Geelong Coast Kids - Spring 2023

Cuylenburg: Imperfect dad

‘Empty and lost’ Dads seek support

with Cara Oliver

Hugh van

A season bursting with opportunities

IT’S always a special feeling, spotting those first few spring blossoms bursting from bare tree branches.

It’s a glimmer of hope - that the year’s coldest, wettest days are behind us and summer is just a stone’s throw away. Nature turns on the charm, sprouting ubiquitous buds and blooms across the suburbs and beyond. The outside world is just beckoning you to get up from the couch, drop the blanket, grab a hat and get outdoors!

Spring is the perfect time to stretch the legs after a long winter and check

Contents

IT’S YOUR LIFE

Staff shortages put maternity services under pressure

PAGE 3

Steve Biddulph: Where is it in your body?

PAGE 4 4

Kidsafe’s essential garage safety checklist

PAGE 4 4

Dad urges men to seek postnatal support

PAGE 5

How to be a teachable and askable parent

PAGE 6

Keeping kids safe from online grooming

PAGE 6 6

‘He’s not very resilient, is he?’: Hugh van Cuylenburg talks parenting

PAGE 7 7

Kids in the Kitchen: Probiotic coconut and strawberry panna cotta

PAGE 8

Cara Oliver re-writes her next act

PAGES 9-11

DENTAL

Happy Dental, happy clients

PAGE 12

HEALTH

MCM: Strong, safe relationships

PAGE 13

out parks and playgrounds before the heat of summer sets in. There’s no better way to tire out the kids while nurturing both their bodies and imaginations.

For a while there, every playground we visited became a cafe. The ‘tanbark as food and money’ phase seems to be a rite of passage for children everywhere.

One of our children is deep in a swing stage currently, but thankfully she’s mastered swinging herself, so sometimes Mumma gets to take a seat and soak up the gentle sunshine and fresh air.

ENTERTAINMENT

Wonder takes centre stage at Geelong Arts Centre

PAGES 14-15

Free events for your school holidays

PAGE 14

EDUCATION

Navigating the NDIS

PAGE 16 16

Empowering students at Geelong Baptist College

PAGE 16

North Geelong Secondary College: Student behaviour and academic endeavour in focus

PAGE 17

Find your passion and pathway at Geelong High School

PAGE 18

We’d love to hear your go-to park and playground games - we could all do with a little inspiration! Whether it’s an independent play scenario to set the kids up with, or a parent-friendly all-in game, we want to hear it.

Follow us on Instagram or Facebook to share your tips or pick up an idea, and to find all our latest stories.

Geelong Coast Kids magazine is a Star News Group publication.

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

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au Published by Star News Group Pty Ltd ACN 005 848 108. Publisher/Managing Director, Paul Thomas. All material is copyright to

REALITY BITES

Life with HG: Mum’s battle to leave the bathroom

PAGE 20

Family tragedy inspires teen novel Inkflower

PAGE 21

BOOKS

Dive into Mim’s world

PAGE 22

Discover new children’s books

PAGE 22

Staffing shortages putting pressure on maternity services

By Melissa Meehan and Matt Hewson

STAFF shortages throughout Greater Geelong are putting maternity services under pressure.

The closure of maternity services at Epworth Geelong in March this year brought the number of services in the regional centre down from three to two.

At the time, Epworth cited staffing shortages as a major reason for the closure.

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said services in the Greater Geelong region hadn’t kept pace with an increasing population since the closure.

“Services have not kept pace with increasing population, and many women have more complex needs than in the past,” a spokesperson told AAP.

“The main issue has been a physical lack of beds and space, and workforce issues.”

Berth Geelong, which provides pregnancy care, recently sent an email to clients warning of the situation at St John of God Geelong.

“Due to a shortage of paediatrician

cover, the hospital may go on bypass,” the email said.

“Be assured the bypass is not related to midwifery care or due to hospital capacity but rather a challenge in providing adequate paediatric support.”

National Association of Specialist Obstetricians and Gynaecologists president Gino Pecoraro said it was an all-too-familiar story, as regional centres across the country struggled to find staff.

“We are in the process of maternity services collapse around the countryit’s not a polite way to put it, but it’s true,” Prof Pecoraro said.

“This is exactly what happened with Queensland, with Gladstone, then Rockhampton and now Cairns - and regional New South Wales is no different.”

Mr Pecoraro said when private healthcare became unaffordable, fewer women used the private sector, putting pressure on public hospitals and making it harder to entice obstetricians, paediatricians and other specialists.

St John of God chief executive Stephen Roberts dismissed the notion of a crisis in Greater Geelong, saying he was extremely proud of how his staff

had responded in the past six months.

“Essentially, it was a doubling in volume in a very short period of time, but we’ve been able to absorb all of the work that’s come out of Epworth so far and we’ve delivered every baby that has been booked with us,” Mr Roberts said.

“No woman has been transferred from here to deliver elsewhere. “In that time we were on bypass for a total of six hours during those many months.”

Barwon Health women’s and children’s services clinical director, Associate Professor David Fuller, said reiterated Mr Roberts’ statements about the productive partnership between Barwon Health - via University Hospital - and St John of God.

“We’re fortunate in Geelong that we’ve got excellent maternity services, both in the private and the public setting,” he said.

“They work collaboratively and well together. And where the capability level required for receiving care in the private (setting) is greater than what’s able to be provided, we’ve got the capacity to provide that in the public setting. “We work co-operatively together for the best outcomes for mothers and their babies.”

The Victorian government said Barwon Health was meeting the maternity demands of the local community and had more than enough capacity to meet the region’s needs.

A spokesman said the government was also backing a range of initiatives to grow the healthcare workforce, with particular attention paid to regional health services.

Staffing issues have been felt by Colac Area Health too.

CEO Fiona Brew said Colac Hospital periodically went on bypass due to staffing issues.

“It is always a difficult decision to make knowing the potential impact on our community,” Ms Brew told AAP.

“We are not on extended bypass and we work very closely with our patients on an individual care plan to ensure both mother and baby are safe.”

Ms Brew said patients were usually diverted to University Hospital, but if the family lived closer they could be sent to South West Healthcare.

The state Health Department was unable to provide data on where women gave birth based on their postcode.

Maternity services in the greater Geelong region haven’t kept pace with an increasing population.

Where is it in your body?

“Yes,” Ravi snuffled.

“And now it’s left you feeling awful?”

“She hates me!” he said.

“Well, it feels pretty bad to be talked to in that way.”

“I hate her! I don’t want to be her brother anymore.”

“OK! Can I ask you Ravi, can you feel the bad feeling in your body?”

He replied, “Yes.”

“Where does that bad feeling live right now?” his mum asked.

There is a pause. “It’s in my throat.”

“OK, just feel it there. What is it like?”

RAVI is eight years old; a sweet-natured boy who adores his older sister Satya.

Despite the four years between them, they have always been the dearest companions.

But this morning, getting ready for school, there was a huge blow-up between the two of them.

Satya ended up yelling at the top of her lungs for Ravi to “stop bugging me!” and stormed off to catch her bus.

Ravi was distraught. He went to his room in tears.

His mum gave him a few minutes and then went in to see if she could comfort him. She worried that he would be late for school but knew that without some calming down, his day would not go very well.

She sat beside him on the bed.

“How are you going?” she asked gently. He didn’t answer.

“Satya was really loud and mean to you back then. It must have been a surprise?”

Ravi said, “It’s tight, my whole throat is tight.”

OK. A pause. “Ravi, what do you think your throat is wanting to say to you?”

He thinks for a bit. “Mum, remember when we went ice skating? And Satya held my hand and we skated around?”

“Yes, it was your birthday,” she replied.

