is adamant to be ’done’ having children. Perhaps the discussion has changed over the years, and one party is left frustrated, scared, resentful. For others, the decision appears easy. Career progression, financial burdens and many other factors come into play, and both parents are on the same page. But what about when the decision doesn’t seem so black and white? Regardless, it’s an intensely personal one to make. Ann Davidman is a renowned marriage and family therapist based in Oaklands, California who helps couples and mums decide if they want children in the first place. She describes herself as a Motherhood Clarity Mentor and says regardless of whether the woman is a mother already or not, deciding to have another child, involves the same process. Her advice is for women to start by setting aside what she calls the “external factors” clouding your judgement - whether that’s age, finances or even concerns about the
22 AUTUMN 2020
world you’re bringing your child into. “If you’re focussed on those factors, there’s no way to figure out what you want,” she said. “That’s part of the process, identifying all those externals that pull at your psyche and put them aside. “Figure out what’s in your heart, what you really want for you.” She hastens to add that someone may want three children, but decide to have one or two because of certain conditions in their lives. But it’s important to recognise that desire in a tangible way. “When a couple already has a child and they are trying to figure out have a second, I don’t think you can have a conversation around what are the pros and cons, and how this will impact the child we already have,” she said. “That is an important conversation but the timing of that conversation needs to come after both of those people have gone to their own corners, and looked inside and (thought about) really what do I want just for me? “When they each have that clarity, they need to share that with each other, not convince each other of how they each feel, but so each person can hold and honour what the other person feels and what they want. “When both people feel like the other person really gets where they are at, then you can talk about what are the
conditions or what would have to happen so we both are happy.” Ms Davidman says the process doesn’t need to drag out, even though for many couples the battle is ongoing. “There are people who are one of three siblings, so in their mind they should have three children, so that’s more about a projection,” she said. Her advice is to know why you have made the decision - to stop having kids, or to try for another. “I have a strong opinion, that if people know why they are making a decision, whatever that decision is, they will be much happier down the road,” she said. When either parent remarks that they are “so done” it can mean different things for different people. “The subtext of ‘I’m done’ can be either I’m done, I can’t take it anymore, I’m so exhausted, it can be reactive,” she explained. “But it can also be a from a place of clarity, as much as I wanted another, I am done procreating, I am happy with the one or two children I have I want to give them everything I have, I don’t want to raise another child.” To find out more, visit https://www. motherhoodisitforme.com/. Ms Davidman has also released a book with Denise L. Carlini, called Motherhood - Is It For Me? Your Step-byStep Guide to Clarity.
And let me tell you. I vomited a lot - right through both pregnancies. The second was way worse than the first (despite ALL of the medication). Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) is a severe type of morning sickness that causes constant vomiting, nausea and dehydration. This meant I vomited numerous times every day that I was pregnant. It was bad with my first but my OB (helpfully after I was already pregnant with number two!) told me it gets worse with every pregnancy. This time around I was prescribed a pharmacy (that's the collective noun for numerous tablets, right?) of drugs - some given to cancer patients to help them cope with the effects of chemo therapy. And I was still sick more than five times a day. I was working two days a week in the city and doing two days a week at home and looking after a very active toddler too. It was exhausting. I was lucky that my boss saw I was struggling and allowed me to work from home when I needed. And then I went into preterm labour at 32 weeks. They were able to hold her off but I was hospitalised on strict bed rest until she arrived five weeks later. By then I was taking 20 tablets a day to minimise the vomiting, dull the nausea and keep the baby healthy and inside for as long as possible. The emotional and physical roll that pregnancy took on me was intense, and while I love my girls more than anything in the world I couldn't go through it again. It not only puts the baby's health at risk, but mine too. And for me to be the best mum I can be, I need to be able to run on all cylinders. www.yarrarangeskids.com.au
Reality Bites
Ilana Payes with some of her work.
A world made from a child’s imagination By Derek Schlennstedt
book. As an adult that escapism has long since fled me.
TO enter the world of children's illustrator and writer Ilana Payes is to fall backwards through time to more innocent days.
Her illustrations are bold, brilliant and happy - and it's easy to spot a few familiar faces.
