F R E E OCTOBER 2015
BREASTFEEDING YEAR 12 ST R ESS C A R I N G F O R Y O U R P ETS - S P RIN G GA RDEN ING T IPS - W HAT ’S O N YO U R F R E E PARENTING MA GA ZINE FO R THE GEELONG REGION
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COOL FACTS
e m o c l e W
for kids
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BUSINESS MANAGER Michele Mitten EDITORIAL The A Team GRAPHICS & LAYOUT ARTIST Elise Blach STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Alan Barber COVER MODEL Charlie Ramstein PO BOX 54, OCEAN GROVE, VICTORIA, 3226 PHONE: 03 5255 3233 FIND US ON FACEBOOK facebook.com /KidsVoiceGeelong KIDSVOICE.COM.AU No part of this magazine, including the advertisements, may be reproduced without permission of the editor. The opinions expressed within Kids’ Voice magazine are not necessarily the views of the publisher, but those of individual writers.
Spiders! There are approximately 1,500 species of spiders in Australia. Some are have very nasty venom, others have none.
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Spiders again! There are two deadly spiders in Australia. The first is commonly known as the Red-back spider (the female has red on her back), and the second is known as the Sydney Funnel Web spider, which has the nasty title of being regarded as the most poisonous spider in the entire world. It is also regarded as one of the most aggressive spider in the world, but luckily it only lives in one isolated area around Sydney.
THIS ISSUE’S
Cover
Boy
5
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Termite mounds. Termite mounds found in northern Australia are regarded as the tallest non-human made constructions on earth.
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Australia started using the metric system in 1969/70 and in Australia you drive on the left side of the road.
Deadly snakes. There are snakes in Australia. Lots of them are deadly. Can you guess how many of the top 25 most venomous snakes in the world come from Australia? If you guessed 10, then you should have doubled your guess. That’s right, 20 of the top 25 most venomous snakes come from Australia. In fact, the first 11 are all from Australia. So watch out for snakes! Reference: whatcanilearntoday.com
NAME & AGE:
Charlie Ramstein, 3 years old
FAVOURITE FOOD? Chicken pasta
FAVOURITE TOY? Dump truck
FAVOURITE THING TO DO?
Playing with dump trucks, playing in puddles with my boots, playing with my friends and reading books.
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kidsvoice
October 2015
s t n e t n o C
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PAGE 6 Spring Time! Ideas for the Garden PAGE 7 Recognising Allergies
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PAGE 8 Five tips on how to be happier PAGE 9 Awaken your child’s inner genius
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PAGE 10 Strategies for students dealing with exams PAGE 15 Bella’s Ventures PAGE 16 & 17 Caring for your Pets PAGE 21 Children’s Week PAGE 23 River’s Gift PAGE 26 What’s On
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reastfeeding Some mothers find that breastfeeding is easy and enjoyable. Other mothers find breastfeeding challenging and that solutions are hard to find, and this may be partly explained by differences between mothers and babies. Research done by Doctor Jacqueline Kent at the University of Western Australia studied exclusively breastfed infants between one and six months of age, born at full term, and growing normally. The number of breastfeeding sessions in 24 hours varied between four and 13, the duration of each breastfeed varied from 12 to 67 minutes, from a single breast the average volume an infant consumed was 75ml. (range 30-135ml.), 36% of infants didn’t feed at night (10pm to 4am). So it can take some weeks to work out the needs of individual mothers and babies, the average number of breastfeeds being around eight in 24 hours. If any aspect of breastfeeding is difficult to manage or painful, it’s important to seek help early from someone knowledgeable about breastfeeding. A breastfeeding assessment can help identify the needs of individual mothers and babies so a personalised plan can be implemented. Hospital midwives, Australian Breastfeeding Association helpline and/or meetings, Maternal and Child Health Nurses, Lactation Consultants, and Barwon Health Lactation Centre are available locally.
Problems and issues that mothers may encounter are: sore nipples, mastitis, milk supply concerns, how to tell what babies need, frequency of feeds, and breastfeeding and return to paid work. Some mothers experience transient nipple soreness in the early days. Ongoing pain and damage is usually caused by baby not latching deeply enough on the breast, positioning problems, and/or tongue-tie.Modifications to position and attachment may help to resolve soreness, some mothers need to rest and express milk for a day or two. Extra assistance at this early stage may help to solve problems quickly.
Mastitis
Mastitis (red, sore breast and flu-like symptoms) is most likely to occur in the first two to six weeks with an incidence of 22%-30%. Causes may include: early nipple damage with delayed healing, over-supply of milk, long spaces between feeds, strictly scheduled feed times, blocked milk ducts, “white spot” (blockage at the tip of the nipple), restrictive bra. It’s important to continue to breastfeed, apply a heat pack to the breast before feeds and cool pack after feeds, gentle massage of breast during breastfeeds and while in the shower, drink more water, and rest. Try to avoid outings where possible, and extra assistance from your partner, other family and friends is invaluable at this time.If mastitis doesn’t resolve within 24 hours it’s important to visit the family General Practitioner (GP), as antibiotics may be required. Your GP will prescribe medication which is safe for you and baby while you continue to breastfeed throughout the treatment.
Low Milk Supply
Low milk supply is another common concern. Mothers may mistakenly believe they have a low milk supply if: baby is feeding frequently (normal is 8-11 times in 24
hours), breasts feel soft compared with the early weeks (supply adjusts to babies needs anytime between 3-12 weeks after the birth), baby has more frequent feeds (or “growth spurts”which may last two to four days, and generally occur at two to three weeks, five to six weeks, three and six months), babies feeds seem to be shorter (babies may feed more quickly from two to three months of age), and some babies always prefer smaller feeds more often. If baby wakes for feeds, settles well between most feeds,has about 6 wet nappies and at least one yellow, soft/runny poo daily, and weight gain of around 150-200 gm. per week the first three months, then baby is getting enough milk. Causes of low milk supply may be: baby not attaching well to the breast, undiagnosed tongue-tie, feeds have been delayed, following a strict feeding schedule, baby sleeping long periods overnight and not having enough feeds throughout the day (sociable or distracted babies), or formula has recently been introduced. Maternal factors include; breast reduction surgery, cigarette smoking, commencement of the oral contraception pill, a recent bout of mastitis, or in five percent, a medical condition. To improve intake and milk supply; baby can be held skin-to-skin and encouraged to self-attach, offered more frequent breastfeeds (more milk is made if baby is fed more often), ensure optimal position and attachment, monitor intake (observe and listen for swallows), switch sides several times each feed, breast compression and massage during breastfeeds, reduce or stop dummy use. If supply seems to be low seek more information and assistance. Many mothers combine breastfeeding and return to work, and there is a large amount of information available from the Australian Breastfeeding Association on all aspects of working and breastfeeding. It is normal for infants to have wakeful and unsettled periods lasting for several hours, a few days each week, which may continue until six to eight weeks of age. It can take quite a while for parents to learn the meaning of baby’s cues, facial expressions and body language; but this gradually becomes easier. Feeding cues may include: restlessness, finger/fist sucking, becoming active and alert, grizzly and crying.Tired signs may include: yawning, fluttering eyelids, jerky arm and leg movements, frowning, grizzly or crying, glazed stare. Some babies will need to be calmed by rocking, swaddling, gentle patting or carried in a baby sling, while others will drift off to sleep soon after a breastfeed.
Unsettled Behaviour
Unsettled behaviour may be due to: mother may have milk over-supply and baby gets too much milk too quickly; baby’s distracted during feeds, over-tired, over-stimulated, learning new skills, in an unfamiliar environment, teething,
has oral thrush, blocked nose, feeling unwell,has reflux or food sensitivity. If baby is increasingly unsettled, has one or more of the following; reflux, vomiting, eczema and low weight gains, baby may have a sensitivity or allergy to a substance in the mother’s diet. It’s possible to continue to breastfeed while dietary modifications are made; but it’s important to work with someone experienced in this. Speak to your Maternal and Child Health Nurse, lactation consultant, or see a dietitian with a special interest in breastfeeding. If you have concerns about your baby’s healthalways see your GP or Paediatrician.
Breastfeeding is important for
the health of mothers and babies.
