Casey Cardinia Kids - Winter 2023

‘I lost myself in motherhood’

ASHPOLLARD

Rainbow Friends

FUELSNIGHTMARES

Cockatoo mum RUNSFORPREMS

AboutUs

Winter has its own charm

AUTUMN brought us quite a few wintery days this year, but winter is now officially upon us.

In no time we’ll be longing for dry and warm weather so we can send the kids outside to run out their energy.

But it’s so important to enjoy the beauty of each season.

Throw on those gumboots, invest in some waterproof pants or overalls, and find those puddles!

Enjoy soaking up bursts of winter sunshine free from sunscreen and hats while the UV is low.

Explore your local play centres,

CONTENTS

IT’S YOUR LIFE

Berwick’s royal place to play

PAGE 6

Mum’s IVF double miracle

PAGE 8

Cockatoo couple’s run for prems

PAGE 9

Raising boys with backbone and heart

PAGE 10

Mum’s brave breast cancer battle

PAGE 11

Ash Pollard’s dark start to motherhood

PAGES 12-13

Mum chooses home for fourth birth

PAGES 14-15

Local shopping has its benefits

PAGE 16

Keeping kids safe in the car

PAGE 17

Train with Kayla in 2023

PAGE 17

HEALTH

Rainbow Friends are nightmare fuel

PAGE 18

Help is at hand for parents

PAGE 19

Early detection and treatment essential

PAGE 19

DENTAL

Remote dental screening in development

PAGE 20

Prevention and cure covered

PAGE 20

Dental dilemmas

PAGE 21

Preventative dental care

PAGE 21

museums and art galleries. Find cafes and shopping centres with indoor play zones.

Set up a home cinema, complete with candy bar, for a cheap and easy activity the kids are sure to remember.

Get the kids into the kitchen, build a blanket fort, set up a craft zone…cold and wet weather doesn’t have to mean bored faces staring out the window, longing for spring.

Our winter edition is another reason to relish the season. We’re fortunate to share some fantastic stories from everyday families and a famous face or two.

EDUCATION

Targeting learners’ needs

PAGE 22

A warm and welcoming school

PAGE 22

Bachar Houli: Enrol your kid in kinder

PAGE 23

A space for your family

PAGE 23

Support for 5000 families

PAGE 24

Cash for kinders

PAGE 25

Help your child move into Prep with confidence

PAGE 25

Life-long learners

PAGE 26

Catering for every child’s needs

PAGE 26

Education vision

PAGE 27

Specialist subjects support students

PAGE 27

Empowering young athletes and scholars

PAGE 28

Hillcrest takes on the world

PAGE 28

Celebrate active education

PAGE 29

The joys and benefits of family day care

PAGE 29

Uniforms support unity

PAGE 30

Strong community sense

PAGE 30

‘I love going to FiRST’

PAGE 31

Reality TV alumnus Ash Pollard opens up about her rough start to motherhood, and renowned author Steve Biddulph shares words of wisdom on raising kids.

Two young mums speak candidly about fertility and cancer, experts warn online games could make children anxious, and a sleep consultant calls out her industry.

So put the kettle on, grab a blanket and curl up for a bumper winter read!

Casey Cardinia Kids magazine is a Star News Group publication.

Casey Cardinia Kids will be published quarterly prior to each of the school holidays.

Casey Cardinia Kids Cnr Princes Hwy and Army Road, Pakenham, 3810 PO Box 9, Pakenham, Victoria 3810 Phone: 5945 0666 Fax: 5945 0777

Editorial Melissa Meehan melissa.meehan @starnewsgroup.com.au

Photography Rob Carew Stewart Chambers Group Advertising Sales Manager Mandy Clark mandy.clark@starnewsgroup.com.au

Phone: 5945 0608

The best kind of play

PAGE 32

Mottos to live by

PAGE 33

Growing green thumbs

PAGE 33

ENTERTAINMENT

Calling all dog lovers…

PAGE 34

Winter at Walhalla Goldfields Railway

PAGE 34

Move planets and stars

PAGE 35

PARTY TIME

Get a high five for this party concept

PAGE 36

Paint a pot and grab a pizza

PAGE 36

Tips for planning the perfect party

PAGE 37

Parties with a touch of wildlife wonder

PAGE 37

BORN TO PERFORM

Dancing out of the dark

PAGE 38

Dance studio creating a Legacy

PAGE 38

REALITY BITES

Let’s do what works when it comes to sleep

PAGE 40

Melia’s little miracle

PAGE 41

Motherhood’s more than birth

PAGES 44-45

caseycardiniakids.com.au facebook.com/caseycardiniakids

Published by Star News Group Pty Ltd ACN 005 848 108.

Publisher/Managing Director, Paul Thomas. All material is copyright to Star News Group Pty Ltd. All significant errors will be corrected as soon as possible.

‘I lost myself in motherhood’ ASHPOLLARD

Rainbow Friends FUELSNIGHTMARES

Cockatoo mum

RUNSFORPREMS

Cover Brothers Jack and Jordan don their gumboots for a splash in the mud.

Picture: Rob Carew

FASHION

Winter fashion with Billy Lidz

PAGES 42-43

BOOKS

Read wild facts about wildlife

PAGE 46

Discover new children’s books

PAGE 46

instagram.com/caseycardiniakids

It’sYourLife

A royal place to play

CASTLES, knights, princesses and fairies

- Berwick is home to them all.

The Hilltop Park and Fantasy

Playground at Soho Boulevard and Carnival Road includes an Excalibur sword set in stone, a gnome house, mushroom area, multiple slides, and a life-size steel horse.

It has all-access walkways, a quiet

space with teepees, and shaded accessible swings.

There are spaces for nature play and sand play, and for kids to let their imaginations run wild.

Narre Warren 9-year-old Mia gave the playground a spin and photographer Rob Carew captured the fun.

A two for one blessing

By Melissa Meehan

SOPHIA and Briana Borg are not your average twins.

Not that being twins is at all average.

But one thing that makes them extra special is that they were each conceived differently.

After a long journey to get and stay pregnant, their parents Kate and Simon were ecstatic to find out they were pregnant.

They had implanted one embryo after years and failed IVF attempts - and couldn’t believe their luck.

But they never expected to find out they were pregnant with twins - one of them conceived naturally ‘spontaneously’.

Married in 2016, Kate hadn’t experienced a normal cycle for many yeas, so was concerned about her fertility.

After trying to conceive for six months, she knew it was time to seek assistance.

“I was referred to a local gynocologist and fertility specialist who diagnosed me with polycystic ovaries,” Kate told Kids Today.

“He suggested that if we wanted the fastest result to begin IVF.”

Lucky for the couple, Kate’s polycystic ovari meant she was over producing eggs and the process was able to collect nine embryos.

“They say it takes an average four attempts at IVF to have a successful pregnancy,” Kate said.

“And we stayed with the clinic for five transfers that were all unsuccessful.”

During that time, Kate had three miscarriages. The initial clinic she attended were unsupportive to try new methods to improve their chances of pregnancy, so Kate and Simon decided to try “fertility queen” Lynn Bermeister.

Dr Burmeister was surprised that the couple had been unsuccessful and suggested to try using one of the four remaining embryos they had left with a new technique she had learnt in the USA.

Sadly, it didn’t take.

“We had now completed six transfers,” Kate said.

“Our bank account, my body but more importantly our hearts were breaking.”

A decision was made to discard the remaining embryos and try again.

This time they were able to collect four embryos, which were then sent to the UK for genetic testing.

There was no underlying reason why Kate would miscarriage - but Dr Burmeister discovered she had the inability to turn folate into folic acidwhich was vital and embryo health.

In January 2019, they went through another cycle of IVF. It was successful.

But when they had the ultrasound, they found out that it was a blond pregnancy - all the symptoms of pregnancy with no growing baby).

“At this point I could feel our dream slipping away and I was physically and emotionally drained,” Kate says.

“We started researching adoption and surrogacy and took at holiday to Hawaii - all our friends and family were starting families and here we were not able to talk about our pain and losses.

“But Lynn never gave up on us.”

In May, they went back again.

They transferred a single embryo.

And because she was told she could never fall pregnant naturally, Kate and Simon went about their lives as normal.

“After seven heartbreaking calls and over 50 blood tests I wasn’t hopeful (that we’d be successful) and figured the result would be negative,” she said.

“I called Lynn’s office and booked an appointment with her. We had a laundry list of questions on “what do we do next” and “whats the problem... is it me?”

The appointment came around and Dr Burmeister took one look at Kate and declared she was very much pregnant.

Both Simon and Kate nearly fell off their chairs. ‘

A week later, they returned to Dr Burmeister’s office, worried that Kate had experienced a bleed a few days earlier and convinced, again, that they had lost the baby.

But Dr Burmeister turned to Simon and held up the peace sign.

Two little heart beats. Two seperate sacs. Two babies!

“We could not believe it,” Kate said.

“After the hundreds of tablets and hundreds of self administered injections we had not one baby - but two!”

One of the girls conceived through IVF, the other conceived naturally.

According to Kate, calculating their conception there is a five day difference between one baby being a spontaneous pregnancy and the date they transferred the single embryo.

Kate was scheduled for a C-section delivery on 7 January 2020 and Sophia and Briana were born one minute apart.

“We feel so blessed as our journey was difficult and very emotional,” Kate said.

“We said if we were successful with one pregnancy we would not try again for a 2nd so feel eternally grateful to the universe for completing our dream and giving us two for one.”

Sophia (Pink) and Briana (Aqua).

Running for prems

By Tyler Wright

COCKATOO couple Ashley Woodrow and Lachlan Martin found out they were expecting their first child in September 2020.

Despite being the year the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world, it was the right time for the pair, who have been together for more than 10 years.

“We always said we would try to start our family once we had a home and we were comfortable, and we were very fortunate that I fell pregnant in that year,” Ashley said.

Ashley’s eight week scan revealed they would be welcoming not one, but two babies into the world.

“We were pretty shocked, and I think because it was our first, we must have not really known what we were in for,” she said.

“Even the scan tech was surprised that we were happy about it, so that was an incredible start to being parents.”

Receiving specialist care at Box Hill Hospital due to a high-risk twin pregnancy, everything was progressing normally until Ashley reached 25 weeks gestation.

It was discovered then that ‘twin B’Ollie - was experiencing high blood pressure.

“That day was traumatic…I was essentially given the worst possible outcome, which was I may have to deliver that day,” Ashley said.

She was taken to the Mercy Hospital for Women in Heidelberg, where an ultrasound specialist advised it would likely be a pre-30 week delivery.

“From that day forward, I was at the Mercy twice a week, getting both ultrasounds and ECGs with their heart rates done... that went up from twice a week for a few weeks, to every other day and then every day,” Ashley said.

At 31 weeks and six days, Ashley was given magnesium and underwent a C-section.

“I heard Russell cry for the first time, which was incredible,” she said.

Two minutes later, Ollie followed suit, coming out crying.

“At that point, we were concerned about Ollie...he was the reason why they were coming out so early,” she said.

It wasn’t until some hours after Ashley’s procedure that she visited her twins in the NICU where they were receiving the “highest level of care”.

“A few hours later, I was trying to get some sleep but failing, that’s when it really started to go pear shaped, and poor Russell went downhill all of a sudden,” she said.

“It wasn’t until after the fact, after they had done a lot of scans of his heart and tried to give him all these medicines, and he wasn’t necessarily responding.”

It was discovered Russell had an un-diagnosed case of Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) - a condition in which twins share unequal amounts of the placenta’s blood supply, thereby growing at different rates.

He was stabilised after being intubated with multiple medications, put on high-frequency oxygen, given a diagnosis of a double pneumothorax and given chest drains, a blood

transfusion and muscle relaxant.

“They were surprised that [Russell] was able to hold on for so long because he had thickening on one side of his heart from overworking in the womb,” Ashley said.

Without immediate specialist care, Ashley said the outcome for Russell and their family might have been different.

“We were so lucky that we live in an area that’s close enough and accessible enough to get to these hospitals, but there was even times during the rocky period we weren’t sure when they were going to come out that there wasn’t any beds available at the Mercy, so they were going to have to be flown to the Royal Children’s,” she said.

“I remember thinking ‘oh, my God, I don’t know how to say thank you. I want to say thank you. I need to do something to say thank you.”

As a way of supporting other families who have experienced premature births and sick babies, Ashley will run the 2023 Cairns Marathon on the weekend of 15 July with her sister Holly.

At time of print, the siblings had already raised thousands for Running for Premature Babies Foundation, which supports neonatal units in hospitals

around the country.

“[My sister] recently moved over to the States just before Covid hit... and she was the one that I was talking to at 2am in the morning when the boys were in the NICU,” Ashley said.

“Because my sister is actually a scientist, which is helpful in these situations...she was the one who was on the other end of the line when everything was going down, doing her research on her side and advising all these things and questions to ask.”

Ashley said she and her sister completed a half marathon together in the past - to raise funds for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre - for another personal story.

“We’ve tried to do training runs together, but the time difference is proving to be interesting,” she said.

“She’s been very instrumental in making me feel confident enough and excited to do this, so the fact that we’re going to see each other in Cairns, she’s going to see the boys again...it’ll be really nice.

“It’s like the end of a chapter of the stressful period of these boys being born and what they’ve gone through as well after birth.”

Ollie and Russell turned two in March, fortunately showing no adverse effects from their health complications.

“[Russell] is chatty all the time. Sometimes he doesn’t really speak English. It’s just baby babble, but he seems to think he knows what he’s talking about,” Ashley said.

“He’s a happy, healthy little two year old boy and he’s such a joy.

“Everyone always says ‘oh, they’re so happy and so funny’....they’re still at an age where I think, ‘God, it could have been so different.’”

To support Ashley and Holly on their 46 kilometre Cairns marathon run, visit cmf23.grassrootz.com/running-forpremature-babies/missiontwinpossible.

Ollie and Russell are now happy and healthy at two years old.

Cockatoo mum-of-two Ashley Woodrow hugging twins Ollie and Russell for the first time after their time in the NICU at the Mercy Hospital for Women.

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 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 kindhearted, 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 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.

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Mum’s brave breast cancer battle

By Melissa Meehan

ERIN Payne was in her baby bubble, very much in love with her three month old son Brodie when it burst unexpectedly.

One day while feeding him, Erin felt a hard lump in her breast and was soon diagnosed with stage three, grade three triple negative breast cancer.

“I couldn’t believe I had cancer after just having a baby,” Erin said.

“I wanted to have another baby, and I didn’t want my hair to fall out – I was scared.”

Everything happened at lightning speed – she went to the doctor a day after finding the lump and had an ultrasound that same day.