You see, Ilana's world is one inhabited by bright characters with appealing adventures, fierce outfits and warm, lovable animals - a world made from a child's imagination. As we chat, sitting on children's stools on her balcony, overlooking the emerald green Sherbrooke forest, Ilana pays attention to the muddled scene of children's toys lying around the balcony. With three boys, there is an endless supply of fantastic stories. Stories that translate onto Ilana's page and, as she shows me her illustrations, I realise how much I miss flicking through a picture
"In two weeks my three-year-old, Ethan, he'll have his 10th operation, because he has glaucoma," she tells me. "He is intelligent, very difficult and he wears glasses, so I wanted to make a story for him so he feels empowered for wearing glasses ... trying to celebrate his difference, and yes it's just glasses but he hates wearing them." "I've done all these drawings of Ethan with aviator goggles or, for example; he loves his little fox toys, so I've made paintings of him in fox masks being ferocious in the forest. "It's kind of a broad way to celebrate Ethan's gorgeous big eyes and his glasses and tempter tantrums," Ilana jokes.
As is perhaps befitting of a children's artist and writer, Ilana is warm, smiley and keenly clever. Her studio, unlike the balcony is scrupulously spotless, and photos of her family cling to the walls, next to their watercolour doppelgangers. In amongst those illustrations are storylines and narratives, which she said she draws on for inspiration. "Usually it starts with a picture, so I do a drawing which triggers another picture, which leads to research and then a story." "The story comes in one go and then it's months and months of rewriting, but it's usually just one burst of inspiration to write the story." While the writing is drawn from Ilana's imagination, the drawings often come from the adventures of her three boys.
Her illustrations are bold, brilliant and happy.
"We have the most beautiful wonderland here and they run around causing havoc. "The last drawing I did, the boys were pirates. Ethan, he had to have an eye operation and had to wear a patch, so we got him a pirate hat to match." "It was so funny. He took the Mixmaster hook that I think churns bread and was saying 'I'm captain hook', and then my other boy had the fox mask on and they took the wooden spoon and the potato masher and they were in the washing basket ,rowing on the floor. "Kids are amazing, and I draw what I love most." In May, Ilana Payes will open up her studio as part of the Dandenong Ranges Open Studios weekend. So, if you'd like to see the unique variety of illustrations that hang on Ilana's studio walls, or perhaps find out more about open studios and the number of incredible and unique artists sharing their work spaces, then visit https://www.openstudios.org.au/
Local author on writing about families By Eliza Henry-Jones WHEN I sit down to write a novel, I always end up writing about families. There's something intoxicating about delving into a world that's so intimate. There are rituals and habits and patterns in families and so much that is left unspoken. In How to Grow a Family Tree, I wanted to explore addiction, adoption and the different forms that family can take.I've always been fascinated by how families find ways to function when someone is struggling. How there are peaks and troughs and moments when everyone pretends that things have changed. The main character, Stella, is 17 and a lot like me when I was 17. She reads self-help books and tries to equip herself with skills that will allow her to help the people she loves. I've been particularly interested in writing about families since I've become a mother. My son is a toddler now and I www.yarrarangeskids.com.au
needed in order to write a novel, so I'm having to slowly relearn how to daydream and write. I've found that motherhood in general is a process of unspooling things and reconfiguring them (over and over).
Eliza and her dog, Hugo, at home on the farm.
find myself thinking a lot about what makes a family. For me, family is not about blood - it's about the people who are there for you and who you're there for. It's about shared history and passions and principles. But it's more than that; what draws a family together is something that can't be quantified. Juggling writing with motherhood is an endless balancing act. Mostly, I don't have the uninterrupted time I've always
When I teach, I'm often asked how I come up with characters. My characters pop into my head but sometimes they don't feel real to me. Often, I'll have to start the story over and over again, like striking a match, until the whole thing flares into life. When this happens, the characters feel real to me - writing becomes less effortful. It feels less like creating a world and more like simply observing and documenting it. The writing world is divided into "plotters" and "pantsers". Plotters are the writers with carefully curated storyboards and plans and summaries for everything that's going to happen in their story. While I have nothing but profound respect for plotters, I, myself, am a pantser. We pantsers fly by the
seat of our pants. We have no real idea where the story's going to take us, but we don't really mind. There are dead ends and lots of backtracking and confusion and (often) a lot more reworking than if you're a plotter. I wish I were a plotter. I've tried to force myself into plotting, but in my heart, I'm a pantser. At the moment, I'm working on my sixth novel and I keep expecting to have a moment where I finally discover the secret to writing them. The thing is, each novel is different. Each one is a brand new beast. Each one is a process of trial and error, wanting to throw my computer across the room and eating my bodyweight in chocolate. But it's worth it. Fiction has such a huge capacity to help us grow. It can confront us, comfort us and teach us things we'd have no other way of learning. Eliza Henry-Jones has also been writing for Yarra Ranges Kids Today magazine. AUTUMN 2020 23
Reality Bites
JUST
FOR DADS WITH JARRED KELLERMAN
Gaming fun
Lisa in amongst the beds at Ramarro Farm.