The National Health Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Infant Feeding Guidelines recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and continued breastfeeding for at least 12 months. Based on research the guidelines state: “Breastfeeding reduces the risk or severity of a number of conditions in infancy and later life including”: pyloric stenosis, NEC (pre-term infants), reflux, gastrointestinal infection, respiratory illness (including hospitalisation in the first year), otitis media, urinary infection, SIDS, some childhood cancers, atopic disease, asthma, type one and two diabetes, bacteraemia (blood infection), obesity in childhood and later life, coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease risk factors. For the mother; reduced incidence of breast and ovarian cancer. A recently published German study of 304 women following-up for 19 years showed that women with gestational diabetes who breastfed for more than three months had a 40 percent reduced risk of developing diabetes later in life. Some ways to improve the likelihood of breastfeeding include: being an ideal, healthy weight prior to pregnancy, avoiding birth interventions where possible, holding baby skin-to-skin and allowing baby to breastfeed in the first hour after birth, giving frequent and unrestricted breastfeeds in the early days, and avoiding formula in the first week. Most breastfeeding problems can be resolved with a combined effort from: partner, family and friends; information from the Australian Breastfeeding Association helpline, or Counsellor at a meeting; Maternal and Child Health Nurse; and a personal assessment from a lactation consultant if breastfeeding problems persist. If exclusive breastfeeding is not possible, continue to offer breastfeeds combined with expressing, to complement infant formula, (some babies will go back to the breast many weeks later). Even small amounts of breast milk are very beneficial, and this can continue for as long as mother and baby desire. Wendy Wright IBCLC Lactation Consultant
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kidsvoice
October 2015
• Find something unusual to plant. You could talk to neighbours with green thumbs and ask for cuttings, buy seedlings at local school or community fairs or join The Diggers Club to source weird and wonderful heirloom fruit and vegetable varieties.
Springtime
IDEAS
FOR THE
Garden Kids TEACHING Kids
at Serendip Sanctuary
Author Robert Brault once wrote, “Why try to explain miracles to your kids when you can just have them plant a garden?” There is no better time to experience the miracle of growing plants than in Spring, when the fertile growing forces of the earth are so strong. There are many things you can do in the garden with your kids to get them involved in growing, preparing and eating vegetables. Here are a few ideas on ways you can get your kids involved in the garden this Spring: • Set up a composting process if you have the space and encourage the kids to recycle their food waste. Kids love worms and worms love compost! • Prepare some soil in pots (large or small, depending on the amount of time and enthusiasm you have) to receive special plants. Mint is hardy, grows well in pots and kids love to play with it because of its delicious scent. Strawberries are also well suited to pots and taste so much better when home grown.
• To encourage helpers in the kitchen, make a special effort to plant tomatoes, greens and herbs; they make for an easy salad. Cherry tomatoes are particularly popular with young children. • Buy plenty of child-sized watering cans and leave them in handy spots in the garden. Children love playing with water and will relish the opportunity to water their new plants. • If your school doesn’t have a garden already, ask your child’s teacher if you can help them start one. It can be in pots, raised beds or in the ground. Gardening provides many opportunities for engagement and experiential learning for children, through designing, planting, and maintaining gardens; harvesting, preparing, and sharing food; working cooperatively in groups; learning about science and nutrition; and creating art and stories inspired by gardens. And finally, ensure you have a tranquil place to sit and share the beauty of your garden with your children and take time to appreciate the fruits (and vegetables) of your Springtime labours. Adapted from an article titled “Spring Greetings” by Evan Hardie for Southern Tides, Freshwater Creek Steiner School’s seasonal magazine
Serendip Sanctuary celebrated Biodiversity month, September, with a Kids teaching Kids event which has students taking over the teacher’s role and educating each other about the environment. The day started with a formal opening by Parks Victoria and a short talk from Kids Teaching Kids founder Arron Wood. Then it was over to the students from Lara, Hamlyn Banks and St Anthony’s Primary Schools, Northern Bay College and Christian College. They ran hands on talks and activities for each other, sharing their knowledge on wetland monitoring, restoring habitat, Tiger Quolls and composting. There was also recording of bird species using a Field Guide App, where students help scientists by collecting and recording data about Australian birds using this App. The difference was that rather than all this being done in a classroom, the students were outdoors; seeing, hearing and experiencing as they learned about environmental issues. In the afternoon, the students went on some ranger-led field trips at the Sanctuary and the You Yangs learning about Aboriginal culture, birds, reptiles and monitoring kangaroo populations. Serendip’s environment includes wetlands and woodlands and an amazing number of bird species, so it was the perfect location for the student teachers to run their outdoor activities and workshops. The activities included craft, quizzes, experiments, storytelling, music and games that were all based on environmental themes. One teacher commented “Our students gained an enormous amount of selfesteem by being actively involved in this event. It empowered them to be both active teachers and learners and sharing their knowledge with others gave them an understanding of what it’s like to be a presenter.” Kids Teaching Kids Week is a national event involving 20,000 students across Australia and is held annually from 7-11 September. The program encourages students to teach each other about nature as well as environmental issues like climate change, conservation, energy, water and population growth.
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G N I S I N G O C RE
S E I G R ALLE
Allergies are becoming more and more common with around one in three people suffering from some sort of allergy. Yet I have found in clinical practice that quite often people do not realise they are allergic to something that is causing recurrent and sometimes debilitating symptoms. A typical example of this is dustmite or mould allergy. The only symptom you might notice is fatigue and headache or a postnasal drip that just does not seem to go away. Because allergies are so common and can cause significant health problems it is worth discussing how you can recognise if you have an allergy and also learn what you can do about it. Why Do Allergies Happen? Allergies occur when your immune system overreacts to a usually harmless substance. This substance, called an ‘allergen’, can be anything, but some things are frequently found to cause allergic reactions. Most occur shortly after exposure to an allergen. For example, seasonal allergies are likely to worsen on the same day that the pollen count goes up. If you are allergic to cats and you visit the home of someone who owns a cat, you are likely to start developing an allergic reaction before you leave the house. However some allergic reactions can occur hours or days after exposure to an allergen eg some forms of contact dermatitis to plants can develop several days after the exposure. Allergies can develop at any time in our lives but are most common in our childhood years due to our developing immune system. It is possible to go through life and not be allergic to anything; at the other end of the spectrum, some people develop allergies to multiple substances. There is a genetic component to the development of allergic tendencies. However you do not necessarily develop an allergy to the same substances as your relatives. Why Are Allergies So Common? We do not yet know what is causing allergies to become so common. There have been many theories proposed including the ‘hygiene hypothesis’, which states that we live in a society that is too clean and this is preventing people from developing proper immunity. Other theories centre around our food not being the same as it used to be. Artificial colours, preservatives, flavours and pesticides are blamed. Others state it is an imbalance between omega-6 and omega-3 fats in our diet that is causing more allergies, or perhaps a change in the microbes that live in our gut that is responsible. Unfortunately at this stage in our understanding of why allergies develop we are left with a big question mark. Hopefully with advances in research we will know more in the coming years. What Can You Develop Allergies to? Common substances that people can be allergic to include: • Dustmites • Pollen • Mould • Latex • Medications • Plants • Cat, dog and horse dander (hair) • Chemicals I have even met patients who have been allergic to their own sweat, to the heat, and to contact with their own skin. They develop an itchy rash, welts, and in some cases nausea and a mild fever. These types of allergies are, luckily, rare but they can be very difficult to manage. What Are the Symptoms of Allergies? Symptoms of allergies can range from mild to severe and in the case of anaphylaxis can be fatal. Symptoms depend on the allergy, but may include: • Sneezing • Runny nose • Postnasal drip • Itchy throat • Dark circles under the eyes • Red, watery and itchy eyes • Wheezing • Coughing • Breathing problems
• • • •
Headache Skin rash Stomach pains Vomiting and diarrhoea
Another common symptom is fatigue. I recall a patient who was waking every morning feeling exhausted. She often cleared her throat and frequently suffered from a sore throat. On further questioning she informed me that she would wake in the middle of the night with a dry mouth and needed to have a glass of water beside her bed. This is a classic symptom of mouth breathing and is commonly associated with dustmite allergy. Dustmites live in bedding and feed off our dead skin cells. In those who are not allergic they cause no problem, but for those of us who react to dustmites going to bed can be problematic. When we discovered what her problem was and reduced her dustmite exposure, her symptoms greatly improved. In particular she is no longer waking exhausted. If you can relate to any of these symptoms it is worth speaking to your healthcare practitioner about the possibility of a dustmite allergy. Should You Have Allergy Testing? The answer is yes, there is accurate allergy testing available in Australia. • Skin prick tests - Selected allergens are applied to the forearm or the back with a dropper, and the skin gently pricked with a sterile lancet. A positive result shows as a red weal or flare on the skin within 20 minutes. • Blood test - These tests are useful when skin testing is not possible or is inconclusive. Your GP is able to order this type of testing. • Oral allergen challenge - An oral allergen challenge may sometimes be required to confirm diagnosis when the cause of a severe allergic reaction has not been conclusive. This will normally only be performed using foods or medications under the supervision of an allergy specialist. • Patch tests - Are most commonly used to investigate contact dermatitis. Common triggers include fragrances (for example, in soaps), nickel (in jewellery, watch buckles and coins) and chrome (in leathers and bricklayers’ cement). Patches are applied to the back in adhesive strips. The area is examined after two and four days. A positive result shows as redness or blisters at the site of a particular substance. How You Can Prevent Allergies The best prevention is to remove the potential allergen that triggers an allergy whether it is from your home or work. If you can minimise the level of the offending allergen, your allergy symptoms and medication requirements may be reduced. The following suggestions may help you to reduce allergens around you: • Keep your home dry and well ventilated • Cut down on dust around your living area by cleaning regularly • If you suffer dust allergy it is a good idea to purchase