“Satya isn’t the same, Mum. She doesn’t want to play with me anymore.” He starts to cry.

“You’re really sad; you wish it was like it used to be with you two, when we first moved here.”

Ravi is sitting up now, leaning into his mum. “I had better get going to school!”

“Yes, I will help you get going…”

Often when children get upset, it’s hard to know what to do or say.

When I was a kid, parents used to say things like, “Quit crying or I’ll give you something to cry about!”

Even today, we still get it wrong - we try to distract children, or reason with them, or try and talk them out of feeling bad.

Ravi’s mum knew something extra that she could do. She asked Ravi whereabouts in his body the feeling lived and, when he found it, “what does the feeling want to say to you?”.

Our bodies hold unique and “right now” wisdom about our situation, known as “felt sense” and if we follow this it can often uncover hidden truths.

Ravi isn’t angry at his sister, really. He is grieving that she is growing up and not his little friend like she was.

Life has sadness built in sometimes, and all we can do is be there for our kids as they suffer through that.

He came a long way in the three or four minutes they spent, and knows something new: that bugging his sister won’t turn back the clock, but they can still be friends in a growing way as she enters puberty and lives more in the world of her girlfriends.

Ravi’s mum might have a word with her to not forget her little brother and still have some times with him, but she won’t force her to stay a child.

She knows her daughter is growing up.

Garage safety checklist

FAMILIES are being urged to take a 15-minute safety test to prevent injuries around the driveway and garage.

Kidsafe and garage door opener and accessories brand Merlin are leading the initiative.

“Accidents at home can happen in a flash – especially when young kids or four-legged family members are involved,” Merlin ANZ managing director Grant Emanuel said.

“Taking the 15-minute test could save a life or prevent serious injury to a loved one.”

Kidsafe spokesperson Christine Erskine said from power tools and ladders to chemicals and cars, the garage had many potential dangers.

“Checking in and around the garage for risks should be a high priority for all families,” she said.

Up high

Check that garage lighting is working and the area is well lit.

There should be a smoke alarm with a working battery in the garage, and shelves should be anchored securely to

the wall - freestanding garage shelves can cause accidents or injuries if children try to climb them.

To the side

The garage door button should be mounted at least 1.5m high, out of reach for children.

Garage door remotes with coin/button batteries should be child-resistant, with the back secured with a screw so the remote cannot release the battery.

Ladders should be stored and fixed horizontally, and power tools should be securely stowed and disconnected from power.

Listening to body feelings is often a wonderful help for kids with their difficult emotions.

It helps them realise that “there is something inside them” which is angry, or sad, or frightened, but that’s not the whole of them.

Perhaps they can draw the bad feeling, choose a colour for it, and this helps to explore it, listen to it, and get it to a more peaceful place.

Any loose sports gear should be packed away.

Down low

The floor should be clean and clear, with no trip hazards such as cracks or missing chunks in the garage floor.

Access ways should be free of obstructions, such as bikes and scooters.

DIY Garage Safety Tests

After checking up high, to the side and down low, there are also three crucial safety tests to ensure the garage door opener is in good working order.

Check the manual release cord on automatic garage door openers, and the automatic safety reverse.

Driveway and garage-related accidents resulted in 3871 and 3068 hospitalisations respectively in Australia between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

These figures showed an 11 per cent increase in driveway accidents, and 10 per cent rise in garage incidents in 12 months.

We can help our kids with strong feelings by teaching them to notice their body sensations, and what they are trying to say, writes STEVE BIDDULPH

Kidsafe recommends a garage safety check.

It’s Your Life It’s Your Life

More dads seek support

By Casey Neill

MATT Carter felt ‘empty and quite lost’ when he welcomed his first child.

“I never knew that having postpartum depression was something that men could go through,” he said.

“When we brought baby home I felt really, really empty and quite lost.

“The cries really, really cut through me like a knife.

“I wanted to hold her and I wanted to be nurturing and be a father, but I was so scared that I was going to hurt her in some way or going to break her.

“That would lead to me just having really weird outbursts where I’d just start crying uncontrollably and wouldn’t really know what to do.”

Matt was diagnosed with postnatal depression seven weeks after welcoming his first child and referred to Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia (PANDA).

“I didn’t know about PANDA until I was already deep in it,” he said.

“If I had of known about PANDA from the get go I may have been able to save myself some weeks where I could have enjoyed parenthood instead of feared it.

“I felt numb a lot and I felt like I was on autopilot a lot, but I also felt a lot of sadness.”

Matt urged other dads struggling with a new baby to talk to friends, family or health professionals.

“Reach out to anyone and everyone,” he said.

The number of new and expecting dads completing PANDA’s Mental Health Checklist more than doubled in the 12 months to December 2022.

One in 10 calls to the PANDA Helpline are made by men.

PANDA CEO Julie Borninkhof said one in 10 dads developed perinatal anxiety and/or depression symptoms during pregnancy or after a baby was born.

“We often set the men of our communities up to feel that they have to be strong and weather the storm,” she said.

“It’s really important to stop and experience what you’re going through.

“Dads have a really big weight on their shoulders and we don’t expect them to carry it alone.

“Even rocks crumble.”

Ms Borninkhof said dads experienced a significant adjustment to their sense of identity when a baby arrived.

“That throws up a whole range of emotions and feelings,” she said.

“Culturally we set people up to think that it’s going to be an amazing golden time.

“We really want dads to feel that that experience is valid and not to push it down and to reach out and have conversations.”

Signs dads might be struggling include disrupted sleep, being unable to eat or eating too much, or turning to drugs or alcohol.

“They’re also the same things that you’d expect to experience as a new parent,” Ms Borninkhof said.

“We also know for dads that they quite often have a tendency to overwork as a way of disengaging from the household and turning to a space where they feel a little bit more functional.

“If people aren’t sure what they are feeling is normal, or if they are seeing signs of mental health distress in loved ones, our website offers 24-hour access to our online mental health checklist.”

PANDA also works closely with free service SMS4dads.

Associate Professor Richard Fletcher, from University of Newcastle’s Fathers and Families Research Program, said SMS4dads came about “because fathers told us that the health system doesn’t provide services that speak directly to dads”.

The service sends brief text messages that support men in their role as fathers and increase awareness of their influence on baby’s brain development.

“It also provides tips on working collaboratively with their partner and checks in on their wellbeing and offers professional support if needed,” Ass Prof Fletcher said.

More than 12,000 dads have enrolled since the service launched.

Anyone needing support during pregnancy or post childbirth can call the PANDA Helpline on 1300 726 306 Monday to Saturday, 9am to 7.30pm. For more information or to access PANDA’s Mental Health Checklist, visit panda.org.au.

Matt Carter struggled with postnatal depression.

Be the teachable and askable parent

By Casey Neill

THE word sex is in the title, but Vanessa Hamilton’s new book has little to do with ‘sex’ itself.

The mother of three and sexuality educator released Talking Sex in September, following on from her popular online resources and school presentations.

“It’s a conversation guide for parents to speak with their kids about sexuality, respectful relationships, and consent,” she said.

“It also covers typical development and behaviour.

“These topics have hardly anything to do with sex.

“Sex is a very limiting, unhelpful word.

“When you ask parents what sex broadly means, it comes down to heterosexual intercourse.”

Vanessa said many parents had difficulty discussing sexuality with their children.

“They didn’t receive the information as kids. They don’t know the language to use. They carry shame and taboo,” she said.

“Many parents find it difficult to talk to their partner, let alone their kids.

“But they’re getting an education every day, whether we like it or not. Is it the one you want them to receive?

“Who do you want to tell your child about each topic related to sex, human sexuality, consent, and respect? Hopefully the answer is you.”

Vanessa hopes the book will give parents the confidence to discuss these tricky topics.

