Geelong Coast Kids - Autumn 2024

with AFLW star Renee Garing

Piping hot Geelong duo MISSTA MUMS

Geelong teen in the spotlight

MOLLY GLEESON

You better be-leaf it’s

IT’S hard to think of autumn without immediately leaping to memories of fallen leaves, but there’s so much more to the season.

Yes, watching your kids throw armfuls of golden leaves into the air is one of life’s great joys.

And yes, the rustling sounds and squeals of delight as they plunge giddily into a pile of fallen foliage make your heart soar. And there are so many opportunities for beautiful family photos against a naturally stunning and ever-evolving backdrop.

But aside from the leaves, autumn provides a chance to step outside with relative ease compared to tackling the

CONTENTS CONTENTS

IT’S YOUR LIFE

Angie’s Catchup: AFLW star Renee Garing on family and footy

PAGES 3-5

Missta Mums spill the tea on motherhood and business

PAGES 6-7

Kids

PAGE

PAGE 14

heat of summer.

You can check out those new local playgrounds without risking burns from that metal slide or black plastic swing; venture to a virtually deserted beach, river, or lake to enjoy some softer sunshine and a paddle without the jostling of summer demand; or step into the kitchen with the kids without worrying that switching on the oven will turn your house into a furnace.

And then there’s Easter! Autumn really is brimming with potential and fun.

Of course, your autumn wouldn’t be complete without reading the heartfelt, funny, and insightful stories our

ACTIVE KIDS

Monkey see, monkey do warning

PAGE 15

EDUCATION

North Geelong Secondary College

PAGE 16

Embracing nature through bush kinder

PAGE 18

Crackerjack Kids: Nurture a brighter future

PAGE 18

Keeping all ages safe online

PAGE 19

One World for Children: Nurturing children, empowering futures

PAGE 21

DISABILITY

Crossing the Gap and Barwon

Occupational Therapy:

Collaboration bridging the gap

PAGE 23

interviewees and contributors have been kind enough to share.

There really is so much to take away from this edition.

We’d love to hear your thoughts, any stories you’d like to share, and what you get up to this season.

Find us on Instagram or Facebook and share your autumn adventuresincluding plenty of gorgeous photos of your little ones enjoying those ubiquitous leaves.

Geelong Coast Kids magazine is a Star News Group publication.

Geelong Coast Kids will be published quarterly prior to each of the school holidays.

Geelong Coast Kids

1/47 Pakington Street, Geelong West Phone: 5249 6700

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Mandy Clark mandy.clark@starnewsgroup.com.au Phone: (03) 5945 0608

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

Casey Neill casey.neill@starnewsgroup.com.au

Advertising General Sales Inquiries 03 5249 6700

advertising@geelongindependent.com.

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Published by Star News Group Pty Ltd

ACN 005 848 108.

REALITY BITES

Peanut allergy hope

PAGE 24

Egg donation drive

PAGE 24

Closing the digital divide

PAGE 25

‘We couldn’t cry hard enough’

PAGES 26-27

BOOKS

Trick Shot Trevor: Son inspires mum’s new book

PAGE 28

Chris dives deep to save the sea

PAGE 29

The Trees: Speaking for our foliage

PAGE 30

Discover new book releases for all ages

PAGE 30

It’s Your Life It’s Your Life

Whenfootymeetsfamily

RENEE GARING simply oozes loveliness.

She has a sweet, angelic face with a matching spirit on the inside.

But for all her sweetness, she’s equally tough, driven and a supertalented athlete.

Mother of one gorgeous cherub, Renee loves children so much that she dedicated her life to becoming a teacher and, rumour has it, she is an absolute favourite with the students.

Attending Christian College herself since kinder, Renee stepped straight back into the schoolyard when she was offered her first position out of uni.

Renee’s genuine care and passion for the growth of young people is evident and she is a big believer in using her own life experiences to help others.

One major life challenge Renee faced was a serious battle with an eating disorder.

She bravely shares what she went through with Geelong Coast Kids and offers hope with how she found her way out.

So lovely to catch up. So where do we begin? How about can you give us a snapshot of life before babies?

Childhood, school life, ambitions?

I grew up in Geelong, and went through Christian College from kindergarten. I enjoyed school.

I liked to do well and always strived

to achieve the best I could.

I got involved in all sporting opportunities that came up and AFL was one that I loved, even though we only got to play it one day a year in secondary school.

I played netball from a young age and did athletics and basketball too.

I am the middle child. I have a sister two years older and a brother two years younger.

Growing up, I always dreamt of playing sport at the highest level. I hoped to play netball for Australia, like many kids do, or to compete at the Olympics in another sport, as netball wasn’t in it.

I thought I wanted to be a physio until my final year of school when I realised I actually wanted to be a teacher.

I really looked up to a couple of my teachers and enjoyed helping out with younger kids.

I originally put down primary teaching but after spending some time in the USA working at a summer camp, I realised I would like specifically to teach PE to kids and decided to do a P-12 health and PE teaching degree.

I had the opportunity to travel to Europe and do an exchange in Missouri in the USA in my third year of uni as well, which was a great experience.

I did some other overseas travels with friends and then again once I got married, with Tony.

We met in 2010, were engaged in 2012 and married in 2013. We really enjoyed travelling together to various countries and got some great trips in together before having Parker - Mexico, Bali, Thailand, Samoa, Croatia and Greece.

We also have moved houses a few times. My husband has an interest in real estate so we have had a few projects over the years and we have some investments that we look after together. It keeps us busy outside of family and our jobs.

How did you meet your Tony? Tell us how the romance unfolded and any funny/interesting moments. We met at church. While I was overseas on my exchange, Tony started to attend the church that I went to.

It started as a friendship and I didn’t realise at first he was interested, but you could say Tony ‘courted’ me with some very kind and romantic acts, including some group dinners which he cooked up a storm, ice-cream nights where he made ice cream - again for multiple people, hoping I would come alongthen asking me out for a dinner by putting roses on my car windscreen with a note.

Oh, how lovely. Tony sounds like quite the romantic! Let’s fast forward to becoming parents… How was your experience of bringing Parker into the world?

Well, he was born 41 plus 6. So any mums out there will know that is well overdue. He was very comfortable and didn’t want to come out.

I began some early labour on a Monday but was very slow to progress. I went in for balloon catheter on the Thursday night to find that I was 3cm dilated so didn’t need it.

I went back in on the Friday morning to get induced and after a long day with little progress (got to 5cm by around 7pm) and Parker’s heart rate dropping, we had to have an emergency caesarean.

Although it wasn’t what we had hoped for, we were just thankful to have a healthy baby at the end of a big week.

So your career path was headed for teaching and then you also had a great added surprise to your career. How did it all unfold?

I studied a Bachelor of Education (Physical Education) at University of Ballarat (now known as Federation University) after having a gap year working at summer camp in the USA and working some part time jobs to save for travel.

Picture:LouisaJones

It’s Your Life It’s Your Life

I lived at home during uni so that I could continue to train and play netball for Geelong.

I was lucky enough to get a position at Christian College for my first year out and have been there since (other than having some time out on maternity leave).

When I was 28, the AFLW started. Geelong Cats did not have a team in the competition in the first year but they created a VFLW team.

They held a trial at Deakin university and advertised this on Facebook. A friend tagged me in it and I decided to go along as I had enjoyed footy at school and gone for Geelong my whole life.

I really had very little expectation going in. I was very surprised when I made the squad. I then was lucky enough to make the team and played VFLW in 2017 and 2018.

In 2018, I only got to play a few games as I got a fracture in my sacrum (a bone in the lower back). Thankfully, the club still decided to sign me and I was signed for our inaugural AFLW side to commence in 2019.

I played 33 games throughout the six seasons I was in the AFLW program. I missed out on playing in the two

seasons in 2022 while being pregnant and then returning to playing after having Parker.

I worked hard that season to get my body right to play again and was able to get involved in some scrimmage matches and got named as an emergency, but it was wonderful to get back into the team for round one of the 2022 season.

I retired at the end of the 2023 season in our Preliminary Final against Brisbane.

How amazing! What was it like to experience the AFLW world? Was it hard to juggle parenting duties?

It has been a truly amazing experience to be part of the AFLW program at the Geelong Cats.

To play and train in an elite facility with wonderful coaches and having the support of our great fans was very special.

I have learnt so much and met incredible people. I have loved the opportunities I have also had in the community to serve others and be a role model to younger kids wanting to play the game.

It was a challenge to juggle with parenting but I was very well supported

by family and the club. Prior to having Parker, I was managing a different kind of challenge when I was managing full-time work and playing AFLW.

In some ways, it was easier and less of a rush and the mental load was a lot less. In other ways, working around a baby that you can’t control their needs or schedule was more challenging, and the physical challenges of gaining back fitness, strength, skill and ensuring adequate fuelling for training but also breastfeeding a baby.

The club allowed me to return as soon as I was comfortable. I was pregnant for the first season in 2022 and gave birth to Parker a week before pre-season began for the second season that year.

I attended a little bit at first and slowly increased the time. As our routine with Parker allowed me, I would stay longer, and eventually he was able to stay at home while I trained.

This only worked once he was able to take a bottle and I would make time to pump during sessions.

In the early days, when I took him in, I stopped when he woke to feed or play with him and I remember many moments rocking the pram while doing workouts.

I was also allowed to come in during the day to do some of my sessions in the gym while the men’s program was in, and all of them were really accepting of Parker being around.

As Parker got older it got easier and the club got a nanny to support me on some nights before Tony finished work, which was really helpful.

As we got to time for travel in our season in 2023, Parker was old enough to stay home while I went interstate.

If I didn’t have footy, I definitely don’t think I would have left him overnight that early, but it was all fine and Tony has been incredibly supportive.

I also think the time they have had together with me being out at footy from when he was so little has helped them build a wonderful bond.

So how do you manage work life and parenting?