Juggling life on the farm with mum life ALONG a sleepy road in the heart of the Dandenong Ranges is Ramarro Farm, run by local family Oliver Shorthouse, Lisa Joy and young Leo. Eliza Henry-Jones caught up with Lisa to discuss all things farm, community and her experience of postnatal anxiety. Ramarro Farm supplies many of Melbourne's top restaurants with seasonal, chemical-free produce. What does a typical day look like for both of you? There is no such thing as a typical day on a market garden. On Sunday evenings, once the strength of the sun has ebbed, we might all go out into the garden to pick sorrel - Leo loves the lemony taste of this leafy salad green. The other day we planted more strawberry plants and Leo helped me by pressing the dibber into the soil so I could drop the baby plants into the hole he had made and last time we planted chives he removed the seedlings from the punnet and passed them to his dad for planting. Sometimes he plays in the soil with his diggers and trucks while we work, sometimes he rides his bike. The other week, while I planted a new rose bush, he created a playground for the worms from sticks and leaves. How do you manage your farm alongside the demands of parenting a small child? We have to be flexible. We don't have set working hours. Sometimes friends mistake this for thinking we work all the time, but in reality we just work different hours to most people. When Leo was first born, Oliver would need to harvest zucchini after bedtime while I stayed inside resting and listening out for our baby. Now, if the only time we can get Leo into swimming lessons is on a Wednesday morning then one of us will
24 AUTUMN 2020
go with him while the other takes over on the farm. In the last nine months we've also hired our first employees, which enables us to spend more time as a family. What benefits do you see, raising your child on a farm? There are plenty! Being surrounded by nature is soothing. Leo is at his most calm once he has settled in to playing outside. Our child is exposed to a huge variety of edible plants and fruit trees and learns what he can and cannot eat straight from the garden as well as the cycle of life. When you live closely with the seasons you appreciate the beauty of the flowers in October, the berries in summer. What can parents grow at home in a small space? Herbs are fantastic for growing in small spaces. They smell divine, can be quite decorative and highly satisfying to use liberally in your cooking when you know the supermarkets charge a lot for a tiny packet. Commercial lettuce is sprayed highly with chemicals so it can be great to grow organically at home. And you can't compare the flavour of a homegrown tomato with one bought at the supermarket, which has been 'bred' to be firm but not very tasty. How did living on a farm impact your experience of post-natal anxiety? I suffered from high levels of anxiety after Leo was born. It didn't affect my daily functioning or how I looked after my baby, but it meant that I found some things more difficult to cope with than I would have previously. Like many new mums, I suffered from back pain which meant I couldn't carry Leo in the sling or baby carrier while I gardened and my anxiety prevented me from leaving him on a rug in the shade while I worked. What if a spider
bit him or an ant, or a wedged-tail eagle dropped down from the sky and carried him away?! So, in some cases being closer to nature soothed my anxiety, especially when going for walks around the garden or picking the odd berry with Leo and eating them straight off the canes. Other times I felt isolated from the farm because it was easier for my stress levels to stay inside. What would you tell your postpartum self now if you could? Be patient. I know you miss your old life, your physical and mental freedom, I know you miss the garden and all the other things you used to love doing, but be patient with yourself. You will have those things again in time and it will all be worth it. Your farm gate has brought the community together. Can you talk a bit about that? When we decided to make the leap and work full time from home, we felt the need to reach out and become part of the community. It wasn't a financial decision. We believe people have the right to quality, chemical-free, fresh produce grown locally. So we opened up a small market on our farm. Now we have regular customers who come every week. We share cooking tips and recipes and we know what's going on in their lives and they ours. We have become friends. They bring their children who play with Leo in the sandpit or run through the orchard with him. The kids see where their food is coming from, how some of it is grown and we encourage them to try things they ordinarily wouldn't eat. Instagram @ramarrofarm Farm Gate details http://www. ramarrofarm.com.au/farm-gate