“To be the teachable and askable parent their kids need them to be,” she said.

“Our children’s safety and wellbeing is our responsibility.”

As parents, we take our children to swimming lessons and teach them road safety.

“Their sexual well-being is just as important,” Vanessa said.

She encouraged parents to speak openly to their children about sexuality in an age-appropriate way from a very early age.

Start with naming body parts in a shame-free way from when they’re a baby, then move on to body safety.

“Consent starts in the playground,” Vanessa said.

Manage their disappointment when a friend says ‘no’ to play.

“Those skills are then embedded for when they have their sexual encounters,” she said.

“They also need to know about puberty before it happens.”

Educating children about their bodies gives them better outcomes, such as the prevention of assault and abuse, Vanessa said.

“It’s never too late or too early to start,” she said.

“Teenagers might plug their ears with their fingers. It is awkward. You can say that.

“Call out situations on the TV and make comments about it.

“Talking in the car is a good one.

“Just get started.”

What are your children doing online?

NEARLY half of all kids online have been approached by someone they thought was attempting to befriend and manipulate them.

New research from Thorn, a technology non-for-profit dedicated to defending children from online sexual abuse, also reveals tweens, aged between nine and 12, believe that flirting or dating adults they meet online is common among their age group.

The study, Online Grooming: Examining risky encounters amid everyday digital socialization, finds that the traditional ‘stranger danger’ approach to digital safety education is out of touch with how young people tend to view their interactions online. Roughly one in three young people said friends they made online were among their closest confidants.

Thorn’s latest study builds on its earlier research examining the

experiences of young people who shared explicit imagery (‘nudes’) of themselves.

The research explores young people’s attitudes and experiences with making friends and flirting online, and how minors respond to online threats of manipulation, grooming, and abuse.

“While online socialization and exploration offers young people the opportunity to connect over shared interests and provides critical support, the anonymity also gives the opportunity for bad actors to build false friendships, isolate, and victimize youth,” said Thorn CEO Julie Cordua.

“The importance of online relationships for children is only going to continue as new platforms for virtual socialization develop, which is exactly why we urge parents and caregivers to have open and honest conversations with their children about what they are doing online. “

Summary of findings:

■ One in four 9-12-year-olds saw it as normal for kids their age to date adults aged 18-20. This group also reported flirting with or dating older adults aged 21-29, and adults age 30 or older, at similar rates.

■ Two in five minors (40 percent) said they’d been approached online by someone they believe was attempting ‘to befriend and manipulate’ them, with 47 percent of teen girls saying they had experienced this.

■ Forty percent of minors have experienced cold solicitations for nudes online, including roughly one in four (28 percent) 9-12-year-olds. Many who have experienced it claim it wasn’t a frequent experience, but around one in seven (14 percent) reported this as a weekly or daily experience.

■ Online-only contacts often ask young people to move conversations from

public platforms to private chats, increasing the vulnerability and opportunities for abuse. Nearly two in three (65 percent) said they had experienced this.

■ Roughly one in eight (12 percent) minors surveyed qualified as individuals at higher risk for online exploitation based on their sharing behaviors with online-only contacts. Thirty percent of all LGBTQ+ minors surveyed fell into this category, as well as 20 percent of all 15-17-yearolds, and 18 percent of all teen girls.

The study also showed that where kids learned about grooming mattered. Those young people considered at high risk of being groomed were far less likely to have learned about online grooming from their parents or caregivers than other minors.

The study also notes that platforms, including private messaging services, must evolve how they understand and approach online grooming.

Author Vanessa Hamilton.

‘He’s not very resilient, is he?’

By Casey Neill

HUGH van Cuylenburg has always wanted to be a dad.

“I never even questioned it,” the Resilience Project founder said.

“It was always something I was definitely going to do.

“From a young age, I remember Mum telling me I’d be a really good dad.

“I wanted to have that unconditional love for my own kids.”

Fast forward to today and the teacher, author and podcaster has three children with wife Penny Moodie - Benji, 6, Elsie, 3, and Patrick, 1.

Hugh thought he had fatherhood in the bag before welcoming his first child. After all, he’s known for championing resilience. Surely being a parent was a role he could weather?

“I felt very confident until the moment we brought him (Benji) home,” Hugh said.

“Until the reality of a screaming baby at 1am then 2am then 3am set in. The realisation that ‘this is it for the next however long’.

“I was 36 when we had Benji. So since leaving school, basically, life was completely on my terms.

“For the first time in a very long time, it absolutely wasn’t about me anymore.”

Spending time with other parents and children in his life hadn’t opened his eyes quite wide enough to see what he was in for.

“People are very keen to put on a front that they’ve got everything sorted and life’s great,” he said.

“I have noticed that pressure among people I hang out with.

“I often think, ‘Surely you’re not flying through this, surely I’m not the only one struggling right now?’”

Early in his parenting journey, Hugh felt huge pressure to live up to his profile as the ‘Resilience Project guy’.

“Especially in public,” he said.

Volunteering in India in 2008, he was blown away by how happy everyone was despite living in poverty.

He learned the value of practicing gratitude, empathy, and mindfulness for a more fulfilling life, so devised a program to share in schools.

The Resilience Project today works with thousands of students, parents, workplaces, and sporting clubs.

Hugh recalled toddler-aged Benji having a meltdown outside a cafe, and a comment from a passer-by: “He’s not very resilient, is he?”

“I kind of laughed but it made me quite angry,” he said.

“From then on, I felt enormous pressure to have everything under control.”

That is until he spoke vulnerably about his parenting journey - and other aspects of his life - on his podcast.

Hugh launched The Imperfects in 2019 with his brother, Josh, and comedian Ryan Shelton.

They chat with well-known Australians and experts in various mental health fields about embracing imperfection.

“It’s very liberating,” he said.

“Now I feel very comfortable. If the kids have a meltdown in public, I don’t care.”

Elsie was two and a half when Penny suggested the family add a third child to the mix.

“I remember saying to her, ‘Are you serious? We’re nearly out of the woods here’,” Hugh laughed.

“I could see light at the end of the tunnel for the first time in six years.

“I thought, ‘I just don’t understand this’.”

He said he’d accepted the reality of parenting three children more often than not, but there were times he caught himself picturing an alternative reality with a little more freedom.

“Last week I got asked last-minute to go to the footy in a corporate box,” he said.

“I couldn’t because I had the three kids with me. It wasn’t fair to Penny. I had to say no.

“I’m trying to practice acceptance.”

That applies to his career, as well.

“I’ve been less able to do the work that I want to do,” he said.

“I feel like every time a child came along I was able to put a bit less effort into it.”

He likened combining work and parenthood to a scene in the movie Gladiator.

Joaquin Phoenix’s character drives a knife into the back of Maximus, played by Russell Crowe.

Maximus fights on, concealing his pain.

“No one knows how exhausted I am,” Hugh said.

Benji and Elsie continue to be “terrible sleepers”, waking multiple times a night.

“It’s affected how much I can put into the Resilience Project,” he said.

“I’m very happy being vulnerable with how much I’m struggling.

“It connects you to the audience, rather than pretending you’re fine and giving a lacklustre performance.”

Hugh wrangles the older kids upstairs at night while Penny handles Patrick.

“I already know he’s just going to be so much more resilient than the other two because he’s already had to fend for himself so often,” he said.

“The amount of times I’ve forgotten where he is…”

He said the hardest part of parenting was seeing his kids struggle.

In his two books and a recent appearance on ABC’s Australian Story, Hugh has shared his sister Georgia’s struggle with an eating disorder and trauma from a man abusing her as a toddler.

“I think my background, with my sister being sick, I’ve always been very finely attuned to unhappiness in the household. I find that extremely difficult,” he said.

The best part of parenting?

