Toddlers To Teens Issue 4 by Melissa Groom

Issue4 4 ISSUE

Toddlers To Teens Parenting Magazine It takes a village to raise a child. We are your village.

Mrs AustraliA

Karen Miles

preventing ovarian cancer

plan a Party

Additive Free TRANSFORM

your life!

BONUS parents in business parenting

with joy, love &

laughter

home Schooling autumn & winter

www.toddlerstoteens.tv

an op sw e q e x ues r p a e ti ll r o yo t n s ur s

trends

www.facebook.com/MumsChatterbox

Editor’s letter Welcome to the April issue of Toddlers To Teens Parenting Magazine. Our magazine is a free resource for parents to help make their lives easier. Contributing experts give you tips and tools that you can implement to create a more harmonious family and have more time for YOU to enjoy your life. We want to help you be the best you can be. One needs to look after yourself, otherwise we are no good to anyone. Our new section Transform Your Life is a printable section that you can print off and keep in a folder to start your new life. It will help keep you on track and focused to creating a magnificent life for yourself. Thanks to the Greater Building Society and Priceless Exchange Demi-Pair Agency we are now running free, kid friendly networking events for people in business or thinking of starting a business. Mums Chatterbox is currently held on the Gold Coast. We look forward to bringing you more events and getaways to support your mission to be your best self. We want your feedback, so email editor Melissa Groom and the team. We are here listening to your needs. Take care of yourself and have a grateful day. Mel Groom

and introducing our panel of experts...

Publisher & Editor Melissa Groom

Contributors Melissa Groom Bobbie Chegwyn Simone Outteridge Hazel Theocharous Lesley Dewar Melanie Avery Lucy Hendriks Charly Leetham Renee Ferguson Leah Squire BYO kids

Sam Beau Patrick

Donna Emerson

www.healthqueen.com.au

www.responsiblefinancial www.responsiblefinancialsolutions.com.au solutions.com.au

Lay-Ean Eng

Davina Sharry

www.goparents.com.au

www.powerfulparenting.com.au

Michelle Wright

Alli Price

www.mishfit.com.au

www.motivatingmum.com.au

Graphic Designer Catherine Nolan Biondic Email: tumblemonkey@optusnet.com.au

Advertising Email: sales@toddlerstoteens.tv Booking deadlines Issue 5 (Jun) - May 15th Deadline Issue 6 (Aug) - July 15th Deadline Issue 7 (Oct) - Sept 15th Deadline Issue 8 (Dec) - Nov 15th Deadline Issue 9 (Feb 2013) - Jan 15th Deadline

Contact and enquiries Phone: 02 6674 4754 Mobile: 0414 948 109 Email: melissa@toddlerstoteens.tv

Join our village Facebook www.facebook.com/ToddlersToTeensTV Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/melissagroom

Kirsty O’Callaghan

Claire McFee

www.unity-qld.com.au

www.organizeyourlife.com.au

Subscribe to www.toddlerstoteens.tv and join 1000’s of parents in our community and have access to videos, interviews, Toddlers To Teens Magazine, events, and discounts on advertising. PLUS receive your free copy of “How to Create Harmony in the Home” written by the Panel Experts of Toddlers To Teens Parent TV Show.

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Contents FEATURES 7

COVER STORY Karen Miles – Mrs Australia World Promoting Ovarian Cancer Awareness

25 The benefits of Part time work and Teenagers

37 Home Schooling 34 Creating A Birthday Party without the Additives REGULARS

PARENTING 8 Parenting through Joy, Love and Laughter 10

Be Kind – A Family Must

GRANDPARENTS VIEW 13 What kind of Grandparents do you have in your family?

Demystifying Affiliate Marketing

TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE 19 Embracing Trust Be the Observer

Mums! Stop Selling Yourselves Short

Top 10 Expert VA Tips to Free Up Your Time

Help for Busy Parents in Business

Businesses in the Spotlight

HEALTH & FITNESS 22 Relaxation and Pelvic Floor Exercises 23

Transform Your

How to Organise Your Life, Home and Self

life!

Does Your Teenager Sleep Crazy Hours

57 33

5 Ways to skyrocket your business

10 Top Videos from our Panel Experts

FASHION

PARENTS IN BUSINESS Growing Your Small Business

Rebuilding Your Finances after a separation

TODDLERS TO TEENS TV

TRAVEL 33 Australia’s No.1 Family Resort ??

MONEY

Autumn/Winter Trends 48

Karen Miles

coverstory

Mrs Australia (Ambrassador for Ovarian Cancer Foundation Imagine a wardrobe full of designer gowns, and rows of stilettos in every colour, your wardrobe overflowing with beautiful items. Getting your hair and make up professionally done, gracing the cover of magazines. It’s every girls dream. Well, it’s not the reason why Karen Miles chose to enter the Mrs Australia awards but it’s one of the greatest perks. “I’m just a girly girl at heart”, says Karen. Mrs Australia Quest raises money for research, awareness and prevention of Ovarian Cancer after the Founder of the awards lost her sister inlaw to ovarian cancer. Last year Karen Miles was crowned Mrs Australia for 2011/2012 and is now the proud Ambassador

for raising awareness and funds for Ovarian Cancer. Ovarian Cancer is a silent killer. More women are diagnosed with breast cancer but more women die every year from ovarian cancer. The signs of ovarian cancer are similar signs to little niggles women are use to getting during their menstrual cycle. So they are often ignored and cast aside. You can ask for a blood test and an ultrasound from your doctor if you are concerned about having ovarian cancer. Unfortunately, when ovarian cancer is detected it is often too late and is fatal. The entrants for Mrs Australia organise charity events to raise funds to keep the Ovarian Cancer Foundation running. Karen organised a Zumbathon through four

silver ribbon The silver ribbon is the symbol of the Foundation’s integrity. A continual reminder of the passion needed to search for a breakthrough and deeper understanding into this disease. All funds raised as a result of the sale of Silver Ribbons and Lapel Pins go directly to the OCRF to fund research into ovarian cancer. Our principal partner, NAB in 2002 launched the inaugural Silver

Ribbon campaign which runs annually in September for 4-6 weeks in all branch outlets across Australia. Witchery our premium partner has been retailing the Silver Ribbon since 2001 in all of its fashion outlets throughout Australia. In 2009 they are planning to extend the silver initiatives into the New Zealand market. The Silver Ribbon is also promoted and sold at various OCRF

Curves gyms to raise her funds to win her title of Mrs Australia. “You need to be multi-talented to win the Mrs Australia Awards. It’s not all about looks. You need to be good at PR, be a good event manager, have the skills to be able to draw in major sponsors to raise money for the charity, and overall just be a real people person.” Karen is now mentoring four of the entrants for Mrs Australia this year. Karen also in her spare time, (ha,ha) is a mother to two young children aged 6 and 2. She mentors business women either leaving the corporate world to become a mum or re-entering the workforce after being a mother. Entering Mrs Australia

awards has made Karen a better person. “I have joined the gym for the first time in my life. I have got myself into shape as I had to wear a swimming costume on stage. I have trimmed down from a size 14 and lost my post baby weight and am now a size 10.” Karen recently went to America to enter the Mrs World Titles. Although another entrant won this title Karen did a magnificent job and made us very proud. She is doing a fantastic job as Ambassador for Ovarian Cancer. Karens’ long term goal is to do more TV presenting.

One Australian woman dies of ovarian cancer every ten hours. Over 50% of the population incorrectly think that a pap smear detects ovarian cancer. What are the symptoms of Ovarian Cancer Most women diagnosed with ovarian cancer are already in advanced stages of the disease. Unfortunately, there is a marked difference in survival rates if ovarian cancer is detected early. Early stage ovarian cancer may not have obvious symptoms but

the following may occur: • Vague abdominal pain or pressure • Feeling of abdominal fullness, gas, nausea, indigestion - different to your normal sensations • Sudden abdominal swelling, weight gain or bloating • Low backache or cramps

•

Persistent changes in bowel or bladder patterns • Abnormal vaginal bleeding • Pain during intercourse • Unexplained weight loss The majority of women who experience one or two of these early symptoms do not have cancer. n

Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation TOK Corporate Centre, Level 1, 459 Toorak Road, TOORAK VIC 3142 Tel: (03) 9296 2040 or 1300 OVARIAN (1300 682 742) Fax: (03) 9296 2184 www.ocrf.com.au

www.babyfeedcharts.com 7

parenting

through joy,love & Hi everyone! My name is Davina Sharry and I am the Founder and Director of Powerful Parenting Australia. Recently we held a speaking presentation showing parents and teachers step by step how to succeed with children’s behaviour… It went really well, and we had a lot of really good feedback. Rather than leave, many parents stayed behind to talk, share their stories, and in many cases share their willingness to go home and make a fresh start with their newly acquired behaviour management strategies.

laughter During this time, a mother of three came up to speak to me. The gist of what she discussed with me is what I’d like to share with you today. As most mothers, this mum was very busy dealing with the everyday challenges of parenthood as well as the demands of managing her children’s behaviour. As a footnote, at the very conclusion of our presentation, we talk about how as parents and teachers, we need to focus on not losing the enjoyment and laughter that should form a part of our teaching and parenting. We must make sure, as parents and teachers, that we perform all the necessary duties inherent in our roles, including that of behaviour management, but also focus on not losing the joyous feeling of being a teacher, mum or dad. It’s all too easy to get caught up in, and snowed under by, the complexities of teaching and parenting. I’d like to share with you the feedback of this particular mum as there is something in what she says for all of us…

A little note given to me by a small girl to emphasise what I’m talking about “Dear Ms Sharry, your the best teacher ever and the funnyest teacher ever”

“Today I realised as a parent, I have been focusing in so strongly on timetables, disciplining my children and the actual demands and challenges

of being a parent, that I have completely lost my joy of being a parent. I realised today that I have forgotten to laugh and enjoy this special time in my children’s lives. So caught up in the rigors of being a parent, I have allowed myself to lose the very qualities I know my family needs and deserves. One of my goals after today’s presentation is to go home and bring the joy, laughter and happiness back into our home. All too often as parents we are so focused on the serious issues, we forget to stop and just see the fun side of parenting, and enjoy our children. I am going home

to focus on the joy and wonder of being a mum! Thank you.” Recently I saw a great little video clip of a very young baby who could barely stand. He wobbled this way and that. In the clip he got up onto his feet, very unsteadily, and without any hesitation attempted to pull himself up onto the lounge chair in front of him. He only made it halfway up before he fell off onto the carpet below. The same little boy didn’t cry, but stood straight back up and giggling he did the same thing again and again. Each time laugh-

ing and giggling. I was really struck by his ability to keep trying and not to cry, but giggle and laugh. As parents and teachers too readily we lose our child-like joy and our ability to smile, laugh and appreciate the simple pleasures inherent in being around children. When we were young, we saw joy and wonder in so many things. We were excited all the time. As we ‘grewup’, many of us parted with our ability or willingness to see pleasure and joy in small things. The seriousness of our role took over.