MY father and I did a lot of activities together when I was a kid. Cricket, building, drawing, camping and much more. When I reflect upon my childhood, there is one activity that stands out as the fondest of my memories, playing video games together. We would spend an entire Saturday, or indeed sometimes an entire week, playing a variety of games on a variety of gaming systems, and it was the best fun I ever had. Our first video game adventure began with the Sega Mega Drive and a game called Streets of Rage 2. A side-scrolling "beat em up" game, Streets of Rage had us working together to bash up legions of 80s punk gangsters and eventually find a 90s Hollywood style villain waiting for us at the end. I can't tell you how many times we played this, but it was a lot. As PC gaming came into the market, my father built us a couple of computers and connected them together via a Local Area Network (LAN), there was no such thing as Wi-Fi back then. We played many PC games together, but Doom, Red Alert, Blood and Diablo were among our favourites. I would also occasionally watch him play single player games, and there was a button-mashing sequence in Metal Gear Solid that I could never complete without his help. Regardless of what we played, cooperation and achieving the same goals were fundamental to the enjoyment of playing games when I was a child. As a teenager, however, I started pushing us to play games that were adversarial, or in the case of a game like Red Alert, I would declare war on my father mid-game and try to destroy his base. Eventually, I became much better than him, and I moved on to playing online games with friends, but I will always carry those memories of clearing out dungeons or shooting hordes of demons with my father. Research has shown that there are many benefits to parents playing video games with their children, for both the child and the family. While this is not limited to fathers specifically, I would encourage the many fathers like myself who work full-time to consider using video as a method to connect with their children, especially if you are time-poor. Video games can be used as a way to explore mysterious worlds, overcome challenges, learn new skills and of course, have fun. Like all things, moderation and clear boundaries should be enforced by parents and by no means are video games a substitute for actually going outside! However, the many benefits of video games, in general, should not be ignored, and spending time with your child playing games can be great for everyone. - Opinion of Jarred Kellerman, Business Support Manager and Cire Corporate Services
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AUTUMN 2020 25
Books
Teaching children about sounds By Danielle Galvin AUSTRALIAN author, Barbara Murray, is a passionate authority in teaching phonics to children, and believes it's critical in helping build a foundation for successful reading, writing and spelling. Ms Murray, a former primary school teacher and well-known author of the literacy program, Sound Waves, has recently released a beautifully illustrated boxed set of books aimed at children in the first year of primary school. The set, called Sound Stories, is an introduction to help children develop an awareness of the 43 sounds, or phonemes, that make up Australian spoken English. The Australian National Curriculum recommends that all Australian primary schools include phonemic awareness and synthetic phonics in their literacy program. Ms Murray explained that phonemic awareness is initially innate. "It comes naturally to children. They start with sounds when they are babies," she explained. "As they get to talk, they forget the individual sounds. "All you are doing is refreshing their memory of the sounds they picked up originally. "You don't have to teach kids to talk,
The boxed set is available through Barbara's website.
" I loved developing a curiosity about language in my students." l
Author Barbara Murray is a passionate about teaching phonics to children.
you do have to teach them to write." Sound Stories provides a story for every sound of Australian spoken English in the one set of books, with illustrations from Sarah Hardy. Sound Waves is a resource used in classrooms all over Australia and in countries overseas. Ms Murray had been teaching the phonemic approach in her classroom for 30 years, before coming up with the idea for Sound Waves. "Teaching was my passion and a phonemic approach featured daily in all my classes across the whole primary school.
Ms Murray believes developing an understanding of phonemes doesn't u have to be daunting. h In fact it's quite simple. As an example, the "eer" sound is featured in a story called Tameer Nearly Disappears and follows the baby reindeer Tameer who disappears into icy water, only to be rescued by her fierce and fearless reindeer father. Words in the story and illustrations that promote the "eer" sound include Tameer, reindeer, nearly, disappears, fearless, fierce, tearful, clear and cheer. "I designed each 'Sound Story' so that delightful, engaging illustrations will entice children to observe, imagine, predict, draw conclusions and create a possible storyline as part of an open discussion with others present, before the story is read to them," Ms Murray said.