“When they smile and laugh, that’s just my favourite thing,” he said.

“It’s just the greatest thing in the world.”

Heading into parenthood, Hugh wanted to be a really fun dad. He said

he’s succeeding - possibly too much so.

“I think I need to be a bit more firm with setting boundaries and sticking to them,” he said.

“Whatever makes them happy is my philosophy. I don’t have the right balance yet.”

Hugh is experiencing parenthood alongside Josh.

“It’s the dream for me,” he said.

“I never thought it would happen because I’m six years older than Josh. I always thought my kids would be much older.

“It just turned out that his first and our second were born five days apart.”

There are only 23 hours between Hugh’s third and Josh’s second. Their wives were put up in the same hotel to recover post-birth - very convenient for grandparent visits.

Hugh loves the idea that the cousins might one day listen to the podcast.

“I hope it finds its way into their life at a time they need it,” he said.

“I just know from the feedback we’re getting that it’s helping so many people.

“I’d love for it to help them one day, too.

“If my dad had done a podcast with his brother, I would be listening to it and I would just love that.”

Guests on The Imperfects have included respected educator and speaker Lael Stone and in-demand developmental paediatrican Billy Garvey.

How does it feel to have parenting experts at his fingertips?

“It’s been great, it’s incredible and I feel very lucky,” Hugh said.

“But not everything works. Every child is so different.

“You can give general advice but there’s no guarantee everything’s going to work for you.”

The Resilience Project is touring kids’ show 3 Happy Tricks around in Victoria this September school holidays.

The high-energy Martin Heppell uses music, storytelling and laughs to provide primary school-aged children and their parents some practical strategies for being happier and more resilient.

Hugh van Cuylenburg with wife Penny Moodie and their children, Patrick, Elsie, and Benji.

Hugh was 36 when he became a dad. “For the first time in a very long time, it absolutely wasn’t about me anymore.”

Probiotic coconut and strawberry panna cotta

it’s decedent enough for dessert and nourishing enough for breakfast too.

I love cooking with coconut milk because it’s naturally sweet and high in healthy fats.

These fats provide a quick source of energy for kids bodies and brains and also have potent antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties.

gut, supporting healthy joints, bones and skin and promoting restful sleep too. In order to receive all the health benefits, it’s important to choose a good quality gelatin from a health food store as the chemically-treated packs of gelatine powders at the supermarket don’t offer the same health advantages.

Ingredients:

■ 250ml canned coconut milk

■ 250ml coconut kefir (or yoghurt)

■ 250g strawberries

■ 2 Tbsp honey or maple syrup

■ 1 tsp vanilla extract

■ 3 tsp gelatin

THIS creamy probiotic coconut panna cotta is fresh, light and super easy to make, utilising some of this seasons sweet strawberries. Rich in gut healing compounds, probiotics and healthy fats,

Coconut kefir is a delicious, tangy drink that contains a much-higher and broader range of probiotics than yoghurt, but this recipe works well with either.

Gelatin is what makes our panna cotta jiggle. It’s great for healing the

Strawberries top the Environmental Working Group’s list of produce that contain pesticide residue, so to reduce this, wash your strawberries by adding 1 tsp of baking soda to 4 cups of water and soak for 5-minutess. Then, rinse with cold running water and pat dry.

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

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

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

www.wellfedkitchen.com.au @wellfedkitchen_snacks

12562706-MS36-22

Instructions:

1. Lightly grease 6 ramekins with a little bit of coconut oil

2. To a small bowl add gelatin and 1 Tbsp water, mix and leave to “bloom”

3. Blitz strawberries in a blender until smooth then press the mixture through a sieve to remove the seeds, reserving the liquid

4. In a small saucepan, gently warm coconut milk over low heat

5. Add vanilla, honey and bloomed gelatin stirring to combine then turn off heat

6. Allow the mixture to come to room temperature – this is important as heat will damage the probiotics - then add the coconut kefir and strawberry liquid and whisk to combine

7. Pour mixture into ramekins and place in the fridge for 2-4 hours or until set

8. Once set they can be served as is or turned out. To remove from ramekins, dunk in hot water for a few seconds, then run a sharp knife just around the edge to loosen it from the sides. Place a plate over the top and holding the ramekin and plate together invert the ramekin and the panna cotta should plop out on to the plate – it may need a little jiggle of encouragement.

9. Serve with extra sliced strawberries.

■ Serves: 6

■ Prep time: 10 minutes

■ Cool time: 2+ hours

Picture: Lucy Stewart Kids Nutrition

Cara re-writes her next act

By Angie Hilton

SURPRISE! You’re having another baby.

There’s no bigger reality check than seeing those two strong blue lines on the pee stick… especially when you thought you’d packed up those parts of your body eight years ago!

Forty-year-old Cara Oliver, mother of kids aged 10 and 8, could not believe her eyes when she discovered she was about to be revisiting the nappy aisle at the supermarket.

But in her true improvisation style, the performer-turned-builder simply shifted her mindset and re-wrote her next act.

She’s like a bag of mixed lollies – full of sweet surprises.

Cara has thoroughly explored her creative side with decades of performing in things such as a onewoman risque comedy show, Captain Starlight children’s entertainer at the Royal Children’s Hospital, and lead roles

Quick questions...

Name: Cara Oliver

Occupation: Director and business owner, Geelong Built.

Children’s and hubby’s names, ages, and three words to describe them:

■ Son Alfie, 10 – affectionate, sensitive, driven.

■ Daughter Clementine, 8 –outgoing, charismatic, joyful.

■ Husband, Tom – domestic God, amazing dad, athletic.

Quirky habit: My sneezes have an incredibly high-pitched WOOOOOO at the end of them. It’s quite intense but I just can’t hold it back!

A book you love: Mao’s Last Dancer. Reading this book made me so incredibly appreciative of everything in my life. It’s one I try to re-visit occasionally if I feel like I’m taking the amazing things in my life for granted.

A movie you love: Dirty Dancing. “I carried a watermelon?” - what’s not to love?

An embarrassing moment: We were doing a show at VCA and I went to the toilet and my mic was still on, so the audience could hear me peeing.

Mantra: No one but you can steal your own joy.

Three people you’d love to have for a Sunday roast, living or passed: Ghandi, Tim Minchin and Marilyn Monroe, though thinking about it that would be a very odd bunch!

in local musical theatre shows such as Sweet Charity.

Now she has switched into her brilliant business mind and swapped her tap shoes for steel caps as she brings people’s dream homes to life through her business, Geelong Built.

Cara started Geelong Built in 2021 with her co-director Andrew Carroll. Both spouses also work in the business so they have a really great balance of sharing family life with business.

Tell us about young Cara, before marriage and babies.

Well, I’m the youngest of three girls. We grew up in Geelong and went to school at Sacred Heart. Dad was a local GP and Mum ran businesses. There was no TV during the week but we were always flat out with activities such as dancing and sports.

I was strangely academic in school – right into maths and all that sort of stuff. But I also really loved performing and wanted to pursue that. If you had

asked my teachers, they might have thought I’d study medicine or something like that. Um, but blood freaked me out - still does!

But I had a bug for performing from a fairly young age. So after school I moved to Sydney to study dance full-time and then came back to study music theatre at VCA in Melbourne.

Through VCA I got introduced to the world of cabaret and did some really fun solo shows, which at the start terrified me because you have to be yourself and not a character and that was kind of, you know…Performing is easy, in a way, because you can hide behind the character that you’re performing but when you do a cabaret, it’s about you and that really made you feel very vulnerable. But once you’ve done it, it’s very addictive. How did you meet your darling husband, Tom?

