Summer sun’s no match for UV tech About Us
I’M going to be honest: I’m not a summer gal.
Give me the (theoretically) more moderate weather of autumn or spring any day.
But my active, outdoorsy daughter loves the warmer months.
For her, this time of year means holidaying by a creek and spending hours in the water with family and friends.
For me, it means seemingly endless sunscreen application and reapplication, reminders to put on her hat, and chasing shade.
Having live UV level readings at my fingertips is - and I’m reluctant to use this ubiquitous term, but I think it’s appropriate - a game-changer for someone with my pale complexion, and unblemished porcelain skin like my strawberry-blonde daughter.
CONTENTS
IT’S YOUR LIFE
A Mindful Moment: Why mindfulness?
The facts and figures
PAGE 4
Renee Heath: Advocating for families
PAGE 4
Berwick grandmother finds her feet as an author
PAGE 5
Steve Biddulph: We can beat anxietyhere’s how
PAGE 6
Olio Park: a space for the whole family to play and relax
PAGE 7
Kids in the Kitchen: Chocolate crackle slice
PAGE 8
Flexible and personalised childcare: Windermere Child and Family Services
PAGE 9
Public IVF baby boom
PAGE 10
YouthNav: New online resource helps young people navigate life
PAGE 10
Cardinia Lakes Shopping Centre: Local shopping has its benefits
PAGE 11
Maternity care under review
PAGE 12
Author Shelley Davidow: Parenting in an unstable world
PAGE 14
For those not in the know, iPhone users can add a widget to their lock screen that displays the live UV rating for your location. Perhaps androids have the same capability? Please let me know!
Visiting arpansa.gov.au also provides UV measurements in real-time alongside predicted levels across the day.
What incredible tools to have at our disposal in such a sundrenched state.
It’s a far cry from the guessing game our parents - and our younger selveshad to play.
How often I assumed I wouldn’t get burnt on an overcast or cooler summer day only to discover patches of angry red skin after I returned indoors.
Now I relish the rays in the early hours - when the sun is yet to unleash its full fury - and soak up the gentle evening sunshine sans hat and rashie.
I celebrate the final sunscreen application for the day and feel grateful for the technology that helps me better protect my daughter not just from painful sunburn, but from skin damage and - most importantly - skin cancer.
I know I probably look a little overprotective when I call my daughter out of the water for her two-hourly sunscreen reapplication, and regularly receive a sideways glance for seeking shade while others soak up the sun, but having lost a loved one to melanoma these are sacrifices I’m very willing to make.
Casey Cardinia Kids magazine is a Star News Group publication.
Casey Cardinia Kids will be published quarterly prior to each of the school holidays.
Casey Cardinia Kids Cnr Princes Hwy and Army Road, Pakenham, 3810 PO Box 9, Pakenham, Victoria 3810 Phone: 5945 0666 Fax: 5945 0777
Editorial Casey Neill casey.neill@starnewsgroup.com.au
Photography Rob Carew Louisa Jones
Group Advertising Sales Manager Mandy Clark mandy.clark@starnewsgroup.com.au Phone: 5945 0608
Published by Star News Group Pty Ltd ACN 005 848 108.
Literary legend Mem Fox: “I‘ve been given a gift. I feel that I have to use it until the last.”
PAGE 15
RETIREMENT LIVING
Don’t let an amazing lifestyle pass you by PAGE 17
HEALTHY LIVING
‘Magical’ new tools help kids regulate emotions
PAGE 18
Cardinia Paediatric Specialists: Understanding the spectrum
PAGE 19
Free RSV protection PAGE 19
Kids cancer research boost PAGE 20
Anti-vaping education bolstered
PAGE 20
DENTAL
Kids’ dental issues ‘mostly preventable’
PAGE 21
Protecting young smiles
PAGE 21
EDUCATION
Anzac Spirit inspires students
PAGE 22
On your marks...get crafty!
PAGE 22
Cardinia Primary School: Catering for every child’s needs
PAGE 23
St Therese’s Catholic Primary School: A holistic and collaborative approach
PAGE 23
Easing the high school transition
PAGE 24
Bernie Thinks in Boxes: Thinking differently and navigating change in a neurotypical world
PAGE 25
Battle back-to-school blues
PAGE 26
ENTERTAINMENT
Summer Stage returns to Bunjil Place
PAGE 28
Scream and save with a Luna Park Family Pass
PAGE 28
ACTIVE KIDS
Jump in and learn to swim: JUMP! Swim Schools Pakenham
PAGE 29
BORN TO PERFORM
Enjoy your child’s journey at Cathy-Lea Studios
PAGE 30
Dance Legacy: Fostering a love of dance
PAGE 30
PARTY TIME
Christmas toy safety warning
PAGE 31
REALITY BITES
Mum’s fighting spirit shines after loss PAGES 32-33
Publisher/Managing Director, Paul Thomas. All material is copyright to Star News Group Pty Ltd. All significant errors will be corrected as soon as possible.
Preparing bodies for birth: Mum and physio breaks taboos
PAGE 34
FASHION
Cool summer styles from Billy Lidz PAGES 35-37
BOOKS
Embracing a brighter future with Nicho Hynes
PAGE 38
Discover new book releases for all ages PAGE 38
Literary legend
soaks up the summer sun.
Picture: Rob Carew
Why mindfulness? The facts and figures
DESPITE our society having much more awareness of the need to support our emotional and mental wellbeing, why are we still struggling?
The wellbeing industry has seen extraordinary growth over the past decade, particularly post-Covid, and we are all much more aware of the importance of self-care and the need to prioritise our emotional and mental wellbeing.
Programs have been designed to support wellbeing in the workplace, more and more people are seeking professional support, there are wellbeing coaches, school-wide programs are being implemented, and so much more.
But, despite all this, the data shows that the area needs much more focus and attention.
While not wanting to alarm readers, I do want to share a few important statistics.
Half of all the mental health conditions experienced in life will have started by age 14, according to Beyond Blue.
The most common disorders children experience are attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety.
Another study conducted by Beyond Blue found that one in seven young people aged between 4 and 17 years
experience a mental health condition in any given year.
However, the good news is that Smiling Minds says ‘evidence shows that prevention can reduce the prevalence and impact’.
While some mental health conditions require treatment by experienced, trained professionals, I believe that simple prevention strategies - such as mindfulness and meditation - at a young age can play a pivotal role in preventing some emotional problems further down the track.
Even starting with a small step as a family by sitting still for one minute and listening to the sounds around you, or having a ‘mindful moment’ once a week, such as being aware of doing a certain activity like brushing your teeth, can be a positive start.
If you’re not convinced, a study conducted by Harvard University found that people are at their happiest not
when their mind wanders to pleasant thoughts, but when the mind is focused on what they are doing in the present moment!
I realise that prevention strategies are not for everyone, and that serious emotional and mental health conditions require expert and professional help, but isn’t it worth at least giving mindfulness and meditation a go?
If nothing else, it could be a nice habit to form with your family - one that you might even enjoy.
Fiona is an experienced primary school teacher with a passion for student wellbeing.
She runs a variety of mindfulness programs for primary school-aged children.
Each session is designed to equip children with a toolkit of mindfulness strategies to help them lead healthier and happier lives.
Advocating for families
FAMILIES are the very core of our communities.
When families are doing well, the whole community comes to life.
I believe that when governments support families by creating the right environment for them to connect, prosper, and thrive, it is one of the greatest investments that can be made in our society.
Unfortunately, recent years have been tough on families.
Victorian families have been feeling the pressure of persistent rising costs for basic goods and services.
It’s now more expensive to buy or rent a home, to buy your weekly groceries, and to see a doctor.
From 2018 to 2022, childcare fees increased by 22.8 percent.
This all puts tremendous pressure on families and robs them of their quality of life.
I have been speaking in Parliament on behalf of all the parents who worry about their children’s futures –whether they will be able to feed and clothe their children, whether their children will be able to receive a quality education, and someday afford a house and a family of their own.
One of the issues I’ve spoken about the most is improving access to quality education for children.
The latest reports show that nearly 30 percent of Victorian school children are struggling with literacy and numeracy.
I have consistently advocated for an evidence-based phonics program to ensure that our children are getting top-quality education in the basics of reading and writing.
Recently, our efforts led to an announcement by the State Government that phonics would be taught in Victorian public schools from next year.
I have also made it a priority to speak out against family violence.
Families and children deserve to be safe in their own homes, and there is no place in our community for violence and abuse against the most vulnerable.
That is why I have advocated for stronger sentences and more restrictive bail conditions for violent criminals.
It is my privilege as the Eastern Victoria Region MP to represent and serve thousands of Victorian families through my advocacy in Parliament.
I will continue to be a voice for those who want a better future, fighting to ensure that families and children will not be left behind.
Renee Heath
Eastern Victoria Region MP
Chickaboo flies the coop to Paris
By Casey Neill
A Berwick grandmother’s literary gift to her grandkids is on the shelf of a Parisian library.
Jennifer Tanti couldn’t speak English until age 5 and didn’t discover reading until even later.
“Italian is my first language,” she said. “I walked into school and had no idea what anyone was talking about.
“I didn’t discover books and reading until I was 10 or 12 because we didn’t really have books at home.
“I just loved being taken into a different place with a story. I’ve always loved the creativity of it.
“Since then I haven’t stopped reading.”
Jennifer also grew up listening to stories from her Maltese family, who migrated to Australia from Egypt in the early 1950s.
“I’ve always loved words and the sounds of words,” she said.
“We had a great teacher in Grade 6; I’ll never forget him.
“He would not only tell us the meaning of the word, but where the word came from and how it was structured and how grammar was structured.
“That was my introduction to the love of the language.”
This led to studies in linguistics, Italian, French, and Spanish, and Jennifer has worked as an interpreter, translator, and teacher.
“I’ve always had a vision to write a
book,” she said.
“When my grandson, Luca, was born in 2016, I held him and said ‘I’m going to write you a book one day’.”
So she took a University of the Third Age (U3A) course in 2019.
“I wrote the draft for Chickaboo during the writing class and read it to my fellow students,” she said.
“I use language that enhances a child’s vocabulary and sounds that resonate to bring the story to life.
“The teacher said, ‘This could be something’.”
Jennifer attended a self-publishing workshop at Berwick Library and connected with Busybird Publishing’s owner.
“Because it was lockdown by then, she helped me every single step of the way, online and on the phone,” she said.
“I didn’t meet the illustrator till after
the book was published because we couldn’t meet.
“Artist Nicole Eykmann created the luscious images and captured my imagination.”
Chickaboo is a story about mateship, cooperation, and care, and follows a chick by the same name on a trip outside the farm gate with his friends.
“Chickaboo is now held in Shakespeare and Co bookshop’s library in Paris,” Jennifer said.
“It’s also available in a few local Melbourne libraries.
“My readings at storytime at Berwick and Endeavour libraries were great fun for me and the children engaged happily and creatively.
“I was lucky enough to go to a grandparents’ day at my grandson’s school.
“I read it to his class, which was really lovely.”
Jennifer’s sequel, Milly, stars a millipede who lives on the same farm and adventures to the chook pen with Chickaboo.