As I travel around talking to teachers and parents, I feel a collective burden. Many of us have lost our child-like ability to dust ourselves off, giggle or smile, and enjoy our teaching or parenting. I’m not saying it’s always easy! Smiling, laughing and being joyful are all skills! But so is being angry or cranky. What we tell ourselves, what we teach ourselves, how we react, and how we handle ourselves at the point of adversity teaches us to be either joyous, loving and happy or down, despondent and unhappy.

continued from page 9

We are not talking about not being firm, organised, thorough and professional. What we’re talking about is feeling, experiencing and modelling joy, laughter and love as you go about your daily parenting or teaching… I worked with a young 9 year old a number of years ago who had quite angry and aggressive behavioural issues. I was firm with her, and very strict in the standards I set for her behaviourally and academically. But we had a lot of fun as well. She made huge improvements to her behaviour, but her little letter to me doesn’t talk about that. It talks about having fun. And that’s what children remember. They know if you’re helping them, and they know if you’re enjoying your role and if you’re experiencing joy and happiness. I will finish today by including some hints on building your capacity to feel and demonstrate laughter and joy as a parent.... In all your dealings with children ask yourself this question, ‘How much joy, love, light and laughter am I modeling and experiencing?’ Skilled parenting is a process It’s true, parenting is such an important job. It involves lots of hard work and constant maintenance. It requires bucket loads of effort, foresight, knowledge, understanding, thoughtfulness and careful planning as well as endless energy and, unconditional love. There’s no Davina Sharry B.Teach. Grad. Dip. ECE is a senior Early Childhood Specialist with over 18 years experience and is the proud Founder and Director of Powerful Parenting Australia. Davina has spent most of her career passionately helping children of all ages achieve remarkable results with their social and emotional development and behaviour, and is now the author of the highly-effective 12-step program,

such thing as the perfect parent or perfect child, but there is such a thing as skilled parenting. Skilled parenting is a learned wisdom that develops over time. Just as learning new behaviour is a learning process for the child, becoming a skilled behaviour manager is a learning process for the parent. As a part of this learning process, try hard to not lose your ability to bring joy, laughter, light and happiness to your role. Relax, laugh and have some fun Who said parenting had to be so serious? Make it your mission to celebrate all success—yours and your child’s. Your parenting achievements and your child’s behaviour achievements are big, life achievements. Try to relax and enjoy your special time together. Be good natured, polite, kind and happy in all your dealings with your child and you will both reap the rewards. Try to have fun, see the funny side of things and retain your sense of humour. And my absolute last words! Recently, on a website, I found pages and pages of complicated ‘Parental Dos and Don’ts’. So I’ll leave you now with two really simple principles to parent by: 1. If it doesn’t come from a place of love and kindness—then just don’t do it! 2. Only ever use your super ‘Parent Powers’ for the good of all concerned! Happy Parenting! n ‘Powerful Parenting–12 simple steps to behaviour success!’ Davina uses her parent-training speaking presentations and comprehensive, downloadable Powerful Parenting® Program to give parents the proven strategies they need to achieve the same results with behaviour in the home. P +61 (7)3399 9996 M 042 385 2211 Email: davina@powerfulparenting.com.au Web: www.powerfulparenting.com.au

By Kirsty O’Callaghan Kindness is to be compassionate, thoughtful, considerate, and caring. It is a valuable tool in our ‘living life’ tool boxes. Not only will you create a healthier you, a healthier and happier family unit, you will gain more smiles, laughs and thank you’s from those around you than you ever thought possible. You will stop expecting and start participating in being the best you can be. Numerous scientific studies show that acts of kindness result in significant health benefits, both physical and mental. “Helping” contributes to the maintenance of good health, and it can diminish the effect of diseases and disorders serious and minor, psychological and physical. A rush of euphoria, followed by a longer period of calm, after performing a kind act is often referred to as a “helper’s high,” involving physical sensations and the release of the body’s natural painkillers, the endorphins. This initial rush is then followed by a longer-lasting period of improved emotional wellbeing. Stress-related health problems improve after performing kind acts. “Helping” reverses feelings of depression, supplies social contact, and decreases feelings of hostility and isolation that can cause stress, overeat-

parenting

Be Kind, A Family Must! ing, ulcers, etc. A drop in stress may decrease the constriction within the lungs that leads to asthma attacks. “Helping” can enhance our feelings of joyfulness, emotional resilience, and vigour, and can reduce the unhealthy sense of isolation. A decrease in both the intensity and the awareness of physical pain can occur. The health benefits and sense of well-being return for hours or even days whenever the helping act is remembered. An increased sense of self-worth, greater happiness, and optimism, as well as a decrease in feelings of helplessness and depression, is achieved. Once we establish a “connection” with someone - a relationship of friendship, love, or some sort of positive bonding- we feel emotions that can strengthen the immune system. Adopting an altruistic lifestyle is a critical component of mental health. The practice of caring for strangers translates to immense immune and healing benefits. The beneficial effects of increased production of serotonin. Some suggestions to encourage kindness: Model it. The best way to teach your children kindness, and expect close others to show kindness, is not by explaining; it’s by doing. Whether you do volunteer work, mow a neighbour’s lawn or just treat others with dignity and respect, your family will pick up on this and want to copy it. Remember, your actions have to match your words (that means no being nice to someone in person and then talking about them behind their back!) and you behave in a man-

ner that shows respect for others no matter what their financial situation, religion or even personality. And even if someone is not a great person and you dislike them for good reason, you can still be polite. Be kind to your children. If you conduct yourself in a kind, respectful way, children learn what it feels like to be treated kindly, and are more likely to pay it forward. Be kind to your partner. The most important act of kindness your children can see, and the ones who observe you the most, is the way you treat your partner. Not only do they learn how a relationship works, they learn how you treat those you love. Communicate why kindness is important. In an age appropriate way, and not too long winded, talk to your family about why it is essential to be kind and to witness kind acts. Tell them about the health benefits, the benefits to others and the philosophy behind it that fit in with your values and belief systems. Reward kind acts. Children, in fact anybody, loves attention, so shower them with it when they’ve done kind things. Instead of just re-directing and criticising them for not sharing or being rough or rude with another, make a fuss when they do share or give. Help others. Organizations such as the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation and the Pay it Forward Foundation all suggest teaching children kindness by having them do kind acts, such as: Participate in a walk or run that raises money for a good cause. Donate regularly to the local

food bank. Let your child think of ways to help out victims of natural disasters. If you have money to give to charity, ask your children to help you decide who to give to. Initiate a fundraiser through school to help people in need. Make friends. Friendship is the most long lasting way we can show kindness to another person. Encourage your whole family to befriend someone appropriately who is lonely or left out. Watch the language. Words have enormous power. Work on taking away words such as stupid, shut up, idiot and any racist or biased terms. When any member of your family says such words, right away tell them that those words hurt others and ask them to rephrase what they want to say. No need for a big lecture (you want to minimise feeling guilty), just a quick correction. Enjoy kindness. Finally, the whole point of being kind is to make the world a more fun, safe and happy place. So when your family member engages in kind acts, when you witness something kind or even when you’re the recipient of kindness, show your joy. Keep an open discussion about your feelings around kind acts and encourage everyone to feel how wonderful it is to give and receive from others. n Kirsty O’Callaghan is the Owner, Speaker and Principal Coach at Unity-Qld. Kirsty specialises in helpful programmes and toolboxes for Parents. The techniques and strategies Kirsty uses focus on a holistic and individual basis; knowing we are all capable of change, with the right knowledge, tools and support. www.unity-qld.com.au. Phone: +61 7 3482 4295 Mobile: 0402 889 648

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parenting

What kind of

grandparents do you have in your family?

Family life is a bit different now to what it was when I was growing up. People are living longer; families are often “blended” families – having been through changes due to death, divorce or separation of the children’s parents, and families are often spread across the country or even the world. This can make it harder for Grandparents to provide the traditional role of days past. By Lesley Dewar If both parents are working, often Grandparents are needed to help with primary childcare or the support of a child who has special needs. With the rise of the Fly In Fly Out (FIFO) workforce, Grandparents can be invaluable in supporting the individual parent at home. The African proverb is that “it takes a village to raise a child.” Do you need Grandparents to successfully raise children? Grandparents can play a key role in helping to successfully raise children – even though they might not always be present in the physical sense. Grandparents can have enormous degree of

influence on their grandchildren, partly because the child recognises their early parental role and because, being one step removed from Mum or Dad, Grandparents can be fun! Grandparents can be present in a child’s life by “being there” – physically, as a direct presence and emotionally, by being supportive when grandchildren reach out to them. Being there physically means a telephone call, a visit, sharing an event together or making time to be with that child one on one. A note in the mail, an email, a birthday card from a Grandparent to an individual child has great

parenting continued from page 13 value and is never forgotten. One of my step-granddaughters recently married, yet tells me she still treasures a book about flowers and fairies I gave to her nearly twenty years ago. She remembers everything, she says, about the day it was given to her, Other grandchildren still remember Easter egg hunts in the bush at Stoneville; being allowed to eat Tiny Teddy biscuits or doing colouring in on butcher’s paper while we tried to draw pictures from fairy tales. You also convey your personal values, ideals, concepts and expectations by “being there” in the child’s life. It is the way the child learns to trust you, for the day they may need to reach out and ask for emotional support. To feel safe enough to ask questions about life issues confronting them. One national survey of grandparents reported that a variety of activities were engaged in with grandchildren such as: • Joking and kidding • Giving money • Talking about growing up • Giving advice • Discussing problems • Going to church/synagogue • Providing discipline • Taking a day trip • Teaching a skill or game • Watching TV together • Talking about parent/child disagreements Having families which encourage intergenerational contact (grandparents; aunts, uncles, cousins) helps children to be less

Being there physically means a telephone call, a visit, sharing an event together and making time to be with that child one on one. A note in the mail, an email, a birthday card…… fearful of old age, the elderly and to be more connected to other people. It helps build respect for older people, by letting children learn patience and understanding with the frailties of the human body as it breaks down. It also helps them learn to deal with death as a natural part of the life cycle and helps especially when accidental death occurs with younger people. When children are very young, the old can be a little frightening. My elder son was too scared to get out of the car and come inside to see my Grandmother when he was about five and she was about 80. He said to me “No one can be that old and still be alive.” At the same time, a young cousin stroked his Grandmother’s arm and asked her “Is that really skin, Nana, or is it leather?” Now, his Grandparents are in their 90’s, he supports them in many ways and loves them dearly. I have to say he doesn’t always agree with my “tough love” approach with my own Dad who will shortly be 94. Step-grandparents have more challenging roles than natural grandparents, because their place in the family is less clear and often clouded by emotional disputes between the children’s parents and natural grandparents. It is always a great tragedy

when children are denied the opportunity to develop good and long lasting relationships with either grandparents or stepgrandparents, because of the bitter acrimony which often arises during divorces and separation. Often, today’s Grandparents are a world away from their own earlier generations of the parents of their own mother and fathers. They may still be working; travelling as “grey nomads” or retired to a different part of the country or the world. Sadly, some of them will already have passed away and their grandchildren will be the poorer for not knowing them. Not all Grandparents are soft and cuddly, either. Sometimes, it is their own choice to not develop deep relationships with grandchildren and, whatever the reasons, we should respect their right to make a choice. Of course, you can always adopt a Grandparent if you are short of one or two – there are great community programmes for Adopting Grandparents http:// www.adoptagrandparent.com. au/ You might like to check it out and we would love to hear from you, about your family. Tell us what kind of Grandparents you have and why they are special. n Written by Lesley Dewar, Grandmother and Author at http://storiesmynanatells.com

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Transform Your

How to organise your home, life and self. By Claire McFee

life!