I studied full-time dance with Tom’s sister, Jessie, and we became great

friends. When I came back from Sydney, randomly, Jessie was in Geelong. I met her at the Wharfshed Cafe and her brother Tom was there. I was like. “Oh my God, you never told me you had a hot brother!”

I remember after lunch we went back to the Waterfront Apartments and randomly watched a Kylie Minogue DVD, which is hilarious because Tommy’s so not into Kylie or anything like that. He was obviously into me enough to fake it (laughs). The rest is history!

It’s Your Life It’s Your Life

So let’s dive straight into your birth stories. How were they both?

Ugh…Horrendous! So my first birth was pretty traumatic. I had 40 hours of labour which ended in an emergency caesar. Alfie was stuck and when they got into the caesar, they still had a lot of trouble getting him out. It took them about three hours and they thought they had cut my bladder. The obstetrician’s words were, “Uh, he’d kind of rearranged the furniture in there so we think we might have cut into some of your internal organs.” This is all while I’m lying on the table having a full-blown panic attack! It all worked out in the end but it was a pretty terrifying experience.

For my second birth, for Clementine, I was so traumatised by the caesar that I really didn’t want to have one again. I decided to try for a natural birth which was unfortunately unsuccessful. I had about 15 hours or so of labour and ended up with another Caesar which wasn’t as bad.

But they were both healthy, beautiful babies and the difficulty getting them here was far outweighed by the joy they brought with them.

As for number three? Well, this time I’m going to have an incredibly calm elective C-section. It’s going to be amazing, and instead of feeling terrified I’m actually really looking forward to it. Speaking of little number three, how did you feel when you found out you were pregnant at 40?

Um, shocked! It was a complete surprise!

Getting pregnant wasn’t easy for us the first time around. It took us about two years to fall pregnant with Alfie and I was in my prime at that point in time.

He’s nearly 11 now, so I certainly didn’t think it would happen by chance at 40. Clementine’s eight and a half, so we’re well past the babies, nappies, toddlers, and all of the preschool stage but we are now very excited to welcome this new little being into the world.

Bubs will be so adored by Alfie and Clementine and, as parents, we can’t wait for those newborn snuggles again. We know how fast it goes by this time around so I’m really looking forward to enjoying every moment (except perhaps the sleep deprivation - that part is no fun!)

Give us a snapshot of your children, what their personalities are like, and how you parent them.

Alfie’s quite sensitive and can be a bit shy and nervous in new situations. He’s incredibly academic, very driven, and very sporty. He has this amazing determination to better himself in everything he does. He’s also incredibly affectionate and oh-so-loving. I think that’s something a lot of boy mums notice that really surprised me at the start.

And then there’s Clementine, who is just an absolute bundle of joy. She’s energetic beyond anything you could imagine. She’s exuberant, fun, incredibly confident (and exhausting!) but she’s just absolutely glorious. She’s a natural performer. She’s also very academic and talented at sports, dancing, and singing. But she doesn’t take anything nearly as seriously as Alfie does. For Clementine, it’s all fun! I find it absolutely fascinating how very different two children from the same parents can be. It will be intriguing to see how different little number three is, too!

So from life on stage to life on site –you’ve made quite the transition from the spotlight to the male-dominated building industry. How did you end up as co-partner of Geelong Built?

If somebody had told me 20 years ago that this is what I would be doing, I would have laughed. However, I did always love design and houses and have always been interested in real estate.

After I had Alfie, I realised that the performing, teaching, and choreographing lifestyle that I was doing for work was really difficult to do around kids because your schedule changes all the time.

At this time I turned to my passion for design and homes and started working selling custom homes for a small builder. Eventually, after having Clementine, I moved to a larger builder where I spent about five years and loved it.

At this point my passion for business was growing and I decided to study an MBA at Deakin, and this was perhaps the impetus for starting Geelong Built with my business partner Andrew Carroll. We were both looking to do something a little smaller and more boutique with a stronger individual client focus, and also both wanted to work more in the accessible housing space, creating solutions for families and individuals living with disability.

So would you say you’re a builder?

No, I’m not a builder. I certainly wouldn’t trust myself with a hammer! I’m a business person who owns a building company and works with incredibly talented project managers and tradespeople to deliver beautiful homes. My business partner is a qualified builder and we have a great team of people around us who help us bring people’s dream homes to life.

My role within the business is more in the realm of sales, direction, strategy, vision, and finance. I’m incredibly passionate about the design side of things and love working with our clients to achieve the best outcome possible to suit their needs, budget, lifestyle, and family circumstances. In terms of the actual structural side of things and what goes behind the walls, that’s where the expertise of many other brilliant people comes in.

Alfie, Cara Clementine, and Tom.

Pictures: Louisa Jones

Would you say a female in the role that you’re in is quite rare?

I think it is. If you look at the building industry on a larger scale, it’s an incredibly male-dominated industry. You go to networking breakfasts and you look around the room and it’s a perfect case study of the pale stale male epidemic. However, there are some amazing women in positions similar to mine who are paving the way for females in the industry. It’s also very refreshing to see women coming through in trade positions and in a broader sense in the industry.

Is there anything you learnt from your parents that you use to parent your own children?

They parented in a very different era to us and I actually think that I take a lot from that era of parenting. I feel there is far too much pressure these days to be the ‘perfect parent’. I think you can read too many books, listen to too much advice, and, at the end of the day, every family is so individual and every child needs totally different things at different times.

I think I’m fairly relaxed in comparison to the pressures that a lot of parents put on themselves these days.

I want to be present with them, but I don’t want to be present with them in the way that I’m thinking about what I should or shouldn’t be doing and comparing myself to other parents. I remember growing up we entertained ourselves and we found things to do. These days there is a huge pressure to entertain your children and activities for them to do at home. I don’t prescribe to that. I love spending time with my kids and we do spend quality time together doing specific things, but the majority of the time that we’re at home it’s their job to find something to do, not mine. I think it’s so important for their brains to find creative ways out of boredom.

Speaking of entertaining kids, you actually worked as the ultimate kids’ entertainer as Captain Starlight for sick children at the Royal Children’s Hospital. How was that whole experience?

I worked as Captain Starlight for just over three years. It was an absolutely incredible job. It was a real privilege to have the opportunity to be a part of a family’s journey when they have a child going through illness. At times it was incredibly difficult, but it was also incredibly rewarding.

Being able to provide such release and joy for these kids was something I’ll never forget.

Kids have the ability to be very much in the moment, so if they’re hurting in the moment, they’ll be screaming and crying. But if you tell a joke that they

find funny in that moment, they’ll still laugh. I think they are better than adults at being truly present and allowing themselves to be changed in that moment. It was such a magical thing to see. You could walk into a room and someone could be experiencing extreme fear due to a procedure that was about to take place, but we had an opportunity to turn that around by just being a total dork and being really silly and making them laugh.

You become quite close to families as well because they’re spending sometimes an awful lot of time in there.

I remember my first day as Captain Starlight, I met this child who had been in hospital for more of her life than she’d been at home. Her family lived a long way away and had quite a few other kids, so weren’t able to be in the hospital very often. We went in and spent time with her and she was giggling and having a ball with us. But I was so upset by the thought of what she was going through that I got in my car and I couldn’t stop bawling. I thought, ‘my God, I don’t think I can do this job’. Then I had this realisation of, ‘well...if you don’t do it, she’s still there’. It doesn’t change it for her. She’s going to be in that hospital regardless of whether or not I was willing to acknowledge it. I could run

away, but she couldn’t. And it was this pivotal moment of, OK, I can either keep turning up, and try to make a difference to her day, or keep my head in the sand and pretend it’s not happening.

What advice would you have for new parents?

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, enjoy it! Parenting is really fun. It also can be challenging, but there’s no one right way to go about it. As long as at the end of the day, those kids feel loved and you’ve had a laugh you’re doing well.