Once the diagnosis, and plan, was confirmed Erin jumped into action, meeting with a fertility clinic to talk about freezing her eggs in the hope she could one day give Brodie a sibling and was lucky enough to get two healthy eggs before her treatment began.

She started chemotherapy, along with steroids, anti-nausea and reflux medication and had monthly injections to place her body in early menopause.

Her hair was gone within 10 days – deciding to shave it off before the cancer beat her to it (something she says was both scary and liberating).

Following her treatment, Erin decided to undergo a double mastectomy – her best chance of the disease not returning.

Despite waking in a world of pain and thinking ‘what have I done?’, the long road back to recovery has been worth it.

“I am currently a survivor,” she said. Her recovery has been slow, and Erin is still trying to get back her health and fitness prior to the chemotherapy.

A year after getting the ‘all clear’ Erin and her husband decided to try naturally for a sibling for Brodie.

After five months of trying, they fell pregnant and in August 2022 their “rainbow girl” Darcie Margot was welcomed into the world at 3.7kg – a manageable size compared to her brother who weighed a whopping 4.4kg when he was born.

“It’s been quite hard managing two kids, like any parent would know, but the added fatigue, physical ability and low immune system has made it even harder,” she said.

“I keep looking at my babies and feel so blessed and lucky.

“I really don’t want anyone else to go through this, but I do want to raise awareness that young women can get breast cancer too, and to check your boobs regularly.”

I want to raise awareness that young women can get breast cancer too, and to check your boobs regularly.”

- Erin Payne, cancer survivor

Erin, with her children Brodie and Darcie

Erin says she’s speaking about her breast cancer battle to warn others that young people can get it too. Pictures: Rob Carew

Ash finds her ‘new self’

By Casey Neill

ASH POLLARD was “in a dark hole” during her early days of motherhood.

“I felt like I just lost myself totally,” she said.

“I was chasing my tail for sleep. I was chasing my tail to find myself.”

Postnatal anxiety enveloped the usually bold and vivacious TV and radio personality.

“When you’re a highly functioning type-A personality, to then be doing the same thing every day is hard,” Ash said.

“I wouldn’t ask for help because I didn’t want to give Clementine to anyone.

“This was in the height of Covid. Everything is just heightened.

“So I was extremely paranoid,

extremely tired, extremely unsupported with no daily help around and (partner) Pete (Ferne) at work.

“I was miserable.”

The mum of two and My Kitchen Rules alumnus has been candid about her struggles on social media, earning praise from other mums.

“When Clementine was four months old I fell pregnant again,” she told Kids Today.

“I was not in a good place at that point.

“I was on medication.

“Coming out of the newborn stage, you’re absolutely beside yourself with sleep deprivation.

“I was in a dark hole.”

After Claudette arrived, Ash “went back into a dark spot”.

“I felt extremely unsupported and

extremely misunderstood by those around me,” she said.

“I nearly had postnatal psychosis.

“The best thing I did was outsource.

“I put an ad up for a mother’s helper to come and just help me clean up around the house, look after Claudette for two hours of a morning, two mornings a week so that I could go to the gym.

“I hate exercise but I had to force myself to do it because I knew it would be better for me.”

Ash acknowledged she was fortunate to have the means to engage the help she did, but urged other mums in need to explore volunteer services and Medicare-funded aid.

“There are options for people who don’t have the finances to actually get that support,” she said.

“There are beautiful people in the

community that offer their help on a voluntary basis.

“You just have to ask your maternal health nurse.”

Claudette was 15 months old when we spoke, and Clementine was two and a half.

“I’m finally feeling a bit better,” Ash said.

“I’ve taken up cardio tennis.

“I hate exercise and I’ve tried everything.

“This is the only thing that makes me genuinely happy and fulfilled.

“You run around a court and play games with other adults.

“Through that I remembered that I was not too bad at tennis, so I’ve gone back to tennis lessons.

“I’m a reserve for a comp team.

“I’m feeling a bit more myself now - my new self.”

Ash Pollard with daughters Claudette and Clementine.

Pictures: Rob Carew

Ash had always wanted to become a mum.

“It’s funny because I was extremely maternal in my twenties,” she said.

“When I turned 30 something happened and I kind of lost interest a little bit.

“Maybe my career started ramping up and I started to get a taste for what I loved doing.

“I found my groove in work.

“Things in the industry started ramping up for me and I absolutely loved it.

“Prior to that I wasn’t really enjoying what I was doing.”

She was an events manager before winning fans on My Kitchen Rules in 2015.

“It didn’t bring me the same kind of happiness and fulfillment that working in entertainment did,” she said.

“I forgot about being a mum and I just really honed my focus on work.

“Things were happening in leaps and bounds.

“Things were great for me and I was loving life.”

She had her own cooking show on Channel 10, appeared on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! and moved interstate for a radio gig.

“Around the exact same time I was offered a job on radio, I met Pete,” she said.

“Everything in my world just felt right.

“Off I went to New South Wales - Pete didn’t come but he was happy to embark on a long-distance relationship with me.”

Ash fell pregnant during the Covid lockdowns.

“We weren’t even trying,” she said.

“It needed to be a surprise for us because we were both so obsessed with our careers that we weren’t even thinking about kids.

“Both of my children were surprises. Neither were planned.”

Ash said work was picking up again and influencing was her main gig these days.

“I’m not a radio host anymore and I haven’t done a TV show for a few years,” she said.

“I use my platform on social media to my benefit and others’ benefit.”

Clem and Claude do join Ash in some promotional videos - “They get a

cut - it goes into their bank account.”and content for fun, like Cooking with Clementine.

“I started when she was so young. She was maybe nine months old,” Ash said.

“She’s always been very intrigued.

“She’s pretty calm so she’ll sit there and watch.

“I couldn’t do it with Claude.

“Clementine listens. She’s extremely measured, very risk-averse.

“She’s not always cooking. She’s not in the kitchen every day.

“I think I have involved her by speaking to her about food and allowing her to watch me and get involved now and then.

“I did introduce her to lots of foods frequently when she was younger

“If she doesn’t like a food, I’ll still serve it to her. Exposure is very important.

“I still to this day don’t like broccoli. I remember being forced to eat it.

“To this day if it’s offered to me I will still leave it on my plate.”

Lately she’s turned to breakfast smoothies to give the girls some extra nutrients.

“I make a green risotto sometimes,” she said.

“I cook some broccoli and kale in the stock that you mix into the rice, whiz it in a blender and ladle it into the rice.

“You’ve got to find ways that suit you and your lifestyle.”

Cooking was once her escape and passion but Ash said it had become a chore.

“It’s so sad to admit that because I adored it,” she said.

“I adored entertaining people, cooking beautiful meals that took an entire day to prepare.”

But she does see a day when the joy will return.

“When the kids exit the toddler stage, they can finally eat whatever we eat,” she said.

The family will be moving into their dream home before Christmas, with extensive renovations currently underway.

“I’m so lucky that Pete’s a builder. It would have been a disaster without him,” Ash said.

“It’s not your typical beige and white kind of scenario.

“It’s going to be an adventure when you walk in the front door of our house.

“Clementine likes to go to the building site to see the builders.

“She doesn’t quite like the noises that some of the machinery makes.”

Ash is content with her family of four

but doesn’t rule out adding another child to the mix.

“I don’t like to say no because if we were to accidentally have another surprise we’d just roll with it,” she said.

But family-of-four holiday packages are so convenient…

“And I have no interest in buying a people mover thanks,” she laughed.

Fourth time’s the charm

By Casey Neill

“THE second she was born, I wanted to do it again.”

It takes most mums a little longer to consider another pregnancy.

But Amanda Colverson’s fourth birth was unlike most births - even her own three previous births.

She welcomed Lana into the world in her Kalorama living room with husband Andrew and children Ava, Tea and Hunter by her side.

“I love that they were able to be there,” she said. The experience was a far cry from Ava’s entry to the world almost eight years earlier.

“Being our first baby, we thought we’d go private with her,” Amanda said.

“A lot of our friends had gone down the private hospital line.

“We thought ‘that’s what you do’.

“Even during the pregnancy I found the obstetrician didn’t really have a lot of time for my questions and felt a little bit rushed in the appointments sometimes.”

Her waters broke four days before her due date so she went into hospital for a check, then home to wait for labour to start in earnest.

Amanda labouted at home during the night and returned to hospital in the morning about 5 centimetres dilated.

“The midwife I had was an agency midwife that I’d never met before,” she said.

“With going private, you know your obstetrician, but at the end of the day it’s the midwives you have with you.”

She felt like she needed to push but was only 5 or 6 cm dilated - the baby’s position was causing the urge.

Amanda tried ‘the gas’ - nitrous oxide and oxygen gas - and morphine but they did nothing to alleviate the painful pressure, so an epidural was recommended.

“It wasn’t really what I wanted but I was told it’s what I had to have,” she said.

“After a few hours my obstetrician came in and checked on me and left.

“I was told I was 10 cm and to start pushing.

“But I couldn’t feel anything so I really struggled with that.

“I was pushing for 2.5 hours.”

Amanda was told her baby’s head was “coming down a little bit but seeming a bit stuck” and that forceps and an episiotomy were needed.

“I didn’t feel like I had too much of a choice at that point,” she said.

“She came out OK but I felt quite disconnected from the whole experience.

“It was almost a shock once she was out and there.

“The next day it sort of hit me that things maybe hadn’t gone how I thought.

“I think it really affected the first few weeks with my baby, affected my bonding.

“I felt like I couldn’t enjoy those first few weeks because I was in a lot of pain and just processing what was going on.”

The experience left Amanda scared to have another baby.

“I had a friend who had been with the midwifery group practice program and she really recommended her midwife,” she said.

“She actually got me in and had a bit of a debrief about the birth.

“She was so supportive and talked through why things had happened and what things may have helped or not helped.

“That was really helpful and made me feel a lot more confident going into the second birth.

“Having that mid wife that I trusted and that I knew - and I knew she was going to be the one there on the day - was really reassuring.”

Tea held out on her arrival until eight days after her due date.

“So it was the longest wait of my life, but her labour was a lot quicker,”

Amanda said. She had “some inklings” in the morning and used techniques she’d read about and learned at a breathing class to manage her pain throughout the day.

About 6pm Amanda felt like she needed to push, and reached the hospital about 6.30pm.

Her waters broke “straight away” and a check by her midwife found she was fully dilated and ready to push.

Tea arrived about 30 minutes later.

“It was, in some ways, healing from that first birth as well, having such a different experience,” she said.

Amanda applied for the midwifery group practice program the day she found out she was pregnant with Hunter.

“I did wonder about home birth for the third one considering the second one had gone so well, and I had a few friends who’d had home births,” she said.

“My husband was very against the idea, worried about how it would go and it not being safe.”

So they stuck with a hospital birth.

Once she hit eight days overdue, she started feeling a lot of pressure for induction.

“That was just the expectation,” she said.

“They wanted me to come in every day for monitoring after the 41-week mark.

“The monitoring was always fine, sometimes the fluid levels were even better than the day before.

“Third birth I felt more empowered to be able to say ‘I don’t want to be induced yet’.

“Being in that midwife program, she understood what I wanted. She was happy to support what I wanted.”

When Amanda hit 14 days overdue, she had to sit down with a doctor, listen to the risks of continuing her pregnancy, and sign forms to confirm she understood them.

“The day of 42 weeks I woke up and had started to lose some of my mucus plug so that was really r eassuring,” she said.

Amanda with Hunter, Ava, Lana, Téa and Andrew.

Picture: Chapter And Song Photography

She’d had a stretch and sweep at 41 plus six, and had another followed by an acupuncture appointment.

“In the evening I felt like I was having some contractions but then they went away,” she said.

“So I went to sleep, woke up about 7.30am and felt like I was having some contractions.”

Her mum picked up her daughters and Amanda jumped in the shower.

Her contractions were about six minutes apart but the gap quickly shortened to two minutes.

She went to the hospital and her waters broke almost as soon as she reached her room.

“I felt like this was going to be exactly the same as my second birth,” Amanda said.

“I really wanted to have a water birth.”

So the midwife ran a bath for her. She was pushing with every contraction but nothing was happening.

She got out of the bath so her midwife could do a more thorough check, and learned the baby’s head was coming down, then moving back up.

Amanda tried some different positions to try to get him moving.

“Nothing was working, he wasn’t progressing down at all,” she said.

“After about two hours, the midwife said she needed to get a doctor to check on me.”

The doctor concluded he “seemed a bit stuck” and Amanda was soon prepped for theatre.

“That was a bit unexpected when the second birth had gone so well,” she said.

“I’d done everything I could but I was still at this point, it was out of my control.

“It was kind of helpful in terms of the first birth. It was helpful to answer those what-ifs.”

She was hooked up to the spinal block and relished the relief from the pain.

Hunter had come down far enough that another forceps birth - including another episiotomy - was recommended.

He weighed about 4.43 kilograms - about a kilo bigger than his siblings.

“I think his size was part of why he wasn’t coming down,” Amanda said.

“They wanted to take him to special care to monitor his breathing.

“They gave me a minute to have a look at him and then took him off, so my husband went with him.

“They stitched me up. So I ended up in recovery all on my own, after I’d been quite confident that this birth was going to go well.

“I didn’t get to see him for a couple of hours.

“Even though in some ways that birth was the hardest, the postpartum was a lot easier and I felt a lot better.”

Amanda fell pregnant with Lana when Hunter was nine months old, “which was a bit of a shock, but I had secretly wanted to have a fourth baby so I was thankful”.

“I really wanted to have a home birth,” she said.

“My husband asked ‘why, after the last one went so badly?’.

“I said ‘I want a home birth because the last one went so badly’.

“I needed to do something differently.

“The private midwives are amazing. They know everything about different positions and different ways to get babies out.”

Yarra Valley Midwives answered all her questions and even met with Andrew to talk through his concerns.

“He felt reassured - it still wasn’t his first choice but he respected that it’s what I wanted to do,” she said.

“It did cost a fair bit of money, but we decided that was something we wanted to do.”

Amanda felt “really terrified” in the weeks leading up to the birth.

“Given what had happened with the third birth, I was really worried about something going wrong,” she said.

“After I said that out loud I felt a bit better.”

About 36 weeks, the midwives came to Amanda’s home with a birth pool and a list of items she would need to make her home birth dream a reality.

“I felt really overwhelmed,” she said.

“Once I had everything sorted I felt a lot better.

“And I knew that on the day if I felt like I needed to go to hospital, I could.

“I was still registered in the hospital system.”

Two days before her due date, she felt Braxton Hicks contractions.

They were 10 minutes apart, but soon went away.