Sharing bedtime stories with Luca, 8, and Maya, 4, inspired the books.
“I created this character and we took him on an adventure every night,” she said.
“We’re going on a journey together. The three of us in the bed reading the same story will have three different spins on it, which is really wonderful.”
A tiny dove wearing a scarf is peppered throughout Chickaboo.
“When I was writing it I was living in a
rental and looked after my grandson quite a lot,” she said.
“We had a pair of doves that used to visit all the time.
“He said, ‘Grandma, it looks as though it’s wearing a spotty scarf’.”
Gumnuts also feature throughout as a nod to Maya.
“The very first intelligible word she said to me was gumnuts, so I call her my little gumnut,” Jennnifer said.
“Milly wears a pink bow in her hair and she loves her shoes. They’re based on my granddaughter’s shoes.”
Jennifer made up bedtime stories with her own children, dating back to 1984 when her son was born.
“It was a time for us to stop because days were always filled with school activities,” she said.
“By the time they got to bed, we’d all collapse.
“It was a time to be. It was a good winding down as well for them.
“We didn’t have screens, we didn’t have all this noise around us; it was just quiet.”
A novel for adults could be next on the cards for Jennifer.
“I’ve started writing drafts,” she said.
“I wouldn’t mind doing another children’s one but we’ll see how we go.
“I’ve got people hammering me to write a sequel, but self-publishing is not cheap.
“I live on my own, I’m on a pension. I don’t have bucketloads of money to pour into it.”
IT’S YOUR LIFE
We can beat anxiety
STEVE BIDDULPH
explains how our wild animal side helps us feel calm and strong.
THIS month I am travelling to China at the invitation of my Chinese publishers.
I am very happy to go because, just as there are in Australia, there are huge anxiety problems happening with children and something has to be done to save these kids.
Anxiety is a horrible and upsetting thing.
I have had it myself and many readers will have too.
Since my new book came out I have had hundreds of conversations with people - in airports, on trains, in taxis, or online - and everybody knows someone whose life has been affected.
In the world we live in today, it is hardly surprising that children, teens, and adults feel anxious; there are so many real dangers, from the coming effects of the climate emergency to the meanness of people towards each other in politics, on the news, and on social media.
As parents, we are waking up to not having the TV news blasting in our living rooms, and not letting kids have social media or internet in their lives until well into their teen years.
Something we might also have to address is how to lower our own anxiety levels, since children are very sensitive to how we are faring.
In short, if we are anxious, they will know it and this will make them uneasy too.
So here is a simple strategy to use, from my new book Wild Creature Mind, to lower your own anxiety so it doesn’t affect your kids.
The neuroscience behind this is described in the book, but here in a short column, I want to give you a tool to get started.
Think first of how we tend to describe our mental state in everyday language.
We nearly always say ‘I AM anxious’ or ‘I AM angry’ and so on.
When we say it this way, it sounds, and feels, very total. Like every cell of my being is affected.
But here is something to try.
Instead of ‘I AM’, try saying ‘SOMETHING IN ME is anxious’ (or angry, or whatever it is).
Notice that as soon as you say it this way, there is a kind of space around the feeling; that it’s there in you but is not ALL of you.
This wording is actually more objectively true, since mental states like anxiety are actually located somewhere in your body.
If you then direct your attention to WHERE you feel anxious, a very interesting thing happens.
It will start off quite hazy but within seconds you will notice ‘It’s in my tummy’ or ‘My heart feels tight’, or ‘It’s in my throat’.
Everyone feels it slightly differently, and it moves about too.
Something very interesting is going on as your body is trying to get your attention.
A part of you is where the bad feeling lives, and you can send it a message of kindness and give it some room.
It is trying to tell you something. And you are starting to listen.
So now we go to the next step.
Now, the mental hack that therapists are finding quite amazing is to try and put words to the sensation you have noticed.
Is it tight or churning or thumping or hard? A friend of mine who had just suffered a very major grief experience described his heart feeling like a stone.
As you describe in words the sensation, an amazing thing starts to happen.
The ‘wild creature’ part of you which has been ignored up until now starts to soften and move, and the anxiety begins to dissolve.
If you are in a safe place - your home
or in bed - then your body will automatically soften and begin to relax.
If you are in an unsafe place, then it will actually begin to mobilise so you can fight or flee, but either way you will have broken the frozen anxiety state and know what you need to do.
My book Wild Creature Mind starts with a teenage girl called Ellie who is blitzed with anxiety, found by her mum sobbing on the bathroom floor in the middle of the night.
With the right help, contacting her wild animal wisdom, Ellie discovers she is really furiously angry at the boys who have been sexually harassing her and her friends at the bus stop, and she and her friends take action to get the school to deal with them.
Her anxiety was frozen anger and she was able to set it free.
My friend who had the stone in his heart paid close attention to it and felt it move to his throat, and then pour out of
him in tears of release.
His anxiety was frozen sorrow and it was so healing to let it go.
Our bodies are very wise and capable. For now, just try out this ‘hack’ yourself. Next time you feel bad, say ‘something in me is…’ anxious, or depressed, or angry, or sad, and go and find where inside you it lives.
Describe it to yourself, feel it start to change, and see where it goes.
Soon you will find anxiety lessens in your life and, despite the awfulness of the world, you will be a safe harbour for your children and a fierce panther or tiger when you have to be.
Steve Biddulph is a retired psychologist who campaigns for a better life for parents and kids. For climate action. And for solving the worldwide epidemic of anxiety.
His book Wild Creature Mind is out now in shops, online, and in audiobook.
Tunnel slides, towers and ropes!
OLIO PARK is a space for the whole family to play and relax.
There’s a playground, of course, with a giant tower and enclosed slides, rope climbing frames, soft fall surfaces, swings, and more to explore.
Flat, wide walking tracks surround the play area and connect to nearby amenities, and there are picnic and barbecue spaces.
The park, off Flaxlilly Crescent, backs onto Gum Scrub Creek, so keep a close eye on your little escape artists.
Shade is limited, so make this your early morning or late afternoon play spot during the warmer months.
Kids asked local sisters Grace and Olivia put the playground through its paces and photographer Rob Carew captured all the fun.
Chocolate crackle slice
CHOCOLATE crackles were possibly my favourite party food as a kid and when it came to my birthday, I don’t know what I enjoyed more: making them with my mum or eating them.
It’s these fond memories that inspired my chocolate crackle slice.
I’ve given it a nourishing twist but kept the nostalgic flavour and texture and, as always, made it easy enough for kids of all ages help to make.
In place of rice bubbles I’ve used puffed brown rice, but any puffed grain will do.
I’ve added some seeds for fibre, protein and extra nutrients; pumpkin seeds for zinc and immune support, sesame seeds for calcium and healthy bones and teeth, and sunflower seeds for cell protective antioxidants vitamin E and selenium.
In place of copha I’ve used a little coconut oil, as well as nut butter to add more protein – yes, we want to focus on getting adequate protein into all our kids’ meals and snacks as this is what is going to keep them feeling fuller for longer.
Any nut butter will do; I like to vary it each time I make this. It’s an easy way to offer kids a variety of different nutrients.
The slice is sweetened with honey and, honestly, the chocolate layer on top really is optional but I think it makes it feel a little special.
If you wanted to make this slice caffeine-free and more toddler-friendly, you could replace the cacao powder with carob powder and reduce the honey to taste.
Visit www.lucystewartnutrition.comor find @lucystewartkidsnutrition on Instagram for more content.
Serves: 18 – Prep time: 10 mins – Cool time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
■ 2 cups puffed grains
■ ½ cup nut butter
■ ½ cup honey
■ ½ cup desiccated coconut
■ ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
■ ¼ cup sesame seeds
■ ¼ cup sunflower seeds
■ ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
■ ¼ cup cacao powder
■ 100g melted 70% dark chocolate
Instructions:
1. Line a 29cm x 18cm baking tray with baking paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together honey, nut butter and melted coconut oil.
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
4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
5. Spoon mixture into prepared baking tray, spread evenly, and press down.
6. Place in the fridge to set for at least 30 minutes.
7. While your slice is setting, melt your dark chocolate in a double boiler. Break chocolate into pieces and place in a heat-proof bowl over a small saucepan of water. You don’t want the bottom of the bowl to touch the water. Bring the water to a gentle boil and stir your chocolate until melted.
8. Pour the melted chocolate over the slice, tilting the pan to ensure it spreads evenly. Return the slice to the fridge for at least another 30 minutes.
9. Once your chocolate has set, slice into squares or bars and store in the fridge or freezer.
12562706-MS36-22
Flexible care for kids
FINDING a suitable early childhood education and care service that ticks all the boxes can be challenging.
Family day care is an early education and care service run from the homes of qualified early childhood educators.
As an accredited family day care provider with close to 100 educators in Victoria, Windermere Child and Family Services understands the need for reliable early childhood options.
“We work closely with our educators to ensure they offer high-quality childcare programs,” says Kat Naismith, Windermere’s early childhood education and care manager.
“We also work with families to match their child with an educator who suits their needs.”
Busy parents might need to find an educator who is in their locality and offers flexible hours.
Educator Aimee Keays recognises these challenges and provides an accommodating environment.
“If parents are having a hectic morning, they can drop off their children in their pyjamas and let them get ready here,” she says.
A limit of seven children with no more than four preschoolers at one time also allows a family day care educator to have
one-on-one interactions.
“I know them so well, I can let parents know if I notice a difference in their behaviours and they are not themselves,” says educator Jo Pierce.
Parents can also rest assured that family day care falls under the same national quality framework as other forms of early childhood education and care.
To enrol in family day care call Windermere on 1300 946 337 or visit windermere.org.au.
Public IVF baby boom
FIFTY babies have been born through Victoria’s free public fertility service during its first two years.
More than 4300 Victorians have started their treatment journey since the service started in October 2022.
More than 20 percent of people accessing the service speak a language other than English at home and more than 600 come from regional and rural areas.
“Our landmark service has already helped to create 50 new families and save Victorians around $15,000,000 – but we can help more prospective parents and encourage people to talk to their GP or specialist about a referral,” Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said.
This call-out is specifically focused on people who will benefit most from the public service, including those with financial barriers to accessing private services, those living in rural and regional areas, multicultural and multifaith communities, LGBTIQA+ Victorians, and those undergoing medical treatment impacting fertility.
“Welcoming a new baby into the world
is an incredible experience, but for some Victorians this journey isn’t always straightforward,” Ms Thomas said.
Patients can access a range of free treatments including in vitro fertilisation, intrauterine insemination or intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and fertility preservation like egg freezing.
Satellite sites have opened in Epping, Clayton, Sunshine, Heidelberg, Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Mildura, Shepparton, and Warrnambool, delivered in partnership with the Royal Women’s Hospital, to ensure more people can access fertility care closer to home.
These services are also supported by Australia’s first public egg and sperm bank, which opened at the Royal Women’s Hospital in July 2023.
Victorians are encouraged to make altruistic donations to give someone the chance to start or grow their family.
Visit betterhealth.vic.gov.au/servicessupport/public-fertility-care-services for more information.
Youths help each other navigate life
A new online resource is guiding young people through important life skills.
Youth Minister Natalie Suleyman launched YouthNav in September.