barrier covers for your bedding. Wash your bedding weekly in very hot water and hang to dry in full sun rather than use the dryer. Vacuum your bedroom regularly and, if possible, remove the carpet from your bedroom. • For people who suffer from pet allergy try and keep your animals outside in your yard as much as possible. Try not to allow your pet in your living area and bath them at least once every two weeks. • If you suffer from skin allergy it is suggested that you first prevent scratching the itch as this causes the socalled itch-scratch-itch cycle. Also applying a fragrancefree moisturiser regularly can prevent dry skin from cracking and becoming inflamed. Inflammation further stimulates your immune system to develop a rash. • If you previously have had an allergic reaction to insect bites, such as bee stings, the best prevention is to remove all hornet’s nests or beehives from your yard and the eaves of your home. If you happen to get stung or bitten take an antihistamine immediately to help minimise reactions such as rashes, swelling or itchiness. If there is no sign of improvement or the reaction becomes worse contact your healthcare provider or call your local emergency clinic for assistance. What Can You Do To Manage Your Allergies? There is no magic cure for allergies. The best way to manage allergies is to reduce your exposure to the substance you are allergic to. Taking antihistamines is often helpful in reducing the allergic response. There are no known side effects from taking these medications regularly, even for small children. Steroid nasal sprays are often helpful in the case of dustmite or other allergies that affect your nasal passages. These need to be used on a daily basis to have the most benefit. If your allergy is not resolving you may need to see your health-care practitioner for an allergy management plan. Referral to an allergy specialist is often the next step if your allergy is ongoing despite basic treatment or if it is severe and debilitating or potentially life-threatening. In this case, allergy specialists can administer immunotherapy, which slowly and gradually increases your tolerance to a particular allergen and therefore reduces your immune system from overreacting. I have seen a lot of success with this type of therapy, particularly with children, but it can also work for adults. On natural therapies for allergies, many claim to work. The only two types of therapies that I suggest might have some benefit in reducing allergic reaction are probiotics and omega-3 fatty acids. Taking a probiotic that contains lactobacilius rhamnosus has been shown to reduce allergies as has taking a daily omega-3 supplement. Dr Cris Beer is the author of Healthy Habits: 52 ways to better health (Rockpool Publishing $29.99) available at book stores and online at www.rockpoolpublishing.com.au
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5
Tips on how to be
HAPPIER
October 2015
have less problems. Happy people are happy in spite of problems. Here’s what happy people do – that you can do too: 1. LOOK FOR GOOD THINGS IN EVERY SITUATION. We find in life what we look for. If you ask yourself, “What do I HATE about my job, my stupid husband and my life?” you will find things to be unhappy about. If you ask yourself, “What do I LIKE about my job, my husband and my life?” you will find things to be happy about. Look for good things in every situation. You say, “Average people don’t make a habit of looking for good things!” Correct. Joyful people aren’t average.
5. QUIT COMPLAINING Stop moaning about the weather, the government and your arthritis. We TALK about what we THINK about. That is obvious. The reverse is also true. We THINK about what we TALK about.
2. MAKE TIME TO DO THINGS YOU ENJOY. Maybe you don’t have a job you like – maybe you don’t even have a job. But you can spend some time doing things that make you happy every day.
If you want to talk about fixing a problem, wonderful! But mindless complaining sabotages your happiness – and no one cares that you didn’t sleep last night and no one wants to hear about your hemorrhoid operation.
3. LIVE ONE DAY AT A TIME. Many people spend their lives regretting the past and fearing the future. But you can’t fix the past and fearing the future doesn’t help.
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Happy people quit telling themselves, “I should be as rich as my brother” or “I should be as skinny as my sister.”
The more you complain, the more you fill your head with unhappy thoughts.
Whether your passion is listening to music, learning languages or lifting weights, make some time for it in your daily routine. Get up earlier if you have to.
But here’s what’s fascinating... happy people don’t
Happy people are gentle on themselves. Happy people say, “I have lived my life the best way I know how. Now that I know better, I will do better.”
Your happiness depends on where you put your focus.
Mothers especially, like to play the martyr. They tell you, “I am too busy taking care of everyone else. I never get to do what I like.” That’s the road to resentment.
Do you want to be happier? Bestselling author of HOW LIFE WORKS, Andrew Matthews shares five tips: Is this typical? You are a month behind in your rent and your credit cards are maxed out. Your boss wants more results, your twelve-year-old wants to leave home and your dad won’t stop telling you that you should have been an accountant. AND you have a migraine.“Be happy?” you say, “with MY problems?”
you have made mistakes. But who says you have to be perfect?
And guess what... your present moment is usually quite okay! Unless you are having a heart attack or being eaten by a bear, the present moment is usually fine. It is the imaginary future that drives you nuts. “How will I survive if? What will happen if? What will people say?” You conquer worry by dragging your mind back to the present moment. You remind yourself, “Right this second I have everything I need.” There is only one place you can be happy – and that is in the present. Focus on what you can do today. Do your best until bedtime. That’s enough. 4. FORGIVE YOURSELF Stop beating yourself up for not being perfect. Sure,
Attitude is everything. For example, imagine two women, Mary and Jane. Both get divorced. Mary says, “I’ve failed. My life is over.” Jane says, “My life has just begun!” Who will blossom? In a Nutshell, it’s not what happens to you that matters most, it’s how you think about what happens to you. Ultimately, your happiness is in your hands. Andrew Matthews is an internationally renowned speaker and best-selling author of Follow Your Heart and Happiness in Hard Times, which have sold over 7 million copies in 42 languages. His newest offering, How Life Works, is now available at all good book stores and online at www.andrewmatthews.com
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communicate in their values, just as you would with any adult, or anybody in business, or anybody in life. There is no age that it’s too early or it’s too late to do this. If you can see the child as a genius, your Pygmalion effect will bring out the child’s genius. Honour their natural values, communicate within them and watch what natural genius emerges. FIVE CRITERIA TO DETERMINE A CHILD’S INNER GENIUS 1. Nurture their values: Instead of imposing suppressive, autocratic, dictatorial approaches of teaching onto children, it’s wiser to find out what they are naturally inspired by and care about and communicate within what is truly most important to them within their highest values. 2. Become familiar with what’s familiar to them: Look at what they fill their space with, because they tend to surround themselves with things that are important to them. 3. Observation is key: Look at what the child is demonstrating, because this is what is important. Then ask yourself how is whatever that is important to them helping you?
Human behaviourist Dr John Demartini explains how to unlock your children’s inner potential so that they can grow up to be highly fulfilled and achieving individuals We all have expectations for our children to do their greatest, but how do we foster a love-affair with knowledge and nurture their developing minds? Every child deep within wants to do something amazing. When I stand in front of a group of children and I ask them how many of you want to make a massive difference and do something extraordinary in the world, everybody’s hand goes up. Even five year olds have a dream to do something amazing. It’s innate to want to do something amazing in our lives. Every child also has a set of values, a set of priorities that they live by. In the 1950s it was believed that children were blank slates and their parents had to impose values on them. But it’s since been established that children
already have these values and to be able to fulfill these values, they wake up their genius, their potential. So, instead of imposing values, suppressing their own and forcing an autocratic, dictatorial kind of approach of learning onto children, it’s wiser to find out what they’re inspired by naturally. Even parents with busy lives can awaken their children’s genius and potential. Take a look at what they fill their space with, how they spend their time and what energises them. Children tend to surround themselves with things that are important to them and want to spend time on what energizes them. In my book, ‘The Values Factor’, I list a series of criteria to use to determine what a child’s personal values are. Often when you ask children what they value most, they will respond with a series of social idealisms. Instead their true values are revealed by what their life truly demonstrates. You have the responsibility as a teacher, a parent, as anybody who’s caring for the child, to
4. Rules of Engagement: If you cannot see how whatever is important to them is truly helpful to you, you will autocratically want to change and talk down to them. And, if you can’t see how what you’re going to teach them and bring to their lives is going to help them in their highest values, they’re not going to become engaged – they’re not going to see that it’s really important. 5. It’s Never Too Early or Too Late: A masterful teacher in Houston, Texas that I once observed started with two-year-olds and by the time they’re 13 - 18, some of them were already honour students and even professors at universities because she’s learned this art of awakening their inner genius through honoring and communicating within their highest values. Dr John Demartini uses the same method with “eight year olds and six year olds and four year olds… and even 60 year olds… it doesn’t matter”. Dr John Demartini Human Behavior Specialist, Educator, Business Consultant and Internationally Published Author www.DrDemartini.com
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Performance
Optimal Stress
Good Stress
Low
PAGE 10
Bad Stress
Medium
High
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ST
E
R
! S S
Stress is a part of the daily reality of the lives of most Australian adults. We often can feel overwhelmed by pressures and deadlines and responsibilities. It’s a real challenge for most of us to celebrate the moment and enjoy the people and places around us, because we are worried about all the things we have to accomplish. It’s pretty hard to focus on “what is” when we are constantly worried about “what will be”. Unfortunately, children are socialised into this way of being. This happens by role modeling parents, observing society (and media), and by traditional education. I work with quite a few young people in the last few years of high school, and the common thread seems to be that they feel enormous stress. We have come to believe that quantity equals quality in education – if I give my students five assignments I’m a good teacher, but if I give them ten assignments I’m a great teacher. Students are led to believe that they must spend hours and hours and hours outside of school completing assignments and doing school work. Even worse, they are told that their entire futures depend on whether they can accomplish these tasks. Especially when young people hit Year 11, they are told, directly and indirectly, that their ability to achieve a high ATAR score, or their ability to finish high school, will
on getting the assignment done, or doing a “good job”. But it actually doesn’t. Whenever our children are hung up on their own achievement, whether it is academic or not, we have a great opportunity as parents to teach them that their happiness is more important than what they accomplish. We love them for who they are, not what they do (or don’t) achieve. If a young person is stressed about an assignment, parents have an opportunity to put the whole situation in perspective and remind him that the world really does NOT depend on that assignment (or on school in general). Parents can encourage their teenagers to relax; to stop working so hard and do something fun, or just get a good night’s sleep. Life will go on whether they complete the assignment or not. Their future really does NOT depend on whether they succeed on any particular assignment, or even at school in general.