"Discussion about the words that name and describe items and actions in the illustrations and the common sound heard in these words, follows." The four books in the set are: ■ Book 1: An Introduction to Consonant Sounds, Part 1. The Bolton Boys' Balloon Adventure and other stories ■ Book 2: An Introduction to Consonant Sounds, Part 2. Robbie Robot to the Rescue and other stories ■ Book 3: An Introduction to Vowel Sounds, Part 1. Anna Ant's Antics and other stories ■ Book 4: An Introduction to Vowel Sounds, Part 2. Bertie Bird and the Earthworm and other stories The books have an RRP of $24.99 and can be purchased from bookstores. The faster and cheaper way is through http://www.barbaramurray-author. com.au/
Children’s books...
Say Cheese! Frances Watts, Illustrated by Marjorie Crosby-Fairall A trio of meerkats taking selfies is pretty darn cute to say the least. It's the kind of cover that will make you want to take a book off the shelf! Sure enough, the meerkats aren't the only cute animals in Say Cheese! The bright and colourful children's book features a host of wild animals who attend South Furriest Public School. There's plenty of fun to be had on school photo day - there are students who are too hard to fit in the frame and spots and stripes that don't go together. You get the picture! Scholastic, RRP $24.99
Daring Delly Country vs City
Ella at Eden: New Girl
Fire Watcher Phoenix
Laura Sieveking
Kelly Gardiner
Matthew Dellavedova
The story will enthral ballers aged 7+ with plenty of court action. Dellavedova (or Delly as he's widely known) draws on his own childhood experiences of playing basketball to deliver a fun read. The story centres on Delly, a determined boy who is excited to play for his local team but is thrown a curveball when a storm damages their home court. How is the team going to train for their next game in the city? Can they win?
The hugely popular book character among young girls, Ella, returns in a new format. Ella is off to high school in this title aimed at tween readers who are well versed with the Ella Diaries. New Girl - the latest offering in the Ella and Olivia series - is a great read for young girls, particularly those who may be curious about boarding school. There are lots of twists and turns as Ella goes from enjoying her new school to dealing with some unexpected dramas including insulting the school diva and tracking down a mysterious thief.
The second book in the compulsive fantasy trilogy by award-winning author Kelly Gardiner. The historical timeslip fantasy takes readers from 1941 to 1666 as Christopher Larkham tries to go back in time to find his new friends and discover more about the power of his phoenix ring. However, not all goes to plan and he finds himself in a smaller, older river port town where a Viking invasion leads to one helluva fire. How did the ring get Christopher here and how can he get back to his own time? A thrilling read for kids aged 8+.
Scholastic, RRP $14.99
Scholastic, RRP $15.99
This latest offering from Aussie NBA champ Matthew Dellavedova is a slam dunk!
Scholastic, RRP $14.99
How to Make Banana Muffins Stella Hong A personalised book that's sure to want to get your child into the kitchen and cooking some delicious banana muffins. This book is one of two new offerings from Story Antics, a unique personalised children's book offering. In this colourful and engaging book, you can insert yourself and your child into the story. Basically your child becomes the chef! The picture instructions are easy for toddlers and preschoolers to follow. You'll be inhaling those muffins in no time! Story Antics, RRP $19.99
We've teamed up with Story Antics to give away vouchers for 20 readers to purchase their very own copy of How to Make Banana Muffins, a personalised recipe story book for kids. For your chance to win, visit www.yarrarangeskids.com.au/competitions 26 AUTUMN 2020
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Kids Calendar
What's on
this autumn
10 MARCH
15 MARCH
HOSPITALITY CERT APPLICATIONS
SO LONG SUMMER - BANDS IN THE BUSH
Applications open for School Based Hospitality through Box Hill Institute. The course is for students in Year 10 and Year 11 who are job ready and after a part time paid job.
A community event to raise funds for the Gembrook CFA, Gembrook Preschool and Gembrook Primary School.
It's a great opportunity for young people to have a job and achieve a Certificate III in Hospitality while still at school.
There will be bands, entertainment, food trucks, market stalls and a jumping castle.
Application dates start March 10 for a mid- year intake July 15 intake.
Entry is by donation.