“Young people have been involved in the design of this online platform every step of the way,” she said.
“The outcome is fantastic and this new resource will make a difference for young people across our state.”
YouthNav asks users about their skills with interactive prompts and helps them to understand, plan for, and succeed in getting a job, moving out of home, getting around, having their say, and managing money.
The State Government invested $750,000 in the life skills resource for 12 to 25-year-olds.
More than 160 young people were consulted during its development and provided feedback that shaped the information and topics it covers.
Financial counsellors and youth practitioners, including South East Community Links, also provided insights from working with young people.
The platform was co-designed and tested with members of the Victorian Youth Congress, an advisory group of 20 young people aged 12 to 25 that works with the State Government to embed a youth perspective in policies and decisions that affect young people.
Visit youthcentral.vic.gov.au/ youthnav to try YouthNav or for more information.
Local shopping has its benefits
THE friendliness and familiarity of your local centre is a great place to start your Christmas shopping.
The food options are varied and delicious at Cardinia Lakes Shopping Centre, with delivery and takeaway options still available, you can now get back to dine-in options too.
The wonderful team at Sugarcoat Nails and Beauty are well-equipped to help you feel fabulous for sandal season and to get your nails ready for Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Pizza Fellas has a great range of pizzas that can be ordered online so they are ready for you when you pop in to pick up your dinner.
From their delicious salads to their tasty chicken, Uncle Sam’s Charcoal Chicken is a firm favourite in the neighbourhood for a quick and healthy meal.
Cardinia Lakes Fish and Chippery has delicious burgers, along with crispy chips and tasty fish for a favourite takeaway option.
Wok to Go rounds out the takeaway options with tasty Asian dishes galore to tempt your tastebuds.
At Direct Chemist Outlet, the staff are dedicated to their customers’ well-being and will help you make the right choices about maintaining good health.
Their gift range is outstanding as well, and you’ll be able to find the perfect gift, or maybe something extra special for yourself.
Great breakfast and lunch options are on the menu at Urban Hype Cafe. Come and meet the friendly staff and grab something for lunch or morning tea. Their coffee is just divine.
Stay up to date by following Cardinia Lakes Shopping Centre on Facebook.
Maternity care under review
A taskforce is reviewing Victoria’s maternity system to identify ways to improve it.
Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas announced the Victorian Maternity Taskforce in October and said it would focus on ensuring hospitals have the best workforce and models of care in place.
It will identify opportunities and address challenges that can affect service delivery, including workforce recruitment and retention.
Nursing and midwifery experts will form the taskforce and work with health services, community, and experts to consider care models that support women to have choice in their
pregnancy and birth experiences.
“Victoria has some of the world’s best and safest maternity and newborn services in the world,” Ms Thomas said.
“This taskforce is an opportunity to continue improving these services, so women receive the best support during pregnancy and birth.”
Victoria has 52 maternity health service providers, including 33 in regional areas.
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victorian Branch) has more than 6000 midwifery members and welcomed the taskforce.
Assistant secretary Madeleine Harradence said the midwifery workforce was still recovering and
rebuilding from the difficult pandemic years.
She said statewide reform was needed to ensure the viability of maternity services, particularly in rural and regional Victoria.
Research released in 2022 found that midwives moved from permanent to casual employment during the pandemic years and this was impacting the ability to provide maternity services due to staffing shortfalls.
The La Trobe University School of Nursing and Midwifery conducted the initial study - The FUSCHIA study: Future proofing the midwifery workforce in Victoria - in 2021.
ANMF provided funding to continue
Explore Cardinia Shire
this study through to 2026 to better understand and respond to midwifery workforce wellbeing and retention over time.
“We know there are rostering, work/ life balance, student employment and career path strategies and models of care that, if implemented, could better support and retain our passionate midwifery workforce,” Ms Harradence said.
“Our members want to work in a system that provides access, choice, and flexibility to them and to women in their choice of maternity care, to enable safe woman-centred midwifery care.
“The aim is for midwives to stay in the profession that they love.”
IT’S YOUR LIFE
Take two minutes to breathe
By Casey Neill
“YOU are your child’s environment,” says Dr Shelley Davidow.
So the teacher and author says parents need to first put on their own oxygen masks before they help their children.
“Your body is the first and most important instrument in the orchestra of your child’s life,” she said.
“It’s almost like tuning our instruments so we’re ready to be played - we’re more likely to have a measured, calm, loving response, a steady response to whatever’s happening.
“You as the parent have the most profound connection to your child.
“Your body needs to get taken care of because that’s what’s going to respond to your child’s needs.”
Shelley is originally from South Africa but now calls the Sunshine Coast home.
“I’m just passionate about living life to the fullest and supporting people to live their best lives,” she said.
“What story do you want to tell about your life today?
“We can tell a story of ‘terrible things always happen to me’ or you can tell ‘it’s the 12 labours of Hercules and I’m on number 11 and it’s going to be hell but I’m going to get through it’.”
Shelley has spent more than a decade working in schools and with parent bodies, “To really help parents reduce their stress, to practice being in a state of automatic nervous system balance”.
“When you are in that balanced state you are so much less likely to overreact,” she said.
“When you are caught in a continuous fight or flight or freeze, your body is not designed for that on a long-term basis.
“I think a lot of parents are caught. ‘Are we doing the right thing? Are we parenting in the right way?’
“My message is about coming back to the most fundamental things that we all know, but sometimes we need reminding.
“Love and gratitude have the most powerful impact on your physiology and the physiology of the children around you.”
She recently co-authored Grounded: The off-road guide to parenting in an unstable world with Dr Michael Nagel.
“What Mike and I are talking about is how parents need to put their own oxygen mask on first before they help others,” she said.
“Take those two minutes.”
Shelley said to breathe in for five counts, then out for five, “Just focusing your attention on the area of the heart, then actively feeling gratitude or love or care for something or someone.”
“Bring that feeling of gratitude into your heart until you’re actively feeling it,” she said.
“You sustain that for at least two minutes.
“It changes your physiology.
“It actually can change your entire heart rhythm pattern.
“It changes the heart rate variability of the children who are close to you.
“It’s something I would do in the morning or in the grocery aisle when my 3-year-old is throwing a complete tantrum.
“The worst thing we can do is stoop to the level of the fray.
“Pick yourself up and move on.
“The best for them is if you’re calm.
“We get caught up trying to rationalise with irrational little beings.
“You can say, ‘I hear you, I love you, we’re not getting that right now’.”
She stressed that there is no quick fix when it comes to parenting.
“People can’t say, ‘When your child does this, do that’,” she said.
“In the end, it’s your steadiness that is going to help them be steady.”
But “expect things to go pear-shaped”.
“Life is like this wiggly, unpredictable road,” she said.
“We strive to be good humans but sometimes we all do shitty things.
“Forgive yourself, kiss yourself better.
“I have been grumpy and rough in my words with my kid and my classes and the next day I’ll go back and say, ‘Hey, yesterday I was so grumpy, I’m really sorry’.
“Expect everything to go pear-shaped a lot of the time, because when you’re parenting things are going to go wrong.”
Shelley encouraged parents to model the kind of fixing they wanted to see after things had gone pear-shaped.
“We find out what happened, who’s been hurt, how have they been hurt…” she said.
“How do we make this better? What needs to happen to make this better?
“I had a rule in my classroom and in my house that if something’s broken, we do everything we can to fix it.
“There’s no point playing the blame game. Everyone who’s part of the problem is part of the solution.”
Shelley’s child is now ‘grown’ so she has “only three jobs and a writing career”.
“I think I’m very energetic and inspired about different things,” she said when asked how she juggled it all.
“I do not sit around to relax and watch movies.
“I write a book instead.
“The things that relax me are considered work for other people.
“Relaxing is sitting with my laptop or with my journal and jotting down ideas.
“That entertains me.
“At some level it might be a survival instinct.
“I come from a long line of refugees and I grew up in a very tumultuous South Africa.
“Surviving is the first thing that you have to do.”
Shelley doesn’t sit down at a designated time and place to work on a project.
“I’m very opportunistic in terms of writing,” she said.
“I do it in the cracks between.
“Maybe I have ADD.
“There’s no such thing as sitting with writer’s block.
“I go from one thing to the next.”
IT’S YOUR LIFE
Literary legend Mem shares her magic
MEM FOX’S books have touched most Australians over the past 40 years.
The Adelaide-based author’s first book is probably still her most recognisable: Possum Magic.
Reporter Casey Neill spoke to the witty and warm Mem with her copy - a fourth birthday gift from the early 90s that now sits on her own daughter’s book shelf - beside her.
POSSUM Magic has unlikely origins in the King James Bible and London’s theatre scene.
Mem Fox’s Australian literary classic has been captivating children in print since 1983 - only after publishers rejected the ‘quintessential quest’ tale nine times in five years.
She puts its enduring success firstly down to the illustrations.
“We know that the pictures of any picture book are half the book,” she said.
“People often ignore that the pictures in Possum Magic are sublime.
“Julie (Vivas) doesn’t get enough credit.”
It’s also “very, very Australian” and “the last thing is because the rhythm of the language in Possum Magic is so alluring”.
The 10th publisher to see Possum Magic told Mem to cut it by two thirds, and “write lyrically, make music with the words”.
“I knew how to make it musical because I had been to drama school for three years in the mid-60s in London,” Mem said.
“I had also grown up on a mission in Africa so I was very familiar with the King James Bible.
“All of that was in the marrow of my bones.
“I had Shakespeare, I had the bible, and I also had Dr Seuss.
“I think I started writing Possum Magic when my daughter was 7, so we’d gone through seven years of Dr Seuss. I knew so many of his books by heart. Dr Seuss never gets it wrong.”
The King James Bible perhaps had the strongest influence - without Mem even noticing until six years later.
“When I was at drama school, all of us had to choose a bible story - King James Version - and learn it and tell it in a way that was not like a preacher,” she said.
“I chose the story of Ruth, which starts off, ‘Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled that there was a famine in the land…’.
“I copied the rhyme of those first few paragraphs for the start of Possum Magic.
“Beat for beat it’s the same.
“The rhythm is so comforting. It calms the soul.”
Mem’s latest book, Meerkat Mayhem, also has unlikely origins.
“I’m a constant declutterer. I’m the absolute polar opposite of a hoarder,” she said.
“I’m always throwing things out.
“I was going through a book shelf of storybooks - I was a storyteller before I was a writer.
“I had a very old book of stories - a hardback book, yellowed, you could barely read it - called Little Stories for Children.
“I looked back through it and thought ‘I can’t throw this book away’.”
Inside was folk tale The Great Big Enormous Turnip.
“The farmer grows a turnip so big he can’t pull it up,” she said.
So he calls for help from his wife, his son, and his daughter…
“It builds up, and finally up comes the turnip and they cook it for supper,” Mem said.
She regularly encountered meerkats while growing up in Africa, and easily imagined one eating too much and getting stuck in the sand.
She added a host of other African animals from her childhood and Meerkat Mayhem took shape.
“I loved creating the character of the meerkat,” Mem said.
“He’s not just a cardboard cutout meerkat.
“He is hilarious. He’s a real cool dude.”
She said Meerkat Mayhem could be her penultimate book.