One of the many beautiful things about being a parent is we can teach our children lessons we were not taught, and we can re-learn things from the lessons we are teaching. Helping our children to not focus on their achievements and instead focus on their intrinsic selfdetermine their future. No wonder they are highly stressed! worth and happiness, and can help us to realise that our Parenting is all about opportunities. Every day presents own self-worth and happiness is more important than what dozens of beautiful opportunities to love, support and we achieve. Helping our children to realise that the past define our children in positive ways. Sometimes we miss is gone, and the future is just an idea, and that what is the opportunities, but that’s OK, because we are human. real is this moment, can help us to remember to live in the And the great news is that there will always be other moment. opportunities. Parents are blessed with the opportunity to be with their The opportunity here for parents is to help young people see things in perspective and “ratchet down the intensity” of the messages they are being told at school. The truth is, there are many people who did not achieve a high ATAR who are living happy, successful lives. There are many people who did not finish school who are working in rewarding and satisfying careers. Some of them went back and completed qualifications or education later, and some did not.
If a student talks with me about stress over an assignment, I like to point out that whether she completes the assignment or not, the earth will probably continue to revolve around the sun, and the sun will continue to rise in the morning. In that moment, when its 11pm on Sunday and a major assignment is due Monday morning and we are struggling, the whole world may seem like it depends
children almost every day until they are adults. Of course, we will always be their mum or dad, but we won’t get to see them every day. We want to celebrate and cherish every moment that we get to be with them, and by doing so, we can teach them to celebrate and cherish every moment of their own lives. And THAT is what creates happy and peaceful lives, regardless of what we have, what we do, or what our ATAR score is!
Dr. Bob Jacobs runs The Parenting Centre, based in Maleny. He is a clinical psychologist, family mediator and solicitor. Dr. Bob is the author of “Perfect Parents, Perfect Children: Changing the World by Celebrating our Perfection”. The Parenting Centre web site can be found at theparentingcentre.com and we can be reached at 07 5435 2504
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Ho liday ACTIVITIES at Market Square September school holiday activities were well attended at Market Square Shopping Centre and the Kids Voice took a few pics on Tuesday 22 September, where kids decorated footy themed biscuits and made badges. The team from Party Girl did a fantastic job of keeping the kids entertained and face painting was sponsored by Toyworld. Other activities during the first week were funky dance workshops and an appearance by the MikMaks on the Friday.
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it made a big difference staying at a resort that was very kid-focussed, and she was lucky to be able to snorkel the Great Barrier Reef. Seeing firsthand the effect pollution has on the Great Barrier Reef and the beautiful coral, Bella now wants to do everything she can to help preserve the World Heritage area.
es r u t n e V ’s a l Bel In 2014, Isabella Tipping, an 11 year old from Dubbo in country NSW, came up with a business idea that is designed to let kids have their say about hotels, accommodation, attractions and restaurants.
wide variety of travel choices and planning features with seamless links to hotels/restaurants/attractions websites. The site will cover accommodation, restaurants, attractions and tours- from a kid’s perspective
She formed www.Kidzcationz.com after returning from a holiday in the United States of America. Her mum, Bernadette was posting a favourble review on TripAdvisor, however Bella’s experience was not enjoyable at all. She’d had to sleep in a lumpy, uncomfortable trundle bed, the kids’ menu was boring, unhealthy and the predictable spaghetti, nuggets and ice cream and the staff treated her as though she didn’t count.
The site aims to change the focus of service providers in the tourism industry to focus on the needs and wants of children so that everyone in the family can enjoy the holiday.
Kidzcationz.com will provide a platform for children to be heard and provide their own feedback from their perspective. For too long children have been an invisible extra when families holiday away from the traditional family resorts. Kidzcationz.com is not designed to take the place of sites like TripAdvisor, rather to run alongside it. So when an adult has searched TripAdvisor or similar sites and identified the hotel they are interested in, Kidzcationz will provide a platform for parents to review that same hotel from a kid’s perspective. This will help to ensure that while the adults will have their needs met, so too will the kids. Since the introduction of websites like TripAdvisor, hotels, attractions and restaurants have developed a much keener customer focus. They are providing a far superior service than ever before because they are now being judged on the service they provide, not how good their advertising is, but they still have very little focus on the needs of children. Kidzcationz.com will offer advice from real travellers on a
Isabella is now a busy 12 year old. She is an humanitarian, a gifted writer and excels at public speaking. She has a strong desire for everyone to be treated equally. She believes it is a basic human right for everyone to have access to the same advantages to enable them to live a full and happy life - free of restrictions and prejudice. Bella has been lucky enough to have visited the USA a few times, and on her travels, has been to the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Santa Monica, LA, Nashville, Louisville, Orlando, Miami, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Washington, New York and Hawaii. “Disneyland is one of my favourite places to visit,” Bella says. “I love Disney because it really is the happiest place on earth. No matter what you do there or who you speak to, everything is designed to make you have the best day of your life.” She also loves Universal Studios as she is a “mad fan” of Transformers, and loves the ride at Universal Studios, which she reviews as “amazing”. Despite the many and varied overseas destinations Bella has visited, she still feels there is nothing like the incredible places Australia has to offer. Her all-time favourite local holiday was one week spent at Port Douglas. Bella found
Bella also took a guided tour of the Daintree Rainforest which included a trip to Cape Tribulation and a boat ride down the Daintree River which is full of crocodiles, with some of them coming right up to the boat. With her family, she visited Mossman Gorge, which is the traditional home of the Kuku Yalanji people, who made them welcome and demonstrated the cultural significance of the area. “We were very fortunate to be able to step into their land and be able to experience the beauty of their traditional home,” Bella said. “I love the V8 Supercars and I am a big Jamie Whincup fan so it follows that I love Cars Land,” Bella said. “I have been known to line up for hours waiting to get on the Radiator Springs Racers and I love driving the cars at Autopia. The Autopia cars are on a rail but it feels like I am driving around the country and I just love it - mum and dad, not so much”.
About Me While I love to spend time with my friends and family, the thing which makes me smile is my pets. I have three rescue pets- two cats and one dog and they make me laugh every day. I am a strong supporter of the RSPCA and we donate to them every week. Animal cruelty breaks my heart and I cannot bear to see anyone mistreating an animal when all they show us is love and devotion. I like to read and I love to write. Currently, I am teaching myself how to play the guitar and although I am having fun, I can honestly say it’s not that easy. I am proud to say that my heritage can be linked back to the Tree of Knowledge in Barcaldine when my Great Great Grandfather was jailed over the Shearers Strike which helped create the Australian Labor Party. My Great Grandfather went to Gallipoli in WWI and my grandfather was a POW in WWII so I have great respect for our armed forces and I march on Anzac Day wearing their medals. I also attend the three services on Anzac Day- Dawn Service, Morning Service and the Evening Service. The evening one is the best because all the heroes have had a big day and a few drinks and are really happy.
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CARING FOR YOUR
PETS Watching bonds form between pets and your child is quite remarkable and unconditional love, learning and companionship are some of the benefits to having your child share their life with a pet. With any animal, there is the opportunity to teach responsibility by learning to be responsible for another living creature through caring for them, as well as empathy by learning to understand others needs. We also have the chance to learn about life and death, as unfortunately pets come and go through our lifetime.
Some simple tasks you can start with your children and your pet dog: Age 4: Pet your dog every day, brush your dog for a few minutes with your parent’s help, give your dog a treat by dropping it on the floor for him to pick up.