Amanda went to bed and woke to potential contractions at 5am.

“I lay in bed for an hour wondering,” she said.

“I got up and jumped in the bath to see if they’d go away.

“It was getting a little uncomfortable but I didn’t want to wake anyone up.”

About 6.30am she decided it best to text her midwife and doula.

She got out of the bath about 7am and “things jumped up really quickly”.

“All of a sudden the contractions were two minutes apart,” she said.

The kids were just getting out of bed and her husband was trying to fill up the birth pool.

“I had used most of the hot water in the normal bath so the hot water ran out really quick, so he was having to boil the kettle and water on the stove to fill up the birth pool,” Amanda said.

Amanda’s midwife was on her way about 7.15am, and her photographer friend Emily was en route to capture the birth.

Her doula was a couple of hours away.

“Mum was going to come and help with the kids but was 1.5 hours away in Rosebud,” she said.

“I didn’t want anyone to have to hurry.”

She got into the bath about 7.40am.

“I felt like I needed to push but I didn’t want to push without anyone here,” she said.

Emily arrived about 10 minutes later, and 10 minutes after that the midwife pulled into the driveway.

“At that point I let my body just push,” Amanda said.

“I was leaning over the bath and (the midwife) asked me to feel where the baby was.

“I could feel the baby’s head, which was so surreal.

“My little two had come down and were sitting on the couch.

“My eldest daughter was still upstairs. I think she was feeling a bit overwhelmed by everything. Then she came down too.

“Then with the next push I could feel the head coming down and I could feel that ring of fire that everyone talks about.

“Then her head came out into my hand.

“With the next push she came out into my hands and I lifted her out of the water all on my own.

“The kids were all there watching.

“After she’d come out, they gave her a little pat.

“We sat there for about an hour.

“The second midwife arrived just as she was born. Mum arrived after that.

“My doula came a little bit after as well. It was nice for them to be part of that moment.”

They kept the cord connected to Lana for a good few hours.

“After the placenta had come out they got me out of the bath and moved me onto the bed,” she said.

“The kids all got to cuddle the baby, it was really special.

“I felt really lucky to have that experience. It took me four births.”

Before Lana was born, Amanda was feeling “OK that this is the end of my pregnancy journeys”.

“The second that she was born, because it was so incredible, I just thought ‘I would do this again’,” she said.

Amanda, Lana and Ava. Pictures: Chapter And Song Photography

Téa and Ava with Amanda and Lana.

Andrew supports Amanda during Lana’s birth.

It’sYourLife Local shopping has its benefits

THE friendliness and familiarity of your local centre is a great place to start your local shopping.

The food options are varied and delicious at Cardinia Lakes Shopping Centre, with delivery and takeaway options still available, you can now get back to dine-in options too.

The wonderful team at Sugarcoat Nails and Beauty are well-equipped to help you feel fabulous for the remainder of sandal season.

Pizza Fellas has a great range of pizzas that can be ordered online so they are ready for you when you pop in to pick up your dinner. From their delicious salads to their tasty

chicken, Uncle Sam’s Charcoal Chicken is a firm favourite in the neighbourhood for a quick and healthy meal.

Cardinia Lakes Fish and Chippery has delicious burgers, along with crispy chips and tasty fish for a favourite takeaway option.

Wok to Go rounds out the takeaway options with tasty Asian dishes galore to tempt your tastebuds.

At Caremore Pharmacies, the staff are dedicated to their customers’ well-being and will help you make the right choices about maintaining good health.

Their gift range is outstanding as well, and you’ll be able to find the perfect gift, or maybe something extra special for yourself.

Great breakfast and lunch options are on the menu at Urban Hype Cafe. Come and meet the friendly staff and grab something for lunch or morning tea.Their coffee is just divine. Stay up to date by following Cardinia Lakes Shopping Centre on Facebook.

140 Windermere Boulevard Pakenham

Dream designs

FAMILIES from all over Melbourne are flocking to the recently-completed Kaduna Park display village at Officer South, keen to find their dream design among the 35 homes on show.

The display village boasts a range of quality homes, each featuring the latest design innovations and trends by Victoria’s top builders.

The roll call of builders include Premier Traditional Homes, Fairhaven Homes, Dennis Family Homes, Beachwood Homes, Boutique Homes, Homebuyers Centre, SJD Homes, Home Group, SoHo, Metricon, Hotondo, ABC Home Group, Burbank, Orbit, Kialla Homes, Sienna Homes and Simonds.

To celebrate the completion of the village, developer Parklea hosted two launch events and a ‘Visit, Vote, Win’ competition with a $5000 Harvey Norman voucher as the top prize.

Entrants had to nominate their favourite home and the lucky winners were Chris B, Hon Y and Jenna F. Parklea corporate general manager Jarod Mills said the launch events were a great way to involve the community

and celebrate this latest milestone for Kaduna Park.

“We’ve had strong interest from visitors from across Melbourne, especially those looking to purchase land in Parklea’s newest project, Ridgelea at Pakenham East,” Mr Mills said.

“Kaduna Park is home to Cardinia Shire’s only display village and this new village is an exciting development as it gives Melbourne’s best builders the opportunity to showcase innovative new floor plans and home styles.

“I would encourage anyone thinking of building in the south east to visit Kaduna Park and spend time in the display village. You won’t be disappointed with the quality and innovation on display. It’s a great way to start gathering ideas and planning the perfect home for your family.”

Stage 14, the Clements Release, is the latest stage to go on sale at Kaduna Park.

For more on the Clements Release or the new display village phone 1300 523 862 or go to Kadunapark.com.au

Cardinia Lakes Shopping Centre.

Keep kids safe in the car

ALMOST 90 percent of child car restraints in Cardinia and Casey are incorrectly fitted or used, Kidsafe Victoria says.

CEO Melanie Courtney urgently called on all parents and caregivers to regularly check and adjust their child car restraints, and to book in for a free fitting or inspection through the ’Safe Seats, Safe Kids’ program.

The program checked 449 child car restraints in the Cardinia Shire and found 87 percent were incorrectly installed or used.

Just under half (46 per cent) required an adjustment, while 40 per cent needed a complete refit.

Only one per cent needed to be replaced due to being more than 10 years old, having damaged or missing parts, or being an overseas model below Australian standards.

In Casey, more than 880 were checked. Ninety percent were incorrectly installed or used, with 42 percent requiring adjustment, 45 percent requiring a refit, and 3 percent needing replacement.

Kidsafe Victoria CEO Melanie Courtney said the risk of life-threatening injuries was four to six times greater when child car restraints were incorrectly fitted or used.

“Ensuring child car restraints are properly installed can be challenging for parents if they

haven’t been shown how to do so, which is why the ‘Safe Seats, Safe Kids’ program is so Important,” she said.

“Many parents and carers who attend one of our free checking days simply don’t know that their child isn’t restrained safely.

“Our accredited fitters ensure the restraint is correctly fitted and also provide education and advice to help parents continue to keep their kids safe on every trip.”

Typical issues identified included:

■ Top tether straps twisted, connected to the wrong vehicle point, or not connected to an anchor point at all;

■ Twisted harness straps or harness straps at the incorrect height;

■ Seatbelts threaded through the incorrect path;

■ ISOFIX attachments not secured correctly; and

■ Children in the wrong sized restraint. Transport related incidents are one of the leading causes of accidental death for Australian children.

About seven children aged under 15 years are killed on Victorian roads each year, with about another 300 injured.

Kidsafe Victoria runs ‘Safe Seats, Safe Kids’ in partnership with Neighbourhood Houses Victoria and with State Government support.

Pakenham MP Emma Vulin said encouraged all parents and carers to book in for a free child car restraint fitting or check at their local Safe Seats, Safe Kids day.

“Not only will it provide you with peace of mind, it will also help to keep your kids safe,” she said.

Neighbourhood Houses Victoria CEO Keir Paterson said ‘Safe Seats, Safe Kids’ provided a vital service to local communities that many families might not otherwise be able to afford. Visit www.safeseatssafekids.com.au to book a free appointment to have a

child car restraint installed or inspected at the Pakenham Living and Learning Centre, Beaconsfield Neighbourhood Centre or Pakenham Outlook Community Centre, where free fitting and checking days are regularly held. A free e-learning tool for choosing, installing and using child car restraints correctly is available at safeseatssafekids.com.au/courses/ child-car-restraints.

For information and advice on the best practice guidelines for safely transporting children, visit safeseatssafekids.com.au/resources.

Train with me in 2023

Meet Kayla

SHE is 10 years old and has been training at Cathy-Lea Studios for eight years.

Kayla takes classes in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, hip hop, contemporary, commercial jazz and acrobatics.

She trains in the studio’s Elite Training Program which includes conditioning and troupe work. She also has private lessons to learn solos for competitions.

Kayla received 100 percent for her Cecchetti International

Grade 4 Ballet examination and 100 percent for her Bronze Star Jazz examination in 2022.

She won the Cecchetti Ballet Junior Encouragement Award in 2022 and is a finalist in the 2023 Rose Medal Award.

Kayla is also a member of the prestigious Cecchetti Ballet Junior Scholars program.

In December 2022, Kayla performed in the State Youth Ballet Company’s production of Alice in Wonderland.

Kayla loves that “the teachers (at Cathy-Lea) challenge me and push me to be my best. I’m always learning new things”.

She wants to let people know that “classes are fun and everyone is really nice”.

She says that unlike other studios, Cathy-Lea “offers a lot of different styles and you can pick what you like”.

Kayla’s favourite event is the annual Cathy-Lea concert which is presented as a fully themed production with acting, singing and dancing involving all students from the age of 3 to adults. Kayla hopes you will come and dance with her at Cathy-Lea in 2023. Enrol now or register for a free trial class at www.cathy-lea.com or 9704 7324.

Kayla says her classes are fun and everyone is really nice.

Transport related incidents are one of the leading causes of accidental death for Australian children.

Online games fuel kids’ anxiety

By Melissa Meehan, AAP

CHILDREN as young as four are being exposed to nightmare fuel that could set them up for a lifetime of anxiety.

Animated online games such as Rainbow Friends, and video clips of people playing them, might seem innocuous but their benign names often hide more sinister content.

Rainbow Friends is a Roblox horror experience that turns a seemingly welcoming environment into a terrifying nightmare.

It’s similar to content such as Piggy, Five Nights at Freddy’s, Poppy Playtime, or the more well-known Huggy Wuggy.

The gamer poses as an unnamed child who has been kidnapped during a school trip to an amusement park called Odd World.

Some videos of Rainbow Friends animations on Youtube have had as many as four million views while the game itself - which is played on Xbox, mobile devices and PCs - has had more than one billion visits.

Despite being PG-rated for mild violence - its creators claim it’s suitable for children over nine years old - children aged much younger are being exposed.

While there is no substantial research on the issue, anecdotal evidence from a number of child educators suggests children accessing such content are more prone to act out, sometimes violently, or display anxious behaviour.

A kindergarten teacher in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, who declined to be named to protect the identity of her students, said last year several boys in a class for four-year-olds had seen Rainbow Friends.

“My colleagues and I were seeing them play and talking about some characters. We had never heard of it before so did some research and it really shocked us that they knew so much about it,” she told AAP.

The main concern was that four- and five-year-olds were being exposed to age-inappropriate content, although it was noted that they often had older siblings which made it easier to access.

Child psychologist Deirdre Brandner said stories of children as young as four accessing similar content were concerning because their developmental age meant the line between pretend and reality can be blurred.

“It starts with something quite benign and engaging and it’s actually the shift from that to the darkness that is the most

distressing for children,” she told AAP.

“By then, they have developed trust in that character and then it turns out to be something they are not expecting.”

She said characters in these kinds of online content force kids to lose trust and brings a cautiousness that develops across everything they do.

This could include being scared while watching a Disney show or even Bluey, she said.

“That’s when we see increases in anxiety and, you know, there is a correlation between what children are being exposed to, and anxiety and the fact that particularly for this age group - it’s a very, very vulnerable place that these children find themselves in,” Ms Bradner said.

“It is important to talk to your kids, and other parents, about what they are watching or what their friends are watching.”

Cybersafety expert Susan McLean says it’s paramount that parents take control of what their children are exposed to online.

“If we applied the same rules to parenting in the real world - if we let our three-year-old aimlessly wander the streets and hope for the best, you know that wouldn’t work,” she said.

“So why do parents think that the internet is different? It is not. It is far more dangerous than the real world

devices often stumbled upon content not meant for their eyes.

An example of this is Shrek the Rapist, which comes up when searching for videos of the G-rated Shrek movie.

It is also important to have tough conversations in the playground with other parents about what their kids are watching - because often what one parent thinks is appropriate, isn’t necessarily appropriate for another child.

Roblox is a user-generated content platform, which means the games and virtual experiences on the platform are not built by Roblox but by a community of more than 12 million creators and developers. Roblox told AAP in a statement that it encouraged parents to determine what experiences were appropriate for their children by providing a suite of Parental Control features.

Those controls can be used to restrict what games and experiences kids can access, as well as who they can interact with and how much they can spend.

“Parents can set restrictions based on the age recommendation assigned to individual games and experiences on

Parents need to take control of what their children are exposed to online.

Unsupervised children using devices often stumble upon content not meant for their eyes.

Early detection and treatment essential

ICARUS Skin Cancer Clinic’s highly skilled skin cancer doctors, Dr Bruce Lim and Dr Arthas Chu, have a comprehensive understanding of skin cancer and treatment, acquired from years of additional study beyond a medical degree.

Their experience and expertise give you confidence that you will receive an accurate diagnosis and treat skin concerns in a safe medical environment.

Their breadth of knowledge and treatment of patients and expertise ensure the highest standards of professionalism and safety.

Icarus’s doctors have undertaken significant further training in the field of skin cancer medicine and both doctors have developed skills in skin cancer surgery including facial surgery, skin flaps (including nose, ears and lower leg repairs) and skin grafting.

They are both passionate about promoting sun awareness and skin cancer prevention with patients.

Technology

Using dermatology software powered by artificial intelligence (AI), capturing high quality digital images of your skin and records details for future comparison monitoring suspicious lesions for any changes, resulting in earlier diagnoses so you can avoid unnecessary procedures.

Need a skin check?

Anyone with changing spots, or spots that look very different to others on their body, should have them assessed by an accredited skin cancer doctor as soon as possible.

Even if you are unsure if your spots have changed, it’s worth having a doctor check your skin to ensure nothing is amiss.

If you have a history of sunburn, multiple spots, previous skin cancer, or a family history of melanoma, you are at risk of skin cancer.

The same is true if your family has light-coloured skin, even if you yourself have darker skin.

Help is at hand

PARENTING is hard but getting help doesn’t need to be.