This Organizing article tackles common ‘Life Organizing’ concepts and how to create a ‘shift’ of your whole attitude towards your organizing skills - or lack of! Organization covers all aspects of our personal and professional lives and can make a massive difference to the control we have over the direction our lives take. Having met and worked with countless people over the last twelve years who have desperately wanted to get organized, I have found that there are several common denominators. 1. Drowning in ‘clutter’ – especially paperwork and do not know how to handle it. 2. Wanting to focus on personal development/self-improvement but finding it difficult due to a lack of perceived ‘control’ especially of all our possessions. 3. Feeling stuck in unhealthy

relationships and not knowing how to get back to the rewarding and loving relationship you once had. 4. Never having enough money and not knowing where our earnings all go and what our expenditure is. 5. Not being satisfied with our job and wanting to change careers; but being too scared to quit.

transform your life

continued from page 17

These seemingly complicated and overwhelming issues often relate to a need for better life and home organization. Boring I know, but something we all have to come to terms with and find a productive way of dealing with, to be able to take better control of our lives once and for all. The recurring theme is being stuck; unhappy; dis-organized; having no money; no job satisfaction; being in unhappy relationships the list goes on. Pretty depressing isn’t it? Unfortunately that’s how countless people are living their lives. Thankfully there is hope. Here are some areas you can look at and take action in your life. Organizing and Mind shift ‘Baby Steps’ At the end of the day, it’s all a matter of baby steps by looking at the way you have approached organizing your life and the responsibility you take for the decisions you have made along the way and working on changing your attitude for a better future. It all comes down to your frame of mind and re-setting what was ‘normal’ but unhelpful to you, to a new ‘normal’ that is more productive and beneficial. Organizing Storage Solutions Storage solutions are also a big issue if you want to get organized. The big mega stores are great for buying bulk containers to house all your ‘stuff’. I prefer to use big clear containers to put our possessions into, so you can easily see what is in the container and to access it readily if need be.

Lists, Lists and More Lists When you take a step back and are able to re-assess your life and all the clutter – both physical and emotional - you can turn your life around. Unless you have a photographic memory, this requires lots of ‘to do lists’ to keep you on track in conjunction with writing down and planning your short

the way they have, and that you deserve better.

and long term goals. As one of my favourite quotes goes “The weakest pen is better than the strongest memory.” Anon

‘organizing systems’ that work for you. Trial and error is needed here but is worth it! Get the experts in to help of you need to – they may just save your sanity in the process! (we have a list of professional Organisers around the country on our links page on our website.)

From Little Things, Big Things Grow Slowly but surely you will be able to tackle the big and small problems in your life. Start with the little things like keeping on top of cleaning your house, getting household rosters going, planning your day rather than leaving it to chance, having some all important metime to nourish yourself for some much needed ongoing personal development. Before long things will start to fall into place. The most important step is coming to the realization that things cannot go on

Regular Mini Spring Cleans The amount of people who don’t de-clutter their homes once a year/ do a Spring Clean is overwhelming. Keeping on top of your possessions to prevent it getting out of hand is the key. You need to find

Time Management It’s a funny concept – because in reality it’s impossible to control something like time. No one can add any more time to a day of course, but arranging how you spend your time and what tasks you choose to spend your time on is what makes your timemanagement strategy a success – or not! Remember if mothering

Steps towards an Empowered You – Embracing Trust by Coach Bobbi changes nothing changes so if your life isn’t working for you then make but one small change until things start turn around then there will be no stopping you. Your Attitude The first step is addressing ‘you’ and your attitude, then, as mentioned you may want to outsource a lot of hired professional organisational help to fast-track your cleaning, sorting and re-organizing blitz. For many people this is worth every cent. For others including myself, I actually love de-cluttering my own house, as I love the re-organizing process and always feel really proud of the successful job I’ve done. What used to seem overwhelming and depressing can become challenging and rewarding! Who knows - you could feel the same way too. You may also need the help of a counsellor to help bring about this mind shift. It’s amazing what a different perceptive can do to turn our attitude around. Remember it’s never as bad as you think, so stop thinking about it and just do it!! n About Claire McFee Claire is the Creator of the Interactive Organize Your Life e-Organizers- Your Life in Lists and author of the new eBook Organize Your Health and Wellbeing Naturally. Claire started helping people get more out of life by being better organized and improving their Mindset in 1999. Claire knows what it’s like to feel overwhelmed and not know where to start having overcome depression through natural therapies and better organization. Claire is also a Speaker and has been extensively showcased on TV and other mediums. Sign up to her newsletter and receive a free chapter of her new eBook here www.organizeyourlife.com.au

There really is no forward movement and no progression in life without an accompanying level of belief, faith and trust. The Law of Attraction states that what we think about we bring about, which means that whatever we choose to believe about our lives, about others and about our future is what we will indeed experience. This belief applies to what we think about that is positive and also what we think about that is no so resourceful. The benefit in embracing trust creates belief in your outcome. If you believe in your outcome, your focus will be drawn to ways in which you can attain your goal. Your emotions will be positive and your actions will match those required to take the necessary steps to follow through and have what you desire. Your thoughts, feelings and actions are based ultimately on one of two things: Love or Fear. Under the Love ‘umbrella’ you will find compassion, kindness, care, peace, courage, faith, friendship, loyalty and respect. Among this group is the word Trust. Under the Fear ‘umbrella’ you will find resentment, control, war, cowardice, hate and jealousy. Among this group is the word distrust. When you come from a place of distrust, you are coming from a place of fear. What might you fear? Is it an imagined negative outcome, a negative outcome based on a past experience, or an outcome based on a negative belief about yourself? I work a lot with Universal principles,

one of them being that our lives will mirror what we think and feel about ourselves and what action or lack of action we take. Regardless of past life experience, if you choose to take action and embrace trust in its entirety, you can most definitely have a more positive outcome and attract the life you desire. It’s one thing to say you trust. Real empowerment comes from not only saying you trust, but also feeling trustful and taking action to show that you trust. We are tested often on how much we really trust when things aren’t going our way, or we come across a perceived roadblock in our lives. The key to continual forward progression with trust is carrying trust with you in challenging times and still believing that any hiccup is a necessary step in the road toward achieving your goal. A great tool in fully embracing trust and allowing you to move more easily and effortlessly to attaining your goal is to live in ‘hindsight now’. Often something that we thought to be a negative, down the track is shown to be a necessary stepping stone to lead us to a more positive outcome. To keep your momentum in moving forward to your goal, consider that any perceived obstacle may just be a necessary part of your journey. Embracing this way of being releases any thought of distrust and fear and allows thoughts of trust, feelings of trust and actions based on trust to take their rightful place on your journey. n © Ask Coach Bobbi www.askcoachbobbi.com

transform your life

Steps towards an Empowered You – Be the Observer by Coach Bobbi

You may be familiar with self help author Anthony Robbins’ quote “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.” If you repeatedly find yourself reacting in a disempowering way to a situation or person, you will end up with the same disempowering result. Our actions, or reactions, are the end result of an initial belief. This belief controls your thoughts. Your thoughts then create your emotions, which in turn governs your actions. If you often find yourself in a situation where your reaction does not produce the results that you would like, detaching and being the observer can assist you to observe the situation from a place that is separate from your inbuilt beliefs, and

atedly “If you repe lf reacting find yourse owering in a disemp ation or way to a situ will end person, you same up with the ring result” disempowe

perhaps place a new, fresh and more empowered belief on the situation which in turn will result in more positive thoughts, feelings and actions. Choosing to be the observer takes you away from your set beliefs and reactions towards people and life. It opens you up to the possibility that the meaning you have placed on situations or people in the past may not be the only meaning available. Being the observer moves you away from being an ‘already always’ kind of person. Already always’? Sometimes we are so entrenched in our own beliefs, thoughts, emotions and actions, that no matter what the reality may be, we will ‘always’ view something with the same reaction that we have ‘always’ viewed it. We will ‘already’ be in a place of judgment regardless of the fact that it could be viewed from a different perspective along with a different meaning. As an observer you have the ability to not only observe your own life, but also the lives of others and situations you encounter. You have the ability to see from a detached point of view, not an ‘already always’ point of view.