Age 6: Pet your dog every day, brush your dog with your parent nearby, help walk your dog by holding on to the same leash your parent is holding. Some leashes have an extra loop, give your dog a treat with your parent nearby. Put the treat in your open palm and let your dog take it gently, practise simple tricks with your dog, like ‘Shake Hands.” Age 8: Pet your dog every day, brush your dog, if
you have a small dog, take him for a walk, maybe in the yard. If you have a big dog, walk your dog with your parents’ help, give your dog a treat. Put the treat in your open palm and let your dog take it gently, practise simple tricks with your dog, like ‘Shake hands”, play ball with your dog or throw
a toy for him to bring back (retrieve), learn the commands that your dog knows, like sit and stay, and practise them with your dog.
Age 10: Pet your dog every day, brush your dog,
walk your dog, give your dog treats, practise tricks with your dog, like ‘Shake hands”, play games with your dog, like fetch, hide and seek, practise the commands that your dog knows, like sit, stay, and down, feed your dog every day, help your parents bathe your dog, wash up the dog’s dishes, put out fresh water for your dog.
Age 12: Pet your dog every day, take responsibility
for brushing your dog. For difficult jobs, ask for help, walk your dog, give your dog treats, teach your dog some new tricks, play games with your dog, practise the commands that your dog knows, like sit, stay, and down, feed your dog every day, help your parents bathe your dog, wash up the dog’s dishes, put out fresh water for your dog, give your dog a weekly check-up, attend and assist your parent at dog obedience classes.
Age 14: Pet your dog every day, take responsibility for brushing your dog, walk your dog, give your dog treats, teach your dog some new tricks, play games with your dog, practise the commands that your dog knows, like sit, stay, and down, feed your dog every day, bathe your dog, wash up the dog’s dishes, put out fresh water for your dog, give your dog a weekly check-up, attend dog obedience class, with parents observing, sweep up dog hair, brush your dog’s teeth with assistance, if needed, schedule vet appointments when asked.
LUCA Luca - 18 monthS old, Labrador x He is a very sweet and social young boy who aims to please. He is great with other and would love to spend hours playing with you and the family.
ALICE Alice - 4 yr old, Mastiff x She is very people oriented and loves to follow you everywhere. Her ideal home is as an only animal where she can be the centre of your world.
BELLARINE PENINSULA E L RESPONSIB HIP S PET OWNER AWARDS
Companion pets are great for both our physical and mental health, they lift our spirits and help us relax. Research presented by the RSPCA has shown children and adolescents who have pets have higher self-esteem and are more popular. This might be because pets are known to enhance social connectedness, encourage positive social skills and give people a more optimistic attitude to life. So it’s important that we keep our pets healthy and happy. To encourage quality care for pets, Cherished Pets Community Veterinary Care (CPCVC), in conjunction with their community partner Wallington’s WRG, are calling for nominations for their annual Responsible Pet Ownership Awards. Awards will be presented to children who demonstrate active and lasting commitment to caring for their pet of any shape or size, including horses or farm animals that are kept as family pets. There are three age categories: Under 7 years; 8 to 12 years; and, 12 to 18 years. CPCVC is a unique social veterinary enterprise that supports the human animal bond through all life stages. “Encouraging responsible pet care in children and youth has strong benefits for those children as well as the wider community,” says Dr Alicia Kennedy of CPCVC. “A community of responsible pet owners is a happier, healthier and more empathetic community. This makes a better world for all of us. So we’d like to reward those children and youth who actively care for their family pets.” Nomination forms can be downloaded from www.cherishedpetcare.com.au PAGE 16
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CARING FOR YOUR
PETS If you see an animal that you think would be a great addition to your family then please view their complete adoption profile at geelonganimalrescue.org.au. There is a link to apply to adopt and from there we will be in contact to organise a meet and greet.
JAZZ
BOBA
Jazz - 15 months old, Staffy x Kelpie Don’t let her scar put you off, it just tells part of her story. This beautiful girl has nothing but love to give to her human and canine friends alike.
BAJO
Boba - 3 yr old, DSH Boba is very much still a playful kitten at heart and is so easy going that she will be a seamless addition to any family.
ATHENA
Bajo - between 2-4 yrs, heeler x This little man is the epitome of cool. He has a relaxed nature and loves all he meets. Bajo plays well with others and wants nothing more than a scratch behind his ears.
Athena - 6 monthS old, DSH This beautiful young lady has been waiting for her forever home since last kitten season. She is sweet, affectionate and would love a family to call her own.
HILLVIEW FARM STAR BOARDING CATTERY
Hillview Farm 5 Star Boarding Cattery is conveniently situated on the Princes Hwy Birregurra, approximately 19 Km’s from Colac at the foot of the picturesque Otway Ranges. Hillview is a purpose built boutique facility designed exclusively for cats. Over the past 9 years, Hillview has developed a reputation for exceptional care, outstanding facilities and professional service. Current owners Jayne and Daryl Collins are committed to delivering on their service promise of “5 Star service and 5 Star facilities without the city 5 Star prices”. As the only registered and authorised Pet Boarding facility in the Colac Otway Shire you can leave your precious pet at Hillview with peace of mind that they are receiving the very best of care and loving attention. Hillview also have EFTPOS and credit card facilities for ease of payment and are open for your convenience 7 days a week. You can find out more by visiting www.hillviewcattery.com.au or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hillviewcattery They also welcome pre inspection of their facilities for first time boarders. Simply give them a call. Hillview is not like other boarding facility. For your next break, why don’t you treat your pet and let them “Experience the Hillview Difference” Call us on 03 5235 2115 or toll free on 1300 HILLVIEW (1300 44 55 84)” PAGE 17
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experiences they have in their everyday life. Everyday opportunities allow children to explore the world around them and experiment with touch, sound and movement. It is the important people in their life, such as family, friends and childhood educators who are their first teachers – who can provide the environment and variety of experiences to support their learning. Play is the primary means of learning for children. Before the age of 18 months, sensory-motor play is the focus where babies are exploring their environment, responding and interacting with sound, touch and visual stimulation. They find their hands and feet, develop control to explore movement and develop their own body awareness. Toys that have different textures such as bumps and curves, lights, music; toys that children can shake, bang, press buttons all make play enjoyable and provide immediate feedback to a movement or “cause and effect”. That is, if I do this, then this is what happens! Reading, singing, controlled “rough and tumble” play are all part of play and thus a child’s repertoire in learning. As a child grows, different play experiences will provide opportunity for children to interact, share knowledge, participate in turn-taking and learn to cooperate with their peers and within daily routines. As an example, pretend play provides opportunity for children to use their imagination to construct stories, build scenarios, develop and sequence ideas and actions, develop their social skills and boundaries around them, and develop their language skills. Research in early childhood suggests that children are active learners. They interact
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You can support your child’s learning by: • Listening, watching and responding • Modelling the behaviours that you would like your child to develop eg language and sounds, emotions, turn-taking • Allowing opportunities to practise their skills through play • Using opportunities within your family routine to practise skills eg bath time, mealtimes, family activities • Providing a variety of experiences such as visiting the park, shops, grandparents, playgroups, childcare • Follow your child’s interests • Most of all, have fun in play!! With five centres around the Bellarine Peninsula, Bellarine Community Health (www.bch.org.au) provides health services to families across the region. The Child Health and Development Team offers a family-centred service focusing on the well being of children aged 0-12 years. The team includes speech therapy, occupational therapy, podiatry, dietetics, physiotherapy and dentistry. They can be contacted through BCH Intake –Telephone: 5258 0812 or Email: intake@bch.org.au.
In
with people or the environment, absorb the information and use it in future experiences, building on their skills. Their skills development is cumulative, such that they develop a solid skills foundation and they build on this as they accomplish more complex skills. This supports the knowledge that for children who have any delay within their development, early intervention is key to supporting their learning and hence establishing that solid skills foundation on which to build.
Children’s Week r o f Saturday 24th October – Sunday 1st
November at Bellarine Community Health
The Child Health and Development Team at BCH is celebrating Children’s Week with a free “Drop In” session for parents and children aged 0-12, between 9am-11am on Wednesday 28th October. As well as fun for the children (craft, face painting, drawing) there will be an opportunity for parents to ask those niggling questions about their child’s development that, in their busy lives, they may never otherwise get around to asking. Our child health team (consisting of speech pathologist, occupational therapist, physiotherapist and dietitian) will be on hand to answer your vquestions in a relaxed and informal setting.
Drop
Supp you o r
ng i t r ild’s Learning h C Children learn through the
October 2015
Questions such as:
• Is my child developing at the right level for their age? • I am having difficulty understanding my child’s speech. Is that ok at this stage? • Is my child getting enough of the right foods? • I’m not sure how to support my child to participate in play with his friends. The first few years are the most influential in children’s development and thus it is important to aim to give them the best opportunity to build a solid foundation from which to develop. The Child Health and Development team can work with families to support areas of development such as communication, social and emotional skills, play, fine and gross motor skills, self-care such as toileting and dressing, eating behaviours and food intake, and general health maintenance. The therapists offer advice, individual therapy and group programs to support children in these areas. So, come in and meet our team on Wednesday 28th October, between 9-11am at our Point Lonsdale site, on Nelson Rd, Point Lonsdale. No bookings required. Enquiries: Maureen Stanic, Coordinator Ph: 5258 0888
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hild C r u o Y Is
nt
te e p m o C a
Eater?