I have only had AFLW and commitments associated with that up to this point, but the hours required to play AFLW are equivalent to a part-time job in terms of how often we are physically at the club, but there are also things to do outside of that in our own time to ensure we are best prepared to train and play.

I have balanced it by being very organised and trying to make things as easy as I can for whoever is caring for Parker when I have to go to training.

We have been really lucky to have local support of both sets of grandparents and I am so thankful to have had a husband who is fully supportive and able to take the time from his own workplace to have Parker one day a week.

How would you describe your parenting style?

I would like to think I am a supportive and caring parent. I try to put things in place to create a safe and positive environment for Parker and reinforce clear boundaries where needed.

What did you learn from your own parents that you do (or don’t) want to pass on?

My parents demonstrated unwavering love for us and I hope we can show that to Parker.

Like all kids, we did things to push the boundaries but they always acknowledged at the time that they may not like certain things or a particular action or behaviour but they still loved us. That is so important. They also are so selfless and always put our needs first. I would love to do the same and do what I can to make it possible for Parker to follow his passions.

What advice would you have for new parents?

To enjoy each stage as time really does fly.

I would say that it is so important to reach out for help when you need it and that it is OK if you don’t feel like you know everything. I would also say self-care is key, so prioritising some time for each of you to do something you

need for yourself. Doing things to fill your own tank can help to ensure you are giving your child your best. I was really lucky that my job (AFLW) provided me with that. Being active is something that I really enjoy and makes me feel good. I was thankful to have the time to do this.

How do you picture your ultimate future work/family/life?

We would love to extend our family if possible when the time is right.

We have just moved into a new house which has great space for Parker to run around and play which we love.

Over the next few years, we hope to have a good balance between part-time work and spending time with Parker. What do you hope for your children’s futures?

Like all parents, I am sure, I hope for good health and for a child that is kind to others. I hope that he has the opportunity to explore, learn, and have fun with us and family and friends by his side.

Beyond that, I hope that he can dream big and try different things. We hope he enjoys keeping active and getting outdoors as we know how important that is for our mind and body.

Speaking of healthy minds, you’ve been open about having an eating disorder in the past. Are you happy to share your experience and would you have any advice for others in this area?

It is hard to provide advice when someone doesn’t feel like there is anything wrong.

If those that love you are expressing concern for you and telling you they are worried, try and really hear them. This may take time.

From there, help is essential in recovery. For me, it was also having a reason to recover.

The eating disorder will tell you that you don’t want to get better and that you need to continue the behaviour/s.

It was getting back to doing something I love in the present (netball) and getting my body physically healthy for the future (to hopefully have a baby one day). At school, I had always been called ‘broad’ and have always had a muscular build.

In 2007, I went on an overseas trip working on a summer camp. I returned home a lot heavier than I had ever been.

I remember thinking that I had to lose weight and a couple of my closest friends have shared since that when I first got home from this trip, I didn’t talk about the trip itself but the weight I had put on. In July 2009, I went to Europe for several weeks before heading to college for a semester in the USA. On the Contiki tour I put on a fair bit of weight in a short period. A friend and I bought scales when we arrived at college and we weighed ourselves.

I remember clearly being disappointed by the number on the scales. We both talked about wanting to eat well, exercise and not fall into bad habits with all of the food and significantly large portions.

The scales became an obsession.

I placed such a value on the number and thought I would be happy when it came down, which is rubbish, as when it did, I didn’t feel happier.

I was displaying obsessive behaviours that became addictive. Although exercising and eating well are really important for a healthy and wellbalanced lifestyle, they were controlling my life and stole my joy.

When I returned home in January 2010, I wasn’t in a healthy weight range for my body as I wasn’t fueling it.

People made comments when I got home. Some close friends showed sincere concern but

I didn’t hear them. I didn’t think there was an issue.

It wasn’t until I was given a bit of an ultimatum that I really stopped to think there might be something wrong.

My captain and another teammate at Geelong Cougars sat me down at one training and told me they were really concerned. They told me they had noticed I was running out of energy and getting knocked around due to my size.

I needed to put weight on, eat more and not exercise before training if I was going to be able to continue playing at that level. Around that time, I broke down at church with this close friend and told her I needed help.

I finally realised I was unwell. That night I went home and told my mum.

From there it was a recovery journey and certainly didn’t happen overnight.

There were lots of habits and behaviours I had to break. Mum and I went to the doctor and sought help in correcting the physical issues that had occurred due to the way I was living.

I had amenorrhea (the absence of menstruation) and bone density was low. I also sought counselling and attended an Eating Disorder Recovery Group, ran out of OneCare in Geelong.

I also had support from my family and friends, church and prayed a lot.

I now see my body for the amazing creation it is and for the awesome things it can do.

It needs fuel to do that and food is to be enjoyed.

For support visit www.eatingdisorders.org.au.

SNAPSHOT

Name: Renee Garing

Age: 35

Occupation: Teacher and retired AFLW player.

Partner and children: Husband Tony, 37 – Driven, fun-loving, adventurous. Son Parker, 19 months – Cheerful, cheeky, active.

Quirky habit: I can’t say I have any quirky habits, but I have been told I say ‘sorry’ too much.

Go-to karaoke song: Not much of a singer but maybe ‘I want it that way’ by Backstreet Boys.

A movie you love: Remember the Titans.

An embarrassing moment: Taking a group of school students on a bike ride, I thought I would take a turn riding up front with some of the quicker kids and hit a pole and went over the handlebars.

Mantra: I try and live by “Be the best-rate version of yourself, not a second-rate version of someone else” and aim to always be kind to everyone I come across.

A quote you love: “Be the change that you wish to see in the world” - Mahatma Gandhi.

Life-changing moment: A couple of the biggest life-changing moments would be having a baby and starting footy at age 28. At that point, we were ready to start a family and then footy came along. It changed our path and took us on a wonderful journey before we had Parker.

Missta Mums are heating up

By Casey Neill

A dynamic mum duo is spilling the tea on parenthood in a new podcast.

Geelong business partners-turned-best mates Demi Duncan and Melinda Baxter are better known as the Missta Mums.

They launched the Missta Bottle in October 2019 after Mel slid into Demi’s

“When I get something in my head, it’s really hard to get out of it,” Mel said.

“I knew I needed a business partner. I didn’t want to do it alone.”

Demi said: “We weren’t friends. We were just both from Geelong. We had our first-borns two weeks apart.”

They’d had some interaction on social media during night feeds.

When Mel pitched a chat over coffee,

Leaving the meeting, she thought she’d gained a hobby.

But Mel’s idea - a baby thermos designed specifically for safe formula feeding - evolved.

“It grew in increments. If we knew the figure it would have cost to start it now, we would have run for the hills,” Demi laughed.

“I’m actually the most excited for my hospital stay of five nights,” Demi laughed.

“The kids will just adapt. It’ll be crazy but I’m actually not worried.”

Demi was 27 when she became a mum.

“It was always something I knew I was going to be one day,” she said.

“We actually knew we were solving an issue. It was harder not to go ahead.

“But I didn’t think I’d have four kids!”

“People don’t really understand the product until they have a crying baby in front of them they have to formula

Mel was “never the one to gravitate towards people’s babies or people’s kids” - Aaron was more enthused about starting a family than she was.

“I just always assumed being a mum was what you do as part of life,” she said.

Establishing a business while caring for young babies was a big task, but the mums were on the same page.

“It obviously came naturally as the time came.”

“We always had this basic understanding towards each other that if something came up with your kid, your kid comes first,” Demi said.

“We didn’t even need to have that conversation.

Mel said: “The business could have been a lot bigger perhaps if we didn’t have children, but we both naturally agreed that our families came first.”

Mel and husband Aaron are parents to Penelope, Leo, and Valerie while Demi and husband Mitch Duncan, a Geelong Cats footballer, have Scarlet, Ollie and Archie, plus another baby due in April.

Aaron quit his full-time job as a bricklayer to run the Missta warehouse and be a stay-at-home dad - a topic they cover in one of their first podcast episodes. They launched the candid Missta Mums in June to talk all things parenting, sharing stories from guests and their own experiences.

“It was another way to communicate to our customers,” Mel said.

“It was another level to us. It adds to our story as well.”

Demi said they’d grown a social media following from sharing their lives on their business pages.

“We weren’t just trying to sell a product,” she said.

Valerie, Penelope, Leo, Ollie, Scarlet and Archie.

Instagram

with a business idea

come up with while on

“We created a community that wanted to know more and more.

“The podcast was a way we could give that to our community.

“Hopefully our business is then in front of them.”

Mel said: “It adds another layer of trust as well.”

“We’re not this big corporation. We’re just trying to do the best for the customer.

“People don’t trust the big corporations as much and really like to know where they’re spending their hard-earned money.”

Demi’s favourite episode so far was a chat with a Geelong mum whose daughter was diagnosed with type one diabetes - followed by the episode where she and Mitch announced they were pregnant with baby number four.

She was nervous about going public with the news.

“For so long we’ve been saying ‘we’re done, we’re done’,” she said.

“Telling people in person I wasn’t worried - friends and family.

“Going public…”

Mel’s favourite conversation was with Aaron and Mitch, their biggest supporters.

“That was just fun,” she said.

“They’ve all been such eye-openers.

“It’s pretty cool to speak to people directly about these stories.

“It’s good for our learning, too.

“The best feedback we get about our podcast is that they feel like they’re in the room with us just chatting.”

Demi said: “I speak in the podcast the way I would speak in person.”

“It’s another way for Mel and I to talk s***.

“It’s been received so much better than I thought it would be.”

Who’s coming up?

“We have a constant list that we keep adding names to,” she said.

“Everyone has a story, I believe.

“The hardest thing with a podcast is you get the listens if the person has a profile.

“But sometimes someone without a following has a better story.”

Now the podcast is out in the world, Mel and Demi are turning to expanding their product range, and looking into offering social media guidance to other small businesses.