Remember that the damage may have been done when you were young, so just because you don’t get sunburnt any more doesn’t mean you’re safe from skin cancer.

Early detection and treatment is essential

Melanoma is the third most common cancer in Australia, and more people are being diagnosed with skin cancer every year.

The good news is that, if detected early, there is about a 99 percent chance of survival as the melanoma can be confined to the skin.

Delayed diagnosis, however, may result in the melanoma spreading to other parts of the body.

Once this occurs, it becomes a highly aggressive cancer which makes it difficult to treat.

Unfortunately, melanomas don’t present symptoms so the only way to find them is to examine your skin.

A full-body skin check by accredited skin cancer doctors is the best aid in early diagnosis.

To make an appointment call 5925 2000 or book online at HotDoc/Icarusskincancerclinic.

Icarus Skin Cancer Clinic is at Suite 4,Ground Floor, Hollander House, 352 Rossiter Road, Kooweerup.

Email manager@ icarusskincancerclinic.com.au or visit www.icarusskincancerclinic.com.au.

Last year St John of God Langmore Centre expanded its mental health support services to include a brand new parent and infant unit aimed at helping expectant and new parents overcome the challenges that inevitably come with having a baby.

It’s no secret that four out of five parents experience the baby blues in the first few weeks following the birth of a child.

What isn’t so commonly known is that for 20 percent of parents, feelings of sadness, numbness or hopelessness can continue and might become severe enough to impact a person’s ability to cope with and enjoy everyday life.

Postnatal depression and/or anxiety can have serious consequences for both a parent and their baby.

Early detection and treatment is vital, with a visit to a GP a great first step in ruling out other conditions.

If postnatal depression or anxiety is confirmed, there are lots of support options available and a referral to St John of God Langmore Centre can be easily obtained from your doctor.

At St John of God Langmore Centre, treatment plans are individually tailored using a

Postnatal depression and/or anxiety can have serious consequences for both a parent and their baby.

holistic approach that addresses a parent’s physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs – all very important components to recovery.

Patients benefit from multidisciplinary treatment options that include help from psychologists, psychiatrists, physicians, social workers, pastoral care practitioners, exercise physiologists, art and music therapists, mental health nurses and lactation consultants.

Located centrally in Berwick, the safe and secure facility caters to families, with patients encouraged to have their partner or support person stay onsite with them while they undergo treatment.

Babies up to 18 months who are not yet walking are additionally accommodated with a separate, in-room nursery also available to use. More information can be found at www.sjog.org.au/langmorecentre or by calling 9773 7071.

Becoming a parent is not always easy

Dr Arthas Chu.

Dr Bruce Lim.

Remote dental screening

DENTAL professionals could soon use an app to remotely screen children’s teeth.

The Australian Dental Association (ADA) in February reported that researchers at The University of Western Australia successfully completed a feasibility study on the app.

It was created in response to restrictions on healthcare delivery during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, but the university said it had “ongoing potential for use in remote and lower socioeconomic areas”.

UWA researchers Dr Somayyeh Azimi, Dr Jilen Patel and Dr Mohamed Estai led the collaborative study with Telethon Kids Institute and Joondalup Health Campus.

They had 42 families take goodquality photos of their children’s mouths.

They were uploaded to the app and made available to dental professionals via a secure server.

Dr Azimi, from UWA’s School of Human Sciences, said this method “enabled high-accuracy screening of healthy children without tooth decay and those with evidence of cavities”.

The ADA said he spoke about the impact this could have on dental care in rural and remote regions.

“It has the potential to prioritise dental needs, mainly where dental care access is limited, and to reduce waiting times for consultation and travel times to dental clinics,” he said.

“It may also lead to better determining the urgency of the need for treatment and the nature of treatment required, as well as potentially reducing the complications of untreated tooth decay, such as dental infection.”

Dr Azimi said future work would explore incorporating AI technology “to further accelerate examination and referral.”

Prevention and cure covered

CASEY Dental Group puts the dental health and wellbeing of its patients first.

As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure, and the clinic takes this to heart by offering a range of preventive dental care services such as regular check-ups, cleanings, and fluoride treatments.

Casey Dental Group offers a comprehensive range of dental services, including implants, dentures, root canal treatment, wisdom teeth extraction, Invisalign, orthodontics and more.

A new app could help dental care for kids.

Orthodontics and Invisalign from $59 per week. Implants from $39 per week

• We BULK BILL for the $1000 Medicare Child Dental Benefits Scheme

• HALF PRICE CROWNS*

*after first full priced crown.

• INSURANCE PATIENTS: We Do Not Charge the Gap on Your Health Insurance Claim for Check Ups, Cleans, X-Rays and Sealants*

• 24 months interest free on all treatment services

• NON INSURANCE PATIENTS: FREE Check Ups!

• Government Emergency/General Dental Vouchers accepted

• Whitening take home kit only $295

Dr

Dr

These services help to prevent dental issues such as cavities and gum disease, which can lead to more serious dental problems down the line.

But when dental problems do arise, the Narre Warren South dental clinic is well-equipped to handle them.

The clinic’s use of the latest materials and technologies - such as digital x-rays, laser whitening, and ceramic fillings and crowns - ensures patients receive the best possible care and outcomes.

With its range of preventive and restorative dental services, use of the latest technologies, flexible appointment schedules, and emergency services, the clinic is well-equipped to meet the needs of its patients.

DR NISHAN FERNANDO, KIP HOMEWOOD AND DR ADAM WALLACE MAKE CASEY CARDINIA SMILE

Orthodontic Treatment for children and adults utilising the latest technologies including SureSmile, Invisalign, lingual and clear appliances.

We offer flexible, interest free payment plans to make orthodontics accessible to everyone.

Strict hygiene and physical distancing policies in place

Dr John Tia

Melanie Cole

Quinn Tao

Ms Chrysi Kroone

The Casey Dental Group team.

Dental dilemmas

THERE are lots of orthodontic issues to look out for in the early years, according to the Australian Dental Association.

Some can be left to manage later in life but others require early intervention, and managing them in a young child can be challenging.

Oral habits

Thumb or digit sucking and dummy use are an almost normal part of early childhood.

The consequences of these habits, the ADA says, have the tendency to self-correct as long as the habit stops by about four to five years of age.

Some children, particularly those who persist with an oral habit beyond this age, will develop irreversible ‘damage’ to their developing bite.

The ADA says it’s important to educate parents of those children who are at risk of this.

Various methods can be implemented to help curb the habit, such as positive encouragement, reward systems, nail-biting deterrent polish, taping or covering the offending finger or hand, and cutting off the tip of the dummy.

Space loss

Tooth extraction is the typical treatment of choice for primary teeth with infection, significant tooth decay or after severe dental trauma.

Trying to salvage a primary tooth with a hopeless prognosis is a recipe for disaster, the ADA says, and is usually best extracted despite the inevitable consequence of space loss.

Extraction of primary incisors rarely causes space loss, and the permanent successors usually still erupt without issue.

But early loss of a primary molar, the ADA says, can cause space loss which can create spacing issues for the permanent successor.

The decision to place a space maintainer depends on the severity of space loss expected, medical history, caries risk, cooperation, finances, and the presence of other orthodontic issues.

Lower anterior crowding

Commonly referred to as ‘shark teeth’, lower anterior crowding is a very common issue.

Often parents attend a dental practice worried that a primary tooth remains despite its permanent successor erupting. But the ADA says this situation very rarely needs any intervention from a dental practitioner.

In more than 90 percent of cases, the primary tooth will eventually fall

out, and the permanent tooth will still erupt fully and migrate forward with tongue pressure.

Removing the primary tooth is only of benefit if it’s not mobile at all despite the permanent successor being fully erupted; six to 12 months has been given beyond the normal stage of development the tooth is expected to fall out by; there is evidence the permanent successor will not erupt and become impacted or erupt severely ectopically without this extraction; and/or the primary tooth is significantly impacting normal hygiene and dietary practices.

The ADA says it’s important to not extract a primary tooth unless it is absolutely necessary as this is often the child’s first exposure to a dental procedure.

Crossbites

Anterior and posterior crossbites are caused by dental or skeletal discrepancies, or a combination of the two.

A dental crossbite usually involves one or two teeth, whereas a skeletal crossbite generally involves multiple teeth.

Other factors such as a high palatal vault, mouth breathing, cleft palate and skeletal malocclusions (class II or class III) more commonly have skeletal crossbites.

The ADA says crossbites usually do not need early correction unless the crossbite is causing a functional shift or it has been indicated by a medical specialist, usually an ENT specialist or sleep physician, for obstructive sleep apnoea.

Any crossbite correction is typically done once the first permanent molars and permanent incisors have erupted so that it is easier to maintain the correction and any incisor irregularities can be corrected at the same time.

In general, single tooth crossbites do not need early correction unless there is evidence of trauma to teeth or gingival recession occurring.

Ectopic first permanent molars

Ectopic first permanent molars are identified when these teeth do not erupt or remain partially erupted and are found to have part of its crown stuck behind the second primary molar.

The ADA says they have a prevalence of about 4 percent in the general population, are more common in the maxilla, and about 70 percent of the time they self-resolve.

THE best way to a healthy smile is by starting young.

Local dental clinic Endeavour Smiles Group has the tips and tricks you need to get your child(ren) interested in taking care of their teeth.

Its child-friendly team has the training and skills needed to communicate with your child(ren) on their own level.

You’ll be surprised at how excited your child(ren) can be about oral hygiene and the treatment costs that you can avoid later on.

Routine preventive cleanings and exams help identify problems and risk factors as early as possible. This keeps treatment needs limited, and helps you as a parent to avoid dental emergencies. Some of the ways Endeavour Smiles Group helps keep your child’s smile healthy is by offering:

■ Preventive sealants to block out tooth decay;

■ Fluoride applications that strengthen developing enamel;

■ Consultations regarding teething discomfort;

■ Oral hygiene instruction;

■ Sports mouthguards to prevent injury and concussions;

■ Nutritional information; and

■ Routine exams and X-rays to identify problems before they start.

A reputed dental clinic like Endeavour Smiles Group uses the latest dental techniques and technology to ensure that your whole family receive the best possible care, making it one of the most preferred dental clinics among locals.

Children who don’t receive proper dental care face more oral problems in adulthood.

They might suffer from gum disease, tooth loss and jaw misalignment problems - all of which require more expensive treatments at later ages.

Visit ESG and let the team take care of your children’s dental health.

Some dental issues in children will resolve themselves.

The Endeavour Smiles Group team.

Targeting learners’ needs Education

DON BOSCO Catholic Primary School is privileged to be the first school built within Our Lady Help of Christians Parish.

We are blessed in our Catholic community where the inherent dignity of each member is nurtured, and each person’s faith life is celebrated.

We have built a strong relationship with our parish community and the parish-based sacramental program supports this.

Student learning is designed to target learners at their point of need across all areas.

Our experienced teaching team works collaboratively to build professional learning relationships with students and their families, inviting parents into the learning journey in a variety of ways.

We place a strong focus on personal and social wellbeing, literacy and numeracy; ensuring that our teachers are trained in researched based approaches from phonics through to self and social awareness.

This year we have redesigned student leadership to give our students purposeful opportunities to become actively involved in the life of the school.

Our student representative council is led by our school captains who meet weekly with the principal.

Buddies support the transition into school of our Foundation students and the Year 6s work in leadership teams to build student relationships, learn new skills and reach out to the wider community with Mini Vinnies.

We are excited to continue refurbishments to improve learning environments and play spaces for our students and could not do so without the efforts of both our Parents and Friends and School Advisory Committees.

We invite you to call our school office for a tour on 97047255.

Treasa Barwick, Principal

Warm and welcoming

ST James Nar Nar Goon is a Catholic school where everyone is welcome.

The school is fortunate to offer a wide range of learning experiences for its students.

Its staff are very proud of the students and this is evident in the respectful relationships they build across all levels of the school.

They know every child and something unique about them and take the time to ensure that every student knows that they are a valued member of the school community.

They are passionate educators who are focused on the academic, spiritual and social emotional growth of all students.

St James’ students care for and

support each other and actively work together to include each other in activities.

Recently, with the support of its Parents and Friends fundraising group and input from students, St James relocated and reimagined its library.

It is a warm and welcoming space that is well resourced with hundreds of books and where students are encouraged to foster their love of reading in a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere.

St James is fortunate to have undercover and indoor facilities which cater for a range of activities including sport, weekly assemblies and other activities that support student learning.

The school offers a diverse range of

specialist classes – Japanese, visual arts, physical education, digi-tech and performing arts - for students in Foundation to Year 2.

The St James team understands that parents are very busy and therefore provides individualised school tours at a time that is convenient for families.

Please call the school to make a booking for a school tour so you can see the work being done at St James and its before and after school program. Enrolments are available at all levels. Call 5942 5404 or visit www. stjamesnng.catholic.edu.au.

St James’ students care for and support each other and actively work together to include each other in activities.

The school places a strong focus on personal and social wellbeing, literacy and numeracy.

Education Enrol your kid in kinder

PARENTS of all cultures and backgrounds should get their kinder applications in for next year, says former AFL star Bachar Houli.

He joined with Early Childhood and Pre-Prep Minister Ingrid Stitt at Altona North Children’s Service in May.

“Early education has allowed my two girls to mix with kids of different backgrounds and cultures, and to learn more about themselves and others,” he said.

“My son Mohamed is so excited to be starting three-year-old kindergarten in 2024, and I can’t wait to see what he learns about the world.”

Before starting school, children can attend three-year-old kindergarten for five to 15 hours per week, followed by four-year-old kinder for 15 hours per week - and it’s all free.

“What a child experiences between the ages of three and five can make a big difference to their development and wellbeing,” Ms Stitt said.

“Free kinder supports every Victorian child to get the best start in life, no matter where they live.”

Many councils with central enrolment processes will start allocating kinder places in July.

Research shows play-based learning is a powerful way to support a child’s learning and development, with two years of kindergarten better than one.

Play encourages children to use their imagination and make discoveries while learning to listen, share and take turns.

Children also learn about numbers, words and language, develop social

and emotional skills, and build essential skills that go on to serve them for life.

“Everyone benefits from kindergarten,” Ms Stitt said.

“Children get to experience new adventures while getting quality early education and families, in particular women, have more flexibility to return to work if they choose.”

Families are encouraged to visit their local kindergartens to meet staff and see the services in action.

Parents should also look for a Kinder Tick, so they can be confident their child will be attending a funded kindergarten program.

Visit vic.gov.au/kinder or contact your local council for more.

Space for the family

BRENTWOOD Park Neighbourhood

House is a community centre in the heart of Berwick South.