“I have very few ideas - fewer and fewer,” she said.
“My next book - which is being illustrated next year and will come out in 2026 - that book may be my last book, which is OK.
“I turn 80 in 2026.”
Mem has no plans to give up writing, though she only puts pen to paper when inspiration strikes.
“If you’ve got an idea gnawing away at you, it’s irritating not to deal with it,” she said.
“If you haven’t got an idea it’s not a problem.
“If I’m not writing, it doesn’t matter to me at all.
“I don’t write for months on end.
“I am working on a story at the moment. I’ve got the word count right, it’s got repetition, it will interest little boys in particular…but when you write a book, there has to be a change in a child’s heart from the first word to the last.”
The reader needs to be excited, laughing, thoughtful, reflective, grossed out, or even frightened, she said.
“I haven’t got the emotion in the story yet. I think I will persevere,” she said.
“If you’ve been given a gift and you don’t use it, that’s very ungrateful.
“I‘ve been given a gift.
“I feel that I have to use it until the last.”
Writing is Mem’s gift but it’s her second love. Her first is teaching.
Given her passion for helping kids to read, does she consider literacy when she writes?
“It’s never front of mind, but I’m always pleased when I’ve written a book that I know is going to aid literacy,” Mem said.
“If I wrote with the aim of making kids literate I would write a woke book that was anodyne, without character.
“It’s why school readers are the worst books.
“They’re absolutely dead. They’re totally without life.”
Similarly, Mem hasn’t written any of her books with her daughter or grandson, now aged 14, in mind.
“I think that would be too particular; I have to write for everybody,” she said.
“But they might have provided the idea for a book.”
For example, she wrote Time for Bed in 1993 to ‘mesmerise’ children to sleep.
“The idea for that came from my daughter’s early life,” she said.
“She was a shocker about going to sleep.
“If only I had a book that mesmerised her… by 1993 she was 22.”
Another of Mem’s mesmersising tales is Where is the Green Sheep?, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2024.
“That took 11 months to write and it’s 190 words, because of the rhyme scheme,” she said.
“The rhythm has to be perfect, the beat has to fall in the right place.
“Otherwise you’re forcing a rhyme.
“And not only did line B have to rhyme with D, but also the first two lines had to connect with each other.”
Like bath and bed, moon and stars, and up and down.
“That had to happen all the way through in every verse,” Mem said.
“It’s worth persevering with the rhyme because when you don’t persevere with the rhythm and get it correct the book dies - it just dies.
“Kids don’t like reading it. Parents don’t like it, teachers don’t like it.”
Anybody who’s relayed the sheep shenanigans to a child would agree the result was worth the effort.
retirementliving
Live your life without limits
LIFESTYLE Communities believes in life without restrictions.
One with the freedom to do the things you love, and the confidence to be whoever you want to be.
Where every new day is a fresh opportunity.
It’s a philosophy that rings true, in Lifestyle Communities’ best-in-class homes and clubhouses.
Whether you’re working, semiretired or retired, join a community where life is unlimited.
Join in on pickleball, croquet, yoga, arts and crafts, woodworking, bowls and swimming.
There are also happy hours, guest speakers, musical entertainment and much more.
Plus, you’ll have loads of new friends to enjoy all of this with and a beautiful home to live in. The community is thoughtfully planned and designed making it easy to get around and enjoy.
Lifestyle Communities promotes a lifestyle that emphasises freedom.
The choice to do your thing, your way.
Live independently while also enjoying a vibrant social life and a variety of recreational activities.
Buying a home at Lifestyle Communities means embracing a life where your horizons are boundless.
With a host of activities and an abundance of new friendships waiting for you, your days will be filled with excitement and companionship.
At Lifestyle Communities, you are not just living, you are thriving, and it’s a testament to the limitless possibilities of a life unencumbered by restrictions.
Experience the freedom to be you, every day, in your new home at Lifestyle Communities.
Visit www.lifestylecommunities. com.au for more inforamation.
Magical tools tame emotions
By Casey Neill
PROFESSIONAL and personal experiences guided a new toolkit helping kids identify and regulate emotions through play.
Elsternwick psychologist Sharon Kirschner and Surrey Hills occupational therapist Lucy Jones joined forces to create My Magical Belt.
“It’s aimed to make learning fun, and normalise emotions and the use of resources and tools to help us manage our world that we live in,” Lucy said.
“It’s something that can be used and embedded into routines and everyday life.
“Little humans don’t naturally know how to take breaks and have their outlet.
“As adults, we’ve learned to take a walk or grab a coffee.
“Throughout life, you’re going to need different outlets and this is a fun, playful way to start.”
They met through Sharon’s eldest child, who is neurodiverse.
“I watch Lucy do incredible work with my son, who has big emotions,” Sharon said.
“There are a lot of incredible books and a lot of incredible tools, but there wasn’t anything that combined them.
“Each book focuses on a particular technique to help them with their regulation.
“The books each come with their own physical tool.”
A bubble wand harnesses the power of deep breathing, and a squishy tool taps into deep pressure, like a stress ball for kids.
Kids roll a dice and mimic the movements of the animal pictured‘heavy work movement’ that compresses major joints, releasing chemicals that slow the body down.
As the glitter drifts through a sparkle disc, the child’s body mimics the falling, reducing the heart rate and helping them feel grounded.
“Within each book, we have parent and teacher pages as well,” Sharon said.
“It explains why we included each tool and how to implement it.
“The tools are applicable for them as well.
“The kids will say ‘Mum, do you want to use my magical belt?’ or ‘Why don’t you use your sparkle disc?’.
“It’s increasing their understanding of emotions not just for themselves.”
Lucy said: “How empowering as well, when a parent can be vulnerable and share ‘I’m learning all these new skills as well, can we do it together?’”
“My husband has the sparkle disc sitting on his desk for if any of his meetings get frustrating.”
The My Magical Belt concept came to life when Covid lockdowns were ending.
“We were really reflecting on the separation anxiety of kids going back to school,” Lucy said.
Plus the waiting lists for child therapists, which Sharon said rose to an all-time high.
“These books are not a replacement for proper professional intervention, but if you can’t get your child in to see someone for months, they can help assist your child’s emotional growth and well-being in the meantime,” she said.
The duo visits schools and kinders each week.
“We help educators see how connected kids can be to these concepts,” Lucy said.
Sharon said: “That’s been a highlight for both of us, the extension of workshops and readings in schools, seeing kids, teachers, and aids excited.”
“It’s about empowering kids.
“Their body might feel out of control, but they know they can use one of their tools.
“Normalising using these tools is a huge, huge part of what we’re doing.” Books and tools can be purchased together and separately. Visit www. mymagicalbelt.com.au for more information.
HEALTHY LIVING
Understanding the spectrum
AUTISM, also known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodivergent condition that affects how individuals communicate, interact, and process information.
It is a spectrum disorder, meaning that its manifestations can vary widely in terms of severity, symptoms, and the challenges it presents.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that there has been a significant increase in autism diagnosis from previous years.
This rise is partly due to better awareness and improved diagnostic practises.
Understanding the condition, its impact on children, and the support systems available is crucial for fostering an inclusive society.
Autism is typically identified in early childhood, although signs might not be noticeable until the age of two or three years.
Children with autism often exhibit challenges, generally in two main areas: social communication and interaction.
These can manifest in various ways, such as delayed speech development, difficulty in making eye contact, understanding social cues, peer relationships, preference for routines and certain peculiarities in behaviours, and restricted interests.
Some children might also have heightened sensitivity to sensory inputs like sounds, textures, lights etc.
Intellectual functioning in children with autism can vary significantly.
Autism is a complex condition and generally needs a multidisciplinary team’s input to make a diagnosis.
If you have a concern, see your doctor and the initial consultation can determine the need and type of further input from various allied health specialist such psychologists, occupational therapists, speech therapists etc as there are significant out of pocket costs for these assessments.
Information provided by allied health practitioners is taken into consideration by paediatricians or child psychiatrists to formulate a diagnosis.
Free RSV protection
A new, free immunisation is set to protect newborns and infants from RSV next winter.
Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas in October announced $18.7 million to deliver the vaccine as part of a coordinated national prevention program for unprotected newborns and eligible infants up to eight months.
The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine will complement an expected Commonwealth-funded maternal vaccine.
“We have worked closely with the Federal Government and other jurisdictions to ensure we can deliver a lifesaving RSV immunisation program for all eligible women and babies regardless of their postcode or bank balance,” Ms Thomas said.
The monoclonal antibody is a long-acting vaccine that will be available for Victorian babies and infants whose mother was unable to be immunised or was immunised less than two weeks before delivery.
The infant vaccine provides protection for about five months, which covers the winter peak of RSV infections from April to September.
A dedicated catch-up program will also be offered for eligible Victorian infants aged up to two years who are vulnerable to severe RSV and entering their second RSV season.
In most cases, immunisations will be administered in a hospital setting as part of standard post-birth care, helping parents avoid any additional healthcare costs and time spent attending appointments.
RSV can cause respiratory infections in the airways and lungs such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia. It is especially common in infants and young children, with most infected by the age of two years.
With more than 3800 infant RSVassociated ED presentations in 2023/24 and about 85 percent of those requiring a hospital admission, this vaccine will help reduce pressure on EDs and keep Victorian babies healthy.
For more information, visit betterhealth.vic.gov.au/respiratorysyncytial-virus-rsv.
Sometimes multiple consults are required to reach a conclusion.
Autism can also co-exist with ADHD, anxiety, emotional regulation issues, behaviour issues, and intellectual problems.
Children with autism face a wide range of challenges that can impact their development and quality of life.
These challenges not only affect the children themselves but also their families, schools, and communities.
In Australia, a variety of services and support systems are available, depending on the location and individual needs.
Many organisations such as Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) provide resources and educational support to help children develop essential skills.
Additionally, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) offers funding for therapies and interventions tailored to individual needs.
Schools in Australia are increasingly equipped to support children with autism.
Special education programs and inclusive classroom strategies aim to provide a conducive learning environment.
Teachers are trained to recognise and accommodate the unique needs of students with autism, ensuring they receive the support necessary to thrive academically and socially.
Remember ASD is a spectrum, and children might lie anywhere from the milder end to the severe end of the spectrum, with or without other associated conditions.
Understanding and supporting children with autism is crucial for their development and integration into society.
With continued awareness, improved diagnostic practices, and evolving support systems, Australia is making significant strides in creating an inclusive environment for children with autism.
If you have any specific questions or need more detailed information, feel free to discuss it with a health professional.
DrHarshSharma,
Paediatrician
Kids cancer research boost HEALTHY LIVING
VICTORIA’S new world-class consortium promises to transform research into childhood cancer.
Medical Research Minister Ben Carroll in October announced the Victorian Paediatric Cancer Consortium would be established thanks to $35 million from the State Government and $10 million from the Children’s Cancer Foundation.
“Kids should be enjoying their childhood, not confined to a hospital bed,” Mr Carroll said.
“This new consortium will revolutionise cancer research and treatment to give them the best chance to grow up happy, healthy, and cancerfree.”
He said our world-class researchers would deliver lifesaving treatments and potentially cures to improve the lives of children around the world.