Being the observer takes you out of the emotion of life and connects you to a place of stillness, calm and contemplation. It is moving away from the human ego and into a place more connected to your soul, your core. Being in the midst of disempowering emotions like anger, frustration and resentment is similar to being tossed around in the turbulence of a storm. Being the observer takes you to the eye of the storm to a place relatively peaceful, calm and focused. An easy and effective way to place yourself in the position of observer is to take a situation and in your mind place it on a stage in a theatre. Notice the set, the characters, the costumes and the dialogue. Then, position yourself away from the stage, out of the production and into a seat in the audience. Place yourself in a seat that allows you to notice less attachment, therefore less emotion, to what is being played out on stage. The acts on your life’s stage merely present themselves to give you opportunity to re-act. How you choose to react is present as part of your personal growth, learning and evolution. n © Ask Coach Bobbi www.askcoachbobbi.com

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Relaxation and pelvic floor exercises

EASY STEPS

Incorporating your Pelvic Floor Muscle Training (PFMT) with relaxation is not only a great way to take some time out for yourself, but also allows your body to isolate, work and feel the muscles contracting. This encourages quality contractions, which will in turn improve incontinence and sexual function. Here are some steps to make the most out of your relaxation and PFMT: Choose your time – to meditate or enjoy full relaxation, make sure you have a time when you know you are not likely to be disturbed. Switch off your phone and put either a physical or mental “do not disturb” sign up Choose your place – find a place that encourages relaxation. It may be your bed, a warm bath or a room lit with candles Dump your mental junk – soothing our mind is

about being stern with our internal conversations. Try not to enter into them. This gets easier with practice and a good starting point is every time your catch your mind wandering, bring it back to the even pace of your breathing Feel physically comfortable – loosen or remove your bra or any other items of clothing that feel even slightly constricting. Find the optimal pillow placement. Each time you start your relaxation, this will become part of the ritual to help start you unwinding Surrender – so much of our days and our lives we are under subtle or not so subtle pressure to be in control. This is your time, so physically and mentally surrender. Try imagining you are putting all your worries, hurts or emotions into a box. You can choose to open this box

again later – bathe in your own serenity! Practice your pelvic floor muscle contractions in counts with your breathing - the deeper your concentration becomes as your practice, the more sensation and control you will feel. Listening to a guide may help you focus. Make it part of your routine – relaxation and pelvic floor muscle training is most effective when practiced routinely. Be sure to schedule a date night with yourself and your body regularly! n Mish is the founder and CEO of mishfit. mishfit mothers is a specialised personal training program designed for pregnant and post-natal women, educating women on how to exercise safely and where their babies and children are welcome. mishfit is truly a family friendly small business and is now available as a franchise. Visit www.mishfit.com.au

Does your teenager sleep crazy hours? This is a biological explanation for this based on your teenagers changing circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm is a natural body clock which is triggered by day light first thing in the morning which switches off our sleep hormone, melatonin and activates our “waking” hormone cortisol. In adults this sets to approximately 24 hours, in teenagers however it sets to 25- 26 hours hence why sometimes they like to stay up past midnight and then want to sleep in until midday. How can this be managed I hear you all ask… It is tricky but you might have to ride it through for a few years and just give them chores etc. to do when they wake up. These are some other things though that may be making them over-stimulated:

1. Preservatives Many of the foods we eat, unless straight from garden to table, or farm to table, have preservatives to extend their shelf life. Keeping food basic (no sauces, no pre-packed noodles etc) is a great way to ensure no preservatives 2. TV stimulation Watching crime breaking, murders and police shows is a sure way to rev up any brain. Encourage your kids to watch comedy late at night rather than scary stimulating movies and series 3. Balanced meals Getting good nutrition into this age group is challenging!!! However if you can explain to them the importance of proteins, healthy fats and minimal carbs (only veggies or salads) then they may

One common complaint I hear from parents is that their teenagers are sleeping in. And not just sleeping in a little bit but ALOT!

take not. High carbs at the end of the day can create blood sugar swings which invariable will wake them as it drops (this happens with adults too which is why drinking wine late at night can play havoc with sleep) 4. Stress and study There is a lot of pressure on young folk to perform. Some cope ok and others crumble. Try to touch base with your teenager and see how they are coping. Time off the round-about is important for them as it is for us. Encourage short study burts, activity and laughter to help them manage with this often demanding time. n If you need any other help, I am happy to intervene and coach them with this and more ideas. Contact me at sam@healthqueen.com.au.

The benefits of

part time work

for teenagers

I was talking to my husband recently about how to inspire our children to view “working” as an opportunity to empower themselves with further knowledge and life experiences. My teenagers and my issues When my children were offered part time jobs after high school, both my husband and I were really thrilled and excited for them. We thought that they are really blessed with good jobs with good companies and now had the opportunity to learn from their involvement; however, they didn’t seem to share our enthusiasm. Around the same time, another friend just told me that his son quit his part time job as a supervisor at a retail store, as he found the pressure of the responsibility of balancing the till at the end of the day and tidying up the shop for the next day was not what he wanted to experience… I was dumbfounded to say the least. The conversation with my husband prompted me to write this article and I was asking myself the following questions: Am I being unrealistic in expecting the younger generation to appreciate the benefits of working?

•

• •

•

Do they deem working only as a means of earning pocket money? Do they take the job opportunity for granted? Do they actually feel that they do not need the work as they can still live off their parents? Thinking….thinking….I am still thinking…!

The benefits of working Working reaps many benefits. I would like to share my thoughts about why teenagers should get a part time job and how they can actually benefit from it. Firstly, teenagers must acknowledge that to be able to work and contribute to the community is a privilege. However, working requires discipline and compromise in their social lives. ‘Working part time’ while studying is not only as a means of earning some extra cash (which is very important), it has so much more to offer at the same time.

Let’s use the example of a high school student with part time work as an example. He or she will benefit through: 1. Discipline of turning up on time for work 2. Following instructions and learning to take on responsibility 3. Conflict resolution – how to resolves issues at work and working harmoniously in a group 4. Time Management – how to manage school work while working and yet maintain their physical health in check 5. Financial independence – the pride of being able to be in charge of his or her own finances 6. How to liaise with customers

For university students, being in a workforce can be more significant: 1. All the above 2. Leadership opportunities: most of university students may be working as supervisors with more responsibilities (being in charge of the day to day earnings, day to day running of the store, rosters for casual workers, cleanliness of the shop… etc) 3. Relate the work experience back to the course they are studying. For example, for accounting students, they will have the opportunity to learn how the accounting system of the store works; and for the sociology, marketing or

psychology students, they learn about customer behavior, and how to improvise the marketing strategies together with the store manager… Learn different technologies in the day to day running of the business Communicating on a professional level with clients, company executives and company associates The confidence that they will gain from dealing with people and accomplishing their work Most importantly, the pride the students will gain for being financially independent and take charge of their lives.

To all the teenagers out there, celebrate that you are being entrusted with a great honour and responsibility. Treat your part time work as a step for empowerment and not just as a source of pocket money. If you adopt a positive mindset and make the most of this experience, the many benefits are there for you to reap! To all the parents, are you sharing the same message of inspiration? If you have teenagers with part time work, let’s celebrate and share your experiences. n Lay-Ean Eng is the founder and owner of GoKids and GoParents. Lay-Ean two young adult children and is very passionate about helping parents create connections with their children from a young age. Lay-Ean has spent the past 20 years working very closely with her now grown up children and has used her experience to create fun activities for young children and parents, to work together and enjoy the experiences and connections through those activities. Lay-Ean also works closely with parents, to help them find clarity in themselves and balance in their lives, and find the confidence to be the person and parent they set out to be. Lay-Ean set up GoParents recently to interview parenting experts through tele-seminars, to share their expertise and experiences, to help parents with everyday parenting issues. www.goparents.com.au

Let’s do a

SUPER lunch! Kids Need Fuel to get through the day! Kids of all ages need a wealth of nutrition to support their growing bodies and developing minds. Big kids also require a highly nutritious diet too! Superfoods for Kidz are not only SUPER nutritious but extremely easy to incorporate into your daily diet. All of our Superfood formulations contain ‘Whole Foods’ and are packed with nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, omega’s, bioflavanoids, fibre and phytonutrients. They are also organic, gluten, dairy, soy and nut free. Just REAL Superfoods, no numbers, flavours or additives - and are guaranteed to be yummy and delicious! Families coping with allergies, nutritional problems, learning problems and fussy eaters find our products invaluable and easy to incorporate into their daily routine. Here are some great nutritional pointers to keep in your memory banks when preparing the kids daily menus!

1. Energy to sit, learn and play… It has been proven that diet quality affects academic performance, as well as the ability to concentrate, sit still in the classroom and compete in sporting activities. A Low GI diet also assists with this as the energy is released into the body slowly allowing the blood sugar in the body to be regulated. All of our product range will help here…

Pack in lunch: Berry Choc Chunk Lunchbox Bar Ideas: Berry Choc Chunk smoothie for breakfast or as part of your breakfast (i.e. sprinkled on cereal, on toast with some honey, or in a glass of milk) 2. Berries and Antioxidants for the day… As we all know daycare centres, kindies and schools are a breeding ground for bugs, it’s so important to have a really healthy and strong immune system. C Berry Blast is the answer with loads of naturally occurring vitamin C (some of the highest sources in the world seabuckthorn , rosehips, camu

camu and kakadu plum) and Zinc Pack in lunch: yoghurt sprinkled with C Berry Blast, C Berry Blast and Tahini on your sandwiches - also great with peanut butter or honey Ideas: C Berry Blast Muffins, C Berry Blast on your cereal, a spoonful in the morning, on your dessert at night or simply served with a glass of milk or in a smoothie 3. Iron out the creases… Kids suffering from iron deficiencies have difficulty with coordination, body balance, and language skills, are tired and also score lower on mental development tests. There are a variety of sources for iron such as meat and green veggies… but did you know that 1 teaspoon of raw cacao (the main ingredient in our Berry Choc Chunk and lunchbox bars) gives more than 100% of the recommended daily allowance of Iron! Pack in lunch: Berry Choc Chunk Lunchbox Bar, ham, cheese and tomato sandwich sprinkled with Vital Veggie Power, Rice or noodle salad sprinkled with Vital Veggie Power, Vital Veggie Power Savoury Muffins, Berry Choc Chunk Muffins or

Berry Choc Chunk Balls Ideas: Vital Veggie Power sprinkled on some Hot Chips, Tastes great with yoghurt and ice cream too! 4. Bone and Muscle rescue with Calcium and Magnesium We all know that our kids are growing like weeds. They are always active and their bodies have a massive need for calcium and magnesium to support them through all of their bodies changes – they even need it for new teeth! Choc Berry Chunk and the lunchbox bars are our saviors here. Chia seeds (in our lunchbox bars) actually have more calcium than milk and are more readily absorbed by the body. The wild harvested organic cacao in our Berry Choc Chunk is the world’s top natural source of magnesium! Pack in lunch: A lunchbox Bar! Have some chia seeds mixed with your breakfast or Berry Choc Chunk smoothie Ideas: Crumble your lunchbox bar in yogurt or ice cream, put some Berry Choc Chunk in your baking, in a smoothie or even on pancakes with yoghurt.

5. Omega’s for us please It’s really important for our kids to have lots of omegas to enhance their learning potential and growing brains. It will also help with their attention spans, behaviour, and moods. Omega fats are important to every organ of the body. Omegas are found in our Vital Veggie Power, Berry Choc Chunk, Lunchbox Bars and C Berry Blast. Pack in lunch: Sushi with Vital Veggie Power in the rice, Bake your own bread and put some Vital Veggie Power in the dough, Tuna Sandwiches sprinkled with Vital Veggie Power, a lunchbox bar! Berry Choc Chunk Muffins or homemade muesli bars with Berry Choc Chunk. Ideas: Add Vital Veggie Power to Tuna Patties, avocado dip, scrambled eggs, hommus, on top of homemade pizza, on cheese toasties

For More information, ideas or to order go to: www.superfoodsforkidz.com.au

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snack attack

Autumn/Winter Afternoon Snack Attack Lost for ideas? Here are suggestions from our contributors.