With a focus on serving the community, Brentwood Park runs a number of children’s programs, along with being the home for a number of local businesses’ children’s activities.

Located on Bemersyde Drive, just down the road from Brentwood Park Primary School and Kambrya College, this is the perfect hub for activities for your family.

Reach out to the team to enquire about their playgroup sessions for 0 to 4 year olds, which are run by a qualified early childhood educator, or art classes for your primary school student.

For those with a flare for performing, there is tiny tots dance or music lessons. For the children with more energy to burn, there’s children’s mini sports and taekwondo programs running out of the centre.

The centre also offers mums and bubs fitness sessions and pregnancy yoga, to provide mums (and mums to be) with a place to find themselves and connect with likeminded mums in a safe and supportive environment.

They also process the $250 power saving bonus, which is very useful given the rising living costs.

The team welcomes you to drop in and see them to chat about their programs, or venue hire for upcoming family functions.

Brentwood Park Community Centre Children’s Programs

We offer a range of programs for children from 0 to 13 years.

Kool Kidz Narre Warren is a purpose-built Early Learning, Childcare and Kindergarten facility that provides a safe, fun and exciting environment to explore, learn and grow in for children aged 6 weeks to 6 years.

Playgroup sessions run by a qualified Early Childhood Educator for 0 - 4 year olds.

Art Classes for 6 - 13 year olds run by a qualified Art teacher.

Along with a range of performing arts and fitness classes for children of all ages.

Brentwood Park Neighbourhood House 21A Bemersyde Drive, Berwick 03 8743 0671 www.bpnh.org.au

Follow us on socials: bpnh3806

A qualified early childhood educator runs playgroup sessions.

Support for 5000 families

NEW mums and dads across Melbourne’s south-east will soon have better access to early parenting support in a purpose-built facility.

Construction is progressing on the new Early Parenting Centre in Casey.

Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas announced in March that the multimillion-dollar centre at 114 Newgrange Boulevard in Clyde North was on track to be completed later this year.

“Being a new parent is an incredibly rewarding experience – but it can also be really tough,” she said.

The centre has been designed to create an environment where families can feel safe, comfortable and at home.

It will support more than 5000 extra families each year with children aged up to four-years-old.

The new centre will have 10 residential family units and four day-stay places, providing both short-term and longer residential stay programs to improve health, wellbeing and developmental outcomes for children.

The centre will provide parents and carers with the support and advice they need, including help with sleep and settling, feeding and extra care for babies and toddlers with additional needs.

Sleep and settling is one of the biggest challenges facing new parents, with about one in two parents who attend early parenting centres reporting problems with their child’s sleep.

This can lead to post-natal depression, stress and can affect a child’s behavioural, mental and physical development.

The final designs for the multi-milliondollar centre released in March revealed the facility’s exteriors, kitchen and dining area and residential family units.

Brand Architects consulted childcare experts, local community groups and traditional owners as part of the design process to ensure the design reflected the community it served.

Natural light, rooms suitable for various family arrangements and a home feel were some of the priorities.

The Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA) is delivering the project in partnership with Monash Health, the Queen Elizabeth Centre and SJ Higgins, with construction expected to be completed late this year.

The Casey Early Parenting Centre is being delivered as part of the State Government’s $148 million investment to expand and upgrade the early parenting service network.

Empowering Curious Minds

Natural light, rooms suitable for various family arrangements and a home feel were some of the priorities.

The centre has been designed to create an environment where families can feel safe, comfortable and at home.

Education

Cash for kinders

THE Building Blocks Inclusion grants are making more buildings and playgrounds accessible and inclusive for children of all abilities.

“We’re upgrading and improving facilities across the state to ensure more kids of all abilities have the buildings, spaces and playgrounds they need, for the great education they deserve,”

Early Childhood and Pre-Prep Minister Ingrid Stitt said.

In March, she announced the Building Blocks Capacity Building grant stream would be expanded.

The State Government grants will be increased for projects completed by June 2026, to expand existing early education facilities and build new kindergartens.

To create more places at kinders across the state, funding for expansion projects is now up to $1 million. New early learning facilities can now receive up to $4 million, and integrated children’s centres $4.5 million.

As part of the initiative, new grants of up to $150,000 are available for project planning, scoping and design, further supporting the sector to deliver vital infrastructure ahead of the Pre-Prep roll-out.

New Building Blocks Inclusion grant rounds will provide between $10,000 and $200,000 for inclusive equipment and building and playground upgrades

Since it was launched in 2020, Building Blocks has provided more than $190 million to plan, build new and improve early childhood services across the state.

“Our Pre-Prep and Free Kinder initiatives are providing families another way to ease cost of living pressures, while supporting more women with more opportunities to re-join the workforce,” Ms Stitt said.

Help your child start Prep with confidence

GUIDING your child from their early years into primary school is a journey filled with learning and growth.

The initial leap into school life is a significant milestone that can sometimes bring uncertainties.

However, the faith-filled community at Heritage College is there to support you every step of the way.

To ease the transition, Heritage College is proud to present its ‘Step into Prep’ program.

This Christ-centered initiative offers an informative session where families can engage with Prep teachers, ask questions, and find answers, all within the context of the school’s Christian ethos.

The first year of primary school at Heritage College is a time of abundant learning, where the seeds of academic, social, and emotional growth are sown in the fertile ground of Christian values.

During Prep, children build confidence and learn to live out their faith as they develop literacy and numeracy skills through an engaging curriculum.

Heritage College educators provide a nurturing environment, embodying the love of Christ in their teaching, and introducing students to the arts, music, and languages.

The college’s Prep students are encouraged to interact with the broader campus community, fostering a spirit of unity and mutual respect through the ‘buddies’ program and participation in other on-campus events.

As a significant part of the ‘Step into Prep’ program, orientation days are conducted throughout semester two.

These days provide incoming Prep students the opportunity to explore the classrooms, meet their future teachers and classmates, and familiarise themselves with learning areas and activities in a supportive environment.

This helps ensure that when the day comes to start Prep, the transition is less of a leap and more of a step forward in their spiritual and educational journey. Expressions of Interest for Prep 2024 are open for Officer and Narre Warren South campuses. To find out more, visit heritagecollege.vic.edu.au/prep.

Prep 2024

Heritage College has two campus locations: Starling Road, Officer, and Centre Road, Narre Warren.

Help

Life-long learners Education

ST BRIGID’S Officer extends an invitation to parents to find out more about the school.

St Brigid’s Primary School’s vision is to create a modern, contemporary and innovative approach to learning that is purposeful and relevant to the lives of children and families today. The school believes in partnerships in learning and fostering a nurturing atmosphere in which staff, parents and children work as a team to develop in the children, the skills to meet life’s challenges with

confidence, resilience and enthusiasm.

The school is committed to ensuring success in literacy and numeracy, as well as a knowledge and understanding of the ever-changing world through inquiry learning from a Catholic world view, faith and life inquiry.

St Brigid’s enjoys expansive grounds. This includes a grassed oval, chapel, netball/basketball court, multipurpose room, amphitheatre, Japanese garden, running track

and fitness stations, junior and senior adventure playgrounds, a large vegetable garden, and chicken coop which supports the science and sustainability curriculum.

The school has almost completed a new two-storey building development which will house more classrooms and specialist subject areas.

Before and after school care is also

available onsite morning and afternoon.

St Brigid’s offers a comprehensive specialist program of STEM, performing arts, physical education, science and sustainability, and Japanese.

Student welfare is a high priority and St Brigid’s has a student counsellor.

The school is a community of life-long learners and provides an environment that is challenging, stimulating and fosters creativity.

Catering for every child’s needs

WE would like to share with you a little about why Cardinia Primary School is so special and lives up to its motto of being a ‘Caring Family School’.

We are a small country school not far from Officer, Clyde, Pakenham and Kooweerup.

We provide an excellent education in an environment that is nurturing, catering for every child’s needs.

Our classrooms are closed plan, and our class sizes are small.

Our experienced and high-quality teachers are dedicated to providing the very best education for every

child in our care.

We have specialist teachers in the areas of performing arts, visual arts, and science. Our Eco Zone is a place for our children to learn about sustainability and looking after our planet.

We believe that the social aspects of schooling are also important, and we provide a yard experience that is above and beyond expectations. We have four playgrounds - one of these is a fitness track, and another has exercise equipment and outdoor musical instruments.

Our children love playing in our two

cubby houses and make full use of our undercover basketball court, our netball court, our Ga Ga pit and so much more.

Traditions are important here at Cardinia. Every year our community joins in for our beach picnic, an Easter bonnet parade, a sleepover, a whole school camp, a Christmas concert and many other events throughout the year.

We invite you to call us to arrange a school tour.

I’m looking forward to meeting you!

Susan Wepster, Principal

Come

3

Cardinia Primary School’s classrooms are closed plan, and its class sizes are small.

St Brigid’s fosters a nurturing atmosphere.

Education

Education vision

MORE than 5000 students across Victoria can see more clearly thanks to the free Glasses for Kids program.

Education Minister Natalie Hutchins announced the figure in March, with the program helping kids in Prep to Year 3 since 2015.

She said that since the start of Term 1 this year, 758 students at 17 schools had their vision screened and 130 receiving free prescription glasses.

“Giving Victorian children the opportunity to thrive at school goes beyond providing great education programs – this is about ensuring nobody is left behind because of common and very treatable issues like vision impairment.” she said.

“Health and education go hand in hand.”

Children with undiagnosed vision problems often find it hard to

concentrate at school, which can present challenges for learning and development.

Glasses for Kids provides an on-site optometry service to children at their school, addressing vision impairments in children who otherwise might have gone undiagnosed.

By supporting students with undiagnosed vision impairments, Glasses for Kids is helping students

achieve their best at school and beyond.

State Schools’ Relief delivers the program, which has so far provided free vision screening to almost 32,400 Prep to Year 3 students from 408 government primary and specialist schools across the state.

The State Government has invested more than $2.4 million to deliver Glasses for Kids.

Specialist subjects support students

ST PATRICK’S Primary aims to provide a comprehensive education that allows opportunities for all our students to thrive.

To achieve this, the school has introduced a new specialist subject this year.

The performing arts class provides a space for students to explore and express their creative side. Students are learning how music can affect their emotions, with this term focusing on dance.

At St Patrick’s, exciting classrooms create an environment that allows for a level of creativity to be nurtured.

From this foundation, students can create their own music, whether that be

as a team or their own distinct voice.

With the digital world becoming more prevalent in our society, St Patrick’s has renamed STEM to DigiTech at the school.

With this class, students are taught what it means to be a responsible digital citizen and, more importantly, how to be safe online.

Part of this class includes the use of chrome books and iPads to program robotic toys. They also use recycled materials and Lego to assist in the planning, production and testing of objects.

This mix of technology and hands-on equipment enables students a further understanding of the design process and

allows for critical thinking and problemsolving techniques to be explored.

A long-standing specialist class at St Patrick’s is Japanese. This weekly class helps students to become better communicators while creating a level of understanding and respect of other cultures.

The students are taught how to speak and read this language, but also the culture and history behind it.

Just last year our students participated in a Kendo class. Experiencing this first-hand allows them to understand the connection between the language they are being taught in class and the cultural practises behind it.

We pride ourselves on being a Catholic, welcoming school where everyone is valued and respected. Our committed and professional staff provide a safe, caring environment where we aim to engender a love of learning in every student.

Specialist subjects provide space for all students to thrive.

Hillcrest takes on the world

THE Hillcrest Christian College boys VEX team recently represented Australia at the VEX Robotics World Championships in Dallas, Texas.

The Hillcrest team had to qualify for the World Championships by competing against Australia’s best late last year.

The Hillcrest team finished the tournament ranked 34th in the world. This is Hillcrest’s highest ever ranking at the World Championships.

“This is a significant achievement and a testament to the students’ hard work and collaboration with the other teams

they competed with,” Paul Lock said.

Mr Lock is Hillcrest’s head of STEAM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

Despite encountering some challenges that caused the team to drop down the rankings at times, they persevered and managed to achieve three scores over 200, with the last being an impressive 224.

Throughout the trip, the team grew and matured in many ways.

“During the VEX information evening

prior to the trip, the staff could see the team’s passion for honouring the college and ultimately God through this,” Mr Lock said.

”The boys have certainly accomplished this goal.”

This result places Hillcrest Christian College and Australia well within the top half of teams worldwide.

Hillcrest is very proud of their team and congratulates them on this historic achievement.

Empowering young athletes and scholars

I AM delighted to introduce Australia’s largest multi-sport program for children aged 1.5 to 6 years.

At Ready Steady Go Kids, we believe in the power of early childhood development.

Our program, meticulously designed by paediatric physiotherapists and occupational therapists, aims to foster children’s gross and fine motor skills and instil a love for

The Ready Steady Go

sports in a non-competitive environment.

One of the hallmarks of our program is its comprehensive approach to skill development.

We expose children to 10 different sports, enabling them to acquire a broad range of skills.

This diverse curriculum not only builds a solid foundation of sporting knowledge but also ensures continued interest and enthusiasm throughout the program.

By offering this variety, we strive to nurture a lifelong love for physical activity.

Our program goes beyond sports training. We integrate basic counting and colour concepts into our classes, fostering cognitive development alongside physical skills.

Through teamwork and sportsmanship, children learn the value of collaboration and fair play, while also building social skills that will benefit them in their future interactions. Our carefully-designed activities also enhance listening skills and concentration, laying a strong groundwork for success in the early school years.

At Ready Steady Go Kids, we understand the importance of individual attention.

To ensure optimal learning outcomes, we maintain a low student-to-instructor ratio of 1:7, with class capacities limited to 14 children.

This allows our dedicated instructors to provide personalised guidance and support to each child, tailoring the activities to their unique needs and abilities.

We believe that this individualised attention fosters greater self-confidence, enhanced self-esteem, and a genuine sense of achievement, all of which contribute to the overall well-being of our young participants.

We pride ourselves on our unwavering commitment to delivering our program, come rain, hail, or shine.

With our indoor facilities, we guarantee that every class will proceed as scheduled, regardless of inclement weather.

We also offer multiple make-up classes at any one of our locations at any time should you ever be unable to attend a class.

This reliability ensures that your child’s progress and development are never hindered, offering peace of mind to parents and a consistent learning environment for our eager participants.

Come and join us for a FREE TRIAL class at one of our Pakenham, Casey and Narre Warren locations! Visit readysteadygokids.com.au or email georgina@readysteadygokids. com.au.