“Compared to a beginner on social media, we have that bank of knowledge to help someone now,” Demi said.

Demi with children Ollie, Scarlet and Archie.

Mel with children Penelope, Leo, and Valerie.

Sweet pea and mint pesto pasta

in the kitchen

with Lucy Stewart

WHEN it comes to kids and green vegies, I find peas are often the most favoured thanks to their small size, vibrant colour, and natural sweetness.

They’re a good source of plant-based protein and fibre and contain essential vitamins and minerals like vitamin K, C, manganese, and folate.

I’ve paired them in this pesto with refreshing mint to bring out their sweetness even more, and pumpkin seeds as they’re a great source of zinc, magnesium, and nourishing fats that growing little bodies need.

While I’m all for increasing our kids’ vegetable intake by adding them into meals, sneaking or hiding them in foods without them knowing might actually hinder their ability to develop a taste for and accept them.

Remember, it’s about building up exposures, because kids know what they like and they like what they know

and it can take 20 or more exposures before a child will try a new food.

Looking at, playing with, smelling, and describing a new food without ever putting it in their mouth all count as exposures.

So why not leave a few peas out on the bench for the kids to play with while you make this together, and scatter a few whole peas through your finished pasta, too?

Well Fed Kitchen is a range of healthy snacks for kids that you can make at home.

Created by Nutritionist and mum, Lucy Stewart, they’re made with only real wholefood and plant-based ingredients – no additives, nothing artificial, and without nuts, dairy, soy and wheat.

Well Fed Kitchen provides an easy snack alternative to the sugar-laden, healthy pro- cessed options, guaranteed to fill kids tummies, satisfy their hunger, provide a steady release of energy and some essential growing nutrients too.

www.wellfedkitchen.com.au @wellfedkitchen_snacks

Ingredients:

■ 400g pasta of choice

■ 1 ½ cups frozen peas, thawed

■ 1 cup fresh mint and basil leaves

■ ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

■ 1/3 cup grated parmesan

■ ¼ pumpkin seeds

■ 1 garlic clove

■ 3 tbsp lemon juice

■ 1 tbsp lemon zest

■ ½ tsp sea salt

Instructions:

1. Cook your pasta according to the packet instructions and drain, reserving ¼ cup of the cooking liquid.

2. Add all your pesto ingredients to a blender and process until smooth and creamy.

3. Mix your pesto through the pasta, adding a little of the reserved cooking liquid to help the pesto coat the pasta nicely. Top with grated parmesan and peas.

■ Optional: Parmesan and peas to garnish

■ Serves: 4

■ Prep time: 10 minutes

■ Cook time: 15 minutes

Molly shines by candlelight

GEELONG teen Molly Gleeson was excited and nervous before joining her dad Simon on stage at Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl in December.

Molly, 17, made her Carols by Candlelight debut on Christmas Eve alongside her dad in his 11th appearance.

“I’ve watched it on TV and from the audience multiple times, so it’s fantastic to be on stage and watch all the kids dancing, which is so cute,” she said.

“I love to sing and it’s nice to share that with others.

“It’ll be exciting, but I think I’ll be too busy thinking about the fact that I’ll have to go on stage...but I’ll just make sure I breathe, especially in the rehearsals, and get used to what it’s like on stage.”

Molly is following in her parents’ footsteps with her performing arts interests.

“I do lots of dance with contemporary and technique stuff, as well as teach little kids musical theatre, and that’s really fun,” she said.

“I reckon him (Simon) and mum (Nat O’Donnell) got me into singing as I’ve always watched them perform, so I suppose they’re probably my main role models.

“I would love to continue performing after Year 12 next year.

“I think that’s something that I’ll follow, and I’d like to take on.

It’s going to be a challenge, but why not?”

Simon said he always enjoyed participating in the carols and seeing old friends, but performing with Molly he would “almost see it for the first time again through her eyes”.

“It’s such a beautiful occasion, and I did sing with my wife, Molly’s mum, about two years ago,” he said.

“That was the same, just getting up and seeing it all afresh through her eyes.

“You very rarely perform to an audience who are unanimously there for the same sort of joyful experience, so you get swept up on that instead of your own nerves.”

Molly is no stranger to Geelong Coast Kids. Angie Hilton caught up with the Gleesons - including Molly’s little brother, Rafferty - back in 2021.

At the time, Nat described a then-14year-old Molly as vibrant, vivacious, and kind.

“Molly has aspirations to follow in our footsteps, but all we want for them is to be happy in what they do and find joy in their work, which is what we’ve been lucky enough to do,” Nat said.

- Jena Carr

Molly and her dad Simon Gleeson rehearse for Carols by Candlelight. Pictures: Ivan Kemp

Molly at age 14 with brother Raff, 9. Picture: Louisa Jones

Molly Gleeson with her dad, Simon.

It’s Your Life It’s Your Life

The story of Grace’s new bike

Sometimes there’s a voice inside us that we just need to hear, writes STEVE

BIDDULPH

GRACE is so excited! She has a new bike - her first ever two-wheeler - and at age six she is ready to roll.

Her mum, Josie, has a well-thoughtout plan: there is a park near their house so they wheel their bikes over there and find a nice safe bit of path.

Off Grace goes, wobbling a little but peddling flat out to stay vertical, as she’s been told.

In fact, her mum is now a bit worried about her speeding away and pedals her own bike to catch up.

There is a bend in the path coming up. She shouts, “Slow down, Grace,” but it’s too late. Grace takes a tumble onto the (fortunately) soft grass. Two older girls nearby look concerned, but Josie is there in a second, helping Grace dust herself off.

But Grace is in tears. She is inconsolable throughout the short walk back to their house and inside to sit on the couch.

There are a heap of things Josie can do now.

She can look at the grazed knee and kiss them better. (Worth a try).

She can offer some ice cream or lemonade as a distraction. (Comfort eating, hmm, not sure). She can put a bandaid on the graze. (Always helpful to do).

She can also get cross and question why this girl is making such a fuss. “Didn’t you hear me call out to slow down? You shouldn’t have gone so fast.” (Grace probably knows this already. The lesson was fairly self-evident).

We’ve all tried all of these strategies - sympathy, blame, distraction!

But Josie does an interesting thing. She sits right beside Grace. She talks softly.

Josie: “You took a really bad fall with your new bicycle. You were doing so well. You dared to go fast. And now you have a scraped knee and it hurts!”

Grace nods emphatically but continues to cry and sob.

Josie: “You also have to sob really badly. Can you feel inside where that bad feeling is?”

Grace points to her stomach.

Josie: “Can you sit with it in a friendly way and ask what it feels like there?”

Grace: “It is in my stomach here, really bad.” She becomes more quiet and attentive.

Josie: “It is in your stomach. How is it there in your stomach?”

Grace: “It’s all going around.” She moves her hands around.

Josie: “It just keeps going around inside.”

Grace: “… just like grabbing hands.

Josie: “Just like grabbing hands. If you keep feeling that, do those grabbing hands have a story to tell you?”

Grace, sobbing loudly now: “Yes! Those big girls should not have stood there looking like that…

I am sure they think I am a stupid little kid.”

Josie: “You hated that they were standing there looking. They are bigger. And then you are afraid that they think you are small and stupid.”

There is a pause.

Grace: “Yes!”

Josie: “Does that feeling have a colour inside? Maybe you can close your eyes for a minute and wait for what comes.”

Grace: “Yes. Red is coming and also something black.”

Josie: “Would you draw and colour it? Your hand will put everything on the sheet of paper. It doesn’t have to be beautiful. The feeling will know what it means.”

Hesitantly, Grace starts with dark colours, then the stripes get stronger and the sobbing stops.

She scratches with the crayon fiercely, adding more lines, and another colour.

There is a deep sigh. Then there are yellow and orange circles. She looks up at Josie and smiles.

Who knows what is going on in the mind of a child?

We have to help them figure out when feelings are just too str ong for them to handle.

Josie did such an interesting thingshe used very explorative prompts.

She echoed the meaningful things that were emerging, just staying with the moment.

She enquired for the “message” that the feelings wanted to say, and the meaning shifted like a sudden change in the wind.

This wasn’t about a hurt knee. It was about a deep sense of humiliation. Who knows where it came from, but it doesn’t matter - it’s being healed.

These are what I call Wild Creature methods. You talk to the Wild Creature part of your mind, which knows things and has memories but talks through our body.

If a child can make friends with their Wild Creature Mind, by listening to the place inside that hurts, their fears come to the surface and are then easier to deal with.

Very often we parents don’t know what is going on inside our kids, but if we are willing to breathe deep and listen, then together you - and they - and their Wild Creature Mind, can team up and figure it out.

Steve Biddulph is the author of Raising Girls, Raising Boys, and Manhood. His new book Make Friends With Your Wild Creature Mind will be out from Pan MacMillan in September.

Grace’s story is from the new book and is used courtesy of Dutch authors Marta Stapert and Erik Verliefte.

Health boost for women, kids

CONSTRUCTION on Geelong’s new children’s emergency department has reached the halfway mark, and the new Barwon Women’s and Children’s is a step closer.

Work on the $20 million ED’s clinical areas is near completion, with new administration areas for staff and a reconstructed main drop-off point up next.

“It will help to meet growing demand in the region, while ensuring care is delivered in an environment suitable for kids,” Health Infrastructure Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said.

It will include 28 additional dedicated treatment spaces including two fast-track and eight short-stay beds, with new treatment rooms and support spaces and a

ppp separate paediatric triage system and waiting area.

Geelong MP Chris Couzens said University Geelong Hospital had one of the state’s busiest emergency departments.

“That’s why we’re making it bigger and better for Geelong kids now and into the future,” he said.

The project is on schedule for completion later this year.

Meanwhile, builder Built has been appointed to deliver the new $500 million Barwon Women’s and Children’s in Geelong.

A first look at the early design in February revealed how the flagship project would integrate within the busy University Hospital Geelong precinct.