For some people, a routine that’s really rigid works for them. For me, when they were newborns, leaving the house in the morning with a pram, some nappies, and boobs full of milk and going for big walks, visiting the grandparents, and sitting in a cafe having a coffee while feeding was what I loved to do. That’s what worked for me and they slept wherever they slept. Newborns are very portable!

But some people swear by routines and that’s fantastic if that’s what works for them. I think we just have to pull ourselves out of the trap of comparison. With social media now being such a huge part of our lives, we compare ourselves in every aspect of our lives and I think there’s actually not just one way to do anything.

Do you and Tom sort of have carved out roles with home life and parenting? Are you like tiger parents or free range or whatever they call it?

See, this is how little I know about parenting. I don’t even know what the styles are!

We’re not traditional, so Tom does pretty much all of the cooking, and certainly during this pregnancy has done most of the cleaning and washing because for me it’s either been work or hanging with the kids or napping!

I’d like to think for us it’s just about sharing the load and making sure that the kids are happy, healthy, and loved. We balance the load of the kids between us depending on the outside pressures we are facing at the time. Things might be hectic for Tom at work and therefore I’m doing more of the logistics of drop-offs or pick-ups, but then it will shift and Tom will take that load when my workload is bigger. It’s a team effort and like everything in life it ebbs and flows.

Any cravings this pregnancy?

Yes! Melted Cadbury in the microwave. Oh and chips and gravy. My healthy craving was watermelon which got me through those first rough few months!

Happy Dental, happy patients

HAPPY Dental is here to deliver the highest quality dental treatment through gentle and tailored care for your child.

The boutique family practice on Geelong West’s Shannon Avenue is the perfect place for all your family’s dental needs.

Dental receptionist and nurse Kim Zammit said the practice had a small, intimate team with well-equipped staff to tackle any dental concern.

“Being a smaller place with the same staff, we’re able to get to know our patients,” she said.

“We can focus purely on each patient’s needs and spend time with them to ensure they feel comfortable and secure and know what’s

happening during their appointment.”

Happy Dental is very gentle with kids and will always take the time to help calm them down if they’re worried or scared. Their friendly approach makes the dentist and visit fun for your little ones.

“We don’t need to jump right into the appointment, we can give them a ride in the chair and count their teeth,” Ms Zammit said.

“Every child leaves the clinic with a fun oral health bag which includes stickers, toothbrush, floss, colouring-in sheet, and brushing chart, rewarding them for taking care of their teeth!

“We always work with the parent and the child to make sure that they are comfortable.”

Happy Dental prides itself on making a personal connection with every patient and the very friendly and accommodating staff are ready to take on any dental need. Ms Zammit said the practice offered the Child Dental Benefits Scheme, which can be accessed through myGov, Medicare, or by calling the practice for help.

“It’s for eligible children aged up to 18 and covers $1052 every two years for general dental treatments,” she said.

Dr Niha Ramen has been providing her patients with many positive experiences using her extensive knowledge and expertise, and is extremely patient and understanding with children connecting with them, so they feel completely comfortable during their visits.

Services include: examinations, x-rays/ digital imaging, teeth cleaning and whitening, gum treatment, cosmetic procedures, white fillings, root canal treatments, tooth extractions, crowns and bridges, dentures, and mouthguards.

New patients are always welcome, and staff will do their best to fit in emergencies on the same day, with after-hours and weekend consultations available by appointment only, as well as flexible payment plans and Afterpay.

Make Happy Dental the go-to practice for all your family dental needs and concerns today by dropping into the practice, calling 5229 6668, or visiting www.happydental.com.au.

Happy Dental is very gentle with kids.

Strong, safe relationships

MCM is a registered NDIS provider delivering early childhood intervention services throughout Melbourne and regional Victoria for more than 25 years.

Families in Geelong who require ECIS support can now access face-to-face support in addition to telepractice services.

Millie is an experienced occupational therapist who has been with MCM since 2018, and she’s now based in Geelong.

MCM ECIS provides therapy-based services to children with developmental delay and disability up to age 7, using the key worker model.

MCM believes that strong, safe relationships are what matter the most. Its occupational therapists (OTs) help your child maximise their independence.

The team works with you to improve your child’s ability to perform everyday tasks, like going to the toilet, playing with friends, getting dressed, and managing big feelings.

OTs can also prescribe assistive technology to help your child access and participate in their community.

“I worked for MCM for five years, before having eight months off after moving to Torquay,” Millie said.

“I will be returning to start up ECIS for MCM in Geelong.

“I love working with young children

and families. Zero to seven years old is when children learn the most, and I feel that early intervention is really important in making an impact in supporting children to develop their skills during that age.

“I also enjoy getting to work with the family, caregivers, and their external supports to support them to understand the child’s needs and set them up with support before starting school.

“I love being a key worker, as we get to work with the whole child, on all of their goals, and being able to support them with all of their needs, not limited to just OT.

“The NDIS and the disability system can be confusing and scary, and I enjoy being able to support families to understand this process and support them through the transition of entering the NDIS world.”

Your Future, Your Way

Meet Millie, one of our wonderful Occupational Therapists / Key Workers, based in Geelong. Millie is available for face-to-face supports for local Geelong families, and telepractice supports for families outside of Geelong. Millie explains “I visit children and their families in their natural environments, meaning the environments in which the goals that they have, occur. This includes their home, kinder, childcare, or even community settings such as the park or library. I will also spend time making resources, and keeping in contact

As a key worker, Millie can:

■ Assist in building skills to best support your child;

■ Collaborate with other therapists and professionals;

■ Add therapy techniques into a child and family’s daily routines;

■ Be responsive to family needs;

■ Support you to understand your NDIS plan;

■ Help prioritise goals; and

■ Implement strategies to assist in meeting a child’s goals.

Millie is available for face-to-face support for local Geelong families, and telepractice support for families outside Geelong. One client said its MCM key worker was really helpful and answered all of their concerns.

“She also helps us to connect with all the help and support we need and my son loves her because he always feels that they were playing during the appointment,” they said.

Another said they “strongly appreciate the service from MCM and especially my key worker”.

“My key worker is fantastic and very helpful. I appreciate her service. She is very easy-going with my son and my family.”

For more information about the MCM ECIS, call 1800 343 287 or visit mcm.org.au.

with the family, and collaborating with their external supports.

MCM has been a great place for me to work over the last 5 years. I feel supported, and that MCM can provide me with lots of opportunities to develop my practice as a Key Worker, providing me with opportunities and resources to expand on the skills I want to work on.”

The MCM team.

Entertainment Wonder takes GAC centre stage

GEELONG Arts Centre’s Wonder Children’s Festival is designed to captivate the hearts and minds of all young, avid arts adventurers.

From 16 to 21 October, immerse your little ones in the magical world of the arts and prepare for an extraordinary journey filled with wonderment, joy, and boundless curiosity, as children aged up to 12 years are invited to experience the transformative power of the arts like never before.

The lineup of free and ticketed events

includes dazzling headline performances from Indigenous dance powerhouse, Bangarra; a concert extraordinaire from pioneering local children’s entertainers, The Mik Maks; First Nations dance workshops; a Tweens disco night; and even the opportunity to create music using real life plants with Playable Streets. Taking place right across Geelong Arts Centre’s freshly transformed venues, watch young eyes light up as they witness high-quality performances

that transport them to enchanting worlds and leave them in awe of the talent on stage.

Plus, unleash their creativity with interactive workshops and installations where they can dance, sing, play music, and explore their own artistic expression.

Geelong Arts Centre’s Wonder Children’s Festival is more than just a spectator event – it’s an opportunity for young people to become active participants in the magic.

Let their imaginations run wild as they step into the spotlight and get involved in the artistic process.