Children Cancer Foundation CEO Margaret Fitzherbert said the announcement was “a very special moment for us as parents and supporters of people impacted by childhood cancer”.
“We are humbled by the extraordinary leaders and scientists that have joined us in the quest for better, kinder treatments and by the generous support of the Victorian Government,” she said.
Former Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre executive Dr Udani Reets will lead the consortium as CEO.
“By driving advancements in care, we will not only position Victoria as a global powerhouse in paediatric oncology, but also improve outcomes for children affected by cancer worldwide,” Dr Reets said.
Former Federal Government Chief Medical Officer, Professor Brendan Murphy will chair a board of six directors.
The consortium has brought together the best and brightest minds from leading children’s hospitals, research institutes, and universities to undertake cutting-edge research to tackle childhood cancer.
More than 1000 children in Australia are diagnosed with cancer every year and more than 100 children lose their battle.
The State Government investment includes $2.2 million to launch the consortium’s initial program of work.
This includes ‘biobanking’ biological specimens at the Monash Children’s and
TRIDENT MEDICAL CENTRE
Royal Children’s Hospitals, critical to research, clinical trials, and developing innovative therapies.
It will also fund the Next Generation Precision Medicine Program at the Hudson Institute, using cutting-edge artificial intelligence to discover new treatments for paediatric cancer.
Anti-vape action
A new initiative is targeting vaping in young people.
In August, Health Minister MaryAnne Thomas announced $2 million to deliver workshops, hold community events, and develop a peer-to-peer digital platform to educate 14 to 25-year-olds about the harms of vaping.
The Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) will deliver the two-year project in partnership with UNCLOUD.
UNCLOUD is a digital platform that provides peer-reviewed and scientifically-backed information about vaping and allows young people to share their stories with each other.
A Holistic Approach to Healthcare
“This initiative is about giving young people the tools to warn each other about vaping through real, authentic stories – because we know the best way to reach young people is through other young people,” Ms Thomas said.
More than 30 local councils, five sporting teams, and five universities will join the project by sharing theUNCLOUD platform at community events and activations.
Sporting bodies and teams including Swimming Victoria, Athletics Victoria, Melbourne Vipers,
Deakin Melbourne Boomers, and Hockey Club Melbourne, will share and promote the UNCLOUD platform at sporting carnivals, youth holiday programs, events, and across social media platforms.
As part of the project, the Alcohol and Drug Foundation will upskill coaches at sporting clubs across Victoria with anti-vaping education.
Tertiary institutions including the University of Melbourne, Federation University, Monash University, Deakin University, and Swinburne University of Technology, will establish student advocates, while others will offer education and training on-site to health staff.
VicHealth, Quit Victoria, and the Department of Health will provide guidance and support to these organisations.
DENTAL
Dental drama ‘preventable’
HOSPITALS might not be the obvious place to seek dental treatment for children, but thousands of Australian families are doing just that each year.
Most of the dental conditions requiring this treatment could have been prevented, according to the Australian Dental Association (ADA).
Its latest consumer survey of more than 25,000 people revealed factors contributing to infant and child tooth decay ranged from excessive fruit juice and soft drink consumption to not starting dental visits early enough, not accessing government-funded free dental entitlements, and only taking children to the family dentist when there was a problem.
Another survey, The Children and Young People Oral Health Tracker, showed nearly 11 (10.8) in every 1000 children aged 5 to 9 were hospitalised for potentially preventable problems due to dental conditions.
It also found only 56 percent of children visited the dentist before age 5.
“Often it’s a case of people just not being aware of all the facts,” ADA oral health promoter Dr Mikaela Chinotti said.
The ADA Consumer Survey’s new findings uncovered widely-held misconceptions about when parents think children are meant to have their first dental visit.
Only five percent said before 12 months and 20 percent at one year old.
The majority - 42 percent - said at 2 years old. Nineteen percent said age 3 and four percent age 4.
Dentists recommend the first dental visit when an infant’s first tooth or teeth emerge, typically before or around age one.
One-third (32 percent) of parents reported their child’s first visit was for pain or a problem.
“A first dental visit for a toothache may create a negative first experience,” Dr Chinotti said.
“We don’t want that to be your child’s introduction to the dentist.
“It’s important to see the dentist even if you think your child’s teeth are healthy.”
For families eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule, Dr Chinotti said there was no reason to delay the first dental visit, and children aged up to 17 years were eligible.
If picked up early, problems like tooth decay can be controlled fairly simply before they become established and cause trouble.
Dr Chinotti said leaving it until the teeth hurt or break down means simpler interventions are unlikely to work and more complex treatment might be needed.
Tooth decay remains an issue for Australian kids, according to the ADA, with 34 percent of 5 to 6-year-olds having experienced decay in primary or baby teeth, and 27 percent aged 5 to 10 years having untreated tooth decay in primary teeth.
Sugary drinks undoubtedly contribute to this problem, Dr Chinotti said.
The consumer survey showed that while 85 percent of parents were aware soft drinks, energy drinks, and fruit juice lead to decay, 26 percent of children still have fruit juice daily; 37 percent have two to five fruit juices a week, and 37 percent have two to five soft drinks a week.
“As a parent, I know that sometimes we think we’re being kind to our kids by giving them a sweet treat,” Dr Chinotti said.
“But most sugary drinks have no nutritional value.
“These choices are not being kind to them in the long run.
“Sugar causes decay and when left untreated, can result in physical pain and time off school for children as well as financial pain and time off work for parents or carers.”
The ADA survey highlighted that while parents understood that fruit juice contained sugar, they also thought juice had health benefits.
This is promoted in the product advertising and labelling, Dr Chinotti said, aimed purposely to mislead parents.
She said they offered little nutritional benefit and kids were better off having a piece of fresh fruit.
Protecting young smiles
VICTORIA’S Smiles 4 Miles program is celebrating 20 years of outreach.
In August, Health Minister MaryAnne Thomas congratulated staff and clinicians who have delivered the program to more than 60,000 children at 775 early childhood centres across the state since 2004.
Almost half of all children aged five to 10 years old have signs of tooth decay.
Dental conditions are the highest cause of all potentially preventable hospitalisations in children aged under 10.
“The earlier we teach our children how to keep their teeth clean, the more likely they are to continue these good habits throughout their life, so the Smiles 4 Miles program is providing an invaluable service to our community,” Ms Thomas said.
The Smiles 4 Miles program works closely with early childhood centres, helping them to improve the oral health of preschool-aged children and their families by encouraging healthy eating and drinking and good oral hygiene habits.
The program delivers training to early childhood workers to enhance their knowledge of oral health and provides practical resources including fact sheets, newsletter inserts, and curriculum ideas to childcare centres.
With this support, these early childhood centres can offer Smiles 4 Miles programs free to all eligible enrolled preschool-aged children.
To commemorate 20 years of Smiles 4 Miles, Dental Health Services Victoria awarded grants to local services across the state to help them buy educational materials such as big teeth models and picture books.
Orthodontic Treatment for children and adults utilising the latest technologies including SureSmile, Invisalign, lingual and clear appliances. We offer flexible, interest free payment plans to make orthodontics accessible to everyone.
Strict hygiene and physical distancing policies in place.
EDUCATION
Teens embrace Anzac spirit
TWO Casey students received top awards for commemorating the Anzac legacy.
Kylinda Zhang, a Year 11 student from Nossal High School, and Mahdia Qasimi, a Hampton Park Secondary College Year 10, were among 12 Victorian secondary students to embark on a 10-day international study tour to Turkey in September through the Spirit of Anzac Prize.
Kylinda curated a short story from the perspective of a Wadawurrung veteran struggling with PTSD, and dived into their experiences working on the Great Ocean Road Memorial.
“When I started researching I realised a lot of the Indigenous people at the time did not receive the recognition after both (WWI and WWII),” she said.
Kylinda wanted to ensure proper representation of a Wadawurring man and his people’s culture, so she “paid attention to the language they used and made sure I didn’t use anything that would not have been appropriate.”
Her short piece was commended as an “emotional story from First Nations perspective and demonstrated understanding of war history”.
Mahdia was one of only two students who opted for a non-written medium to deliver their story, and was applauded for her “first-hand experience of war”.
Her video focused on the absence of memorials and recognition for women in war.
It was inspired by her research as well as the account of a close family member who experienced the impacts of war in Afghanistan.
“When I was researching the World Wars and Anzac, I saw that women had important roles, from raising children to running businesses,” Mahdia said.
“It felt like they have always been ignored like they haven’t been recognised – there aren’t many memorial places for women in war.”
Mahdia, who came to Australia only three years ago, included a painting of her own women’s memorial with her video.
Following her research, her experiences as a refugee, and the kindness of Australian Defence Force (ADF) soldiers at a camp in Dubai, Mahdia said she one day wanted “join the army, to help people as they helped us”.
Three teachers accompanied the winning students to various historical
sites in Istanbul and Cannakkale to learn about the courageous actions of those who fought and died during the Gallipoli campaign.
Veterans Minister Natalie Suleyman said the Premier’s Spirit of Anzac Prize was “an incredible opportunity for Victorian students to explore Australia’s wartime and peacekeeping history”.
Before the trip, Kylinda was looking forward to experiencing new cultures in Turkey and said the experience would “shape my understanding of Anzac and my future perspective of war in general”.
“It’s a great opportunity to meet new people and to see new things but most of all to really honour what the Anzacs did,” she said.
“It’ll be confronting to be exactly where they were and just to think of all these people, even those my age who went and fought.”
Mahdia was on the same page and said being selected for the prize was an honour.
“I feel proud and thankful, especially because it shows the value of courage and sacrifice and their importance,” she said.
Ethan Benedicto
On your marks...
STEPHANIE Martinez starred in the first season of Making It on Network 10, where she ignited her passion for
Now she’s sharing exciting craft projects with our readers, designed to inspire and spark creativity and turn everyday materials into something
Try your hand at these monster bookmarks. Happy crafting! Coloured yarn - 30cm x four pieces
2. Use the template to cut out the monster and the nose.
3. Create a hole at the top of the monster. Fold the pieces of yarn in half, thread them through the hole, and tie a lark’s head knot.
4. Glue googly eye in place. Fold the top of the nose and glue the folded part to the monster.
5. Glue some colourful strips to the bottom of the monster.
6. Draw an eyebrow and a mouth. Cut out a tooth and glue it in place.
7. Give the monster some spots by hole-punching contrasting cardboard and randomly gluing the circles in place.
Instagram: Steph It Up with Stephanie Tik Tok: Steph It Up with Stephanie
1. Scan the QR to download and print the template for the monster
Holistic and collaborative EDUCATION
AT St Therese’s Catholic Primary School the vision is simple: do all that you do with love.
The school aspires to provide a faith-filled, safe, respectful, and welcoming community where everyone thrives.
St Therese’s is an integral part of the Parish of St Agatha’s.
The school is committed to the spiritual, emotional, and academic growth of its young people and guiding them on their journey of faith and lifelong learning.
St Therese’s follows the Diocese of Sale Religious Education curriculum, ‘To Live in Christ Jesus’, which nurtures students’ spiritual growth and moral development. Its commitment to providing a high-quality education is guided by the Victorian Curriculum, which informs all aspects of learning and teaching.