Contemporary and purpose-built spaces will increase its capacity with additional multi-day beds, birthing suites, operating theatres, and outpatient clinic rooms.

The project will also deliver a new neonatal and parent care unit to ensure families can remain together, with an expansion of the existing special care nursery that provides care for

vulnerable and preterm babies in the first few weeks and months of life.

“Being able to access world-class paediatric and maternity care closer to home is important for regional Victorians and this new facility will mean just that for families across Geelong and the Surf Coast,” Ms Thomas said.

Locals have helped to shape the design of the new facility through the community consultative committee, which includes community members and representatives from Barwon Health and Geelong Council.

The committee has ensured local views were considered in the planning

and design of the new facility – including the patient and family experience, family and outdoor space and accessibility – through a series of workshops.

Work to relocate the Endoscopy and Day Procedure Unit from the Gretta Volum Centre to the Youang Surgery Centre is set to begin soon, clearing the way for main construction works later this year.

The new Barwon Women’s and Children’s is expected to be completed in 2029.

Free fertility services close to home

A public IVF service is now available at Barwon Health.

Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas officially opened the new satellite in November. It will deliver support and treatment for Greater Geelong women and families who want to access fertility care.

“This new service in Geelong will be life-changing for many people across the region, helping them realise their dream of starting or growing their family, whilst alleviating financial stress and the need to constant travel,” Ms Thomas said.

The service will offer eligible patients a range of services, including specialist consultations, diagnostic tests, and ultrasounds.

“This new satellite is about bringing fertility care to the heart of our community – making it more accessible and more affordable than ever for those across the Bellarine, who are wanting to start a family,” Bellarine MP Alison Marchant said.

Access to public fertility care is available through a GP or specialist referral to the Royal Women’s Hospital (RWH), which then arranges for eligible patients to receive treatment at their closest health service.

This latest service followed the launch of Australia’s first public egg and sperm bank in July last year at RWH, which is accepting egg, sperm, and embryo donations from the community.

The opening also marked one year since the roll-out of public fertility care services in Victoria.

More information is available at betterhealth.vic.gov.au/public-fertilitycare-services.

RWH and Monash Health accepted almost 2000 referrals to the program in its first 12 months.

About 1100 patients started treatment, including in vitro fertilisation (IVF), intrauterine insemination (IUI) or Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), and 21 conceived.

ash Health als to the in its ients ertilisation (IVF), ination or d 21 he was er last

The first baby conceived under the program - Felix - was born to Erin and Anthony in October last year.

Early designs for the Barwon Women’s and Children’s.

‘He’s the reason I sought that help’

By Casey Neill

BECOMING a mum was the push Penny Moodie needed to take a step forward in controlling her OCD.

In her book The Joy Thief, the Melbourne author said she’d always wanted kids and thought her husband, The Resilience Project’s Hugh van Cuylenburg, would make “an incredible dad”.

During her first pregnancy, Penny’s obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) simmered down to what she described as a ceasefire.

But when Benji, now age 7, arrived the battle recommenced.

Penny told Kids that a desire to be more present for her son made her seek help from a therapist with experience in OCD and exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy.

“That was all driven by my desire to be a better parent,” she said.

“He’s the reason I sought that help.”

Penny gave birth to daughter Elsie about six weeks before the Covid pandemic hit, and third child Patrick while writing The Joy Thief.

“In some ways it was cathartic,” she said of writing the book.

“It was therapy in a way, and therapy doesn’t always feel good.

“I was nervous putting it out there.

“There’s plenty of information out there about OCD but not so much lived experience.”

Penny said we can often look too hard for silver linings when it comes to mental illness, but her OCD does help her to be a more empathetic parent.

On the flipside, she’s very aware of exposing her children to her illness.

“I fail at it all the time,” she said.

“I’m sure I’m constantly anxious in front of my kids.”

Penny’s also “a little too vigilant” with her children’s mental wellbeing, as is Hugh.

“We can be hyperaware,” she said.“I think it’s probably better than being completely oblivious to it.

“I do worry if my child’s displaying signs of OCD and I start feeling guilty.

There is a genetic component to it.

“If my kids do end up having OCD I feel like I’ll be in a good position to help them.”

Penny and Hugh speak very openly about mental health with their kids.

“My husband and I both talk a lot about seeing our worry doctor, which is our psychologist, and try to normalise talking to someone about your feelings,” she said.

“I think that can be really helpful. It’s just that general awareness.

“My son was really angry at something a few months ago and said something like ‘I’m going to think of every swear word I can’.

“I told him ‘You can think whatever you want to think. No thoughts are bad. Saying it would be different, that would be another thing, but you can actually think whatever you want to think’.

“We had that conversation.

“It takes a lot of time and a lot of patience from both sides, and a lot of willingness to revisit it and reevaluate.

“I was so motivated to do it because I really didn’t want my daughter and two sons to absorb this - live in a household where it’s normal for Mum to be doing all the household tasks while Dad goes off to work.

“I really wanted them all to be seeing us trying to divide it up where we can.”

Alongside the weight of the mental load, Penny was also unprepared for how fun parenthood would be.

Benji recently commented that the world was magic following a discussion about dinosaurs and evolution.

“As adults, we forget how fascinating the world is,” Penny said.

“Every now and then being reminded of that’s really beautiful.”

Parents can find OCD resources at soocd.com.au.

“From such a young age, whether you have OCD or not, you can worry that certain thoughts can be bad or make you a bad person.

“To have that conversation with him was really important and made me more aware for my daughter and my younger son as well.

“Maybe if I hadn’t gone through all this I wouldn’t have been aware of these conversations.”

Speaking of conversations - Penny and Hugh spoke openly on his podcast The Imperfects about their efforts to better balance the mental load in their household.

Penny said it was an ongoing convesrtation.

“I think often we think if we bring something up and we talk about how important it is and we make a plan then it’s going to improve straight away,” she said.

“Everyone tells you it’s going to be the biggest slog of your life - and it is - but from the get-go, the fun side of it, seeing these little people develop this personality from such a young age and seeing how that changes and evolves - that’s just so much fun,” she said.

“Kids kind of ground you so much and remind you of little things that are so important.”

‘It’s such an emotional toll’

By Casey Neill

PIETA Shakes is using her personal experience to support women who receive a prenatal diagnosis.

The Melbourne mum was anxious early in her pregnancy but had started to relax by 31 weeks.

“I had some extra pain and I had a scan,” she said.

“I thought ‘this is great, I have an extra chance to see my baby’.

“I was reassured at the scan that everything was fine.”

But at the bottom of the scan results was a note about the way her baby’s brain was developing. She plugged the words into Google and saw ‘severe intellectual disability’ and ‘death’ among the results.

Pieta got an urgent appointment with a specialist.

“I couldn’t work, I couldn’t sleep.

I was obsessed with trying to read things,” she said.

“I was crying lots, distressed.”

A further scan at 32 weeks confirmed the initial scan and Pieta was advised to terminate.

She had further tests and spoke to multiple specialists, who all gave her “pretty hard odds” and again offered termination.

A fetal MRI at 34 weeks changed the diagnosis a little and her baby’s odds improved.

“It was such a whirlwind not knowing if I was going to have a baby, not knowing what her life would be,” she said.

“Not knowing if it was selfish for me to consider terminating, or selfish for me to consider having her.

“I had a whole nursery set up, I thought ‘what am I going to do with that?’.

“Then I thought I was a horrible person for thinking about material things.”

Guilt consumed Pieta. She told herself she hadn’t grown her baby properly, she must have done something wrong.

“It’s such an emotional toll,” she said.

“I had to make the decision based on what I’d hate myself less for.”

Pieta’s mental health declined further after a complicated birth.

“Her anomaly is quite rare so I was obsessed with reading what I could,” she said.

“The doctors didn’t know about it so I had to be the one with the knowledge.

“Every time I put her to sleep I’d worry if she’d live.

“I had all these intrusive thoughts, like all the cupboards were going to fall on her in the middle of the night.

“I tried to keep it all to myself. I chose this. I didn’t feel like I could tell people that it was hard or I wasn’t coping.”

But as a mental health nurse, she knew she wasn’t coping.

She had an unsuccessful appointment with a psychologist, then referred herself to a residential mother-baby clinic because her daughter wasn’t feeding or settling. She was knocked back due to her baby’s condition, so sought help from her mental health nurse supervisor.

Fitzroy House experienced a 30 percent client increase and the increase was 123 percent at Frances Perry House.

“I was so desperate and I didn’t know who else to call,” she said.

“I had phone sessions with her and went back to work and was able to pull myself out of a desperate situation.

“We design things to support new parents and connect them.

“But when everything’s about parenting a typical baby who’s expecting typical milestones, it’s alienating.

“There’s a lot of people out there who just try and cope.

“It’s potentially impacting them long-term and impacting their family long-term.”

New data from Gidget Foundation Australia shows perinatal depression and anxiety (PNDA) in a parent can impact the cognitive, behavioural, and emotional development of their child.

Gidget said early intervention dramatically improved an individual’s prognosis.

Gidget has experienced substantial growth in people accessing its free psychological counselling services over the past 12 months.

Gidget House Point Cook offers a vital lifeline to struggling parents, with no wait time to access free psychological counselling sessions.

Pieta has shared her story as a Gidget Angel and spoken with some of its clinical leaders.

“There’s a bit of a division between perinatal care and mental health,” she said.

“Each thinks the other is taking care of it.”

Eight years after her experience, Pieta was looking for a PhD topic and landed on the experience of mothers who receive a prenatal diagnosis.

“There’s 20 years of literature showing a third to 50 percent of mothers received a PTSD diagnosis after a prenatal diagnosis,” she said.

She founded charity Through the Unexpected, a small volunteer-run organisation developing training for health professionals.

“We’re working to fill the gap. There’s a huge gap in that training space,” she said.

Active Kids

Sideline behaviour warning

PARENTS are essential to kids’ sports, filling roles from chauffeur to caterer to cheer squad.