Give the young people in your life the opportunity to discover, create, and connect with the world of performing arts in a way that will leave a lasting impact.

Be sure to book your tickets now to be a part of a truly Wonder-ful experience that will ignite their passion for the arts and create treasured memories for years to come.

Elmo’s Circus Dream

ELMO and all your Sesame Street favourites are on their way to Geelong with Elmo’s Circus Dream.

It all begins with Elmo’s enchanting bedtime story about the circus.

As Elmo falls asleep, he is magically transported to his dreamtime circus, where he is warmly greeted by his friends Abby, Cookie Monster, Grover, Bert, and Ernie.

The show bursts into high energy as the cast sings and dances to the iconic Sesame Street theme song with a twist - they are embarking on an exciting adventure to the circus!

With their vibrant costumes and catchy tunes, they express their deep desire to join the circus and become part of its magical experience.

From hilarious clowning and daring stunt attempts to mesmerizing dog acts and captivating dance routines, the

stage comes alive with their boundless energy, skill, and infectious enthusiasm.

Internationally renowned circus performers will take the stage, impressing with acrobatic displays, juggling acts, and illusions.

Elmo’s Circus Dream is an immersive experience that ignites the imaginations of children, encourages self-expression, and teaches valuable life lessons in a fun and engaging way.

Palais Theatre Geelong will host the show at 10am and 1pm on Sunday 24, Monday 25, Tuesday 26, and Wednesday 27 September.

General admission tickets are $33.50 each, with VIP tickets $69. Call 5249 5548 or visit www.palaisgeelong.com.

Bert and Ernie feature in Elmo’s Circus Dream.

STAY IN THE LOOP

It’s never been more important to make sure you are signed up to the Geelong Arts Centre fortnightly e-newsletter via geelongartscentre.org.au.

Ensure you are the first to know when exciting announcements drop!

BOOK IN YOUR SHOWS NOW

Geelong Arts Centre is passionate about providing every single child the opportunity that the wonderful world of creative arts gives.

For details regarding AUSLAN Interpreted shows and relaxed

performances, please seek the details of each individual show via the Geelong Arts Centre website.

To sign up and secure your ticket to the abundance of arts experiences coming up, head to the Geelong Arts Centre website.

Tickets to Geelong Arts Centre’s Wonder Children’s Festival are on sale now at geelongartscentre.org.au/wonderchildrens-festival or contact the Geelong Arts Centre Box Office on 1300 251 200 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Dr AudiYO’s Giant Adventure is headed to Geelong Arts Centre this October.

Bangarra is an Indigenous dance powerhouse.

Picture: Daniel Boud

Empowering young minds

GEELONG Baptist College’s education journey is a collaboration between students, parents, and staff.

Guiding its students to develop skills and talents to contribute positively to the school community and beyond, GBC aims to instill and nurture positive values in its students.

With a fee structure that is transparent and affordable, with no hidden building or IT levies, GBC’s open enrolment policy makes it attractive to all faiths whilst holding fast to its Christian values.

From Foundation through to Year 12, all students are encouraged to adopt values and mindsets that emphasise individual endeavour and academic rigour, balanced with a servant heart and a desire to improve their local and global communities.

Teaching staff strive to assist its students to unpack their gifts and talents, in order that they may bless

NDIS here to stay, but government eyes waste

MUMS, dads and carers can breathe a sigh of relief, after NDIS minister Bill Shorten assured them the scheme is here to stay.

His statement comes after the architect of the insurance scheme labelled it as a “magic pudding” with many service providers treating it as an endless resource.

“We must stop thinking of the NDIS as though it is a limitless magic pudding,” said Professor Bonyhady, who is leading a review of the scheme that is due to report in October.

The NDIS cost $35 billion in the past financial year and is on track to exceed $50 billion by 2025/26, overtaking the annual cost of Medicare.

The government has pledged to rein in spending growth of the scheme to eight per cent by July 2026.

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the scheme in an address to the summit.

“It is here to stay and it will become more sustainable so that future generations can benefit from the

scheme,” he said.

“The eight per cent target is not a cap, but a target to curb growth. The NDIS will remain demand driven.”

Earlier he told Nine’s Today Show he wanted to make sure every dollar got to the people who needed it.

“I want to reassure all the mums and dads who have got their kids on the NDIS getting ready for special school this morning, the scheme is here to stay,” he said.

Mr Shorten said reforms were being carried out to ensure money involved in the scheme was not being wasted, with measures already starting.

Melbourne mum Zoe* said without the NDIS funding made available to her family through early intervention, they simply couldn’t afford to pay for the support her daughter so desperately needs.

She said crippling anxiety and other issues only came to light when her five-year-old started school this year, and there was a mad rush to get some funding before she turned six.

If a child applies before they are six years old, they do not need an official diagnosis of autism, or similar.

But after numerous meetings with their NDIS support worker, as well as psychologist and occupational therapist, her daughter was diagnosed with a developmental delay.

“While we were waiting for our application to be approved, which was actually seamless, we were paying more than $1300 a month to see a

others and thereby make a marked difference in both the present and the future world.

GBC aims to empower all students to behave in ways that will enable them to integrate meaningfully into a changing and challenging world. Each student is unique and GBC seeks to explore their capabilities and competencies, in order to assist them to direct their studies in those areas where their strengths lie.

Offering a co-educational education on one campus, GBC is dedicated to assisting students to develop their confidence, build their skills, and establish healthy relationships that will equip them to respond appropriately to life’s challenges.

Geelong Baptist College is located at 590 Anakie Road, Lovely Banks. For more information, call 5260 9999 or visit www.gbc.vic.edu.au.

Without NDIS funding Zoe* doesn’t know how she would cope financially to provide support to her daughter.

psychologist fortnightly and a OT weekly,” she said.

“With rising interest rates and the cost of living – without being able to access the NDIS funding it would be really tough for us financially.”

She said she understood the need to ensure money wasn’t being wasted –but felt it was important to provide intervention for kids early, in the hope they wouldn’t need support later in life. - with AAP

Geelong Baptist College strives to assist students to unpack their gifts and talents.

Education

Geelong High will be further extending opportunities for students to accelerate.

FOR Geelong High School’s new principal, Davin Reid, 2023 will be seen as a year of further development and strategic growth for the school. Yet, one constant will always remain strong and at the forefront of the school’s ethos.

“When you enrol at Geelong High School, you are joining a learning community that is both positive and creative, with a long history of excellence and innovation,” Mr Reid said.

“Our motto, Vitae nos parat, means ‘we are preparing for life’, and there has been no greater example of being

prepared to take on life’s challenges than what students have faced over the last several years.”

Evidence of the school’s amazing ability to see its students rise to the top is in the leading two VCE students of 2022, Mason Blyth and Lykiera Shannon. They both scored in the top 2 percent in the state, with both students making the most of their opportunities to accelerate across Year 9 and into senior school.

At Geelong High, teachers support students to strive for their best through innovative and engaging teaching programs that encourage students to

develop respectful relationships and strive to achieve their full academic and personal potential.

The school delivers a strong focus on positive education, a program based on the elements of positive psychology, to build a strong culture of optimism, gratitude, and a growth mindset.

“This teaches all students in Years 7 to 12 the skills of wellbeing, and enables students to identify and build on their character strengths to deal with life’s challenges,” Mr Reid said.

In 2024, Geelong High will be further

Teachers support students to strive for their best through innovative and engaging teaching programs.

While the new program will cater specifically for students graduating from Grade 6 and starting secondary school in 2024, the school has a long track record of acceleration in one or two subjects starting from Year 9 that the program hopes to build on. The new Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) will offer Year 7 students the opportunity to join a class that will face extra challenge and extension in the core subjects of maths, science, English, and humanities, while still enjoying the full breadth of a rich curriculum.