Dedicated teachers work within professional learning communities, engaging in collaborative planning to
ensure that every student’s education journey is both personalised and effective. Through ongoing assessment and teacher observation, the school monitors student growth, identifies
Care for every child
WE would like to share with you a little about why Cardinia Primary School is so special and lives up to its motto of being a ‘Caring Family School’.
We are a small country school not far from Officer, Clyde, Pakenham and Kooweerup.
We provide an excellent education in an environment that is nurturing, catering for every child’s needs.
Our classrooms are closed plan, and our class sizes are small.
Our experienced and high-quality teachers are dedicated to providing the very best education for every child in our care.
We have specialist teachers in the areas of performing arts, visual arts, Auslan, and science.
Our Eco Zone is a place for our children to learn about sustainability and looking after our planet.
We believe that the social aspects of schooling are also important, and we provide a yard experience that is above and beyond expectations.
We have four playgrounds - one of these is a fitness track, and another has exercise equipment and outdoor musical instruments.
Our children love playing in our two cubby houses and make full use of our undercover basketball court, our netball court, our Ga Ga pit and so much more.
Traditions are important here at Cardinia. Every year our community joins in for our beach picnic, an Easter bonnet parade, a sleepover, a whole school camp, a Christmas concert and many other events throughout the year.
We invite you to call us to arrange a school tour.
I’m looking forward to meeting you!
Susan Wepster, Principal
individual learning needs, and tailors planning accordingly.
To guarantee that students receive a well-rounded education, St Therese’s offers specialised weekly lessons in
Japanese, visual arts, and physical education.
These subjects are taught by staff who bring a wealth of knowledge and passion to their fields, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to explore and excel in a variety of disciplines.
The school warmly invites families to get in touch at any time to discuss the enrolment of their child and to book a school tour.
Once an enrolment form has been submitted, the school schedules an interview with the parents/guardians and the student, conducted by the principal.
This interview is a crucial step in understanding the student’s educational needs and ensuring a smooth transition into the school community.
The St Therese’s team looks forward to welcoming new families and embarking on a shared educational journey.
Join us for a School Tour
We invite you to join us for our next tour and explore our ELC, Junior School, Senior Girls and Senior Boys schools.
Please book your place via our website.
Cardinia Primary School’s classrooms are closed plan, and its class sizes are small.
EDUCATION
Easing tough transitions
NEW resources are helping students to stay engaged as they transition from primary to secondary school.
Education Minister Ben Carroll in August updated the materials that Victorian schools use to support about 200,000 students every year.
“A student’s transition can have fundamental and long-lasting impacts on their achievement, engagement and
wellbeing,” he said.
“We want to make sure every student and their family feels supported and connected as they journey from primary school to secondary school, which can often be a daunting time.”
It’s also a time with a heightened risk of disengagement from education, poor wellbeing, and a decline in learning outcomes.
Cardinia Primary Sch l Cardinia
Mr Carroll said keeping kids engaged in school helped them to be productive and successful young adults.
A student’s transition experience is successful when they have good engagement with their peers and their families.
This is especially important for students who might be at higher risk of a poor transition, including neurodiverse and autistic students, students with disabilities, and students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The updated materials feature internal guidance, resources, and practical examples for schools to use through a four-year staged process from upper primary to lower secondary:
Induction (Year 7)
This phase supports new students to develop a strong sense of connection and belonging in their new environment and ease into the new practices, rhythms, and relationships.
Consolidation (Year 8)
This builds on the skills, knowledge, and experiences students have gained in previous phases, with a strong emphasis on supporting their wellbeing and confidence in their learning environment.
Children
Children
• A rural school environment
• A positive learning environment
• Caring and supporting staff
• Strong community support
• An excellent learning program
CARDINIA PRIMARY SCHOOL
2405 Ballarto Rd, Cardinia 3978 (03) 5998 8323 cardinia.ps@education.vic.gov.au www.cardiniaps.vic.edu.au www.facebook.com/cardiniaps CARING & FAMILY
Kool Kidz Narre Warren is a purpose-built Early Learning, Childcare and Kindergarten facility that provides a safe, fun and exciting environment to explore, learn and grow in for children aged 6 weeks to 6 years.
Phone 9705 1532 to speak with Janette or Maria to ENROL NOW 17 Cranbourne Road, Narre Warren www.koolkidznarrewarren.com.au
Preparation (Years 5 and 6)
This introduces students to general skills like organisation and time management that will help them navigate in a new environment, like using lockers and having a timetable.
Transfer (End of Year 6)
Students can attend their new school for a day to learn the new layout, attend classes, and meet key staff and future classmates.
St Therese’s Primary School
“Do all that you do with love” St Therese of Lisieux
St Therese’s Catholic Primary School is a welcomingand happy place where children are nurtured to become independent and responsible learners.
To learn more about what St Therese’s has to offer,contact the school on 5996 7525 to book a personalised tour, or visit the school’s website: www.sttcbourne.catholic.edu.au
We look forward to welcoming you and yourfamily to St Therese’s Primary School.
Principal: Felicity Broughton
EDUCATION
Breaking out of the box
By Casey Neill
THINKING outside the box helped Jess Horn share her message of selfacceptance with thousands of Victorian Preps.
Picture book Bernie Thinks in Boxes is about thinking differently and navigating change in a neurotypical world.
“I was about a year past having just started my picture book journey, learning about writing picture books and trying to get something published,” Jess said.
“The idea came to me when I was reflecting on how I think.
“My head loves to play with words so I was amused by the literal idea of thinking in boxes - sitting in a box to do your thinking.
“I want it to give kids permission to be themselves, even if it’s not what society tells them to be.
“I wanted to create a conversation around different ways of thinking.
“I’m hopeful that will lead kids to be more understanding and accommodating of their peers.
“There’s no harm in pointing out differences.”
Bernie Thinks in Boxes is one of five picture books included in Prep Bags that will be gifted to all Victorian school starters in 2025, to improve literacy and build a love of reading.
“That was an unexpected and wonderful piece of news,” Jess said.
“I got a phone call from the publisher the day after the release of Bernie.
“I had absolutely no idea they’d even entered the book. I didn’t know it was a thing.
“I didn’t have any expectation that my book might be included.”
She’s thrilled that there’ll be “65,000 little Bernies running around next year”.
“It’s such a good way of getting stories into homes that hopefully can add some value,” she said.
Jess has loved writing since she was a kid.
“I wrote poems and handed them to my teachers at school,” she said.
“I thought one day I’d write a novel, but I went to uni and studied something different.”
Jess has a degree in speech pathology and worked in the disability field while continuing to try her hand at writing that novel.
But reading picture books with her kids, now aged 9 and 6, inspired her to take a picture book writing course with the Australian Writers Centre.
“It gave me enough information to get going,” she said.
“My head is always full of books and book-related things.
“It’s been my main interest for years.
“I’ve got two other books in the works coming out with Hardie Grant with their Bright Light imprint, one next year and one the year after.”
Jess’s parenting journey has “been rocky”, she admitted with a laugh.
“My children are wonderful and I love them and it has been overall an amazing journey,” she said.
“Every parent knows it comes with challenges.
“I went into that journey nine years ago not knowing a lot of things about myself.
“Having that big shift in my life, it did pose some challenges.
“I’ve got kids with their own needs and it’s just a matter of trying to navigate everyone’s needs in the household.
“As someone who’s very black and white, I’ve struggled with the fact that there’s not a right answer, there’s not one right approach.
“I didn’t trust myself because I hadn’t done it before.
“I didn’t have the confidence.”
And there’s such a wealth of information at our fingertips.
“It complicates our lives, it gives us more to think about,” Jess said.
“You can’t do everything you see, you can’t apply every strategy that you see.
“You can’t be that picture-perfect family that’s presented on social media.
“I think I’ve stopped trying to apply other people’s strategies.
“I just try to do the best that I can do on the day.”
EDUCATION
Battle back-to-school blues
THE transition between the holidays and starting or going back to school can often be full of mixed emotions.
So primary school teacher Miss B, known on TikTok as Lil’ Miss Sunshinee, shared her tips for parents on getting kids ready for the new school year ahead.
Positive vibes
Back-to-school time can be full of mixed emotions. Returning or starting school leaves many children with unanswered questions: “Who will my teacher be?” “Who will be in my class?”
Have a conversation with your child, listen to their worries, and respond in a calm and supportive manner to help them navigate this transitional time.
Remind them of the positives! They will be able to play with their friends again, see their teachers and learn new things.
Read all about it
Reading is a great way to share time with your child, spark their imagination, and maintain routine Reading books about going back to or starting school can help relieve some of those first-day jitters.
Not only can the story provide your child with a sense of what the transition might be like, they can also get a boost of confidence as the story unfolds.
Reading these books can offer an opportunity for your child to share their feelings.
Set goals
Goal-setting is a big part of learning.
Encourage your child to set some goals to help them get into the right frame of mind for school. They can be academic or social goals, or a new habit, such as packing their schoolbag before bed every night.
This could even be a great time for the whole family to set some goals. You can cheer each other on and celebrate everyone’s wins!
Have some fun!
Children are quick to pick up on our attitudes towards things, so creating a positive energy towards the back-toschool lead-up can help.
Build anticipation by going shopping together and buying school supplies.
They can pick out their lunchbox and pencil case and fill it with a fabulous collection of pens and markers.
Ease into routine
It can be helpful to start waking up earlier little by little in the days leading up to the first day back.
Getting back into a bedtime routine can also help.
For some families, this might mean enforcing a ‘no electronics’ rule the hour before bedtime or having dinner a little earlier.
Get organised
The first back-to-school morning might be a whirlwind for the whole family!
Back to waking up early, packing lunches, organising uniforms, and making sure you get everyone to where they need to be.
The more organised you can be, the easier the first back-to-school morning will be.
Planning the morning routine might be a whole family affair, so ensure you are all on the same page.
This might include figuring out what time you need to wake up, sharing responsibilities such as breakfast and packing lunches, and laying out your child’s uniform the night before.
Summer stage ENTERTAINMENT
FUN, friends, and family time…following on from last year’s success, Summer Stage returns to Bunjil Place from Saturday 11 January to Friday 21 February.
For six vibrant weeks, Bunjil Place Plaza will come alive with a lineup of live entertainment, music, movies, workshops, and more.
Summer Stage is the ultimate destination for family entertainment and fun, offering a diverse range of activities for all ages.
With a mix of family-friendly events to choose from, kids will be kept entertained all summer long right in the heart of Casey.
Family highlights include performances from:
■ Emma Memma
■ The Beanies
■ Whistle and Trick
■ Trash Test Dummies
■ Nutty Scientists - Blast Off to Space
With workshops in circus skills and science, outdoor movies, free pop-up playgroups and a free Kids Day Out plus more!
Join in the fun at Summer Stage.
To make sure your kids are across what’s on at Summer Stage, a limited number of Summer Stage Kids Passports will be available at Bunjil Place and around Casey.
For a complete list of events and to secure your tickets, visit www. bunjilplace.com.au/summer-stage and get ready to make this a family summer to remember.
Unlimited screams with a Family Pass
SCORE high-value fun with Luna Park’s unlimited rides pass for the whole family, priced at $170.