But when they behave badly on the sidelines, it’s often a case of ‘monkey see, monkey do’.

In a new study from the University of South Australia, researchers found a link between parents’ sideline conduct and athletes’ behaviours.

When parents behaved well –applauding good play, encouraging players, and enjoying the game – their child was more likely to project positive behaviour.

But the more a parent behaved poorly – being overly critical, secondguessing the referee, or yelling abuse – the more antisocial behaviours seen in their child.

“Most parents are role models for their children, with children looking to their parents to learn about acceptable behaviour,” UniSA’s Dr Alyson Crozier said.

“So, it’s natural for them to copy the behaviours they observe.

“In our research, we found that when a player perceives positive support from a parent, the player also reported having positive sports attitudes and behaviours.

“Yet, when a parent engages in antisocial behaviours, their child will more likely behave similarly, potentially as frustration and aggression to their teammates and opponents.

“Encouragingly, most players in this study reported frequent positive parent behaviours, and negative parent behaviours as rare.”

In Australia, about 13 million adults and 3 million children take part in sport each year.

The study assessed the perceptions of 67 Australian youth athletes (aged 12-17 years) participating in teambased sports.

Almost a third reported never seeing any negative behaviours from their parents.

But 69 percent reported some form of negative behaviour from their parents, even if rarely.

About one in five (18 percent) said their parents sometimes or often said bad things about the way they played or their parents sometimes to very often yelled at the referee during the game after a bad call was made (17 percent).

Dr Crozier said good sportsmanship was the cornerstone of a positive sports experience.

Top tips for positive parent behaviour:

1. Be a positive role model for your child: Be courteous and respectful to coaches, referees, players, and spectators.

2. Avoid shouting instructions: Unless you are an official coach, focus on words of encouragement. Don’t ‘coach the coach’.

“Children get far more enjoyment from playing sport when a parent is present, encouraging, and supportive,” she said.

“Such behaviours also help build a child’s self-esteem, and improve their life skills and wellbeing.

“Yet poor parent behaviours can reduce a player’s confidence and damage their emotional and physiological wellbeing.

“In some cases, they can even lead to a child withdrawing from a sport altogether.

“Sport is an important part of life in Australia.

“If we can encourage respect, sportsmanship, and fun, we can ensure that sport continues to be a positive experience for everyone.”

3. Keep comments about your child and others positive: Whether you’re at the sporting field, on the car ride home, or at home, don’t bad-mouth other players, parents, coaches, or game officials.

4. Prioritise having fun: Remember, children want to play sport to have fun and socialise. Winning isn’t everything. Have fun yourself, and help your child enjoy sport by creating positive memories.

Creative, caring and diverse

NORTH Geelong Secondary College is a single campus Year 7-12 academic college.

It is a creative, caring, and diverse college where young people grow into autonomous learners by engaging with our imaginative and intellectually rigorous programs.

“We tailor programs to suit students’ individual needs and help students to develop their confidence, to

follow their interests and reach their potential,” principal Nick Adamou said.

The school community is a friendly and supportive environment, underpinned by the values of respect, excellence, achievement, and diversity.

The school places high expectations on student behaviour and academic endeavour, as evidenced by outstanding VCE results and VCAL outcomes.

Specialist programs in the areas of the arts, information and communication technologies, and sports, that incorporate innovative curriculum design, enhance the learning experience.

North Geelong Secondary College students are privileged to enjoy:

Learning areas equipped with the latest ICT facilities; An extensive, wellresourced, library; Plentiful state-of-the-art sporting facilities; and

A creative art and technology complex which caters for food technology, studio art, ceramics, woodwork, and performing arts.

North Geelong Secondary College is proud to offer the Scholarship Program, Select Entry Accelerated Learning (SEAL) Program, the Strive to Achieve Results (STAR), the Achieving Core Education (ACE) Programs, and Excellence in Sport (EIS) Program.

The Scholarship Program promotes and recognises outstanding commitment by school students who have displayed a strong involvement in their school community.

Scholarships are available in the following areas: academic excellence, student leadership, community, sporting excellence, and the arts.

The SEAL Program provides a focused educational environment for academically oriented students.

SEAL classes incorporate a fast-paced curriculum, with less repetition than mainstream classes.

Advancement Via International Determination (AVID), the only program of its kind in Geelong, underpins the SEAL program and prepares students with the skills to succeed in senior and post-secondary education.

STAR is an innovative literacy and numeracy program unique to the college. This program identifies students who have the potential to become future ‘stars’ and achieve outstanding results in Years 7 to 9.

The ACE program aims to improve the numeracy and literacy development of students who are performing below the expected level.

The EIS Program develops students’ sport-specific skills, knowledge, and practical application in their chosen sports of Australian rules, soccer, or volleyball.

Students are encouraged to engage in a myriad of extracurricular activities, including human powered vehicles, debating, student representative council, and lunchtime clubs such as chess club, cultural appreciation club, Dungeons and Dragons, and Japanese club.

The transition from primary to secondary school is seamless for North Geelong Secondary College’s Year 7 students.

In Grade 6, all students are invited to the college early in the year for a ‘taste’ of secondary school, and later in the year there is a specialised two-day program that allows students to develop new friendships and familiarise themselves with their new surroundings.

Students start the secondary school year with confidence.

An integral part of the transition program is the Year 7 camp. The camp experience allows students and staff to build positive relationships in a fun learning environment.

These relationships build trust that fosters unity, allowing students and teachers to work together in facilitating teaching and learning.

Parents and guardians are welcome to visit and see the school in operation.

They’re promised a dynamic, highquality government school for their child. To find out more and to book a personalised tour of North Geelong Secondary College, call 5240 5800 or email north.geelong.sc@edumail.vic.gov.au.

Embracing nature through play

THOUSANDS of Victorian children will have the chance to learn and play in the great outdoors, thanks to a bush kinder expansion.

Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn announced in February that 150 kindergartens across the state would receive $6000 grants to offer a bush kinder program in 2024.

Bush kinder is delivered outdoors at places including parks, bushland, and beaches.

Children can learn through play with natural materials in the outdoors.

The programs are educational and exciting, with a significant positive impact on a child’s development, as well as on their physical and mental

LEARNING WHILE HAVING FUN

health and wellbeing.

The $6000 grants will help kindergartens buy the equipment they need to run programs that focus on getting outside, playing with natural materials, and learning through activities such as climbing trees and watching wildlife.

Kindergartens without access to a

Ph:

Email:

suitable off-site location can use their grant funding to enhance the biodiversity of their existing outdoor environment.

Applications for the 2025 round of another 150 bush kinder grants will open in the second half of this year. Visit vic.gov.au/bush-kinder-grantsprogram for more information.

Nurture a brighter future

CRACKERJACK Kids is dedicated to unlocking the potential within every child.

Its mission is to provide specialised instruction in literacy, numeracy, and school readiness, catering to children and adolescents with specific learning differences such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia.

Crackerjack sets itself apart with its commitment to delivering multisensory instruction and evidencebased programs.

It uses Orton Gillingham-based methods for teaching reading and spelling, as well as multi-sensory approaches for teaching math concepts.

This ensures that every child receives tailored support that suits their unique learning needs.

The Crackerjack Kids team believes in the power of collaboration.

The proverb “It takes a village to raise a child” resonates deeply with the team.

Staff work closely with parents, carers, and schoolteachers to provide holistic support for their students.

They offer resources and guidance to help parents and teachers understand and assist with students’ learning journeys.

Crackerjack programs start with an initial assessment to determine the best course of action for each child.

Whether it’s screening assessments for dyslexia, multi-sensory instruction for numeracy, or Crackerjack’s school readiness program, the team is there to help every child reach their full potential.

Join Crackerjack Kids, where every child deserves the chance to shine.

Call 0400 816 105 or email contact@ crackerjackkids.com.au to learn more and schedule an assessment.

Together, you and Crackerjack can empower your child for a brighter future.

Keep all ages safe online

PARENTS must have age-appropriate chats about online safety with their kids from toddlerhood, according to the Australian Federal Police.

The AFP said just over half of parents and carers regularly discussed online safety at home, but almost all children regularly used technology for educational purposes or entertainment.

Research by the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) revealed 87 percent of children aged between four and seven years old were using the internet, and 16 percent were unsupervised.

Only three percent of research participants listed online grooming as a concern.

The AFP-led ThinkUKnow program released a range of age-based tips and content to help parents and carers keep children and young people safe online across all stages of development.

AFP Commander Helen Schneider said parents and carers needed to have regular conversations with their children about online safety from early childhood to help them understand the challenges they might face online and how to get help and support.

“The AFP is urging everyone to continue the chat throughout their child’s development and stages of life to ensure they are protected every step of the way,” she said.

Commander Schneider said the ACCCE received reports involving young children accessing social networking, live streaming, and instant messaging.

“ThinkUKnow is about providing Australians with the tools they need and empowering them to keep our community’s most vulnerable – our children – safe online,” she said.

ThinkUKnow provides factsheets, videos, presentations, guides, children’s picture book Jack Changes the Game, home learning, and family activities.

Under five years old

Introduce and talk about what the internet is and how it allows us to connect with other people, eg “My phone is connected to the internet and I can send a photo from my phone to Grandpa’s phone.”

Supervision online is always recommended for young children. This looks different for every family, but it is important to be aware of what your child is doing online in case they need your help.

Implement strong privacy settings and consider parental controls on the devices your child uses. This can give you more control over what they do online and limit the possibility of interaction with others.

Encourage your child to come to you if they see anything online that makes them scared or uncomfortable.

Between five and 12 years old Research what apps, websites, and games your child is using. Be aware of any that have a chat function.

If you need to know more about an online game, search for videos of gameplay to see what it looks like and how it works.

Supervision is always recommended and looks different for different families.

Have open conversations with your child about what they do online, who they talk to, and how they can come to you for help if something goes wrong.