Monday Honey Soy Chicken Wings Ingredients: 1 pound chicken wings 2 tbsp cooking oil 2 tbsp honey 2 tbsp sesame seeds 4 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste salt according to taste spring onions, for garnishing

ginger garlic paste and cook for another 2 minutes. Now add soy sauce. Reduce heat to low and let it simmer for 10 minutes chicken is tender. Add honey and sesame seeds. Mix well. Stir fry for 2 minutes.

Transfer into a serving dish. Sprinkle spring onions and sesame seeds over it. Serve hot with Fried Rice. For more amazing, healthy snack and meal ideas visit www.allhealthyrecipes.net

Method: Heat oil in a pan or deep wok. Put chicken wings in hot oil. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until its change the colour Season with salt and pepper. Add

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Home made fruit muffins

Cheese & Veggie Pikelets multicolored

Chicken Noodle Soup

Home Made Popcorn

For the full recipe visit

www.taste.com.au

For the full recipe visit www.allhealthyrecipes.net

silicon shapes from www.lunchboxeswithlove.com

Perfect for baking fun meals for kids and separating foods in lunchboxes.

Pure Poppet Natural Play Makeup for children. Developed to be safer for sensitive, young skin. Pure Poppet childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s makeup is all about playing, dressing up, creating characters, having heaps of fun and doing it safely. There are no nasty surprises in Pure Poppet products as they are made in Australia from natural ingredients that are safe for precious skin. $39.95 www.purepoppet.com

Soothing Moisturising Eczema Cream. For the treatment of minor skin disorders such as wounds, eczema, dermatitis, may assist in the formation of scar tissue. Anti-inflammatory helps to reduce itch and irritation. Help to moisturise and reduce the inflammation of sunburn. $10.99 www.naturewithin.com.au

Tumblemonkey Handmade wool tumbledryer balls. Save time, money and energy. Simply throw them in your tumbledryer and leave them there. Use your dryer as normal. Maintenance free. 100% natural wool. Our customers report a saving of 30-50% on your drying time per standard load. Buy our balls and you will start saving money immediately on your energy bills! Available in sets of 6. Natural cream color ($24.00) cookies & cream colors ($24.00) OR noveltry faces ($30.00) www.tumblemonkeyhandmade.com

LittleShoppers Bamboo Flushable Biodegradable Nappy Liners. Modern Cloth Nappy Users Get a Spare 30 Mins a Day Using them. Liner sits inside modern cloth nappy to catch poo poos. They flush away in your toilet with piece of mind knowing its biodegradable. Bamboo is a natural organic product perfect for bubs sensitive skin. Saving you time cleaning & Washing Your Cloth Nappies $24.95 www.littleshoppers.com.au

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Melt the Fat Away! When I first heard of the new Fat Zapping Body Spa I was a little sceptical on how a hand held machine could erase my baby belly and the cellulite I had accumulated, but since my friend Ann was raving about it, I thought it might be worth checking out. And boy was I glad I did! Ann told me that clinical trials had shown that after 8

Before 101cm

After 4 treatments 97cm

weeks of using the fat zapper 96% of participants had shown and improvement in the appearance of their thighs and 85% on their abdomen. I definitely wanted to try this, then she showed me some before and after photos of local girls, check them out...

Ann applied the gel to my leg, and ran the spa over my leg for 5 minutes, although the spa beeped every 10 seconds to let us know it was live I didn’t feel a thing, apparently the machine emits a micro-current which pulsates increasing blood flow and fluid elimination and literally zaps away that fat, and the body gel is special formulated to detoxify firm and slim the body. After 5 minutes the machine beeped to let us know it had finished and Ann wiped off the gel and smoothed on a second lotion which would further enhance the process over the next 24hrs. You could already see a difference in the tone of my leg, and the cellulite definitely looked smoother, amazing!! This gadget is definitely on my To Do list this year. Ann also has a wrinkle iron (don’t worry it isn’t hot) which works on a similar principal to the fat zapper, toning and firming the more delicate skin on your face and it comes with a range of anti-aging skin-care which actually works

“We did a half-face demo and I saw an immediate change in my face, one side looked lifted and firmer, my eye was more open and the fine lines around my eyes had disappeared. WOW”

30 March 2010

28 April 2010

We did a half-face demo and I saw an immediate change in my face, one side looked lifted and firmer, my eye was more open and the fine lines around my eyes had disappeared.WOW 12 August 2010

If you are interested in loosing that baby belly, get rid of your cellulite, tone up those tuck shop lady arms, or just wanted to look younger then definitely give Ann a call on 0424 656 097 or email her on ann.whitaker@houseofcolour.com The difference one 5 minute demo made to me was amazing! http://www.facebook.com/fatzapper

ZAGAME’S

Paradise Resort & Waterpark family deal Zagame’s Paradise Resort on the Gold Coast is a family favourite. With a range of accommodation and activities you can relax knowing the kids are having a ball in the Paradise Resort million dollar Zone 4 Kids. With a choice of fully supervised sessions daily, Z4K caters for babies and toddlers right through to 12 year olds. Zagame’s Paradise Resort Gold Coast now offers the BIGGEST Resort Aqua

Play Water Park in the Southern Hemisphere. The entire central resort area has been transformed into a massive water playground, featuring a giant central pool, large heated spa and 2 enormous Aqua Play attractions. The larger structure standing 3 stories high on multi levels is complete with a myriad of slides, water cannons and jets designed to entertain and engage the whole family in aquatic fun. Topping it all off is a giant bucket that fill with 600 litres of water before emptying every few minutes over guests below in one enormous splash. The littlies have not been forgotten either, with their own smaller version of Aqua Play, with slides and a second giant

tipping water bucket. There’s also a new paddling area especially for them with a gently sloping beach entry. Packages from $144 per room per night, including: • Accommodation in a Resort Room for 2 adults and up to 2 children 0-12 years • 4 hours supervised care daily in fantasy themed Zone 4 Kids club for babies & toddlers through to 12 year olds • Unlimited entry to our giant Z4K Waterpark • Daily activities & entertainment • Minimum stay 2 nights

Child policy: Kids Stay and Play FREE package: Free Zone 4 Kids club for 0-12 years, (maximum one session per child per day for 0-4 years, one session per child per day for 5-12 years). 13 years and above adult rates apply. *Saturday nights, public holidays may attract a higher rate *Subject to availability Phone BYOkids…your family travel guru’s for further information on 1300 296543 or book online at http://www.byokids.com.au//content/view/701/181/ www.byokids.com.au

Creating a great

birthday

party without the additives by Melanie Avery

Let’s all think back to our own childhood birthday parties and what they consisted of; fun party games (such as pass the parcel, pin the tail on the donkey, musical statues, musical chairs, apple bobbing, piñatas, face painting and balloon games), good friends, yummy (mostly home cooked) party foods and an awesome birthday cake (awesome because it was just for you!)

Somewhere along the way, parents got busy, time poor, competitive and people pleasing. This in turn has lead to large birthday parties that can include a jumping castle, face painter, clown, fairy entertainer, expensive

birthday cake (this would be loaded with additives and the children won’t like it), a large table loaded with pre-packaged party foods (hence loaded with additives) and take home bags overloaded with more lollies (and

additives)! So let’s stop and ask ourselves, does it have to be this way? Is there another option? Yes there is! Creating a fun and colourful, additive free birthday party is as easy as ABC: Acquire a theme for the party - basic or detailed, the choice is yours. Whether a favourite character or colour, both will work just as well. Bring back the good old party games - as few or as many as you like, make sure they are age

appropriate and the kiddies will have a ball. Cook some tasty, additive free goodies for the day - you won’t needs loads of food as the party games will keep them busy! The most important thing to remember is that all children LOVE to feel special and that is what a birthday party is all about – celebrating them. As long as they have a party with their friends with their parents’ involvement, they will feel on top of the world.

Classic party recipes Easy Cupcakes Ingredients: 125g pure butter 1 tsp natural vanilla essence ½ cup caster sugar 2 eggs 1 cup plain flour 2 tsp baking powder ¼ cup milk

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES Replace 2 tbs of the measured flour from the original cupcake recipe with Nestle` cocoa. Ice with chocolate icing.

CHOCOLATE ICING 60g pure butter 1 tbsp cocoa powder 1 cup pure icing sugar METHOD: Pre-heat oven to 1 tbsp milk METHOD: Using an electric 190°C. Line 12 cup patty mixer, beat on low speed pan tin with patty cases. until combined. Beat for a Cream butter, vanilla, sugar until light and fluffy. further minute on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Chicken Balls Sift flour and baking powder together and fold into Ingredients: 500g minced chicken creamed mixture. Stir in milk. Spoon mixture evenly 1 tsp chopped parsley into paper cases. Bake for (optional) 1 clove minced garlic 15 minutes or until cakes (optional) spring back when lightly 1 egg touched. 1 cup crushed organic Transfer to rack to cool. When cold, decorate with rice flakes or cornflakes an additive-free icing and or homemade breadcrumbs if not gluten topping ideas. Makes 12. free Variations: Sea salt to taste Olive oil BUTTERFLY CAKES Cut a slice from the top METHOD: Place rice flakes of each cupcake. Cut (or substitute) into a bowl this in half. Place a tsp and mix in salt. Combine of whipped cream chicken mince, parsley (Meadowvale or Pura) in and garlic in another each hole. Arrange wings bowl. Form into balls. Dip on the cakes and dust with balls in egg and then coat icing sugar. in crushed rice flakes.

Heat some oil in a frypan and shallow fry chicken balls until cooked through. Can be served by putting toothpicks or paddle pop sticks into them. Honey Caramel Popcorn Grease baking pan and line base and sides with baking paper. Place 1/3 cup pure honey, 2/3 cup caster sugar and 60g pure butter in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring for 6-7 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil without stirring for 5-6 minutes or until light golden. Working quickly, pour the caramel over popcorn and stir to combine. Spoon into prepared pan and set aside to cool completely. Break into pieces. Serve.

Let’s Party Here are some fun party games and delicious recipes to get you started, taken from our book ‘Let’s Party! Additive Free’. 1. Egg and spoon race. If real eggs aren’t for you (make sure they are hard boiled!), plastic variations can be purchased in toy shops. 2. Musical statues. All you need is some music that you can pause or stop and let the kids get funky! 3. Pin the tail on the donkey. This game (and variations such as pin the handbag on the girl and soccer ball on the goal) can be purchased from most supermarkets or discount stores.