That’s as many rides as you can handle on your chosen day of adventure.
Unlimited access to thrilling rides From the oldest continually operating rollercoaster in the world, to carnival classics like the Grand Carousel, there’s something for every age and thrill-seeker alike.
Feel the rush as you take on Luna Park’s exhilarating rides together.
Family-friendly attractions for all ages
Enjoy the whimsical fun of the Sky Rider Ferris Wheel or brace yourself for the Power Surge as you spin up, down, all around.
Younger kids aged 0 to 3 also enter and ride free of charge.
Year-round fun
No matter the season, Luna Park offers unforgettable experiences, including endless school holiday fun.
Enjoy the charming carnival atmosphere by day or night, during Luna Park’s extended summertime opening hours.
Memories to last a lifetime Loved by generations, Luna Park Melbourne is Australia’s oldest amusement park and hosts an array of
truly unique experiences.
Valid for up to four guests, the Family Pass grants park entry and unlimited rides to no more than two guests over 13 years.
You can add up to three additional family members to your Family Pass for an additional discounted rate at the checkout.
Book your Family Pass today and make your next family day out unforgettable.
Luna Park – Just For Fun!
Whistle and Trick.
Jump in for confidence
WELCOME to JUMP! Swim Schools Pakenham, where ‘prepare, instruct, praise’ paves the path to water confidence.
The ‘prepare, instruct, praise’ philosophy is the backbone of the JUMP! program.
It’s the difference between children developing confidence and skills in the water and resisting.
■ PREPARE: JUMP! instructors start by helping kids feel at ease in the water, building trust so they can have fun splashing around.
■ INSTRUCT: The JUMP! team gives clear directions and demonstrates essential swim movements with gentle support.
■ PRAISE: JUMP! celebrates every achievement, making learning to swim an exciting adventure.
To learn more, call 5941 6555 or visit jumpswimschools.com.au/pakenham.
JUMP! Swim Schools Pakenham is located at 6/99 Bald Hill Road, Pakenham.
BORN TO PERFORM
Fostering a love of dance
DANCE Legacy is a Pakenham-based dance studio offering expert tuition by experienced teachers for students aged 18 months to adult.
It offers classes for the serious dancer through to those who purely want enjoyment and recreation.
The team at Dance Legacy prides itself on having an experienced faculty that promises to provide excellent training coupled with fun, fitness, and endless laughter.
Dance Legacy offers a wide variety of classes for ages 18 months through to adults in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, acro, and stretch/conditioning.
Studio owners and teachers Miss Danielle and Miss Loren have a combined 30-plus years’ dance teaching experience.
Over the years they have not only produced award-winning choreography but have fostered a love of dance in hundreds of students and celebrated many achievements, no matter how big or small.
Dance Legacy is moving into its fifth year in 2025 and has already grown to more than 200 students, and it’s growing every week.
They have welcomed many new faces through the door and seen students skip for the first time, wing for the first time, and achieve personal goals.
The faculty has lots of exciting opportunities planned for the students in 2025, including the Moomba Parade in March, a trip to Queensland where students will get an opportunity to perform in the Dreamworld Parade, and two whole school performances
throughout the year where every student gets their time to shine on the stage and perform for their friends and family.
Students will also prepare for their Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) ballet examinations and Australian Teachers of Dancing (ATOD) tap and jazz examinations, as well as representing Dance Legacy at local performances and competitions.
They have had a 100 percent success rate in their examinations and have seen multiple students achieve top marks 100 percent (100/100) Honours with Distinction.
But what Miss Loren and Miss Danielle love to see the most and are the proudest of is students gaining or re-discovering a love and true enjoyment of dance.
Everybody who walks through the doors of Dance Legacy mentions the awesome energy and vibe that the studio exudes and always walks out of class with a smile on their face.
The school owns three purpose-built studio spaces that host more than 60 different classes throughout each week.
Dance Legacy promises to provide an inclusive and safe environment to help develop the person as well as the dancer.
The team pledges to nurture and further a dance legacy for every student that dances through the studio door.
Enrolments for season 2025 are open! Love to dance? So does the Dance Legacy team.
Call 0422 774 665 or email admin@ dancelegacy.com.au to book a free trial.
Enjoy your child’s journey at Cathy-Lea Studios
CATHY-LEA Studios has been teaching dance, music, and drama to children from the age of 18 months to 18 years for more than three and a half decades and has supported thousands of children on their journey toward becoming confident, successful adults.
Cari Weybury began her journey with Cathy-Lea Studios as a 2-year-old, training initially in the pre-school program, then moving to exam classes, and eventually joining the Cathy-Lea Elite Training Program.
In her time with the studio, Cari has trained in many styles of dance including ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, lyrical, musical theatre, hip hop, and commercial.
She has performed in the studio’s annual theatrical productions, which include dancing, singing, and acting, and danced with the competition troupes at eisteddfods and community events.
In 2023, Cari achieved a perfect score in VCE VET Dance, which she studied with Cathy-Lea, receiving a Premier’s Award for being one of the two top students in the state for this subject (the other being one of her Cathy-Lea classmates).
In 2023, Cari received 100 percent for both her advanced jazz and advanced tap exams with Australian Teachers of Dancing (ATOD).
She has won many awards at dance eisteddfods including winning the Senior Jazz Championship and Open Age Aggregate Award at West Gippsland Dance Festival, and placing second in the Senior Jazz Championship and third in the Senior Tap Championship at Casey Comps in September and October this year.
Cari has also performed regularly with Indefinite Contemporary Dance Company over the past two years, creating an original ensemble work and performing a solo in their recent season of ‘In Bloom’.
In 2025, Cari will continue her dance journey, training full-time at the prestigious Dance Force Studios on the Gold Coast, after which she hopes to launch a career in the performing arts industry.
You can be sure that if you entrust your child’s performing arts education to Cathy-Lea that the team will nurture your child’s talents and develop their skills.
Cathy-Lea knows what it takes to train a child from beginner to advanced levels, so parents can sit back, relax, and enjoy their child’s journey! Contact Cathy-Lea Studios for a FREE trial class on 9704 7324 or office@ cathy-lea.com.
www.cathy-lea.com
Cari performing the jazz solo which earned her a perfect score in VCE VET Dance.
Christmas toy safety warning
FAMILIES are urged to choose safe toys and products for Christmas this giftbuying season.
Consumer Affairs Victoria inspectors conduct Christmas product safety checks across the state with a particular focus on unsafe children’s toys, portable pools and Christmas-themed products containing button batteries.
Too many shops are not being vigilant in their stocking practices or are deliberately flouting the law, according to Consumer Affairs Victoria.
In 2022, inspectors seized 245 toys from shelves before Christmas because they were unsafe, including baby rattle sets that were choking hazards, children’s sunglasses that didn’t have the required labelling, and cosmetics with no ingredient labelling.
To pick the safest toys this Christmas, Consumer Affairs
Victoria advised people to avoid buying toys with sharp edges, points, or splinters; watch out for toys with button batteries and make sure the batteries are in secure compartments; and keep in mind the child’s age.
Under Australian Consumer Law, it is illegal to supply products that do not meet mandatory safety and information standards.
Consumer Affairs Victoria inspectors have the power to issue infringement notices and $5000 fines on the spot.
In cases where items are seized, further enforcement action can range from warnings to infringements or court action.
To report a potentially unsafe product, contact Consumer Affairs Victoria on 1300 558 181 or visit consumer.vic.gov.au/ productsafety.
A list of recalled and banned products can be viewed at productsafety.gov.au.
DINING OUT
REALITY BITES
Shannon’s fighting spirit
By Angie Hilton
I first heard about Shannon Bell through a friend who had gone to see her for a ‘soul reading’.
He couldn’t stop talking about how she had told him so many accurate things that no one else could have known.
Naturally, I was intrigued.
I’ve always been a bit of a skeptic when it comes to psychics, so I decided to book a session but went in with my guard up, expecting to meet someone who fit the stereotypical ‘spiritual person’ image I had in my mind.
What surprised me was how different Shannon, 34, was from that expectation.
Instead of crystals and incense, I met a polished, confident young Geelong mum with a sweet but fierce demeanor.
She radiated warmth and authenticity.
It was only after our reading that I learned about Shannon’s heartbreaking story of loss - an experience that fueled her mission to help others reconnect with their own intuition.
Here’s a glimpse into our conversation.
Q: Shannon, your journey into motherhood sounds deeply transformative. Before you became a mother, you had big dreams of becoming a brain surgeon or a chef. Can you share more about how your early ambitions shaped your path, especially growing up without the support of your mother?
Shannon: From a young age, I had this intense fascination with the brain and the medical field.
I remember being just 4 or 5 years old, studying brain photos in an encyclopedia, imagining myself as a brain surgeon one day.
I always knew I wanted to help others, and that passion led me to nursing.
But when my mother left when I was 6, life became very different.
I had to take on responsibilities early, and I didn’t have much support emotionally.
Losing my son Jude later in life helped me realise that my mother wasn’t able to provide what I needed. Those early challenges, though, built my resilience and made me even more compassionate.
Q: That resilience has certainly shaped your path as both a mother and a
professional. How has becoming a mother, especially at such a young age, influenced your journey?
Shannon: Becoming a mother at 19 was challenging, but it was also one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done.
I felt like I had to prove myself, especially being so young, but I always took pride in being a mum to Xavier. We grew up together in many ways. Now, with the wisdom I’ve gained, motherhood feels different.
I don’t feel the need to prove anything anymore - I can just enjoy the moments with my sons, knowing I’m doing my best for them.
Q: What a beautiful evolution. You’ve shared that your journey into becoming a psychic medium was deeply tied to the experience of losing your son, Jude. Can you tell us more about that connection?
Shannon: Absolutely. I’ve always felt connected, even as a little girl, but life pulled me away from that.
Shannon Bell with Sonny. Pictures: Louisa Jones
When I had Jude during COVID, I felt this deep, telepathic bond with him from the moment he was born.
After his passing, that connection reopened in a profound way.
It became my way of healing, and now I use that connection to help others.
It’s about using my spiritual gifts to bring healing and clarity to those who need it.
Q: Losing a child is unimaginable for many of us. How has that loss changed the way you approach parenting with your other children?
Shannon: It’s made me trust my intuition more than ever.
With Jude, I knew something wasn’t right, and I had to fight to get medical help.
It was terrifying, but I trusted my gut, and that’s something I continue to do with my other children.
I believe parents are intuitively connected to their kids, and it’s important to listen to those feelings, even if others don’t understand them.
Q: How can parents learn to trust and develop their own intuition, especially when it comes to raising their children?
Shannon: Start by paying attention to the small nudges - those gut feelings you get when something doesn’t feel right, or when you ‘just know’ something without being able to explain why.
That’s your intuition speaking.
I like to think of intuition as a guide from our higher self, or even our ‘future self’, leading us toward our highest potential and what’s best for everyone involved.
It will never steer you wrong or make you feel fear.
Reconnecting with it is about building a relationship of trust in the wisdom that’s already within you.
The more you listen and act on those feelings, the stronger that connection becomes.