Implement privacy settings and parental controls, but balance this with regular check-ins and encourage critical thinking while online.

13 years and over

Learn about the features of the apps, games, and sites your child uses and the safety challenges so you can talk to them about implementing safety measures to keep them safe online.

Encourage ‘friends only’ or ‘private’ security settings.

If your child has public social media accounts, be aware of the privacy challenges and encourage your child to think critically about information sharing.

Your level of supervision or oversight may vary across this age group, but you should always stay in touch with what your child is doing online and encourage them to come to you for help and support.

Encourage your child to recognise safe or unsafe situations and inappropriate contact. This can empower them to make informed decisions, including when they are in unsupervised environments.

For all ages

Ensure your child knows that they can come to you for help and support if something goes wrong online.

If a child or young person might not seek help if they’re scared they will be blamed for what happened or have their device taken away, making them more vulnerable to exploitation.

Anyone with information about people involved in child abuse should contact the ACCCE.

If you know abuse is happening right now or a child is at risk, call police immediately on triple-zero.

Online safety advice and support for parents and carers can be found at www.thinkuknow.org.au.

Nurturing and empowering

FOR more than 26 years, One World For Children (OWFC) has been a cornerstone in the Geelong community, providing exceptional childcare and kindergarten services.

Beyond its commitment to childcare, OWFC is also an industry-based registered training organisation (RTO), specialising in delivering competencybased training programs within the community services industry.

This dual role as a childcare provider and an RTO underscores its dedication to empowering children and adults alike, shaping a brighter future for the community.

Childcare excellence: A foundation for growth

The OWFC team believes that childcare is more than just supervision; it’s about fostering an environment where children can thrive.

The OWFC philosophy revolves around the idea that play is the cornerstone of learning. Through play, children develop essential skills such as creativity, problem-solving, and socialisation.

OWFC’s mixed-age model, known as family grouping, allows children to interact with peers of different ages, promoting cooperation and empathy.

This model not only benefits children’s social and emotional development but also enhances their academic abilities.

OWFC’s commitment to excellence is evident in its approach to early childhood education. It offers government-funded kindergarten programs for three-year-olds and four-year-olds, designed to prepare children for the transition to school.

Led by qualified teachers, these programs emphasise play-based learning, ensuring that children develop a love for learning from an early age.

Empowering adults: Training for a purposeful career

As an RTO, OWFC is committed to providing high-quality training programs for individuals looking to pursue a career in the community services industry.

Its courses, such as the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

and the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, are designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in their careers.

The training programs are not just about acquiring qualifications; they are about preparing individuals to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

Through OWFC’s programs, students learn about child development, behavior management, and curriculum planning, among other essential topics.

OWFC’s goal is to empower students to become confident and competent professionals, ready to make a positive impact in the community.

A sustainable future: Caring for the environment

OWFC recognises the importance of sustainability and environmental responsibility. Its outdoor environments are designed to encourage children to connect with nature and develop a sense of respect for the environment.

OWFC minimises the use of plastic equipment and resources, opting instead for natural materials that are both environmentally friendly and stimulating for children’s development.

Its ‘loose parts yard’ for school-aged children provides a space for complex play, promoting leisure and relaxation.

Children are actively involved in maintaining the outdoor environment,

Whether you are looking for highquality childcare services or seeking to embark on a fulfilling career in the community services industry, OWFC invites you to join it on this journey. Contact childcare@owfc.com.au or 1800 006 533 to learn more about its programs and services.

learning valuable skills such as watering the garden and sweeping paths.

A place to grow and thrive

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We are so very grateful for the role you all play in our Darcy’s life (and previously Sammy, too). You enrich his world and provide the most wonderful learning experiences!”

The One World For Children believes that every child’s journey deserves a higher level of care and commitment.

Qualified educators are dedicated to nurturing young minds to flourish socially and emotionally in their own way.

Whether it’s through OWFC’s childcare services or its nationally recognised training programs, the organisation is committed to providing a nurturing and inspiring environment for children to learn and grow.

OWFC welcomes feedback from parents to help each individual child grow and flourish to their full potential.

With regular updates on our StoryPark App, parents can see firsthand the growth and development of their children as well as the special moments and bonds they are making. Join us on the journey

s of are h ly ces or d ted ng environment d gr ow edback fr om dividual child eir s on our can see nd development l as the hey making l potential

One World for Children is dedicated to nurturing children and empowering adults to reach their full potential.

Collaboration bridging the gap

IN the healthcare landscape, collaboration stands as a cornerstone for achieving remarkable outcomes.

When professionals unite their expertise and resources, they can accomplish far more than they ever could alone.

This fundamental principle is at the core of the dynamic partnership between Crossing The Gap and Barwon Occupational Therapy (OT).

These two esteemed organisations have joined forces to provide comprehensive support and services to their community, with a particular focus on mental health, paediatrics, senior health, and the disability sector.

Kristy from Crossing The Gap provides her insight on the partnership.

“We support each other, promoting each other’s businesses,” she said.

“We found that by working together, we can go a lot further.

“I have had the privilege of working closely with Anna, the director of Barwon OT, for a good seven years.

“I first met Anna when working for another organisation; she not only trained my staff but continues to provide invaluable training to my team today.

“When I ventured out on my own, Anna and Gwen helped me establish my company and have stood by my side every day since.”

Barwon OT

Barwon OT is renowned for its diverse team of passionate allied health professionals dedicated to making a difference in the lives of their clients and communities.

They strongly believe in matching participants with the right OT, social worker, psychologist, or therapy assistant to ensure personalised and effective care.

Furthermore, Barwon OT offers its clients the option to complete appointments in their comfortable consulting rooms, to attend group of staff training in its multipurpose training hub, or to trial equipment in the impressive sensory gym, providing a range of versatile environments for therapy and development.

The option to complete appointments in the clinic provides participants with important cost savings options for therapist time and travel.

One of the standout features of Barwon OT is its provision of behaviour support, led by experienced allied health professionals.

This aspect of their services underscores their commitment to holistic care, addressing not only the physical but also the behavioural and emotional well-being of their clients, carers, and communities.

Barwon OT offers flexible treatment

options, working collaboratively with families, carers, and other health professionals.

Its advanced practice areas, such as sensory modulation, highlight its commitment to remaining at the forefront of the field.

To learn more about Barwon OT and its incredible services, visit www.barwonoccupationaltherapy.com or call 5200 2684.

Crossing The Gap

Crossing The Gap is a beacon of educational excellence, dedicated to empowering students with diverse learning needs.

Its specialisation in supporting students with Specific Learning Differences (SLD) is underscored by a strong emphasis on school readiness.

What sets Crossing The Gap apart is its unwavering commitment to working alongside Allied Health professionals.

This approach ensures that each student receives personalised attention, tailored to their unique learning style, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment.

Collaboration is at the heart of

Crossing The Gap’s ethos.

It prioritises partnerships with parents, carers, and schoolteachers, recognising that a united front leads to the best outcomes for students.

This collaborative approach extends beyond the classroom, with resources available to support students’ learning at home and at school.

Crossing The Gap ensures that each child has access to the tools and support they need to succeed, empowering them to reach their full potential.

To learn more about Crossing The Gap and its transformative approach to education, visit www.ctgdisability.com. au or call Kristy today on 0493 057 276.

Crossing The Gap and Barwon OT share a vision of empowering individuals and families to reach their full potential.

By pooling their expertise and resources, they have created a robust network of support that extends across the Barwon region, covering areas like Geelong, Golden Plains, Colac, Surf Coast, Bellarine Peninsula, and more.

The partnership between Crossing The Gap and Barwon OT epitomises the power of collaboration in healthcare.

Together, they are bridging gaps and providing holistic, client-centered care to their community. Their shared values of compassion, professionalism, and innovation make them a formidable team, dedicated to making a positive impact in the lives of those they serve.

This collaboration serves as a shining example of what can be achieved when professionals work together towards a common goal.

The Barwon Occupational Therapy team.

Reality Bites

Peanut allergy hope

NEW parents dread finding out their little one has an allergy - particularly a life-threatening response to peanuts.

But the fear of keeping a child safe from an anaphylactic reaction to peanuts could become a thing of the past.

A novel peanut allergy treatment is a step closer thanks to a research funding boost.

In January, the State Government announced a $12 million investment through Breakthrough Victoria to bring local biotechnology firm Aravax one step closer to an innovative new treatment that could save lives.

Aravax is a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on revolutionising food allergy treatment through its product, PVX108.

The immunotherapy uses synthetic peptides to mimic key parts of peanut proteins with the potential to retrain the immune system to tolerate peanuts without causing allergic reactions.

Early research at Alfred Health and Monash University has developed this unique treatment, requiring a monthly dose rather than the daily dose required by current treatments.

These trials are a step forward in bringing cutting-edge healthcare to the more than five million Australians living with food allergies.

Breakthrough Victoria CEO Grant Dooley said: “This therapy, developed right here in Victoria, has the potential to change the lives of peanut allergy sufferers across the world.”

Aravax has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration

(FDA) and Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for Phase 2 trials in both countries.

“Victoria is home to world-class scientific research institutions. It’s exciting to receive the local support, global recognition and this investment Aravax needs to expand clinical trials in Victoria and the United States,” Aravax CEO Pascal Hickey said. Phase 1 clinical trials were successfully completed for adults in

Victoria in 2018.

Phase 2 trials, which will evaluate the treatment’s effect in children aged 4 to 17 years, will take place in clinics in Australia and the United States.

“This investment is an important step forward in advancing healthcare for millions of Australians with food allergies and introducing life-changing health technology to the world,” Economic Growth Minister Tim Pallas said.

Egg donations needed in Australia

BEFORE they were born, sisters Olivia and Zara Masucci travelled halfway around the world together.

The pair was among a special delivery of donated eggs from the United States that Melissa and Alfie Masucci hoped would help them create their much-wanted family.

The Epping couple started trying for a family in 2018, before turning to fertility treatment two years later.