Georgina Nicolas, Franchise owner, Pakenham, Casey and Narre Warren Regions

Quality and care are the hallmarks of a Hillcrest education. All that we do centres on having our students become women and men of vibrant faith, sound character, lifelong learners,andactivecitizens. Ms Christine Lucas - Head of Hillcrest ChristianCollege

Equestrian

program goes beyond sports training.

Throughout the trip, the team grew and matured in many ways.

The Hillcrest team travelled to Dallas, Texas.

Move, make and motivate

ACTIVE Learners: Move, Make, Motivate.

What a wonderful theme for this year’s Education Week in all Victorian Schools.

The theme encapsulates a celebration of physical activity, handson learning and student voice in education.

It has been a tough three years and there are still significant challenges ahead. That said, we are all looking forward with hope and enthusiasm – the theme speaks to so much that goes o n within our school and will continue to do so.

It is no surprise that during the pandemic, for some children, their involvement in physical activity was reduced.

The proliferation of the use of digital devices, for all their worth, hasn’t helped either. I am proud to say that our school has a long and rich tradition of providing a diverse and challenging outdoor education program for all students.

Sport and physical education are but two elements of this program.

Our award-winning sensory garden and community garden provide wonderful opportunities for our students to engage with nature in their learning.

Hands-on learning covers many areas of the curriculum in our schoolbe that in the practical activities associated with our numeracy and literacy programs or our radio program and performing and visual arts programs to name but a few.

Student voice, which we prefer to refer to as student agency at Berwick Lodge, has been a central focus of ours for many years.

This began with the implementation of student Learning Maps, the purpose of which was to enable students to identify their best learning styles and tools.

From this they developed their own learning goals and so things flowed.

As we move through 2023, our thirty fourth as a school, we celebrate the journey to today and the legacy our students are creating for those that follow with great pride.

Henry Grossek, Principal

The joys and benefits of family day care

AIMEE Keays began her career as an educator in long day care, but has since joined hands with not for profit Windermere to run her family day care service.

In contrast to long day care or centre-based care, family day care offers a personalised service in the comfort and privacy of the educator’s own home.

Aimee relishes the laidback environment of her home in Langwarrin as it means calmer children and more opportunity for one-on-one interaction.

“I am able to provide better quality care for each family and I have more time to spend with my own children,” she says.

Aimee’s Little K’s Family Day Care takes in children as young as three months all the way up to kinder age with a limit of four children at a time.

This relaxed small group setting has several benefits for families.

Key among them is the reduced incidence of illness among children. Families can also place siblings together and have specific needs met such as visits from an occupational therapist.

“I love that I get to form lasting

bonds with the families. Sometimes I run into them after many years and they still remember me,” she adds.

Windermere offers early childhood early education and care services which include developmental and disability supports as well as a range of other services.

For more information, visit windermere.org.au or call 1300 946 337.

Aimee’s Little K’s Family Day Care takes in children as young as three months.

Strong community sense Education

ST Agatha’s Catholic Primary School in Cranbourne offers a diverse and inclusive learning environment, a focus on literacy and numeracy skills, and contemporary education.

One of the standout features of St Agatha’s is its multicultural community.

The school embraces diversity, with families from different cultural backgrounds coming together to form a warm and welcoming community. This multiculturalism helps to

foster understanding, empathy and respect among students, creating an environment where everyone feels valued and appreciated.

Another feature that sets St Agatha’s apart is its strong focus on family partnerships.

The school understands the important role that families play in a child’s education and works closely with parents to ensure that each child receives the support they need to thrive.

ST AGATHA’S PRIMARY SCHOOL

This partnership helps to build a strong sense of community, with parents and teachers working together to create the best possible outcomes for each child.

St Agatha’s also has a strong focus on literacy and numeracy skills. The school understands that these foundational skills are essential for success in all areas of life, and provides students with a range of opportunities to develop these skills.

From dedicated reading and writing programs to numeracy activities and problem-solving challenges, St Agatha’s is committed to ensuring that each student has the skills and knowledge they need to succeed.

In addition to its focus on literacy and numeracy skills, St Agatha’s also offers a contemporary education that prepares students for the challenges of the modern world.

With a focus on critical thinking, problem-solving, and digital literacy, the school provides students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the 21st century.

The school embraces diversity.

St Agatha’s Catholic Primary School in Cranbourne offers a multicultural community, strong family partnerships, a focus on literacy and numeracy skills, contemporary education and excellent facilities.

The school encourages new parents to enrol their child at St Agatha’s for the 2024 school year and experience the benefits of its outstanding school community.

Please call the office on 59962724 to book a tour or visit www.stacbourne.catholic.edu.au for more information.

Uniforms support unity

STATE Schools Relief has this year delivered uniforms to more than 21,000 students doing it tough.

The Affordable School Uniforms Program provides uniforms and other essential school items for families that need an extra helping hand and ensures that all students, regardless of their circumstances, can attend school feeling valued and included.

“Wearing a school uniform helps to create an important sense of belonging for children,” Education Minister Natalie Hutchins said.

“With the rising cost of living, we know this program offers some relief for many families right now across the state.”

Families can receive support for individual school uniform items, school shoes, swimwear, stationery items, STEM calculators, textbooks, work boots for vocational students and school bags.

On average the program can save families more than $100 per application.

Since 2015, more than $42 million has been invested in the program to support more than 459,900 students with more than 1.72 million uniforms and other essential school items.

Families affected by short-term crisis and long-term chronic need are encouraged to contact their local school.

Uniforms help children feel included.

Students affected by refugee status, homelessness, family violence, house fire, natural disaster, financial hardship, illness and emergency are among those eligible for support.

Financial support for schools is also provided through the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund, which helps students from disadvantaged backgrounds to participate and attend school events and activities.

‘I love going to FiRST’

HELLO, my name Ruby and I go to FiRST Early Learning.

I’m in the kinder room. Did you know I’ve been going to FiRST Early Learning ever since I was seven months?

I love going to FiRST because all the teachers are so kind, and they give us really fun things to play with.

Our teachers are like superheroes, they help us grow and learn and we love them sooooo much.

We get to sing songs, read books, dance, play in the garden, feed our wild birds, and even get to play with sparkly playdough.

My baby brother, Hunter, plays in another room because he’s little.

He loves his teachers too because they give him so many cuddles and they take good care of him, so he’s never sad.

I know Hunter feels safe in his room, because it’s a small room with a small group of friends so my baby brother gets plenty of attention. That makes me feel happy.

We have so many excursions and incursions and my mummy says I get to go to something every week.

My friends and I go on a big bus to bush kinder, and my favourite is going to swimming lessons with all my friends.

It’s a big indoor pool so we get to swim all the year through. Did you know I can even put my head under water and kick my legs to swim with my kick board? Now that’s clever.

My mummy can’t believe it when I tell her, so my teachers show her photos. Yep! Mummy and Daddy believe it now.

My baby brother does incursions, which means that he does fun things at FiRST early learning, because he’s too little to go on a bus.

He does yoga, dancing, singing and even plays instruments with his friends.

I think he’s going to be a rock star because he’s always singing and bopping away with his ‘Hey dee ho’ and ‘Happy feet’ friends.

My baby brother goes for long walks to the park and sometimes the local shops because our teachers have a six-seater pram. Wow! Lucky baby brother and his friends, sometimes they even get to have a baby chino. Yum!

The best thing with our fun incursions and excursions is that Mummy and

Daddy don’t have to pay any extra money. Wow, that’s good, isn’t it?

We love learning and get super excited when we go home and tell Mummy and Daddy everything we have done at FiRST early learning.

Please, please, please come and meet me and my baby brother. I promise you’ll really like us and all our friends at FiRST early Learning and I know you’ll love our natural and beautiful rooms - they look amazing!

I hope you can bring along more friends for us to play with and you can meet the best teachers in the world.

Thanks for reading my letter, it took me a long time to write with my teacher.

See you all soon!

Love from Ruby (oh, and my baby brother, Hunter).

FiRST Early Learning is at Pakenham, Hastings, Narre Warren North, Frankston South and Endeavour Hills. Email info@ firstearlylearning.vic. edu.au.

Little Ruby and Hunter.

Ruby and her brother, Hunter.

CARDINIA LAKES ELC OPEN DAY

Saturday 24 June, 9am -12 noon

Come visit our fabulous centre for a great morning of exploration and fun activities for the kids.

• Learn about our funded kindergarten available for 3 & 4 year old’s

• Tour facilities and meet the caring educators

• Connect with other families in your local area

• Learn how to register your child for kindergarten

• We cater for children from 6 weeks to school age

Operating 52 weeks of the year, closed Public Holidays

CCS for eligible families

Meals cooked daily by qualified chef Kindergarten programs 9am - 3pm with full day access from 6:30am - 7pm

3 Atlantic Drive Pakenham VIC 3810

P: 9066 1144 E: manager@cardinialakeselc.com.au

Cardinia-Lakes-Early-Learning-Centre www.cardinialakeselc.com.au

The best kind of play

CARDINIA Lakes ELC understands the importance of providing babies and toddlers with varied modes of learning to enhance cognitive and physical development.

Outdoor play is an essential aspect of a child’s development and is especially crucial for babies and toddlers. These benefits cannot be overemphasised.

Playing and exploring in the outside world promotes physical, cognitive and spatial awareness.

When babies and toddlers play and explore outside, they have the opportunity to crawl, walk, run, jump, climb and engage in essential physical activities that help to develop their gross motor skills.

It provides a rich sensory experience that supports to stimulate their brains as well as providing opportunities for socialisation.

Encouraging babies and toddlers to spend time in the outdoor environment has potential health benefits and can help stimulate their immune systems.

Research indicates that spending time in fresh air also encourages better healthy sleep patterns for babies as they begin to understand the difference between night and day.

The significant health benefits of providing varied settings and experiences cannot be underestimated.

A high-quality early learning program provides children of all ages with a diverse range of learning experiences and activities that are both stimulating and fun, the perfect combination to acquire new skills and knowledge.

Your child’s learning and curiosity will be encouraged through carefully programmed experiences and activities which is the foundation of the centre’s planning.

At Cardinia Lakes Early Learning Centre, your child will develop their skills to become an effective learner and foster a lifelong love for learning.

Not only does the centre have outdoor play areas for all the children but the many programs offered on a weekly basis also support these findings.

The children’s days are enriched with carefully planned out incursions and excursions.

Finding the right fit for your child is essential. Contact the centre for a tour of its facilities today.

Email manager@cardinialakeselc. com.au, call 9066 1144, check Cardinia Lakes Early Learning Centre on Facebook or Instagram, or visit www.cardinialakesec.com.au.

Playing and exploring in the outside world promotes physical, cognitive and spatial awareness.

Education

Mottos to live by

EVERY school has a motto or mission statement that outlines how each member of the community can benefit from being part of the school community.

St Clare’s Primary School, Officer, has the following school motto: Faith leads to courage, wisdom and compassion.

In order to live out this motto, all members of its community are asked to follow school-wide expectations which are Respect, Optimism, Courage, Kind and Safe – ROCKS.

St Clare’s students follow these in their daily actions at school by doing their job, having a go, making positive choices, seeking help when needed, modelling and practising kindness and keeping themselves and others safe.

At St Clare’s these expectations are modelled and explicitly taught and reinforced in an ongoing way.

Student awards are based on living out ROCKS and the school links these expectations to scriptures in the Bible.

The hope is that all members of the St Clare’s community will leave the school with the school-wide expectations and motto instilled in their minds as they go through life.

St Clare’s looks to nurture the holistic development of each child at the school.

For the St Clare’s family, numeracy and literacy skills are core elements of education, but so is religious education – developing empathy, social justice and a strong moral compass.

The school encourages active play and healthy bodies; understanding other cultures through learning languages; and the confidence that comes with developing creativity through the performing and visual arts.

Student achievement is measured not only by academic growth, but by each child’s emotional, social and spiritual wellbeing.

Being part of faith-filled community instils students with a sense of identity, a feeling of belonging and, above all, a powerful sense of self-worth.

At St Clare’s, the aim is to have each child reach their potential to be a well-rounded individual, within a supportive and caring learning environment.

Visit www.stclaresofficer. catholic.edu.au and take a virtual tour to get a real feel for the school. School tours are also available. Call 5940 6777 to book a time.

If you are looking to enrol for 2024, the school is now accepting enrolments for next year.

For all enquiries or to receive enrolment documentation, call 5940 6777 or email enrolments@ stclaresofficer.catholic.edu.au.

Growing

green thumbs

MORE kids can get active and grubby in school gardens thanks to extra funding.

The State Government announced in March that its annual grant to the Victorian Schools Garden Program would increase from $95,000 a year to $145,000 a year.

“I’ve seen first-hand how school gardens offer great opportunities for primary school students to learn in an outdoor setting, providing a tremendous boost to their health and wellbeing,” Education Minister Natalie Hutchins said.

“Sharing the importance of sustainable living and fostering a love of gardening is vital to ensuring that the next generation takes a hands-on approach to caring for the environment.”

Now in its 46th year, the Victorian Schools Garden Program has provided rewarding outdoor education initiatives to generations of Victorians.

The Department of Education and Nursery and Garden Industry Victoria have worked closely together to cultivate the program and grow its student engagement.

The additional funding will deliver school-based activities and on-site learning at 35 participating primary schools – benefiting about 3500 students.

The program includes grants to encourage schools to start new gardens or improve existing ones; an awards scheme that recognises and rewards student and school community achievements; and professional development workshops for teachers and volunteers to learn the basics of running a school garden.

The program also connects schools with horticulture industry experts to help with large-scale garden projects.

The awards and grants programs are open to all Victorian government, Catholic and independent schools. Visit vsgp.org.au for more information.

The aim at St Clare’s is to have each child reach their potential to be a well-rounded individual.

The school encouragesactive play and healthy bodies.

Calling all dog lovers

FROM Saturday 24 June to Sunday 16 July, a pack of dogs are moving into the Bunjil Place Plaza to have some fun.

The Lost Dogs’ Disco is a temporary sculpture that celebrates the place of dogs in our lives.

Visitors journey through an immersive installation of 16 large dog sculptures, all in various states of repose – curled up, standing, even touching noses.

There are four distinct characters,

inspired by three dog breeds – poodles, bull terriers, and dachshunds.

As visitors journey through the happy pack, the dogs’ coats light up, and they greet passers-by with playful grunts to celebrate each new person’s arrival; for the Lost Dogs’ Disco is a hallowed place, and every newcomer is greeted as a fellow disco dog.

The installation features a custom sound design of electronic music that captures the beauty and pathos of a

dog’s life, including a chorus of barks, growls, howls, and all kinds of doggie hullabaloo.

Open 10am to 10pm daily in the Bunjil Place Plaza, this event is free and family-friendly.

The full program is yet to be released.