For more great ideas visit Melanie at http://www.letspartyadditivefree.com

www.PricelessExchange.com

feature

Is Home Schooling an Option For You? Andrea Pelikan shares her story on how and why she decided to home school her three children. Q.How old are your children that you home school? A. My daughter is 7 and my twin boys are 6 years old Q. What age did they start home schooling? A. 5 years old Q. Have they ever attended daycare/ pre-school? A.No Q. Do you teach the children yourself or do you get help? A. I teach math, reading, writing, geography. We have a music teacher and art teacher. Q. How many hours a day are the children home schooled, and do they have a set routine? A.We spend 1.5-2 hours per day schooling

Q. What was the reason/s for you to have your children home schooled? What are the benefits? A. My children are very sensitive, i feel that there is too much pressure on children these days, they are too young having to deal with so much. Also the teachers arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t able to take each childs unique way to learn into account. Teaching them at home it enables me to tap into each of my childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s way to learn. Q. Do your kids get to go on excursions? A. There are so many families

homeschooling. We have super support groups, we have escursions, sports days and group learning! Q. Will your kids be home schooled when they get to High School age? A. I take it year by year, if for any reason one of my children would wanna go to school i would not stop them. Q. You run a business from home and have your kids home with you, so how do you manage to get any work done? A. I have a demi-pair living with us. Every day at 3pm I sit into my office and work. I

teach in the morning, and my children are used to me working, if i do need to take a phone call, i just tell my kids to take a break! My mum helps me as well, she looks after the kid some mornings and i just hand her the school stuff for the day Q. Where can people find out information to home school their children? A. Join local homeschool groups or the HEA http:// www.hea.edu.au/ Andrea Pelikan works from home and runs her own business www. pricelessexchange.com n

parents in business

5 ways to skyrocket your profits

By Simone Outteridge

Growth is on every business owners mind. Regardless if you are a small business owner or a larger sized business owner we all want to grow our business and have better results than the year before or even the month before. Believe it or not there are 5 simple keys to improving your business profits. This article will outline each of the 5 keys in the order in which to tackle them. Margin Business is all about leftover not turnover and the best way to have more leftover is to have a higher margin. Margin % is made up of your incoming revenue and the outgoing expenses. Gross margin % is revenue â&#x20AC;&#x201C; cost of sales / revenue x 100. The net margin % calculation is gross profit â&#x20AC;&#x201C; expenses / revenue x 100.

The simplest way to have a better margin, is to decrease your expenses. Have a detailed look at all of your expenses and ask yourself where you can cut costs. Can you get a better mobile phone plan? Can you get cheaper insurance? Can you negotiate better prices with your suppliers? Increase your average $ale value When was the last time you increased your prices? Increasing your prices will lead to a higher average sale value and more revenue.

parents in business

continued from page 39

Many business owners are scared of increasing their prices, but the reality is we live in a world where we have inflation and the costs of goods is always increasing. You don’t need to increase prices by huge amounts. The customer does generally not notice small incremental increases. Those customers that do are probably shopping on price anyway, so you were always going to lose them at some point. Improve your conversion rate A conversion rate is the number of people that turn into customers after making an inquiry. For example if you have 10 people call you in a week to inquire about your services and 4 of them buy, then you have a 40% conversion rate. If you own an online business you can measure your conversion rate by the number of hits on your site vs. the number of purchases made. Some of the ways to improve your conversion rate are: add value to the customer, clearly define what benefits the customer will have from using your product or service and give a guarantee. Get your customers buying more often This is where nurturing your customer comes in. It costs more to get a new customer than it does to keep an existing one happy. Make your customers feel special. Keep in contact with them even when they are not in your store or using your service. Find out what they like, what needs they

town to get a coffee from this place. They could put their prices up 20% and I would still pay! Yes of course the coffee is good, but I live in Melbourne so you rarely find a bad coffee here! What can you do in your business to get your customers coming back more often and don’t just discount! Everyone does that!

Many business owners are scared of increasing their prices, but the reality is we live in a world where we have inflation and the costs of goods is always increasing

have that your business could help them with and create your marketing around that to pull your customers back in time after time. Coffee is a great example. I like to drink 1 cup of nice coffee a day. My local café knows me by name, knows what kind of coffee I drink and even knows the type of muffins I (occasionally!) like to eat. That makes me feel special, so I go out of my way to get a coffee from that shop. I have even been known to drive half way across

Increase your leads, get more customers. This is where your marketing comes into it. This is where you let customers know, who you are and what you do. More importantly it’s where you let them know how you can help solve their problems. Everyone is time poor so having marketing materials that state your business name and what you do isn’t enough. You need to catch people’s attention. Think back to some advertising material that caught your attention, whether it be a magazine ad, newsletter, radio commercial and ask yourself what was it about that particular material that caught your attention and did it call you into action? There are lots of ways to generate leads that don’t have to cost you any money at all. The more exposure you can get, the more leads you will generate and the more customers you have the opportunity to convert! n If you would like to explore further how to increase profits in your business call me for an obligation free chat. Simone Outteridge 0422 741 255 or email me on simone@outeredge.net.au

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parents in business

Mums! By Alli Price

STOP selling

yourselves

short!

I received an email from one of my mentoring mums the other day. She was questioning her role on my site as she did feel ‘…rather a small pea compared to the fantastically high profile mothers…’ I had on board. It wasn’t the first email of this type and it won’t be the last. And every time I receive this sort of correspondence it makes me want to shout the same thing – ‘Mums! Stop selling yourself short!’ I’m not sure why, whether it’s the time away from the workforce, the moving into new fields of business, gradual wearing down by your kids or other reason but I have never come across a group of people who (in general) so grossly underestimate themselves.

parents in business

At a time when we are all juggling home, kids, husbands, social lives, work, business etc etc and proving how amazing we are on a daily basis you would think we would all be walking ego maniacs but the opposite is true. Instead of referring to the incredible things we are achieving, we keep insisting on comparing ourselves with other people, other achievements, our own mothers and coming up short. But let me let you in on a few realisations I have picked up along the way: That businessmum is more highprofile than you because she has been in business for 10 years longer or has had the money to spend on PR or her husband’s in business with her etc. Her journey is different to yours and therefore you are in different places, so there is no point in comparison. Hell! Stop comparing yourself with others all together! If you must use people as a yardstick, simply observe where they are and recognise this is where you would like to be and make it happen. But don’t let it make you feel bad. No one person has it that together – you don’t see them curled up in a ball on the bed at home dealing with stress, doubts, disappointment and depression. They will always show a different face to the world and it will always look good from the outside.

continued from page 43

We are amazing people with education, travel, career, business and mothering behind us. We also have eyes and ears, we have opinions and ideas, friends and contacts. Even if you are just starting out in business you will always have something to offer because you have lived and have experience to draw on. So, what am I going to write back

to my mentor? That I chose her because I see something in her that she should also be able to see. That she is an intelligent, experienced, bright woman and that I see what she has to offer my clients, even if she doesn’t. And the reason I chose my other mentors wasn’t because they were high-profile but for exactly the same reason she is on my books. And then I’m going to shout Mum! Stop selling yourself short! n

AUSTRALIA’S LEADING BUSINESS WOMAN ARE TOGETHER FOR 3 DAYSfor ONLY3 TO ALIGN, EXECUTE australia’s leading business woman are together days only to & ACCELERATE YOUR BUSINESS. align, execute and accelerate your business Stereo UN Typical Success is about having an abundance of time, money and energy to do everything you want to do. It is knowing that there is no space for limited thinking and sacrifice. The Stereo UN Typical Success Intensive is about being proactive and taking action so you will be getting down and dirty with your business. This is a highly interactive workshop that is all about you! You leave with most of the work already done, customised practical business tools and strategies ready for extreme growth. The Stereo UN Typical Success Intensive isn’t learnt business ideas. Everything shared over the 3 days has been tried and tested had proven success with outstanding results, not once but 1000’s of times. So brace yourself…get ready to take your business to the extreme. You Get:        

You walk away with a well thought out, structured and super solid business model personalised to you and your business. A super clever and super savvy marketing plan to get you massive traffic and leads into your business The ultimate super deadly editorial plan to get you massive amounts of FREE publicity How you can be the authority, go-to, expert and socialite in your niché Branding and Marketing advice for the new economy Real life success stories to help motivate and inspire you to be all you can be Insights and advice on wealth creation so you can enjoy a life filled with the freedom to do whatever you want when you want Tax advice and how you can avoid paying too much tax and how to optimise your earnings

Who is this for?         

The Business Woman The Mumpreneur The WAHM The Start Up The Woman Wanting Extreme Growth Any product Any service Any business We have worked with everyone with our breakthrough products and had proven success with outstanding results time and time again.

Go to www.stereountypical.com www.stereountypical.com and see our incredible line up & get your seat to the business event of the year! STRICTLY LIMITED SEATS Strictly LIMITED SEATS

inkspot

parents in business in the spotlight

Juggling the Kids and a Business? That’s nothing. Try being a Printer Cartridge! The typical day of a Business Owner and Mum from the eye’s of a printer cartridge. Sitting in a box with 99 other cyan ink cartridges is a bit claustrophobic. Luckily it did not take too long for an order to be made so I could make my escape. I had been waiting in this box dreaming of the day I will be able make it inside the printer of my dreams. To show the trueness of my color, and give clarity to the words and pictures I bring to life on paper. Little did I know the journey I would make to achieve this dream, was not what I had imagined it to be. I did very soon make it out of the box I was waiting in, located in a

Inkspot Bayside Danielle Thompson Bayside Shopping Centre, Shop K035, 28 Beach St, Frankston, 3199 phone: 03 9781 5550 mobile: 0417 552 946 OR 0417 552 946 email: danielle@inkspotbayside.com.au website: www.inkspot.net.au/bayside

warehouse for printer cartridges. I was taken out as part of an order made by an Inkspot Franchisee Danielle. Myself together with a number of my other new found cartridge friends were boxed and placed in the back of Danielle’s car, ready for our journey to a bright glass showcase where

we would be proudly displayed to passing customers. However we were not long into the journey when I soon realized that this was going to be an interesting trip. Not long after our journey commenced there was crying, intermittent demands for food, and constant asking of ‘when are

we going to go home?’ Then not long after that a foul odor wafted throughout the box, where me and my ink cartridge buddies were trapped without a peg. Danielle then stopped the car and we had to wait while she changed her son’s nappy, and arranged food for her daughter. After starting back on the trip sometime later, we finally reach our destination; the Inkspot Kiosk at Bayside Shopping Centre, in Frankston. Excited to have finally arrived, I along with my ink cartridge buddies were we handed over to one of Danielle’s Inkspot staff to proudly place for display in the glass shelves. Ahhhh, there I sat all pleased as a punch and full of colour. I watched Danielle for a while as she served some customers, assisted the staff with questions, re-arranged the counter displays, while at the same time keeping an eye on her

kids. The youngest asleep in his pram in the shop, and her daughter who was trying her best to get up to mischief to get her mums attention. After about 2 hours, Danielle then collected her things in preparation to leave to take the kids home. But just before she did, Danielle opened the glass door of the shelf I was displayed in and picked me up along with three other colour ink cartridges. She placed us in a biodegradable plastic bag, and carried us out of the store. Yes, the kids came too. After another noisy car ride, we made it to our next destination, Danielle’s Home office. I began to ask myself,