Melissa’s fertility specialist advised her to seek donated eggs.

She received seven from an overseas donor and created two embryos - “two perfect babies”.

Olivia was born in September 2021 and Zara in 2023.

“We were never turned off by the fact they were donor eggs, we just wanted a family,” Melissa said.

“We were both in our forties and thought if this is our best option, then we’re willing to give it a go.”

Melissa is grateful to her overseas donor, but she and Alfie would like to see

Melissa and Alfie Masucci with daughter Olivia and Zara.

more Victorian women become donors to give people like her greater options.

Monash IVF fertility specialist Dr Virochana Kaul, who guided the couple through their journey, echoed their wish.

Dr Kaul said last year marked the 40th anniversary of the first birth from a donor egg, which happened in Melbourne.

“Egg donation is a truly, amazing gift and I would urge anyone who can donate their eggs to consider helping others unable to use their own eggs,” she said.

According to the Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority, 288 Victoria received egg donations in 2022-23, a drop of 27 percent on the previous financial year.

More information on how to become a Monash IVF egg donor is available at monashivf.com.

Australia’s first public sperm and egg bank is also accepting donations, at Victoria’s Royal Women’s Hospital. Visit thewomens.org.au/egg-and-sperm-donate

Picture: Monash IVF

Closing the digital divide

INADEQUATE computer access is further hampering struggling students.

Eight in 10 students in lower socioeconomic schools surveyed for a new report had trouble finishing class work and assignments because they didn’t have a computer.

KPMG prepared the report pro-bono for WorkVentures, a not-for-profit supporting Australian communities through technology, skills and meaningful career pathways.

It also found two in five (44 percent) Year 6 students and a quarter of Year 10 students did not have access to a computer outside of school.

One in two (51.6 percent) lower income families reported their children could miss out on the digital devices needed for schoolwork because they couldn’t afford them.

So WorkVentures is calling for a National Device Bank for students who can’t otherwise afford to access vital educational technology.

The organisation said digital learning increasingly dominated classrooms and online resources were an essential part of learning.

Access issues put children at risk of falling behind academically and grappling with the social impacts and limitations of future employment opportunities.

WorkVentures IT solutions and social impact director Jacob Muller said not everyone was afforded the same opportunities when it came to digital technologies.

“Australia is undergoing a rapid digital transformation but despite increased connectivity, socially and financially disadvantaged families have found themselves on the wrong side of the digital divide due to affordability and confidence barriers,”

and confidence barriers

Mr Muller said

“Our report found that students, who are from schools in areas that identified as having greater relative socioeconomic disadvantage, experienced reduced or no access to a computer after school.

“This reduced access outside of school is likely to have a negative impact on the educational outcomes for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds.”

The report found schools commonly provided laptops for Year 6 students (57 percent), but only a third (32 percent) of Year 10 students received a device from their school.

“We have been addressing digital exclusion by refurbishing end of life corporate laptops and PCs and distributing these to individuals who otherwise couldn’t afford them, including school students,” Mr Muller said.

“Unfortunately, there have been various hurdles to scaling this up including a lack of device donations and lack of consistent funding to support the ongoing costs.”

The WorkVentures report highlighted the benefits to students of access to a laptop out of school, with 83 percent of surveyed students experiencing improvement in their grades, and 97 percent indicating that their new laptop supported them in completing their homework and assignments.

WorkVentures CEO Caroline McDaid said a key component to closing the digital divide was a national strategy.

“WorkVentures is urging the introduction of a National Device Bank to aid digitally excluded Australians by providing free digital devices,” she said.

“We want to ensure all children have access to digital learning essentials so they can make the most of their education and not miss out due to their individual circumstances.”

Over a five-year period, the Australian public and corporate sector will refresh 10 million laptops, PCs, and tablets.

Most of these devices are currently diverted into international markets for profit, recycled, or sent to landfill.

“While we have had some Australian companies and government agencies donating devices for social good for a number of years, there is substantial scope to amplify this across the corporate and public sector landscape,” Ms McDaid said.

“We want to see a system where these devices are kept in Australia and

redistributed for free to people who are digitally excluded.

“We are calling upon these organisations to get involved and for the public to advocate for a National Device Bank to help students get connected for the good of their education and their future.”

A National Device Bank aims to secure one million pledged devices to support digital inclusion programs within five years while providing more than 100,000 Australians with devices, connectivity, and digital coaching.

It also looks to divert 2500 tonnes of potential ewaste, promoting a circular economy while also combating its environmental impact.

Visit workventures.com.au/nationaldevice-bank to find out more.

‘There’s no silver lining’

By Casey Neill

JACKI O’FARRELL had a cardiac arrest during her first birth and was unable to sit up for her first two weeks of motherhood. Her second baby was stillborn.

The Sunshine mum of three says there’s no silver lining to what she’s been through, but she’s determined to use her experience to support others.

Jacki fell pregnant with her daughter Charlie in 2020.

After finally being admitted to hospital after three days in labour, monitors meant to be clocking Charlie’s heart rate kept slipping off her tight tummy.

Medical staff broke her waters, placed a monitoring clip on Charlie’s head, and told her Charlie’s heart rate had dropped.

An anaesthetist performed an epidural and Jacki settled in to get some rest, armed with a button to press every 15 minutes for drug delivery.

The second time she pressed the button, her body felt drunk, but not her mind.

“I said to Luke, ‘I hate the way it’s making me feel, I feel really yuck when I press it’,” she said.

Jacki had suffered a dural puncture and was being inundated with drugs.

“My hand started going a bit numb. My mouth and tongue started to feel a bit similar,” she said.

“The last thing I remember hearing was ‘she’s turning blue’.”

Medical staff performed CPR on Jacki for 12 minutes.

“Luke witnessed a lot of the CPR, then someone took him out of the room,” she said.

“While that was happening I had an episiotomy and Charlie was forcepped out.“Luke watched them do CPR for

about a minute on her. Then he heard her crying, so his attention focused back on me.

“He was picturing a life without me. He was playing his life out, doing it by himself.”

Jacki woke up with “the worst headache”.

“It felt like someone was crushing my skull,” she said.

“My optic nerve was impacted. Everything was really blurry. I thought I was blind.”

Jacki was in ICU while a healthy Charlie was in NICU for monitoring.

“A midwife had the forethought to take a photo of Charlie. She held the phone up really close to my face,” she said.

Jacki was moved to high care and was finally able to hold Charlie - for about 10 minutes, laying horizontally.

“I was leaking spinal fluid from the epidural needle hole every time I sat up,” she said.

“At the end of the third day we finally got her and she didn’t leave my side.

“The first two weeks of motherhood were spent laying flat on my back.

“I’m quite maternal. Not being able to care for your baby was a massive hurdle.”

About six months later she was diagnosed with PTSD and medicated.

“I was trying to do everything in my power to process it so I could be a better mum to Charlie,” she said.

Jacki fell pregnant with Oakley when Charlie was about 10 months old.

“I was excited but then also terrified at the exact same time,” she said.

“I couldn’t have anything catastrophic happen again. I wouldn’t have been able to mentally deal with it.”

But at 31 weeks, she noticed a change in Oakley’s movements.

“We called him the hurricane baby,” she said.

“It was really easy for me to identify when the movements had reduced.”

Doctors confirmed there was no heartbeat.

“We just sat in the room wailing,” Jacki said.

“We couldn’t cry hard enough.

“It hit me like a shovel to the face, ‘I have to give birth, I still have to have the baby’.

“I was just screaming ‘I don’t want to do it’.

“How am I meant to get into the zone for labour when I’m dealing with the loss of my child?

“I never thought that would happen to us, especially after what happened with Charlie.

“You focus on one problem and then another one surprises you.”

They had a night at home and returned for induction the following day, with wonderful support from the hospital.

“He was breech so his little bum came out first,” Jacki said.

“I was able to stand in the shower. Luke caught him.

“I could bring him up onto my chest, which I missed out on with Charlie.

“We were able to have a positive birth experience, in how the labour went.

“I took a lot from it and found it really empowering.

“We sat in the shower. I put him down and we could have a look at him.

“He was completely perfect.”

A postmortem was inconclusive.

“He moved around so much, the cord was around his neck when he was born, and there was a knot in the cord,” she said.

“It’s nothing that anyone could have prevented or changed.”

Their families met and held Charlie, and then they went home.

“That was one of the most challenging things to experience. Saying goodbye,” she said.

“You never want to leave your child anywhere alone.

“I left my baby by himself.”

Having to show up for 18-month-old Charlie every day helped Jacki through her grief.

“We have no idea what we’re doing in terms of how to talk about grief with a toddler,” she said.

“I have no idea what the answer is there, but we just do what we feel comfortable with.”

An urn containing Oakley’s ashes and a photo of their lost son are on display at home. They bought a baby oak tree to mark the first anniversary of his birth.

“When we have our forever home we can plant that and let it grow really big and sit underneath it,” Jacki said.

Four months after losing Oakley, she fell pregnant again.

“His due date was four days after Oakley’s first anniversary,” she said.

“I just didn’t want to be pregnant on or after Oakley’s anniversary. I wanted them separate.”

She was booked for an induction the week before and was in active labour for three hours before welcoming Conor.

“I could not believe the difference in recovery from Charlie,” she said.

“I kept saying ‘I feel like I could run a marathon’.

“You felt like you could mother a child the way you wanted to and should be able to.”

Jacki now dedicates her spare time to raising awareness and money for Stillbirth Foundation Australia and Still Aware through her small business BHOOMI Babe.

She sells breastfeeding blankets and burp cloths and donates $5 from each purchase to the charities.

“You look for the silver lining and there is no silver lining, so what’s the next best thing I can do?” she said.

“It’s not going to change anything for us, but it might help someone else.”

To others who’ve lost a baby, Jacki says “it’s more common than people realise” and “it’s OK to feel what you’re feeling”.

To their friends and family, Jacki says to avoid minimising their experience.