What is a parent to do? We know children don’t eat enough vegetables so we push vegetables onto our children. Right? Wrong - according to Ellyn Satter, U.S. Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Family Therapist and internationally recognised authority on eating and feeding. (Ref: http://ellynsatterinstitute.org/index.php) How do we know if our children, or indeed we ourselves, are competent eaters? According to Ellyn, it takes one to raise one. So what does an eating competent child look like? He feels good about eating, is comfortable with unfamiliar food, goes by feelings of hunger and fullness to know how much to eat and how to grow, and enjoys family meals and behaves well there. If that does not describe your child, read on! Ellyn contends that when children are not eating well, it is because the parent is not doing their jobs with feeding well. So what do these parental feeding jobs look like?
1. To provide food predictability, i.e. regular meals, for our children
2. “Modelling” of normal, sociable eating i.e. family meals Perhaps, in our busy lives, parents have lost sight of the importance of these jobs and have stopped prioritising them. We might be very surprised to learn that family meals are more instrumental in positive outcomes for our children than socio economic status, family structure, after school activities, tutors or church. Children who have regular, pleasant and positive family meals do better nutritionally, socially, emotionally, academically and with respect to avoidance of risk taking behaviour in adolescence. So perhaps it is time to rethink the family meal. A meal is eating family food together. It may be just one child with a trusted adult. So, why the structure of family meals?
1. Meals give a context for food acceptance and for mastering eating skills.
2. It allows for developing hunger for food and eating until satisfied.
3. It keeps food from being a constant issue between times.
4. It provides predictability and children can rely on being fed regularly.
Achieving structure can take some time. Once people
get the meal habit, they gradually improve dietary quality. Children need five small sit down meals daily. They can join in family meals, with a sit down snack in between, from 11 months. The Satter Feeding Dynamics Model encourages parents to feed based on the Division of Responsibility. The parent’s responsibility is to choose what foods to serve the child in a positive and supportive manner, at family meals throughout the day. The child’s responsibility is to decide whether and how much to eat of what the parent has chosen to serve. More than 70% of parents of toddlers ask their child for food orders and make substitutes to the family food. This produces poor food acceptance. In planning meals, parents are urged to be considerate without catering. Children are perverse and cannot anticipate what they are going to eat, so catering specifically to their requests puts pressure on them to eat what they asked for earlier. Pressure creates anxiety and always works against eating competence. The parent’s role in raising competent eaters, starts at birth and continues throughout childhood. Parents give children autonomy and support/preserve their children’s natural ability with eating. It is a relationship of trust. They will learn to eat. It is part of their normal development. However, 90% of parents interfere with their child’s eating and pressure them to eat. The Satter Eating Competence Model says “Do your jobs with feeding and trust your child to do her jobs with eating.” Ordinarily, pre-schoolers push themselves along to learn and grow and they want to please their parents. What is interfering with our pre-schooler’s natural drive to learn to eat the foods his parents eat? One way of checking whether we are interfering is to ask ourselves “What is our agenda?” If it is getting food into our child rather than supporting our child to get food into herself, we are interfering with her job of eating, interfering with her natural drive to grow up with eating, interfering withher ability to grow in her natural growth pattern. Why? Parents tend to react when children are at the extremes of size or appetite. We must trust her natural growth potential. Contrary to intentions, restrained feeding increases risk of overweight and pressured feeding increases risk of underweight. Typical feeding errors include:
1. Failure to have meals 2. Restricting certain foods
3. Limiting menus to foods the children readily accept 4. Trying to get children to eat – more or less 5. Insensitivity to the child’s developmental stage – what they can do
6. Failure to follow infant cues to guide feeding 7. Introducing solid foods too early and/or family foods too late
8. Failure to prepare child to cope with his food world What people really want is to eat food they enjoy, to eat enough, to enjoy eating with other people, to feel good about it, to feel positive and effective with respect to feeding their children. Yet, so often, this is not our experience. Is our goal to get food into our child or to raise a healthy child who is a joy to feed? And how successful do we feel with what we are currently doing? This is a way to feed so we can feel more successful. When the joy goes out of eating, nutrition suffers. Summary
There can be many things that bring parents to the place where they have lost trust in their child’s ability to eat. But we must rethink our expectations about what our child can actually do at their particular stage of development, trust our child with eating and correct our feeding errors. To change our child’s way of eating, we must change our own ways of feeding. If we want a child who:
1. Feels good about eating 2. Is comfortable with unfamiliar food 3. Goes by feelings of hunger and fullness to know how much to eat and how to grow
4. Enjoys family meals and behaves well there we
must provide structure and employ the Division of Responsibility in feeding.
When we do our job with feeding, sooner or later, on her own, our child will learn to eat new foods. Stop pressuring her to eat and start letting her be comfortable and feel successful at mealtime. If you would like some help with using the Satter Eating Competence Model, contact your local dietitian at Bellarine Community Health. Hilary Hoevenaars, Dietitian, Child Health and Development Team, BCH) www.bch.org.au Ph: 5258 0812
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10ntnuhal A
This year Geelong will commemorate its 10th Children’s Week, an annual festival celebrating everything fun and fantastic for children. Children’s week is a great opportunity to get kids involved with exciting (and often free) activities for families all over town. Childhood is such a special time, yet it is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of work and other commitments. Children’s Week gives families a chance to take time out and enjoy some unique activities. This year promises to be bigger than ever with over 60 separate activities from 24th October until 1st November. From bush dances to yoga and story time, there is something for everyone and new experiences to try. The highlight of the week is undoubtedly Play in the Park which brings together free activities and interactive entertainment in Geelong’s beautiful Botanic Gardens. Come along on Tuesday 27th October, and enjoy animal farms, The Mik Maks, a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, face painting and much more. Attendees to Children’s Week events have doubled in size since the first celebration 10 years ago. So join us for the 10th Anniversary and make sure you celebrate the child in your life during Children’s Week. Some other registered Children’s Week activities in October include: 23rd October
• 10 Year Celebration. The Carousel, Eastern Beach Road, Geelong 9.30 - 10.30am
Children’s Week
24th October
• Children’s Bush Dance: Torquay College, 45-55 Grossmans Road, Torquay 5 – 8pm • Children & Family Halloween Disco: Club Italia Geelong, 515 Queenscliff Road, Moolap. 6 – 10pm • Halloween At Rix Kindergarten: Rix Kindergarten, 49 Rix Street, Herne Hill. 10am – 12pm • Family Fun Play-Day: At Northern Bay Family Centre. Northern Bay Family Centre, 3-25 Goldsworthy Avenue, Corio. 11am – 2pm
Bitty book van and the Animal farm. Get busy with hoola hooping, baby play area, fairy and dragon trail, obstacle course and lots more. Teahouse open or bring a picnic. Geelong Botanic Gardens, Eastern Park Circuit, Geelong. 10am – 1pm 28th October
• Roslyn Playgroup Open Day: Wandana Heights Hall, 7 Wandana Drive, Wandana Heights. 11.30am - 1.30pm 29th October
• Newtown Primary School Arts Show: Newtown Primary School. 5 – 7pm • Beach, Bird Watching & Nature Walk; Meet at Portarlington Yacht Club Car Park, Point Richards Road, Portarlington. 4 – 5pm
25th October
30th October
• Newtown Playgroup Family Fun Day: Kevin Kirby Reserve, Buxton Road, Herne Hill. 11am – 2pm
• Preschool Story Time At The Library: Highton Library, Roslyn Road, Highton or Barwon Heads Library, Barwon Heads Primary School, Barwon Heads. 10.30 - 11.15am
• Boorai Playgroup Family Day: Boorai Child And Family Centre, 4-50 Shell Road, Ocean Grove. 9 – 11am 26th October
• Valanga Khoza In Concert: Tate Street Primary School Stadium, Tate Street, East Geelong. 11am – 12pm • Playdough Fun. St Albans Park Kindergarten, 41-53 Homestead Drive, St Albans Park. 2 - 3.30pm 27th October
• Play In The Park: Free Family Fun With The Mik Maks, Krazy Koala Puppet Show, Mad Hatter’s Tea Party and pop up recycled play. Also enjoy Drumming workshops, storytelling and music sessions, face painting, the Itty
31st October
• Kids Hip Hop Class: Bellarine Aquatic and Sports Centre, Shell Road, Ocean Grove. 12 – 1pm • Parent & Child Yoga Class: Bellarine Aquatic and Sports Centre, Shell Road, Ocean Grove. 9.30 – 10.30am • Celebrate Messy Play: Leopold Child and Family Centre, 31-39 Kensington Road, Leopold. 12 – 2pm • Learning Through Play Exhibition: Leopold Child and Family Centre, 31-39 Kensington Road, Leopold. 12 – 2pm
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RiversGift
When old friends Andrew Carroll and Karl Waddell crossed paths on the running track early in 2015, it was a very fortuitous meeting. Andrew, General Manager of Geelong Homes, a locally owned and operated builder was in training for the Melbourne Marathon and had joined up to the River’s Gift SOS Running Group for some expert tuition and some company of like-minded runners to support him along the way. River’s Gift SOS Running Group provides professional training and coaching for runners and non-runners of all abilities.In addition to coaching, the registration fee provides fundraising support to the River’s Gift charity. The Geelong based charity, River’s Gift was established in 2011 by Karl and Alex Waddell, devastated yet focused and determined parents, who were searching for answers surrounding the death of their son River Jak Adam Waddell, who passed away in his sleep at just 128 days old from SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). It has now evolved into a global movement, with thousands of supporters across the world. In joining the training group, Andrew quickly realised that River’s Gift and Geelong Homes mutual passions for family and the Greater Geelong region, meant that a fundraising partnership could go a long way towards building a better future for our children.