Can’t wait to see the installation in action? Join the Lost Dogs’ Disco launch event from 5.30pm to 7.30pm on Friday 23 June.

Visitors will get to rock out to tunes

from DJ Nige, snap a photo with a roving disco dog, and grab a doggy themed drink or snack from the disco shack.

Entry is free, with food and drink available at vendor prices.

Artwork for the Lost Dogs’ Disco is by ENESS. The principal partner is Berwick MG, with envy apples brought to you by event partner Montague.

Visit the Bunjil Place website for more program details

Winter at Walhalla Goldfields Railway

DON’T hibernate this winter - spend an unforgettable time with family and friends at Walhalla Goldfields Railway!

Winter is an amazing time at Walhalla, as all the stunning waterfalls are cascading through the spectacular Stringers Gorge on what is considered one of the country’s most picturesque rail journeys.

Why not join the Walhalla team for its Night Trains during August, where the bush lights up and you can catch a glimpse of the local wildlife.

Who knows, the train may even

need to stop and pick up a straggler in some unexpected places!

Warm blankets and hot water bottles are provided for the night trains, along with a hot chocolate upon arrival at Thomson Station.

Make Walhalla Goldfields Railway your next day out.

Trains depart Walhalla Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday weekly. Bookings can be made at www.walhallarail.com.au.

For more information, call 5165 6280

Poodles feature among the dog sculptures.

Pictures: Diana Snape Photography

The dogs are all in various states of repose.

Make Walhalla Goldfields Railway your next day out.

Move planets and stars

SPACE Play enables children and adults alike to experience a joyful sense of interstellar wonderment at Cardinia Cultural Centre in June and July.

Wave your hands and a cloud of asteroids surrounds you. Fly down to the moons of Jupiter and pass by the rings of Saturn.

Team up with friends, run around the space and move the planets and the stars.

Space Play emerged from an ongoing collaboration between Box of Birds and the artists and technicians from the University of Technology Sydney.

Box of Birds is a collective of artists working together to launch the virtual world off the screen and into the play spaces around us.

The idea started with Box of Birds director David Clarkson about 2011.

“My nephew is a gaming designer and I was seeing the crossovers between the theatre and gaming,” he said.

He reached out to the University of Technology in Sydney and made contact with Dr Andrew Johnston, co-director of the Creativity and Cognition Studios.

They started “a long and productive relationship exploring these crossovers between gaming technology and theatre experiences”.

“We were a little bit ahead of the curve.”

David said the idea was “to get kids off the computer screen and playing in the world around us with the same technology and maybe theatricalise it a little”.

Space Play will run at Cardinia Cultural Centre from Saturday 24 June to Sunday 30 July.

“It’s about a half-hour experience. Some kids last 15 minutes and some want to stay for three hours and just play for endless hours,” David said.

He said it was best suited for children aged 3 to 13.

“Sometimes some older kids are too cool for it,” he laughed.

“But adults play with it as well.

“When we did it in Adelaide, everyone was up waving their arms, throwing asteroids.”

Visit www.cardiniaculturalcentre.com. au for more information.

Get kids off the computer screen and playing in the world around them.

The birthday trend getting high fives

ARE you planning your child’s birthday party but dreading that you’ll end up with a pile of unappreciated toys?

You might want to consider throwing a ‘fiver party’.

What is a fiver party? Well, it’s a pretty brilliant party concept that’s growing in popularity.

Basically, each guest inserts a $5 note in a card for the birthday boy/girl.

It cuts down the number of unwanted toys and takes the pressure off parents when it comes to buying gifts. Mums and dads don’t need to spend a small fortune or struggle to come up with a gift idea, while the birthday child gets to put some money towards something they really want.

But asking for money can be awkward, you say? Well yes, but it’s

only $5 and you can ask for it nicely on the invite.

Write something like “Mia is celebrating her 10th birthday with a fiver party. Mia has her heart set on (insert expensive toy here) so instead of buying her a gift, please put a $5 note in a birthday card. Thank-you.”

However, before deciding to host a fiver party, you need to consider whether your child will appreciate the concept.

How old are they? Are they used to opening up a huge pile of gifts on their birthday? Do they have an understanding of money?

A fiver party might not be the greatest idea for a 4-year-old, but a 10-year-old saving for that special something is likely to give you a high five!

Pamper Party Factory

Paint a Pot, grab a pizza

AFTER the success of its Narre Warren store, the family-owned Paint a Pot is now making a tasty expansion.

Opening in Fountain Gate shopping centre by mid this year will be a new, fresh concept - Paint a Pot and Pizzeria.

This new location will bring art and food together in the most exciting way.

Once open, the new store will keep its core business of pottery painting, kids parties, adult and kids art workshops and introduce an authentic Italian pizzeria.

Visitors will be able to experience the traditional Canotto-style pizza as a part of a beautifully curated menu by Italian head chef Krizan Popov.

You are sure to have a blast with the family by painting pottery, enjoying some pizza, pasta, cocktails and the best St Ali coffee in town.

Best of all, adults and kids will be able to dabble in the fun of making pizza and pasta for birthdays and group events.

Stay tuned on Paint a Pot’s website and socials for more information

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Plan to make the party pop

PLANNING a party doesn’t have to be stressful.

There are so many things that could be done without forking out cash and spending copious amounts of time on preparation.

Here are some helpful hints to make the day special and go off without a hitch.

Deciding on a theme

This can be as easy as you want it to be - a single colour - or a little more complex, featuring favourite characters like Winnie the Pooh, Disney princesses, or Ninja Turtles.

■ Go wild with animals, impress with a circus theme or have a blast turning a famous event into a kids-friendly affair - think Kim Kardashian’s daughter North’s birthday ‘Kidchella’, a child-version of the popular American music festival Coachella (but you might have to forgo the ferris wheel and celebrity guests).

■ Make your theme come to life with colourful streamers, balloons, homemade pom-poms and lanterns, or posters.

■ Top it off by dressing up, and asking guests to dress up to match the theme.

Pick your food, drinks and venue

■ Making an invite list doesn’t have to be difficult. The best way to be cash savvy is to make the list small and intimate - inviting only close family members or close friends.

■ If you want to invite more than close family and friends, make sure you know when to stop.

■ If your child is infant or toddler age, keep the guest list low so as to not overwhelm them. Invite the people they know and see regularly so they aren’t scared with many new faces.

■ If they are older, invite only close friends who they regularly associate with and their parents. Make sure to only invite as many people as you can cater for.

■ Pick a venue which is big enough to host everyone - preferably your own house so you don’t have to transfer food, drinks, and presents around.

■ If you plan a park, make sure it has a gazebo area or have another back-up plan in case of rain or extreme heat.

■ If you hire a venue, try to hire one which provides toys for children so you don’t have to lug many around, and a kitchen area to do food preparation and cleaning.

A touch of wildlife wonder

THE Reptile Encounters mission is simple: to be a voice for those that don’t have one.

The team is passionate about inspiring and educating the next generation on conservation, because it believes that together we can make a difference.

For more than 16 years, the Reptile Encounters team has been bringing wildlife up close, providing unforgettable experiences for its guests.

Its headquarters houses a diverse range of Australian animals that its team cares for every day of the year.

Reptile Encounters specialises in educational programs for kinder to Year 12, engaging students in interactive learning experiences that foster a deep appreciation for our environment. Furthermore, the team takes pride in making kids’ parties extra special by bringing a touch of wildlife wonder.

The aim is to have fun, create memories, and leave a lasting impact on the world.

Make your child’s party memorable with a selection of wild animal parties from Reptile Encounters!

The experienced team will bring a mobile zoo directly to you.

Your guests will be dazzled by interactive shows, ensuring your party is a huge success.

With every encounter, Reptile Encounters strives to create lifelong memories and a deeper connection with the natural world.

Its team of experts are committed to providing engaging and informative experiences that leave a lasting impression.

Whether it’s meeting a python, holding a lizard, or observing a crocodile, Reptile Encounters aims to spark curiosity and cultivate a sense of wonder.

Join Reptile Encounters as it embarks on an exciting journey of education, exploration, and conservation. Have fun, create memories, and make a difference for the planet we call home. For bookings or more information, visit www.reptileencounters.com.au or call 1300 427 627.

■ Pick simple foods, ideally keeping the menu nut-free to avoid any run-ins with allergies. Think fairy bread, mini-pizzas, sausage rolls, meat pies, and nutritious options like fruit, vegie trays and juice boxes.

■ Make the cake on your own, matching your theme. Or if you have spare change, hire someone to do it for you. There are several cake makers who specialise in kids birthday cakes and can make anything and everything, in an array of different and delicious flavours. Cupcakes, cake pops and cookies are also perfect options instead of a cake. Just don’t forget the candles!

Plan some activities

Kids don’t need a lot of planned activities to keep them entertained. They have great imaginations and can come up with games with limited props. However, having a few activities keeps things organised.

■ Try a pinata (just make sure it’s supervised so kids don’t get hurt), pin the tail on the donkey (or similar), a treasure hunt around a closed-in yard, or pass the parcel - going with Lucky’s Dad’s rules is our advice.

■ If you have the cash to splash hiring a face painter, balloonist, magician, clown or character artist adds a little bit of excitement to any party.

Pack the party favours

■ There is a wide range of options if you plan to hand guests party favours.

■ You can fill gift bags with with sweet goodies such as lollies and chocolate (but again, keep in mind any food allergies).

■ If your party guests are mainly babies and toddlers, you might want to avoid handing out any food. Instead, buy inexpensive mini-books, party poppers, bubbles or puzzles.

Enjoy!

Don’t forget to get in on the action. You have worked hard to plan a great event, you deserve to have a little fun too. Dress up, eat, drink, have a turn on the pinata.

Then, after you clean up and say goodbye, put your feet up and relax - you deserve it.

dance,musicanddrama

Dance for life

DANCE Legacy is a dance studio based in Pakenham offering expert tuition by experienced teachers for students aged 18 months to adult.

It offers classes for not only the serious dancer but also those who purely want enjoyment and recreation.

The team at Dance Legacy prides itself on having an experienced faculty that promises to provide excellent training coupled with fun, fitness and endless laughter.

Studio owners and teachers Miss Danielle and Miss Loren have a combined 30-plus years

dance teaching experience.

Over the years they have not only produced award-winning choreography but have fostered a love of dance in hundreds of students and have celebrated many achievements, no matter how big or small.

They were very excited to open their very own studio in 2021 and are very proud of the wonderful community they have created so far and can’t wait to continue their journey for the second half of 2023, which is turning out to be the biggest and best year yet.

Dance Legacy is only in its third year but has already grown to almost 200 students, and it’s growing every week.

The teachers of Dance Legacy are so proud of what the students are achieving. Already this year they have welcomed many new faces through the door and seen students skip for the first time, seen students wing for the first time, and seen students achieve personal goals they have set for themselves.

Last term students in all classes throughout the week performed in the Mid-Season Presentation, which is the first of two whole school performances throughout the year where every student gets their time to shine on the stage and perform for their friends and family.

They will now begin to work on items for the End of Season Showcase in December. Students are also preparing for their Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) ballet examinations and Australian

Teachers of Dancing (ATOD) tap and jazz examinations as well as taking their company students to represent Dance Legacy at local performances and competitions.

But what Miss Loren and Miss Danielle love to see the most and are the proudest of is students gaining or re-discovering a love and true enjoyment of dance.

Everybody that walks through the doors of Dance Legacy mention the

Dancing out of the dark

By Casey Neill

DANCE helped Zac Van Grondelle to find his tribe.

“I started when I was 10 because my grandparents owned a dance studio years ago and then my mum wanted to take me to dance classes to continue the family tradition,” the dance teacher said.

“I had no interest but my mum made me go.

“From the first few classes I loved it, and I kept going.

“As a kid, I thought it was just an activity I really liked doing.

“I really liked the music, I liked meeting other people of all ages.

“Looking back on it now as an adult, it was probably not quite fitting in at school…”

Zac met people with the same hobbies and interests through dance.

“Looking back now, I think ‘what would I have been like if I hadn’t met those people?’,” he said.

Meeting people as an adult who didn’t get the chance to find their tribe really solidified his appreciation.

“I was so lucky to have that opportunity to be me and meet other people who were like me,” he said.

“I had my own interests. I didn’t have to fit in.”

Zac’s seen all kinds of children and teens give dance a go.

dance classes in PAKENHAM for 18 months+ to Adult

admin@dancelegacy.com.au

“The kids who come through here are really musically inclined. They love singing and moving to music,” he said.

“We also have kids who are really shy and don’t know how to socialise or express themselves that well.

“I think dance suits both those types of personalities.

“We have kids who are doing other sports like football and basketball, but also enjoy dance.

“It helps with other skills like balance and coordination for those other activities.”

There are also option competitions, for kids and teens who like to put their skills to the test.

Zac said dancing taught resilience and helped young people to accept feedback and try to improve.

“For me, as an adult, that’s a skill that I’ve taken into other jobs,” he said.

Social skills are another benefit from dance classes.

“A lot of kids don’t have as many social skills, especially post-covid, in this technology age,” he said.

“Through dance classes they learn to speak to adults and talk about themselves.

“Dance, particularly, can make you feel vulnerable.

“Standing in a room with people you don’t know…

“That teaches you a good skill as well.

awesome energy and vibe that the studio exudes and always walk out of class with a smile on their face.

Dance Legacy offers a wide variety of classes for ages 18 months through to adults in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, acro and stretch/conditioning.

It was the first dance school in the area to offer its super popular ‘Legacies’ classes designed for students who danced at an elite level in their teenage years and want to continue their dancing for fun and fitness, and still want a challenge without the commitment.

The adult classes are also becoming popular for anyone over the age of 18 with any or no dance experience.

The school moved into its very first home in 2022 and now owns two purpose-built studio spaces for almost 50 classes throughout each week, with plans to expand even more over the coming years.

Dance Legacy promises to provide an inclusive and safe environment to help develop the person as well as the dancer. The team pledges to nurture and further a dance legacy for every student that dances through the studio door. It’s not too late to enrol for Season 2023 and get involved for the End of Season Showcase. Love to dance? So does the Dance Legacy team. Call 0422 774 665 to book a free trial.

Zac’s seen all kinds of children and teens give dance a go.

“I can stand up in front of other people and be confident.

“Dance in itself keeps you active and moving - it’s a good physical activity.

“Long-term it instils this enjoyment of being active and being fit.

“Exercise doesn’t have to be absolutely pushing yourself to the max until you drop.”

Dance Legacy is growing every week.

BOOK YOUR FUNCTION TODAY.

Let’s do what works

By Casey Neill

YOUR instincts are key when it comes to your child’s sleep, says Lauri Goodhardt.