‘What am I doing here?’ I thought I was destined for glory in the printer of my dreams, working with my friends to produce beautiful coloured documents and pictures. But now I sit on Danielle’s desk among a pile of accounts, staff timesheets, customer orders, stock order lists and more. Danielle quickly gives her son a bottle and changes another stinky nappy. Poooh! While I sit on the desk feeling down about my future, Danielle continues to work and juggle the kids. Responding to emails, answering phone calls and messaging her staff on Skype. She prints out documents from her

Danielle owns and runs an Inkspot Printer Cartridge Franchise in Bayside Shopping Centre, Frankston. While the story above is a basic snapshot of her day, it is very clear that balancing being a mum with little kids, and running a business is a challenge. Having asked her what her top recommendations are for success in business. These are her responses. • Do your homework and make sure you can get back what you put in, in everyway. • Employ great staff • Make your customers feel special. Get to know their name, remember their order etc • Focus on the customer experience. • Be inventive with displaying and marketing your product

printer when suddenly she picks me up, pulls me out of my box, and places me very gently into her printer. Finally, my chance to shine. What a journey that was. n

Mum and Munchkin aims to bring new, innovative practical and affordable products to parents in North Queensland. Distributor for Toddler Tints™ which is the latest technology in car window shades.

www.facebook.com/MumandMunchkin email: mumandmunchkin@gmail.com

parents in business in the spotlight

Coccinella Coccinella is an Italian word which stands for Lady Bug, consisting of ecological and natural products that are also quite beautiful and colourful. 1.Renata, tell us about your business? As you have probably already guessed Coccinella is an Italian word which stands for Lady Bug, consisting of ecological and natural products that are also quite beautiful and colourful. As a mother of a little girl suffering from sensitive skin I have seen very clearly how certain fabrics can affect her skin, shortly after putting on her clothes the areas making skin contact are red and irritated. Once you have experienced a sad little person crying because their skin is sore you will be more alert when choosing brands. But with more and more labels manufacturing their clothing overseas using cheap fabrics and toxic chemicals it is not always easy to find a skin-friendly alternative at your local shopping centre. I started ordering my daughterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clothing and toys from Poland and from Europe where manufacturers have to produce eco-friendly products that have passed extensive testing and meet the highest of safety and quality standards. But buying from overseas is not an option for every mum, shipping can be expensive and orders can take weeks to arrive. By opening my own online store

I can now bring to Australia some of my favourite brands. All Natural, Eco friendly and chemical free. Now everyone can experience the softest, cutest toys and clothes they have ever seen. 2. How long have you been in business? I started my business in May 2011 just before my daughters first birthday and as you can imagine it was not as easy as it sounds. Most businesses struggle to be self sufficient the 1st year or two and that is still the case with ours. But as everyone well knows hard work and dedication will eventually pay off and that is my hope for the future. 3. What did you do before you started your business? I have a Masters in Economics from the University in Poland. For many years I used to work as financial advisor for a bank in Warsaw in Poland. I eventually migrated to Australia where I met my husband and we started a family. 4. Do you run your business from home? Yes my business is completely home based. 5. Do you have children/ how old are they? My daughter’s name is Anastasia and she is 19 months old. We also have a 6 year old boy named Sascha from my husband’s previous relationship. 6. How do you manage running your business and being a mum? Being a mum and a wife and also creating a business and advertising my products was incredibly hard

and time consuming, even more so with a small child at home and a bigger child coming home from his workplace every night :) Also stockpiling the different products and brands was economically draining leaving me with hardly any money for the day to day living expenses.

7. What are your top 5 Tips for Success in Business? • Advertising and Marketing. • Communication (with customers and suppliers) • Believe in yourself. • Believe in your product. • Have fun. n

To Read more Business in the Spotlight go to http://toddlerstoteens.tv/category/feature-business/

www.nanaclairsgifts.com.au

parents in business

Demystifying

affiliate marketing

I love affiliate marketing but in my experience most business owners are a little bewildered at how it can work for their business. There are two sides to affiliate marketing, firstly you can drive sales and traffic to your website the other is by actually generating a passive income from your existing website. Let’s demystify both options; Using affiliate marketing to grow your business Affiliate marketing is basically a referral system where you reward referrers (affiliates) with commission for any business they send your way. For example if I put a link on my website to your online shop and someone clicks

through and makes a purchase you would pay me for the referral. The amount you pay is determined by you as the merchant (seller). You as the merchant can opt to pay per click, per lead or as a % of the sale value and supply a range of banners or text advertisements for me the affiliate to display on my website. The easiest way to set up as a merchant or seller is to use a network, clixgalore and commission monster are a couple of the larger ones in Australia. It’s one central online location where merchants can load all their banners and links and hundreds of affiliates can access the information and start promoting. The great thing is that many

parents in business

affiliates are ready and waiting to sell. As a merchant, it’s a simple, quick and easy way to drive traffic to your website and its true pay for performance marketing. No sales = no cost. Making a passive income from affiliate marketing If you have a website that has a lot of content and receives good traffic then you might want to consider looking at using affiliate marketing to generate some

As a merchant, it’s a simple, quick and easy way to drive traffic to your website and its true pay for performance marketing. No sales = no cost.

additional income. The best affiliate websites usually focus on a specific topic ie travel, technology, kids, health, parenting, cooking etc. Developing a website around a niche you know, love and are passionate about is the most successful way to affiliate market.

continued from page 51

You simply join a network as an affiliate and then apply to merchant programmes whose products would be of interest to your readers. Once approved you will be offered a selection of banners and text that will help you promote the merchants products. Simply chose the ones you like and you’ll be given the code for the banner which includes the tracking link. Once you install the code into your webpage any clicks will be tracked and you’ll be paid the nominated commission. The actual income you make varies depending on the merchant and the products you sell. Typically most merchants pay around 10% commission. When you sign up for merchant programs you can see the commission rate offered. When choosing which products to promote look for merchant websites that offer a good shopping cart and are easy to navigate from product to sale. The wonderful thing about affiliate marketing is that once you have your content rich websites up and running you will be rewarded with a passive income for the life of the website. Build a database to market to and you’ve got even more ways to generate an income. n

Leah Squire is the author of “Marketing with No Money …how to get your business the attention it deserves” and founder of internet based travel company www. byokids.com.au …your family travel gurus. Leah started BYOkids just over 3 years ago with $1000 and a marketing budget of zero. The now multi-million dollar company was awarded best new business in Australia 2007 and best micro business in Australia. Leah writes and speaks regularly on a variety of topics including marketing strategies for small business, women in business, affiliate marketing and social media www.marketingwithnomoney.com

Information and Help Lines

Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800

Lifeline 13 11 14

Beyond Blue Depression Support

1300 22 4636

Unity Qld Family & Relationship Support www.unity-qld.com.au

Powerful Parenting Australia Behaviour Management www.powerfulparenting.com.au

www.swap-it-here.ning.com

parents in business

Top ‘10’ expert virtual assistant in business tips

– free up your time! Make sure that you don’t travel down the same path in your business every year. By Hazel Theocharous

The following 10 tips have assisted and continue to assist a number of small business owners to move up to the next level and reach higher for the goals which have been set. Tip 1) Educate Yourself It is never too late to educate yourself and being in business is no exception. This is a primary area which most business owners feel is not required or they do not have time to undertake. THE SECRET – MAKE TIME. The arena for servicing and growing your business is changing rapidly and even reading one book and taking one seminar can ensure you are moving in the same direction. Tip 2) Budget We all have a budget, some bigger than others. Work out NOW the budget you can adhere to for your business (taking into account personal needs, tax, salary and super) and write it down. Every week check are you on track with your budget. What can you afford to spend on advertising, seminars and promotion? Tip 3) Learn to Time Manage Easy to say but not so easy to do, or at least that is what most business owners feel. Don’t sit back, become proactive. Diarise time for your business and stick to it. Have time set aside for each item of your business so that you no longer feel out of control.

Tip 4) Learn to Say NO One of the biggest obstacles in business is that you do not know how to say ‘NO’. It is very important that you know how much time you can spare in your business and whether you can in fact take on a new client or new business. If you can’t say so but perhaps offer to introduce that new business or client to a colleague – what goes around, comes around. It can make great business sense. Tip 5) Databases It is so important to have a database which is brought up to date at the beginning of a new year and all valid business cards and follow ups entered and for you to record all customer interaction. Tip 6) Email management Set up a system with your emails so that you do not spend hours each day looking through emails trying to work out which emails are the most important and then not realising that other important emails are sitting unattended. Tip 7) Learn to Outsource Wouldn’t it be great to have more time in your day? By contracting someone to assist with the workload, you have more free time and can take on more clients. Tip 8) Networking Research the best way to network your business. As each business is different, a variety of both online or face to face may be important. So, research and work out which will be more beneficial to you.

Tip 9) Business Cards Have you thought about where you keep your business cards? You should always have some of your business cards in your office, in your handbag, wallet and even in your car. This may seem a bit extreme, but you never know who you might talk to who is interested in your service or product. Be prepared. Tip 10) Excel at what you DO You started your business because you had a passion to achieve something. You are good at what you do but learn to challenge yourself. Take yourself and your business to the next level by procrastinating less and excelling more. Whatever level of business you are in, some or all of the above tips can be utilised in your business. Assisting U Virtually is available to any business owner who is struggling to get on top of their admin and/or educate themselves in the area of outsourcing, so please feel free to contact us now. Let us GIVE YOU YOUR TIME BACK! n

Hazel Theocharous Assisting U Virtually P: 61 2 8005 0505 E: hazel@expertva.com.au www.assistinguvirtually.com.au Hazel is an expert in the areas of Admin, Organisation and Outsourcing and over a period of 5 years has assisted client businesses grow as they have learnt the value of outsourcing.

parents in business

Growing Your Small Business When you think of Small Business Growth, what do you think of? Expanding your business product / service lines; increasing profits; increasing revenue?

trained) quickly enough to deliver

Many business owners often confuse

mentor is great for this kind of

same? Sometimes, the market is near

growth with expansion.

oversight.

saturation and selling more of the

Expansion is moving into new product

Be brutal in your assessment – really

lines, new services and new areas.

extrapolate the possible changes in

enough growth for a business.