27th February 2016,for the charity. All profits raised from the sale of the house will go directly to River’s Gift to assist in the specialist training of a professional in the field of SIDS research, based at Harvard University. There is hope too, that funds raised will contribute to the establishment of an Australianbased SIDS research laboratory, helping to cement Australia’s role in the world of SIDS research and provide a local point of contact for expert knowledge and information. More than 80 babies die each year from SIDS in Australia. It’s the biggest killer of babies in their first year of life and the reason is still unclear. With continued support and research, it is the charity’s dream to continue to decrease this number and hopefully one day find a preventative cure. This project has been made a reality due to the very generous contribution of Geelong Homes and their sub-contractors and suppliers, along with River’s Gift supporters who have been more than willing to put their hand up for this worthy cause and contribute their time, products and services.
The Geelong Homes Pledge for River’s Gift team is hoping that the Greater Geelong community will engage and support this fantastic fundraising campaign. A dedicated web page has been set up and will document all the stages Many phone calls and a great deal of negotiation of the house build and be a wealth of information later, Andrew Carroll and Geelong Homes about the supporters of this great cause.There is proudly announced on 11th September that they also a Geelong Homes Facebook and Instagram have signed a pledge to commit all profits raised post that will blog all the happenings on site at 1 by the Geelong Homes team via fundraising Alcandre Street, Ocean Grove. activities to the SIDS research charity, naming it We invite you to follow the progress of the ‘Geelong Homes Pledge for River’s Gift’. build and show your support to River’s Gift at The first spectacular fundraising effort by Geelong Homes is the construction of a contemporary four-bedroom home at 1 Alcandre Street, Ocean Grove. The home is a new Geelong Homes design and features a generous master bedroom, open plan living, north facing alfresco and fully landscaped gardens. The home will be auctioned at 11am on Saturday
www.pledgeforriversgift.com.au @geelonghomes #pledgeforriversgift#geelonghomes #riversgift Help us to breathe life back into SIDS research and follow Geelong Homes Pledge for River’s Gift.
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CRAFTS
COOKING
Jet Pack it look more futuristic, but you can skip this if you are short on time.
Directions 1. Empty the soda bottles and rinse them out. Once they are dry apply a few thin coats of silver spray paint to them until they are evenly covered. 2. Once the paint is dry use tape to tape around the bottom 1/4 of the bottle. Use your gold spray paint to paint this area gold. You can also painted your twine gold to make
3. Cut the tissue paper to look like flames. 4. Use your glue gun to glue the two bottles together and the flames to the opening of the bottle. If you find the glue doesn’t work you can use tape instead. 5. Cut two small slits in the bottles with a craft knife and thread the string through to make the straps to go around your childs shoulders.
What You Need JARS PAINTBRUSH GLOW IN THE DARK PAINT *If you can’t find the paint at your local craft store try your local hardware store.
Mummy Muffins Method
What You Need
1. Simply bake your favourite muffin recipe. (Chocolate is good as it makes the white icing stand out.) 2. Once baked and cooled, mix up some white icing. 3. Place icing in piping bag and make zig zags to make the mummy effect. If you don’t have
a piping bag you can just use a spoon and allow the icing mixture to drizzle over the muffins in a zig zag motion. You can also buy icing pens from the supermarket for less mess.
MUFFIN MIXTURE (your own recipe or packet) ICING SUGAR MM’S OR SMARTIES
4. Then simply add some eyes to your mummies with MM’s or Smarties.
*PLEASE BE CAREFUL WHEN USING SHARP OR HOT OBJECTS. ACCORDING TO kidsafevic.com.au “THE HOME IS THE MOST COMMON LOCATION FOR CHILDHOOD INJURY. THEREFORE IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE MAKE OUR HOMES AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE.”
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kidsvoice
kidsvoice.com.au
Reviews
Reviews – PAN MACMILLAN SURVIVOR – TOM HOYLE a fast-paced actionSurvival against the odds: hor of Thirteen and packed thriller from the aut A dangerously exciting Spiders. Nobody is safe . author Tom Hoyle, author lling tse new thriller from bes of Thirteen and Spiders. Ultimate Bushcraft One mysterious death on the but a second, then a third adventure holiday is tragic, ne can you trust when everyo is suspicious . . . But who the le, ind dw s ber num As around you is a suspect? et. Staying alive has never chances of survival plumm is safe. seemed so guilty. Nobody
V TECH RIVER D T O T TINY iny Tot ith the T w g d in v coloure s, Get mo brightly le is ic h h e T v r! uces Drive y introd ls a to y im la n a role-p rs and , numbe s and realistic colours se ra fun ph n through . Little ones ca s d move n u car so wheel to nd g n ri e ste ya turn the r with the pupp s a c le i ic in h e m the ferent v if d t u s o s learn ab unds, and pre r fun ir so a e e h th d to n a uttons b y button, k n rn u o t-up h the ch h g li e h . T r for self phrases ble wing mirro t-up a h k a d lig non-bre stick an all little ry, gear e ge v a o g c n is e d s. will all ts 6 month h g li – for 12 3 ech traffic le b a it u S VT tion on drivers. informa r /www. e :/ h p rt tt fu h For , visit ts c u d e VTech ro th p ck out e and its h c r o .uk , echANZ vtech.co acebook @ VT s_ F lectronic news on vtech_e @ m ra tag and Ins . a li a tr s au
GOTH GIRL A ND THE WUTH ERING FRIGH CHRIS RIDDEL T– L – PAN MAC MILLAN Goth Girl and The Wutherin g Fright is the third beautiful ly illustrated bo ok in the Goth Girl series by Chris Riddell, sequel toGoth Girl and the G host of a Mou se and Goth G and the Fete irl Worse Than D eath. People flocking to Gha are stly-Gorm Hal l from far and wide to compe te in Lord Got h’s Literary D Show. The es og teemed judges are in place an the contestant d s are all read y to win. Sir W Splott is prep alter aring his Lana rkshire Lurche Plain Austen r, is preening he r Hampshire Hound and H omily Dickins on and her Yankee Poodl e are raring to go. But there’ something stra s nge going on at GhastlyGorm - myste rious footprin ts, howls in th night and som e e suspiciously chewed shoe Can Ada, the s. Attic Club and their new frien the Vicarage ds sisters (Charlo tte, Emily and Anne) work ou t what’s going on before the next full m oon?
g! pin p o t h os tha t’s g acters of e L har eds op! 3 ’t st mall c hundr es! ON n S a s c m ’s , EA S S ... You r cute There un the rld! o f KIN e ! p f P w p d o l o u r s SHO you sh the s ng wo l sorts opkin are hoppi om al ur Sh ce On pkins o r s dy ct f IG Sho in a B colle d buil to ll an live pkins ma o Sh ct the e l Col BY
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kidsvoice
October 2015
a e T s d i K Party The Australian International Tea Expo and the Kids’ Tea Party: 17th & 18th October The Australian International Tea Expo is the first ever national tea expo in Australia. It is a trade show and conference for international specialty teas and related products. It is an opportunity for industry professionals and tea enthusiasts to connect face-to-face to unveil new products, optimise high quality merchandise, gain in-depth product knowledge, and network with their tea loving peers. As part of the Expo, there will be other exciting activities; a Chinese Southern Lion performance on the Saturday morning to open the event (free to public), a delicious Black Tea Dinner on the Saturday night, gorgeous high teas, and a number of cultural performances on the main stage of the expo on both days. There will also be tea education classes run at the Geelong Boathouse, these 10 unique classes will teach you all you need to know about tea. The Kids’ Tea Party is a special event for children of all ages and will be held during the afternoon of Sunday the 18th of October, 3 – 5pm and the beautiful Carousel on Geelong’s waterfront. Attendees will have the special chance to meet the Snow Sisters. A lovely variety of sweets and sandwiches will be provided, as well as a selection of drinks. Children will be entertained for two hours with sing-alongs, magic tricks and games. Children must be accompanied by an adult. For further information and to book tickets please go to – www.australianteaexpo.com.au
g n i r Sp Fair
Freshwater Creek Steiner School Spring Fair: Saturday 24th October 10am-3pm.