Trust in yourself and give it time to grow by nurturing your wellbeing with self care and self love and always
remember to show yourself compassion for where you are in your journey.
Q: And for parents who want to nurture their children’s intuition, what would you recommend?
Shannon: Children are naturally intuitive.
They may talk about dreams or imaginary friends, which I believe is part of their spiritual connection.
Rather than dismissing it, encourage them to explore what they feel and think.
By supporting their intuition, they’ll grow up confident in trusting it.
Q: For parents who feel disconnected from their intuition and want to reconnect, what advice would you give?
Shannon: Start small. Just a few minutes of mindful breathing or a short walk in nature can make a big difference.
Self-care is crucial too. When you take time for yourself, you’re better able to show up for your kids.
It’s about finding those little moments to tune in and reconnect.
Q: That’s such a comforting approach.
Have you had any experiences where trusting your intuition as a parent made all the difference?
Shannon: Definitely. With Jude, I knew something was wrong from the start, even when doctors told me otherwise. I had to push and push until they found what was wrong, but I never stopped trusting my instincts.
That experience solidified my belief in the power of a parent’s intuition. You know your child better than anyone.
Q: Many parents struggle with guilt when it comes to making time for self-care. How do you balance self-care with parenting?
Shannon: It doesn’t have to be a big thing - just five minutes of quiet or a short walk can do wonders.
When you take care of yourself, you’re better able to care for your children.
Remember, your energy affects them, so looking after yourself is not selfishit’s essential for being the best parent you can be.
REALITY BITES
Preparing bodies for birth
By Casey Neill
MELBOURNE mum and physio Alex Lopes is arming women with ‘taboo’ knowledge around pregnancy and birth.
“It’s not talked about enough,” she said.
“Modern science can’t protect us from potential trauma during childbirth; things can go wrong.”
Alex knows this first-hand.
The director at Altona North’s Pelvic Health Melbourne worked as a sports physiotherapist before a traumatic birth ‘ripped (her) in two’, causing bladder, bowel, and prolapse issues.
“There’s a journey of feeling disfigured, feeling damaged,” she said.
“I did not feel supported in my recovery so I retrained in this field.
“A lot of physios have gone into this field because of their own childbirth experiences - some from very positive experiences, others less so.
“After my own experience, I wanted to create a safe space for women in my community to be looked after.”
This was the impetus behind Pelvic Health Melbourne, which has evolved to offer pelvic health services to men, women, kids, and all genders.
Alex became the National Chair of the Australian Physiotherapy Association’s Women’s, Men’s, and Pelvic Health Group.
During her term she was passionate about establishing a consistent national physiotherapy training pathway, which has now been developed and rolled out across Australia.
She’s has run post-birth education sessions for 10 years, reaching out to community health centres, working with maternal child health nurses and helping women to understand the birth risks and their rights and choices.
Alex hosts free Body After Baby events, which include ultrasounds for participants, and her presentation is available on the Pelvic Health Melbourne website under ‘pregnancy services’.
“This class has been based on filling in the gaps I’ve seen in the pregnancy and postnatal education healthcare space,” she said.
“I wish we could get together and develop a national online education program so that we have consistent comprehensive education to all parents across Australia.”
She turns to humour to share her message; her aim is to normalise the language around pelvic health concerns.
The good news? We’re getting more comfortable talking about birth injuries, bladder, bowel prolapse, and intimate concerns.
“I’m really hopeful for the next generation,” Alex said.
“My friends, in their fifties? I can still see them squirm.”
Alex said most event attendees had already given birth and she hoped to see more attend prenatally so they could be better prepared.
“I don’t use fear tactics - it’s about putting it in perspective, saying ‘these are things to be aware of’,” she said.
“They tend to cope so much better with things that may not have gone to plan if they’ve been informed.”
She covers episiotomies, epidurals, forceps, suction, caesareans, pushing and all after-birth care, which is often missed.
“The birth is only one day and we want to make it as efficient as possible,” she said.
The post-birth complications, though, can last a lot longer.
One of the complications can be pelvic organ prolapse. Alex said 50 percent of women would develop an anatomical prolapse over their lifetime, but it might never have any impact.
“Only 23 percent will develop symptoms,” she said.
What is a prolapse? Your pelvic floor muscles support your organs from below.
Throughout pregnancy and during birth the ligaments supporting the organs can stretch and the organs - the bladder, bowel, or uterus - can fall into the vaginal space.
Prolapses are usually felt as bulge or heaviness, not pain.
Having a prolapse and increased vaginal laxity can “throw your sense of identity as a sexual being”.
“But there is hope,” Alex said.
“We look at how to reduce your symptoms.
“See a pelvic health physio for any symptoms that persist.
“As a general rule, if you’ve got persistent leakage, bowel or pain complaints after three months, see someone.
“In an ideal world, pelvic health physios would see every woman at six weeks post-birth.”
She said seeking help put women in a vulnerable position, but that it was a less intimidating prospect after birth.
“You’ve lost a little bit of the prudishness,” she laughed.
“You’re a little bit more open to people looking than you were before having kids.
“If you go into a space and you know that’s all they do, you feel safe.”
She often hears, ‘Wow, I wish I had come in earlier’ and ‘I felt so heard, so understood’.
Alex said that in the ‘old days’ and in other cultures it was common for women to have 40 days of confinement post-birth.
“We’ve lost our way, caring for our women,” she said.
“You’re left to fend for yourself.
“So many women struggle.
“You’re still recovering from passive whole-body trauma and then you’re sleep-deprived and trying to cook, clean, and do everything else.”
Body After Baby also covers breastfeeding and attachment, particularly blocked ducts and lymphatic drainage.
Alex is a strong advocate for teaching women to feed lying down.
She said it was ‘everything’ in the 1940s but fell out of favour with the advent of bottle feeding.
“The muscles of the pelvic floor are stretched to three times their normal length and suffer microscopic tears,” she said.
“The only way to rest is lying down, not sitting.
“I guarantee you women suffer back and shoulder pain from feeding upright.
“I haven’t had any woman who feeds lying down and didn’t enjoy it.”
Alex Lopes, standing, is passionate about pelvic health.
Cool summer styles FASHION
KEEP your kids looking cool this summer with the latest fashion arrivals at Billy Lidz.
The Billy Lidz team has been doing the hard work for shoppers since 2009, selecting the best highquality designer baby and kids
wear from Australia, Europe, and America.
Shop your local baby and kids store for all your baby needs, from change mats to Charlie Crane Rockers, clothing, and nappy bags from local Australian brands like Illoura and Ziggy Lou, plus
international brands like Moonie bears, Silly Silas tights, and the ever-popular Crywolf, Quincy Mae, Rylee and Cru, and Banwood bikes, scooters, and trikes.
Visit the boutique at 6 Blackburne Square, Berwick, or check out the range at www.lovemybillylidz.com.au.
FASHION
Embracing a brighter future Books
By Casey Neill
RUGBY league star Nicho Hynes has always known he is Aboriginal but not what that actually means.
So he’s sharing his journey to embrace culture and feel like he belonged in his Aboriginal identity in the new book Stand Proud.
“I hope that kids from all different backgrounds can feel seen by this story and know they are enough as they are,” he told Kids.
“When people can see themselves in someone else’s stories, they don’t feel so alone in their struggles or they realise for the first time there is a brighter future ahead.
“I think a young Nicho would’ve really appreciated a story like this.
“This story would’ve inspired me as a young fella and I hope that’s the kind of impact it has.”
Greg the Galah, Superstar!
Patrick Guest and Jonathan Bentley
Galahs love to boogie and act like a clown. They always pull faces or hang upside down.
As soon as they hatch and crawl from their egg, Galahs are hilarious...and then...there was Greg.
Everyone knows that galahs are hilarious. They’re silly, loud and love attention! But then there’s Greg...who’s nothing like the rest of the flock.
Scholastic
$19.99
The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks halfback co-authored Stand Proud with friend Marlee Silva, and 2022 Archibald Prize willer Blak Douglas provided the illustrations.
Nicho hopes it helps readers from culturally diverse backgrounds feel like they can be proud of their identity no matter what others say or think.
“I hope it encourages them to express themselves and connect with their culture and community in whatever way they can - because their culture is beautiful and it makes them strong,” he said.
“For those other kids who might not relate to the cultural identity elements of this book, I hope it opens their minds to empathy for kids who are different to them.
“I hope it gets them interested in learning about their classmates or friends’ cultural backgrounds and educates them.”
He thinks parents will also benefit from reading Stand Proud to their children.
“I hope it excites them to help their child embrace their culture and navigate their identity and encourage parents to go away from the book with the intention of continuing to bring more culturally diverse stories and lessons into their homes,” he said.
“Each individual has a unique identity and tapestry of family background, history, and experience that makes them who they are.
“And that this unique combination is something that everyone should have space to grow into, explore and celebrate.
“I hope classrooms and homes alike can provide safe spaces for discussion and questions about identity and culture and ultimately young readers can come to find strength in their differences and pride in who they are.
“There’s no one way to be any particular identity or culture.
“There’s no one way to be Aboriginal or Japanese or Muslim or a boy or a girl, all the things that make us who we are, are specific to who we are and that’s OK.
“Don’t judge another person’s identity by your own stereotypes and expectations and let people be who they are freely and with joy.”
The
Kill Factor
Ben Oliver
In a world where social media is everything and followers equal money, Emerson is facing a prison sentence.
She’s offered a way out - a brand new gameshow for young felons that combines social media and reality TV.
The first prize? Freedom and a comfortable life for Emerson’s little brother. But if she loses? Incarceration for life.
The games kick off on a remote island with the prison at its heart.
Little do the viewers or contestants know the prison is empty, and the truth about why is even more brutal than the games themselves ...
The Chicken House
$19.99
The
Impatient Glacier
Shaun Micallef and Rebel
Challenger
A glacier up on a mountain grew tired of the same boring view.
He wanted excitement; he wanted some fun, he wanted to see something new.
From Shaun Micallef comes this warming new picture-book adventure about enjoying life’s moments...before they’re gone.
Scholastic $19.99
Goodnight, Joeys
Renee Treml
Whisper goodnight to the land, where joeys race on cool, soft sand.
All baby marsupials are known as joeys, yet they come in different shapes and sizes.
Join your little one as you whisper a goodnight wish to joeys across Australia in this quiet lullaby.
Puffin $14.99
My Big Fat Smelly Poo Diary
Jim Smith
From the bestselling creator of Barry Loser comes Jim Smith’s new full-colour graphic novel series for readers aged 7-plus. It’s packed full of friendship, fun and toilet jokes galore!
Join best friends Pedro, Olga and Ozzie - otherwise known as the Poopies - on a series of fun adventure stories, and help them solve mysteries of the most unexpected kind.
Scholastic $16.99
ENROL NOW FOR 2025 LIMITED VACANCIES AVAILABLE
Our faith leads to wisdom and courage. This motto is the energising source of all that happens at St Clare's and is embedded in the ethos of the school, the curriculum we offer and the relationships we develop within our school and wider communities.
If you are reading this as a prospective student, parent, guardian or family, I invite you to visit us at St Clare's and discover this dynamic learning environment and start the beginning of, what I hope will be, a life-long learning partnership.
Helen Staindl School Principal