Growth is increasing your businesses

your market and determine how you

Consider moving into other target

capacity to continue delivering the

can refine your business strategies to

markets with the same product or

products and services you have.

capitalize on the changes.

service. Often this will require a rethink

Growth may require expansion, but expansion is not necessarily needed for growth.

In one of my ‘previous business lives’, I ran a retail franchise store. We were a very niche business and when we first

Growth in your business is necessary

opened the stores, we did really well.

to ensure that your business maintains

However, as the market evolved it

a healthy profit margin. Expenses

became more of a consumer market

typically rise each year and, as such,

(not niche) and our Franchisor did

your business needs to grow, otherwise

not change its strategies to take this

it will ‘fade’ away. Whilst business

into consideration. That franchise

growth is essential, how much your

no longer exists it was placed in

business grows, depends on your vision

receivership – because it failed to

for your business. This is why having a

evolve as the market changed.

business plan and regularly reviewing your businesses performance is so

Growth Strategies

important!

There are several strategies for growth

Understanding the businesses financial bottom line and how the target

that may be applied by a business owner.

the work? Does your market allow for enough growth in the sale of more of the

same thing is not going to provide

of Unique Selling Proposition, but it can reap big rewards. If the business doesn’t have sufficient person power to sell more, consider options like licensing and franchising to increase the reach. One very simple method to immediately add more sales people to the business is to offer an Affiliate or Referral program, where the business will pay a commission or referral fee to people who bring in new business. Raise Prices Raising the prices of your products and services may result in growth. This approach needs to be implemented carefully, and the results monitored closely. Raising prices will, generally, result in a higher profit per

markets are evolving is paramount to

Sell More Of The Same Thing This is

sale – and as such higher profit overall.

ongoing business success and growth.

possibly one of the most popular

In some cases, raising prices will result

strategies for business growth – do

in an increase in sales as well. This

Be Honest With Yourself…

more of what you’re already doing

tends to occur when the price of a

Sometimes, the largest obstacle any

This could be a valid approach,

product or service is so low that it gives

small business owner can have, is

particularly if the business or market

the perception of a low value / poor

themselves. Far too often, business

is relatively young. The business

quality or appeals to a target market

owners fall prey to own success and

owner should consider whether

that is not willing to spend money.

ignore the change indicators in their

there is ‘room’ to do more of the

When the price is increased, the target

market. A wise business owner will

same thing. If your business delivers

audience feels that the quality is much

ensure that they can independently

services, can your existing staffing

better and will more readily invest. By

evaluate their business and the

levels handle more work and if not,

increasing the price and increasing

markets they operate in – a business

can more people be employed (and

sales, growth occurs naturally.

I experienced exactly this in my retail store. We had priced a product at less than $10, which we thought was an ‘irresistible price’. Unfortunately, our customers did not and the product was not moving. After overhearing several customers discuss that they believed something must be wrong with the product for it to be so cheap, we increased the price to $14.95 and sold out in a week! Perceived Value. Diversify Diversification is a valid and very smart business growth strategy. Add more products or services to your business portfolio. Depending on your business plan, the products or services may be related to your existing product range or, it may be appropriate to start a new ‘arm’ to your business. Consider offering another business’ products or services in return for a commission or referral fee. This could provide extra cashflow to the business for little outlay. Diversification, as a business growth strategy, provides a major benefit as the risk of market downturns is spread over a wider base. By adding more related products and services to its portfolio, a business can also capitalize on return business from existing customers. In Conclusion These are three very broad ways to grow your business – and which one(s) to use will depend on your business plan. n Charly Leetham is a Online Business Implementation Expert who helps businesses harness the Internet as a sales channel. Charly provides services to solopreneurs and small business who wish to sell or promote their products and services online. For more information about building your business online, visit http://askcharlyleetham.com/about/ our-services for more information

Women on the move Rebuilding your home finances through a family breakup. Through working with so many women I am finding one of the hardest outcomes of a family breakup is sorting out your finances. Over recent months a large majority of my discussions with women have had one thing in common- They had been through or were just going through a family breakup and were looking for some help with their finances. In a lot of situations they may have been working parttime or not earning a high income and were basically unsure of whether they could even approach a bank for a loan. If there are existing loans or credit card debt they may not be aware of their responsibilities. As well as dealing with the emotional stress of a family breakup the ongoing financial outcomes can add to that pressure. The first step for them was

to actually talk to someone about their situation. Depending on your individual circumstances it may be that you first need to talk to a Family Law expert for some initial guidance. At Responsible Financial Solutions we understand what you may be going through and encourage you to take that first step to controlling your financial future. It may be that we can help with some immediate action or even put a plan in place to work towards your goals a little further down the track. Knowing where you stand financially is the first step to financial freedom & your initial consultation with us is FREE. n You can always call me direct on 0419 605 851 or send me an email at donna@responsiblefs.com.au Donna Emerson is a fully accredited mortgage broker with over 20 years experience.

www.assistinguvirtually.com.au

Videos from our Toddlers to Teens experts How to create backlinks to your

is Important? Which Instrument to

website By Alli Price

Choose? By Lay-Ean Eng

http://toddlerstoteens.tv/wahmadvice-how-to-create-backlinksto-your-website-by-alli-price/

http://toddlerstoteens.tv/school-musicprogram-why-it-is-important-whichinstrument-to-choose-by-lay-eaneng/

For some amazing tips on increasing your Google ranking and how to increase your exposure to the market using backlinks from recording videos to writing articles. This is a fantastic video to listen to if you want to

As a Mum myself it is definitely a difficult decision to make about what instrument, what I need to think of money wise and time wise but you can get every tip available in this wonderful

move forward with your business.

video just for parents with kids.

Getting the Right Mindset

Toddler Taming Tantrums

by Simone Outteridge

http://toddlerstoteens.tv/toddlertaming-tantrums-by-claire-mcfee/

Great motivational video to learn about how to achieve the right mindset for you and your business. Remember, don’t sit back and wait for it to

Who hasn’t seen a toddler having a tantrum? It can be a very stressful situation to deal with but watch this video and you will see that there are ways to cope and they are very

happen – it won’t.

http://toddlerstoteens.tv/saving-fora-rainy-day-by-donna-emerson/

rage? By Sam Beau Patrick

Don’t let the unexpected take the control you do have over your money. Be prepared. My Teenager is Pulling Away By Kirsty O’Callaghan http://toddlerstoteens.tv/my-teenageris-pulling-away-by-kirsty-ocallaghan/

Don’t forget your teenager is growing up, trying to find themselves and are at a very in between stage of their lives. This can create a stressful environment, if you let it. Some wonderful tips in this video. School Music Program – Why it

By Margaret Saunders (Part 1 of 3) http://toddlerstoteens.tv/how-havinga-bedtime-routine-helps-you-andyour-child/

Pelvic Floor – Strong From Within By Michelle Wright http://toddlerstoteens.tv/mishfitpelvic-floor-strong-from-within-bymichelle-wright-3/

simple tips. A video to watch! Suffering mood swings, fits of

Bedtime – How having a bedtime routine helps you and your child

place, a child is a lot calmer.

Saving for a Rainy Day By Donna Emerson

you may relate.

Are you interested in finding out more about why a bedtime routine is important, how you can create one and the benefits. A must for all parents. I know that personally that once a routine is in

By Claire McFee

http://toddlerstoteens.tv/gettingthe-right-mindset/

is a common scenario for a lot of women and you can hear how it has really affected one woman in particular and how

http://toddlerstoteens.tv/sufferingmood-swings-fits-of-rage-by-sambeau-patrick/

How many of us feel out of control sometimes and feel that depression has hit hard? It

Have you realised how important it is spend just a few minutes each day to do your own pelvic floor exercises and make a difference in your life. We all know how important this is, especially once you have had children. n

Parents – Please, stop before you react! By Davina Sharry http://toddlerstoteens.tv/parents-pleasestop-before-you-react/

We have all been in a position at some point where we are not sure how to react to our child or children but this is a great video to get some tips on how to deal with children when they are in a

fashion

Lace Because it is both romantic and classic, lace can be worn as a stand alone statement piece, or pairs perfectly with more conservative pieces to take it easily into the boardroom arena. Weather it’s a whimsical lace sheath dress or a flirty lace shell top, it is the perfect mix of glamour and femininity. Stick to lingerie colours of white, black and nude for a demure yet sophisticated look. Bright colours can easily take it from chic to cheap.

Pencil Skirts Iconic designer Tom Ford said “A pencil skirt is both empowering and extremely sexy” and therein lies it’s dichotomous nature. No item in a women’s wardrobe sends out more mixed signals than the classic pencil skirt. In one instant it’s provocative and in the next it’s chic and strictly business. With this season’s higher waistlines and knee grazing, fluted hemlines, women of all ages and silhouettes can slip elegantly into this shape for any occasion, day or night. Seek inspiration from Marilyn Monroe’s irresistible curves in “Some like it Hot”

Autumn The Tunic Nothing is more forgiving, comfortable or low maintenance. In a jewel tone, or graphic print, a tunic top can easily be transformed into something special. This seasons tunics feature a few new twists: slight tailoring at the waist for a more flattering shape, while an asymmetrical hem gives it a playful yet sexy edge. If you have coltish legs and youth on your side, wear it as a dress - or wear it with skinny leg pants or tights if you are just hanging out. To transition the piece from day to night, pair it with some slim line pants in the same luxe fabric and add some chandelier earrings, a navel grazing pendant, a stack of bangles and some killer heels. From simple to sophisticated in a matter of minutes.

Masculine Tailoring This season, sharp tailoring has been all sexed up. This trend is all about striking a balance between masculine and feminine. The European catwalks featured looks with clean strong lines, chic tailoring and defined silhouettes. Garments came in Prince of Wales check, houndstooth and restrained monochromatic palettes. Whether it’s a masculine tuxedo suit, a structured blazer, wide legged pinstripe trousers or a fitted pencil skirt, these pieces demand a feminine twist - perhaps a silk blouse, pussy bow neckline or an intricate brooch. Keep accessories to a minimum but team the look with strong shots of colour - think of fire engine red heels, waist cinching belts and the perfect red lip. Channel Lauren Hutton circa 1978 for maximum impact with minimal effort.

Winter Trends 2012

By Lucy Hendriks from The Fashion Workshop

Metallics Shimmer doesn’t have to be relegated to the evenings. To work high shine pieces into day time or corporate friendly looks, layer them under solid fabrics or pair them with subtle shades. For day, limit the bling factor to camisoles, embellished tanks or accessories. For night, channel Studio 54 with metallic trousers that make an impact for dancing the night away. Whether it’s a glistening gold shift dress, or a subtle shimmering silver blazer, this season is your time to shine. n

Lucy Hendriks is from The Fashion Workshop Phone: 0412 677 000

www.thefashionworkshop.com.au

email: thefashionworkshop@bigpond.com

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