The Caulfield North mum of three, teacher, and infant and child sleep consultant says parents need to dial down the noise from the sleep world.

“What’s really hard about sleep is it’s not a regulated industry,” she said.

“The sleep industry takes advantage of parents where they’re most vulnerable because everyone’s exhausted.”

There’s no degree, and most services are based on personal philosophies.

“There’s very little information on what is actually biologically normal,” she said.

“I don’t think there’s enough about sleep education in the hospital system.”

She said parents took their baby home with next to no understanding of developmental milestones and how they might affect breastfeeding or sleep.

Even a paediatrician once told Lauri her son’s sleep troubles were due to “feeling abandoned” at night because the house was so full of life during the day.

“I literally left and cried,” she said.

“I had confidence to know what was ridiculous.

“Use your intuition.”

Lauri helps parents to understand whether their expectations are realistic and biologically appropriate.

“I’m not there to solve a problem, I’m there to figure out why there’s a problem and solve that,” she said.

“It’s really about tuning into what the individual wants and needs.

“I’m just sad for parents who feel stressed about something that should be enjoyable.”

Lauri said parents felt shame no matter their sleep journey, whether they support their child to sleep, or prioritise independent sleep.

“It’s ridiculous because it’s your parenting journey,” she said.

“Why are we so fixated on making kids sleep independently when we sleep with a partner every night?

“It’s because it’s so drilled into us that independence is key.

“Why can’t we do what works?

“It’s also a very westernised idea of sleep.

“Nowhere else in the world are they concerned about sleep in this way.

“On the other hand, we also don’t have the luxury of not having independent sleep.

“We don’t want our kid in bed all night before work, it’s exhausting.

“I need the day to end and I need my space.

“We have bigger houses, we have the means.

“I just think it should all be legitimate and justified and fine.”

Lauri recalled one client who was told ‘do not rock your child to sleep, they won’t be able to settle independently’.

But a paediatric physio identified that the child had a weak vestibular system, which is associated with balance.

“As soon as we brought rock to sleep in, it was all they needed to sleep through the night,” she said.

“Don’t be fooled by people saying you’re creating a rod for your own back.

“There really are different ways of doing things.”

Lauri Goodhardt.

Lauri with husband Eli and their children Gabe, 2, Levi, 4, and Abi, 5.

Gabe, Levi and Abi.

RealityBites

A little miracle

By Casey Neill

MELIA HAUGH hadn’t given motherhood much thought - until it was taken off the table.

The Herne Hill mum was diagnosed with leukaemia at age 19.

“I was so sick that they didn’t have time to do egg retrieval,” she said.

“I got a childhood leukaemia that I was basically too old to get.

“The doctors made up their own protocol for me. They did some epic things to save my eggs.”

They put her reproductive system into menopause, injecting drugs into her abdomen using a “massive needle”.

Chemotherapy is attracted to fast-growing cells like eggs, so doctors hoped pressing pause on ovulation would keep them safe while they treated her cancer.

“As soon as I started treatment I felt better,” Melia said.

“I’d been sick for a few months and nobody knew what was wrong with me.

“No one knew until the last minute, when I was basically unable to move.”

Melia didn’t know whether the attempts to save her eggs had been successful until she fell pregnant almost 10 years later, at age 28.

“I’d had a relationship with an IVF doctor because I understood the process that might occur in the future,” she said.

“Before I could see her I knew I had to be off the pill and trying for a certain amount of time.

“I made a future appointment, only to find I fell pregnant naturally.

“We thought it was going to be a long process.

“When it happened after only a few months, I was like ‘crap, am I ready?’.

“At the same time it was a little miracle.

“It was awesome and it was stressful because I’d just started a business.”

The Soft Hospitality Group managing director described the period after welcoming Lexi, now 5, as stressful and high-intensity.

“When Lexi was born, I really wanted to keep working,” she said.

“She was an easy baby and I was lucky.

“Having her with me, I got the best of both worlds.”

Melia was already step-mum to Frankie, now 11, from her husband Shane’s first marriage.

“Having Frankie in my life when I met Shane was part of the reason I wanted to have a baby of my own,” she said.

“I met her when she was 4 and it was a joy to have her in our household.”

Melia then welcomed Addison, who’s almost 2.

“They’re the perfect sisters,” she said.

“With Addison it felt like I was losing my identity a little bit.

“I needed to figure out what the new norm was.

“That balance with a baby, a four year old and a pre-teen…it was hard to navigate in the beginning.”

She had to re-centre and accept things needed to change.

“I think it was about me actually taking some time off from the business - I needed some maternity leave this time,” she said.

“I needed to relax, get my body better.”

Melia had always wanted to open a cafe.

“I’ve been a career hospo girl ever since I can remember,” she said.

She and Shane were living in Melbourne when the opportunity to open Soft in Geelong arose, so they moved to follow her dream.

“My cafe is my baby as well,” Melia said.

“It’s such a community atmosphere.

“I love the adrenaline.

“While you’re in the middle of it, it’s crazy.

“As a family, we’ve always been going to cafes and to restaurants.

“That was our ‘camping’. That was what we did.

“I want to bring that atmosphere to other families.

“It was always part of the venue, but it’s grown. I see how my kids interact with it.

“I can take my kids in there at any point and they can enjoy the atmosphere while I’m working.

“The staff are like aunties and uncles to my kids.”

Melia said juggling a business and a family could be nuts.

“I’m so lucky that my husband works nine to five, because I don’t,” she said.

“It’s a modern day marriage. He does the cleaning and the washing.

“I’m out on Saturdays. We have Sundays as a family.

“It’s about creating a schedule and having that communication.

“I’m working my arse off and having the career I wanted and showing all of them if you work hard, you can get what you want.

“It’s important that as a mum you have your career goals and your passions and you don’t give it up necessarily, if you don’t want to.

“You can do whatever you like.”

Melia with Addison, Lexi, Shane and Frankie. Pictures: Louisa Jones

‘Motherhood is bigger than birth’

By Casey Neill

THE decision to have a family wasn’t an automatic yes for Seddon mum Emma Preece Boyd.

“On the one hand I adored my own mum and just thought she was so incredible and sacrificial,” she said.

“I was the youngest child - nice and selfish and spoiled.

“I couldn’t imagine being like my mum. I couldn’t live up to her.”

Emma had never been “clucky” and she loved her work as a trauma counsellor with refugees and asylum seekers.

“I wanted to travel the world and do international development,” she said.

“Motherhood just wasn’t in the plan.”

Having a “wonderful partner who was keen on having a family” in husband Simon Boyd changed her thinking.

“I actually really love being a mum much more than I expected to,” she said.

Emma did “so much birth prep” before welcoming their first child, Angus, now 5.

“It was absolutely going to be a vaginal, unmedicated birth with him,” she said.

“I was ideologically invested in that.”

She went into spontaneous labour, but Angus was suffering significant heart rate decelerations.

“The cord was wrapped around his neck very tightly,” Emma said.

“He wasn’t handling the contractions because of that.”

So Emma was rushed in for a caesarean.

“It was a really hard way for me to enter motherhood,” she said.

“It wasn’t what I expected.

“Birth narratives and education can fail women.

“We set up this really glorified view of birth.”

Fast forward 18 months and Emma was pregnant with Wynton, now 3.

She was a good candidate for a vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC).

“The cord issue was a fluke. It’s just bad luck, not like something wrong with my pelvis or that I didn’t dilate,” she said.

“But I was still so depressed. I was struggling with my mental health at that time.

“I felt like if I tried for a vaginal birth again and I failed again, I couldn’t live with that.

“I hadn’t gotten over that idea that there was one successful way to birth.

“I worked through the decision a lot with a psychologist, which was really helpful.

“What I wanted more than anything was a birth that was within my control and a positive birth.

“I started researching positive caesareans and gentle caesareans.”

Wynton was born via scheduled caesarean.

“They dropped the drapes for me so I could see him be born,” Emma said.

“He came straight onto my chest and fed straight away.

“That was such a wonderful experience.”

Fast forward another 18 months to Mabel’s birth. She was 10 months old when we spoke.

“I started to think ‘I just don’t want to have major surgery again,” Emma said.

Her GP and the hospital both said ‘no’ to a VBAC due to an increased risk of uterine rupture. She felt sad that her options were so limited.

“With Wynton, that’s what was right for me at the time,” she said.

Emma and Simon with children Mabel, Angus and Wynton.

“Now I was OK with the idea that a VBAC could end in a ceasar.

“I had shifted and a positive birth could be either.”

She searched for a care provider willing to support her through a VBAC and landed with a private obstetrician.

“Mabel was born through a very uncomplicated, long labour with no birth injuries - just a wonderful experience and very good recovery,” Emma said.

“In the birthing world there’s a lot of black and white.

“It’s taken me three births to realise ‘actually, we might not need to be that way’.

“I also realised that birth is a moment in time. Motherhood is bigger than birth.

“No matter what mode, it’s how a woman feels she’s being treated.

“We should focus less on mode of delivery and more on how to help women feel empowered.”

Welcoming Angus had turned Emma’s world upside down.

“I found it really hard to accept motherhood and accept that change in identity and what my life looked like,” she said.

“I could only see what had been taken away, not what had been given.”

In hindsight, Emma said she was suffering with postnatal depression for the first 18 months of motherhood.

“As a high-achieving, productivityfocused person, I took it on as a new challenge, and tried to be really good as a mum,” she said.

“I found it wonderful and really hard at the same time.”

Emma knew being a mum would be “a hard gig” and wanted to share the load with Simon.

“I had ambitions around that - both of us did, actually,” she said.

“Overall I realised that it feels like it’s a lot more work to try and divide the labour sometimes.

“There’s lots of promises that you can have it all.

“They’re empty.”

Emma and Simon really enjoyed growing their family from one child to two.

“Going to three has been a huge jump. It feels like going from two to five,” she laughed.

“We both come from families of three, so for us that’s what family looked like.

“It really feels different to the norm in the inner city of Melbourne. I go to school drop-off and everyone has one or two kids.”

There are “a lot of logistics and noise and hands needed” with three kids.

“It’s a different experience of parenting. There’s a lot I’ve had to let go,” Emma said.

“I’m a lot calmer and less productivityfocused, having three.

“I’ve had to come to terms with what’s possible.”

An au pair has helped enormously.

“Au pairs live with you, and give you a little help in the morning and afternoon,” Emma said.

“I actually really like it because I’m quite extroverted and I find motherhood really isolating.

“It’s been life-changing, just to have an extra pair of hands.

“She might be around helping prepare for dinner while I’m breastfeeding Mabel, or helping Gus with his homework.”

Or she might take the kids into the back yard so Emma can prepare dinner in peace.

“I have that craving less because I’ve had less of the dependence on me all day,” she said.

“I actually can lean into ‘the kids really need me right now’.”

Emma said that in other cultures, there was always an extra pair of hands available.

“So much of what I find hard about motherhood, other cultures, I can see how they do that a lot better than us,” she said.

“Western society and capitalist norms around motherhood are really unsustainable and I think they rob everyone, actually, of a lot.

“Western society is absolutely preoccupied with putting on a show:

‘I’m a competent individual. I’m independent, I can do it myself.’

“Motherhood is so humbling in terms of realising ‘actually, you can’t do everything yourself’ but you have to present that you can.

“That just ends up imploding relationships, partnerships and families.

“I’ve been really humbled by parenthood and had to become a lot more honest with myself and others.

“I found it really hard to say ‘I actually need help and in this instance I will pay for it’.

“We’ve effectively put a price tag on knowledge and care that in other cultures would be provided by family and friends and community.

“That saddens me a bit.

“We put a price tag on that to make it a valid thing for a woman to do.

“This is a really important job. If parents don’t parent well, society fails.”

Books Read wild facts about wildlife

A PIG-BEAVER-HIPPO-COWCAMEL hybrid that eats its own poop?

Discover this wild creature and more in the Wildlife Compendium of the World, which features awe-inspiring animals from every continent.

From amphibians and reptiles to monotremes and pilosa, discover the world’s fauna in this illustrated book by Tania McCartney.

Continent by continent, readers can take a global tour through the wildest, weirdest and cutest animals.

Each animal profile includes the Latin name, type, diet, size, weight, conservation status, curious facts, and the collective noun or baby name.

Meet a slug that resembles a banana and a fuzzball mammal with 90 strands of hair per follicle.

Marvel at an ant that burns like fire, and the creature with the shortest lifespan on Earthonly five minutes.

Discover that a group of bears is called a sloth and a baby lizard is a hatchling.

The gentoo penguin is the

reaching up to 36 kilometres an hour.

They can dive up to 200 metres 450 times a day in search of food, and ban unfaithful mates from the colony.

Africa’s meerkat wins the ‘Most Skilled Guard’ award. It’s cute but fierce, willing to fight for its territory and ceaselessly scanning the sky.

Meerkats are immune to most venom, so dine on snakes and scorpions.

Children’s books...

Closer to home, the shortbeaked echidna is found all over Australia.

The spiky monotreme can did one metre down to find food and can even dive underwater.

The book also features sections on animal types and environments, animal rights, and a glossary.

Canberra-based author Tania McCartney has made more than 60 books for children and adults and has illustrated, edited and designed many of them too.

Poo Face

Jonathan Bentley and Andrew Daddo

A hilarious and irreverent toilet training book from a popular Aussie author that will have pre-schoolers giggling all the way to the poo – and the zoo! We’ve all got one because we all do one. Every day.

Somedays twice a day. Somedays more.

Everyone has a poo face!

Whether it’s a dog or cat, a lion, an elephant, wombat, fish, giraffe or frog, they’ve all got a poo face – even you!

RRP $17.99

Mr Men Little Miss: Little Miss Sunshine on a Rainy Day

Roger Hargreaves

A brand new story about a Little Miss with a very sunny disposition!

Little Miss Sunshine is the sort of person who can see the good side of everything and everyone. But not all her friends are the same. Mr Grumble is the complete opposite and he grumbles from morning to night. How will Little Miss Sunshine show him that every cloud has a silver lining?

$14.99

Bluey: The Big Blue Guy’s Book of Dad Goals

A Father’s Day Book

Dive into the Big Blue Guy’s guide to being the best dad ever and find out how to kick some dad goals!

A gorgeous hardback book for kids of all ages.

$14.99

Spot and Friends

Tabbed Board Book

Eric Hill

Join Spot for a day at nursery with all his friends in this new tabbed board book.

Join Spot for a day at nursery with all his friends in this new tabbed board book.

Spot is going to nursery today - and he can’t wait to see his friends! What fun games will they play together?

$16.99

The book is divided by continent.

Author Tania McCartney.