For more information contact culinaryarts@boxhill.edu.au or Luke Bergin on 0418 185 929
12 MARCH EASTER AT CARIBBEAN GARDENS Easter Egg hunts, visit from the Easter Bunny, face painting, wooden Easter egg decorating. Rides open (weather permitting) as well mini-golf and playgrounds. Street Food area, the cafe or use the barbecues in the picnic area. Caribbean Gardens. 1280 Ferntree Gully Rd, Scoresby. 9am-3pm
9am-3pm. Gilwell Park 2555 Launching Place Rd, Gembrook
15 MARCH PETS IN THE PARK KNOX A free event for families and their furry friends. There'll be kids activities, a photo booth, pet parade, live entertainment and reptile display! 10am - 3pm Gilbert Park, Knoxfield Ferntree Gully knox.vic.gov.au/petsinthepark
down, Christmas season's smash hit 'Spies In Disguise' will be on the big screen, so grab the kids and round up your neighbours and friends for the perfect night out 6pm - 11pm 45 Tramway Road, Mount Evelyn
21 MARCH RED EARTH FESTIVAL From retro rides to futuristic imaginings, Celebrate Mooroolbark 2020 is going to be a party like no other!
1 APRIL & 6 MAY BABES TO KIDS MARKET A fantastic opportunity to buy or sell some new and pre-loved clothing for all ages. Baby & kids clothing, maternity wear, toys, cots, prams, change tables, bibs, blankets and all types of accessories. First Wednesday of every month, 8.30am - 3pm Caribbean Market, 1280 Ferntree Gully Road, Scoresby, Victoria, 3179
10am - 4pm Red Earth Park and Mooroolbark Community Centre, 74 Brice Ave, Mooroolbark
22 MARCH LILYDALE LAKE FUN RUN Spectrum Journeys Inc with Yarra Ranges Athletics present and host the 6th annual Lillydale Lake Fun Run. Enjoy a fantastic morning of running, walking, family and fitness at this fundraiser for the community based organisations. There are 2km, 5km and 10km walks.
19 MARCH 13 MARCH
CREATIVE KIDS
8am-12pm, Lilydale Lake
8 APRIL
29 MARCH
DROP BEAR - AUSSIE KIDS ROCK
CIRE COMMUNITY EASTER MARKET
Drop Bear is a highly entertaining Australian theatre show aimed at kids and starring Melbourne's number one musical comedy double-act, 'Aussie Kids Rock'!
A fun market for the whole family! All proceeds from our markets and events fund further community initiatives and events, with purchases from vendors directly supporting local small business owners.
11am - 12pm Burrinja, 351 Glenfern Road, Upwey https://boxoffice.burrinja.org.au/
MONBULK FAMILY OUTDOOR CINEMA NIGHT - DISNEY'S ALADDIN
A free, monthly creativity session designed for children over five years old.
Gates open at 6pm. Movie starts at 7.15pm. Gold coin donation to go to the Bushfire Disaster Relief Appeal. Community groups will be present selling food and drink options. No chairs on the oval - bring beanbags, picnic rugs or blow up chairs instead!
Emerald Library
29 MARCH
FOOD FOR GOOD FESTIVAL
https://www.cclc.vic.gov.au/
ECOTOPIA
20 MARCH
Bring the family along to this fun and free festival that's all about sustainability and community. Enjoy a day of good food, good music and good company!
Planet. Health. Community. A one-day festival celebrating the power of food for good in the Dandenong Ranges and surrounds. Expect inspiring speakers, hands-on workshops, an all-things-food market and lots more!
6pm - 9:30pm
Pre-show entertainment and activities start around 6pm. Once the sun goes
10am-4pm
9am-3pm
2458 Warburton Hwy, Yarra Junction
Belgrave, Victoria
Monbulk Recreation Reserve, Monbulk www.yarrarangeskids.com.au
4pm - 5pm
MOUNT EVELYN CINEMA UNDER THE STARS - SPIES IN DISGUISE
9am - 2pm
18 APRIL
33 Kimberley Drive, Chirnside Park
AUTUMN 2020 27
Open Days
Experience a morning at St Joseph’s
An opportunity to hear our Principal speak about the College and then take a guided tour with our Student Ambassadors đŏ +* 5ŏĂă. ŏ . $ŏĊċăĀ ) đŏ .% 5ŏāĈ0$ŏ ,.%(ŏĊċăĀ ) 1.0$!.ŏ 0!/ŏ .!ŏ 2 %( (!ŏ+*ŏ+1.ŏ3! /%0!
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Principal’s Tours
12444082-JW12-20
28 AUTUMN 2020
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