Spring Fair and Open Day is an opportunity for families to find out more about Steiner education and the unique way it engages the whole child – working with ‘head’, ‘heart’ and ‘hands’. Teachers and parents will be available to answer questions. The Wetlands Room will feature a display of children’s work, along with information and enrolment packs. The Spring Fair is the highlight of the year at the Freshwater Creek Steiner School, just half an hour from Geelong in a bush setting. It is a celebration for school families who invite neighbours and visitors to join them and take in the atmosphere of their beautiful school. Parents and children bake cakes to enjoy at Chai Cafe, along with homemade savoury food and the good old fashioned sausage sizzle - with sausages made from biodynamically raised meat. Homemade lemonade, jams and preserves will be available for purchase, along with organically grown produce. The school’s craft co-op stall offers goods made by hand with natural materials, displaying the talent of the school community. This stall will also sell second-hand Steiner toys. A vibrant marketplace will showcase quality, handmade, natural and sustainable goods. Acoustic music from children, local musicians and buskers will provide a melodious backdrop as visitors browse the stalls, or sit to rest and refresh themselves. In the free games area, children will be able to dig for gnomes’ gold, fish for brightly coloured fish, and play a range of games to suit all ages. Freshwater Creek Steiner School McIntyres Rd, Freshwater Creek
r o k c Tri t Trea
Trick or Treat Kidz Fest at Barwon Park: Sunday 25th October 10am-5pm
A fabulous family fun day with heaps for the kids to do, proudly supporting the Winchelsea Primary School. Everyone is invited to dress up (adults included)! This will be a jam packed day with live entertainment, craft, games and rides, market stalls and fresh food. Barwon Park Mansion invites you into its haunted halls for a tour. Watch the lost souls of the manor walk straight through the walls, the witches of the woods will sweep in on their brooms and the mummies will break free of their cobwebbed tombs. Visit the Trick or Treat Kidz Fest website to book your tickets online. www.trickortreatkidzfest.org.au Barwon Park, 105 Inverleigh Road, Winchelsea.
WHAT’S ON F Foodresh Fair
Poppykettle Children’s Festival at GPAC: 22nd & 23rd October Children throughout the Geelong region are gearing up for the 34th annual Poppykettle Children’s Festival. The fun begins on Thursday October 22 with Poppykettle Kinder Day from 10am to 1pm. This free event includes activities for kindergarten children and their siblings. Children will be encouraged to join in face painting, pasta necklaces, badge making, a gymnastics circuit and various art and craft activities. There will be plenty of free entertainment including buskers, puppets, magic with Dazzling Dan, the Crazy Koala Show plus The Playground Craze. There will also be a visit from GPAC’s much-loved mascot Sparky. Kindergarten Day activities will all be held throughout GPAC and children can collect a treasure map to help them find their way around the activities and entertainment. Poppykettle Primary Day on Friday October 23 gives school children an opportunity to participate in arts based workshops and performances that will stir their creativity.
y l i m a F y a D Fun
Pop pyke Chil ttle dren Fest iv ’s al
The Surfside Fresh Food Fair at Surfside Primary School: Sunday 1st November 10am-3pm Showcasing their fabulous Stephanie Alexander kitchen garden, buy home-made produce and enjoy a nutritious lunch from food nurtured, picked and prepared at Surfside Primary School. Fair ground rides for children of all ages, market stalls, live music, plant sales and a plethora of fresh food options to tempt your taste buds. The Fresh Food Fair is the major fundraiser for Surfside Primary and is held on the Sunday of the Melbourne Cup Weekend from 10am til 3pm and funds the Kitchen/Garden Program. PAGE 26
GPAC Education Co-ordinator Kelly Clifford said the focus was on interactive, hands-on experiences with an Asian-inspired theme. “This year students will participate in Tai Chi, Asian arts and Japanese music. Then they will all come to GPAC to see a dynamic live performance of Monkey - Journey to the West, which is sure to be a highlight of the day.”
Family Fun Day at The Potato Shed Sunday 25th October from 11am The Mik Maks are back for 2015! This must-do Bellarine event is full of fun activities for the whole family including a live play by Theatre 3triple2 4 Kids “Willies the Koala’s Bush Adventures”, live music, face painting, animal farm, bungee run, skate park, crafts, storytelling, sports Zone and workshops. This year there is Bike n blend and Butterfly Adventures joining in the fun. A fantastic way to mark the beginning of Children’s Week in Geelong. Perfect for kids of all ages. This is a free community event and starts at 11am.
October WHAT’S 1 - 11
1 5 - 18
PomPom Sheep on Parade featuring Shaun the Sheep. National Wool Musuem, Moorabool St, Geelong. Help us break a Guinness World Record: build the world’s largest flock of hand-made pompom sheep #10000pompoms.
Royal Geelong Show, Geelong Showgrounds, 79 Breakwater Road, East Geelong.
1 - 31 Wildlife of Gondwana. Beasts of the Great Southern Supercontinent.
Costs.
17
National Wool Museum, Moorabool St, Geelong. Surrounded by life-like environmental murals, real fossils, skeletons and 20 full-scale skeletal casts. Dino brithday parties are also now available!
Mount Moriac Hotel Speed Shear, Mount Moriac Hotel, 1115 Princes Hwy, Moriac. Come and watch some the world’s fastest sheep shearers battle it out for amazing prize money. Live music, DJ’s and heart pumping competition all night. Everyone welcome, gold coin donation to the Royal Children’s Hospital on entry.
10
18
Cranky Bear by Patch Theatre Company, Drama Theatre, GPAC, 50 Little Malop St. Cranky Bear is a rollicking cabaretstyle show by Patch Theatre Company for 4 - 8 year olds packed with music, laughter and mayhem. 12 and 2.30pm. Costs
ON
The Royal Geelong Show is the biggest four day show in country Victoria.
Kids Tea Party, The Australian International Tea Expo. Geelong Carousel. The Kids’ Tea Party is a special event for children of all ages. 3 - 5pm. Costs
2 4 - 1 N OV
29
2015 Geelong Children’s Week - 10 year celebration. Various locations. See page 21 for more information on events.
Preschool story time at the library. Various libraries including Belmont Library, Geelong Library, Newcomb Library and Drysdale Library. Help your child discover the magic of stories and develop a lifelong love of reading. 10.30 – 11.15am
25 Back to the Cottage - 125th Celebration, Cottage by the Sea, Queenscliff. Free BBQ and games to celebrate the Cottage’s 125th anniversary. 12pm 3pm
10
1 8 -1 9
26
Bronte’s Ball, The Pier Geelong, Cunningham Pier, Geelong. Gala ball raising funds for childhood cancer, neuroblastoma for You Are My Sunshine Foundations YAMS. 6.30pm 12midnight. Costs
Anglesea Music Festival.
Preschool story time at the library. Ocean Grove Library. Help your child discover the magic of stories and develop a lifelong love of reading. 10.30 – 11.15am
1 0 - 11
24
Day Out With Thomas, Bellarine Railway, Queenscliff. Every child’s favourite steam train, Thomas the Tank Engine makes a special appearance at the Bellarine Railway, along with Douglas, Henry, Oliver, Salty, those Troublesome Trucks and Sir Topham Hatt.
Freshwater Creek Steiner School Open Day & Fair. Held in the school grounds this delightful and chilled Fair offers an assortment of handmade and homegrown everything.
11 Point Lonsdale Primary School Market, Point Lonsdale Primary School, Point Lonsdale. The Point Lonsdale Primary School Market is held on the second Sunday every month, Easter Saturday and the first Saturday in December. 9am - 2pm. Free
22 - 25 The Camperdown Cruise Rockabilly Festival, Manifold Street, Camperdown.
27 Preschool story time at the library. Various libraries including Chilwell Library, Belmont Library, Corio Library and Drysdale Library. Help your child discover the magic of stories and develop a lifelong love of reading. 10.30 – 11.15am
24 14th Annual Geelong West Toy Library Toy Sale, Virginia Todd Centre, 9 – 13 Clarence Street, Geelong West. Hundreds of quality pre-loved toys for sale including toys, books, games, puzzles, craft and outdoor equipment. 9 – 11am
28 Preschool story time at the library. Various libraries including Geelong West Library, Lara Library and Waurn Ponds Library. Help your child discover the magic of stories and develop a lifelong love of reading. 10.30 – 11.15am
30 Preschool story time at the library. Various libraries including Highton Library and Barwon Heads Library. Help your child discover the magic of stories and develop a lifelong love of reading. 10.30 – 11.15am
30 Jirrahlinga Cup, 10-14 Eastern Beach Road, Geelong. Fun fundraising night for Jirrahlinga Wildlife Rescue and Helping Hands. Phantom Races - Finger Food - Fashions on the Field - Auctions and more. 7pm Costs
31 Aireys Inlet Fair, Aireys Inlet Community Hall Aireys Inlet. Gourmet food and drinks, wine and beer tents, homemade cakes, preserves, plants and craft, trash and treasure, over 50 market stalls and more.
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