“We did have friends who just came and sat on our kitchen floor and said ‘what happened, how are you doing?’ and just being comfortable sitting there watching us cry,” she said.

“Just asking ‘are you happy to talk about it?’ is a good place to start.”

Books

Engaging young readers

By Casey Neill

A Glen Iris teen’s YouTube clips inspired his mum’s new children’s book series.

Toby, 14, has been running trick shot channel Trick’n Nuggets since he was 11 years old. He’s taken classes to learn to film and edit his trick shots, each of which takes countless hours.

Most are filmed at home, a local park, or his school - Preshil in Kew - and feature juggling, basketball, frisbee, darts, cup flipping, card tossing, ping pong, and more.

Children’s author Amy Adeney watched her son’s journey and saw the incredible persistence and creativity involved.

“I conceived a new junior fiction series about a boy who wants to grow up and be a world-famous trick shot star,” she said.

“As a former primary school teacher, I’m well versed in the interests and abilities of children at the stage of transitioning from reading picture books to short chapter books, and particularly with how to engage reluctant readers.

“I thought trick shots would be a great hook to draw readers at this level into a new series of stories.”

Trick Shot Trevor: Frisbee Fiasco is now on bookstore shelves alongside Amy’s first junior fiction series Tilda Teaches and picture book Turning Cartwheels.

Amy took a “very long, convoluted path” to becoming an author, working in England as a fitness instructor for a year and in New York in PR for a few years before returning to Australia to study primary school teaching.

“I was always a huge reader,” she said.

“I didn’t anticipate what I’d love most about teaching was sharing books with my class.”

She started a small business running a book club for preschoolers, where participants would receive a book, a craft inspired by the text, plus cues for singing and dancing.

“I always thought it was a bit of a pipe dream that I’d write something myself,” she said.

Then Amy got an internship at Writers Victoria, attended workshops, and formed a writers’ group.

“I just threw myself at it and got quite lucky through the people I met,” she said.

“It took about three or four years to have my first book published.”

The main character in Tilda Teaches wants to grow up and be the world’s greatest teacher.

“I used to run lunchtime classes for my friends teaching cartwheels,” Amy said, explaining where the concept came from.

She’s been so exposed to Toby’s trick shot hobby it seems inevitable she’d write on the subject.

“Some of Toby’s favourite YouTubers have become my favourite YouTubers,” she said.

“I thought trick shots would make a great structure for a series.

“I know as a parent when your kids are that age, series are a godsend.”

The first one focuses on frisbee, the second on basketball, and there are plans for 12 more.

“When I was teaching full time I taught grade one,” she said.

“I saw students shift from picture books to chapter books, the pride and excitement that can happen when you read a book ‘this thick’ and feel like a grownup.

“It was about finding the right books that make that switch exciting.

“The series that are aimed at boys lean towards sports, or they’re fantasy.

“In terms of a real-life series about kids that age, things they’re going through, there wasn’t much that wasn’t sport.

“There are lots of non-sporty kids.

“Particularly in Australia there’s a lot of emphasis on team sports.

“Toby’s never really been into team sports.

“This is a great way of being active.

“You’re competing against yourself, with internal motivation rather than winning against another team.

“The persistence is just astounding.

“It’s hours and hours of sitting in a room by yourself.

“I hope that we can grow Trevor to be something that will get kids into trick shots, and the interest in the skills that come from that.

“The fast-paced and relatable stories were a good way to hook their kids into the series.

“I do try to deal with real-world situations in the books without ramming the message home too hard.

“The next one delves more into school friendships.”

It’s fair to say Toby is low-key chuffed that his mum found inspiration in his trick shots.

“I was honoured that anyone had taken the time to write a book about trick shots considering how unknown it is to the general public,” he said.

“I started watching other YouTubers doing trick shots.

“In 2018 I made one short video - it was a bottle flip video.

“In 2019 I picked up a frisbee.”

And it’s snowballed from there to dozens of videos and hundreds of followers.

“They’ve always been well-received but I didn’t get that many followers. My videos weren’t getting that many views,” he said.

“Last year I decided I needed to up the quality of my videos, and I started getting more followers.”

He doubled his subscribers in only a few months and started getting attention from other YouTubers.

“One of my Instagram videos was reposted by one of my favourite trick shooters,” he said.

Toby is always working on more videos and new skills.

“I hope to take the editing skills and expand that into becoming an editor for Hollywood or in the film industry,” he said.

Books

Chris is diving deep to save the sea

AN Aussie zoologist is diving headfirst into the underwater realms of Australia’s shorelines, continuing his mission to educate and inspire the nation’s young minds.

From his earliest memory of spotting a seal at Phillip Island to his present life living, sleeping, and dining alongside more than 2000 native creatures, nobody understands Australian wildlife quite like Chris Humfrey.

In his third book, Incredible Coastal Critters, Chris invites readers to get up close and personal with our most fascinating sea creatures, including the deadly southern blue-ringed octopus, purple sea urchins, pot-bellied seahorse, little penguins, and more.

It’s written for children aged five to seven years. They’ll love the exciting and funny photos, along with QR videos

that enhance their understanding of detail.

The interactive digital vision plunges readers from the page into the intricacies of each animal’s classification, adaptations, habitat, environment, and ecological role - all intertwined with fascinating and quirky fun facts from Chris.

“Our seas are essential to our very existence,” he said.

“Did you know at least half the planet’s oxygen which we breathe is derived from oceans?

“It makes me so sad that people treat the ocean just like one big toilet.”

Chris believes kids are the key to saving Australia’s precious wildlife and, through his books, he aims to empower a young army of animal allies to

change the future.

“Remember, education is the key to conservation,” he said.

“Let’s all do something small in order to make a big positive impact on the natural world in which we live.

“If we study, learn, and develop an understanding and empathy for all creatures, we are more likely to want to protect and conserve all species.”

The book is intended as a companion, guiding children through an ongoing wildlife adventure.

Chris’s greatest hope is that by conveying the magic and wonder of ocean critters, he can ignite in others a profound appreciation for Australia’s precious native sea life.

A lifelong conservationist and animal welfare crusader, Chris runs animal

sanctuary Wild Action Zoo in Victoria’s Macedon Ranges.

Drop by his home and you’ll find an elderly python in the bathtub, kangaroos in the lounge room, or even Derek the penguin, who’s known for singing on cue.

He started his television career reporting alongside Dr Chris Brown on the show Talk to the Animals and has since produced and directed two television series documenting his animal-centric world: Chris Humfrey’s Wild Life and Chris Humfrey’s Animal Instinct.

Incredible Coastal Critters by Chris Humfrey, published by New Holland Publishers, is available in bookstores or from www.au.newhollandpublishers. com for $24.99.

Speaking for our foliage

By Casey Neill

AUTHOR Victor Steffensen is giving a voice to the trees.

He wrote picture book The Trees to help future generations manage our landscapes and ensure that they thrive.

“It’s really important to connect with the young ones,” he said.

“It’s also a really fun way to share knowledge and to give different perspectives of knowledge.

“I wanted it to be appealing for all age groups and something everyone could sit down together and read and enjoy.

“It’s a good way for adults to learn with the kids and discuss things like climate change.”

The picture book is about more than just trees.

“It’s really important that we’re taking care of the country and important we’re listening to First Nations knowledge systems in how we care for the land,” Victor said.

“Writing The Trees was actually giving a voice to the trees.”

The book explains how First Nations

People have cared for trees for thousands of years, and how the trees cared for them in return through seeds, flowers, wood, and more.

There’s a balance between giving and taking from the land.

In the book are lyrics and a QR code for a video of Victor’s song We Are the Trees.

“It gives me a chance to write music,” Victor said.

“It’s a really fun way to share knowledge.”

His sister, Sandra Steffensen, illustrated the book.

“I’ve always watched her painting,” he said.

“She’s good at what she does.

“It turned out to be perfect. She knows my work, knows what I do, knows what I’m passionate about.

“It’s nice to share the work with my family and friends.”

This book is the follow-up to Victor’s Looking after Country with Fire, which explains Aboriginal burning practices.

The Trees is published by Hardie Grant Explore and available in stores nationally.

Children’s books...

Kevin the Sheep

Jacqueline Harvey

A laugh-out-loud picture book perfect for children who love Pig the Pug and Macca the Alpaca.

Why can’t Kevin be more like the flock?!

Kevin the Sheep is unusual, he does things his own way.

But will being different help him save the day?

Puffin $17.99

Bad Bunny the Pirate

Jonathan Bentley

Bad Bunny, the meanest pirate to sail the seas, is on the hunt for treasure!

But when his crew comes up against a nasty enemy, will Bad Bunny prove that he’s not the meanest pirate after all?

Scholastic Australia $18.99

Shower Land 1: Break the Curse

Nat Amoore, James Hart Felix hates Mondays. Dad’s yelling at him to get up. His little brother, Olly, is being super annoying.

So when Felix shuts the bathroom door, he wishes he could get away. He turns on the shower and…Felix finds himself standing in the middle of a field…naked…with an army of soldiers charging at him.

Puffin $14.99

Raising the Stakes

Rich Moyer

Ham Helsing and his pals are snowed in at the old Helsing Manor…and they aren’t the only ones haunting its dusty halls.

All Ham wanted to do was visit his family home but he finds nothing but trouble!

Between the world’s oldest vampire and his monsterhunting dad, Ham will have his hands full just trying to keep his friends safe.

Scholastic Australia $17.99

I Hope This Doesn’t Find You

Ann Liang

Sadie Wen is perfect on paper: school captain, valedictorian, and a “pleasure to have in class.” It’s not easy, but she has a trick to keep her modelstudent smile plastered on her face at all times: she channels all her frustrations into her email drafts.

Sadie doesn’t hold back because nobody will ever read them…until they’re accidentally sent out.

Overnight, Sadie’s carefully crafted, conflict-free life is turned upside down.

Penguin $19.99

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