Further information and application forms can be found on the school website for interested families. Come and see what Geelong High School can offer, and see how your child can find their passion and find their pathway. Geelong High School is at 385 Ryrie Street, East Geelong. Call 5225 4100, email geelong.hs@education.vic.gov.au or visit www.geelonghigh.vic.edu.au.

Our Vision: We are committed to: Our core values:

Developing caring and respectful relationships; Empowering people to realise their potential through effort, responsibility and teamwork; Building healthy resilient and productive global citizens.

extending opportunities for students to accelerate by introducing a Year 7 accelerated learning program.

Tailored approach

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

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

“We tailor programs to suit students’ individual needs and help students to develop their confidence, to follow their interests and reach their potential,” college principal Nick Adamou said.

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

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

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

North Geelong Secondary College students are privileged to enjoy:

■ Learning areas equipped with the latest ICT facilities

■ An extensive, well-resourced, library

■ Plentiful, state-of-the-art sporting facilities

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

North Geelong Secondary College is proud to offer the Scholarship Program, Select Entry Accelerated Learning (SEAL) Program, Strive to Achieve Results (STAR) and Achieving Core

Education (ACE) programs, and the Excellence in Sport Program (EIS).

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

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

SEAL provides a focused educational environment for academically oriented students.

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

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

STAR is an innovative literacy and numeracy program unique to the college.

This program identifies students who have the potential to become future ‘stars’ and achieve outstanding results in Years 7 to 9.

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

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

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

Dragons, and Japanese club.

The transition from primary to secondary school is seamless for the college’s Year 7 students.

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

Students start the secondary school year with confidence.

An integral part of the school’s transition program is the Year 7 camp.

The camp experience allows students and staff to build positive relationships in a fun learning environment.

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

Parents and guardians are welcome to visit and see the school in operation, to discover a dynamic, high-quality government school for your child.

To find out more and to book a personalised tour of North Geelong Secondary College, call 5240 5800 or email north.geelong.sc@ edumail.vic.gov.au

EIS develops students’ sport-specific skills, knowledge, and practical application.

The college community is a friendly and supportive environment.

Specialist programs enhance the learning experience.

The reality of living with HG

By Laura Michell

IMAGINE having gastro-like symptoms for nine months, battling to keep down a glass of water and most foods.

Now imagine being pregnant at the same time, because that’s what it is like to suffer from hyperemesis gravidarum (HG).

Hyperemesis is a “potentially lifethreatening condition that may cause weight loss, malnutrition, dehydration, and debility due to severe nausea and/ or vomiting, and may cause long-term health issues for mother and baby(ies)”, according to The HER Foundation, a global charity advocating for better HG awareness and treatment.

It’s believed the condition affects between one and three percent of pregnancies and has a recurrence rate of about 80 percent.

I’ve been unfortunate enough to suffer from it in both my pregnancies.

In my first pregnancy, HG lasted until I gave birth to my son at 38 weeks, and it’s showing no signs of going away anytime soon in pregnancy number two.

So, what’s it like to actually suffer from HG?

In my experience, nausea and vomiting are the worst parts of the condition. I take a cocktail of drugs three times a day to keep the nausea, vomiting, and acid reflux under control.

Without them, I would never be able to leave my bathroom.

Before I found the right mix of medications in this pregnancy, I would be nauseous 24/7 and everything I ate was just about guaranteed to come back up.

Once I found the right medications, I still had to lock myself in my bedroom at the other end of our house while food was being cooked and eaten until I was well into my second trimester.

The smell of chicken or red meat cooking would have me reaching for a bucket.

Even now, in my eighth month, I’m still overcome by waves of nausea when certain foods are being cooked. Then there are food aversions.

While other pregnant women carefully follow eating guidelines, giving up soft cheese and sushi for nine months, I struggle to find foods that I can actually keep down.

I can’t eat meat, most vegetables, or anything sweet. Trying to work out what to eat each day is exhausting!

In the early days of this pregnancy, I survived on buttered toast and twominute noodles – hardly a nourishing diet - and some days even those ‘safe foods’ would fail me.

I also can’t keep a glass of water down, which ultimately makes hydration an ongoing battle.

This pregnancy, I’ve tried cordial, orange juice, apple juice, sparkling water, Powerade, and Coke - the saviour of many HG sufferers - in a desperate attempt to stay hydrated.

It’s a constant battle and I often need IV fluids to reverse my dehydration.

As you can imagine, all of these things combined make it difficult to go about your everyday life.

When you are constantly nauseous and on the verge of dehydration, everyday tasks like taking care of your family, cleaning your house, or working become too much to handle.

As a result, I have missed out on a lot this pregnancy. There has been less time to play with my son or take him on outings, less quality family time, and missed family functions, including a wedding and significant birthdays.

While missing out on all those moments hasn’t been ideal, these decisions have been necessary to keep me out of hospital and well enough to function on a basic level.

I’ve been able to work more this pregnancy than I did the first time around – largely thanks to my GP’s persistence in finding the right combination of medications - but that doesn’t mean that showing up to work each day has been any easier.

Working with HG, especially in weeks nine to 12 – referred to as ‘the death zone’ by sufferers because that is when symptoms are at their worst – can be almost impossible. It is very difficult to concentrate and give your job your all when all you want to do is throw up and sleep.

Showing up to work each day means I spend my evenings and weekends bed-ridden, recovering from the exhaustion of working and relying on my husband, Tim, to look after me and our son, Harrison.

Tim does all the cooking and the majority of the household chores and keeps Harrison entertained, all while trying to work himself.

My parents religiously visit us every Saturday to help clean, entertain Harrison, and cook batches of whatever meals I think I might be able to tolerate that week.

Without all of their support, I would not be able to turn up at work Monday to Friday.

For many HG sufferers, one of the most frustrating parts of the condition is the lack of awareness about hyperemesis.

For the most part, people don’t understand just how debilitating the condition can be unless they have suffered from HG or watched a loved one go through it.

As a result, HG can be a very isolating condition.

Most people expect you to be overcome with joy that you are expecting, but the intense sickness that HG brings often means joy is the last thing you are feeling.

It can be very hard for people to grasp the extent of the condition and well-meaning friends and family will often tell me to ‘just try and drink some water’ or ‘just try and eat some meat’ without really understanding why I can’t do these things.

It is also widely misunderstood by medical professionals.

I’ve encountered plenty of doctors, pharmacists, and midwives across my two pregnancies who have tried to treat HG like regular morning sickness, reluctant to offer the medication and intervention I need to survive.

There is also a community of HG sufferers past and present who lend their support to one another on Hyperemesis Gravidarum Support Australia Facebook page, helping you feel like you are not going through this alone, while charity Hyperemesis Australia has a wealth of resources to help get you through.

These resources are invaluable and cover everything from the SOMANZ (Society of Obstetric Medicine Australia and New Zealand) guidelines on treating nausea and vomiting in pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum, to useful tips on staying hydrated, when to seek intervention, and even how to prepare for future HG pregnancies.

As hard as an HG pregnancy can be, I know the months of suffering and sacrifice will all be worth it when the baby is born and my son meets his longed-for sibling.

Until then, I’ll just be taking it one day at a time.

Laura and Tim Michell and their son Harrison, 7.

Picture: Damjan Janevski

The Michell family will soon add a new member.

Book to build resilience

By Casey Neill

SUZY Zail’s young adult novel Inkflower is a work of fiction.

“But it’s the truest thing I’ve ever written,” she said.

Readers immediately learn that Emil has motor neurone disease and six months to live.

He gathers his family, including 16-year-old daughter Lisa, to reveal the truth about his past.

“Like Lisa’s dad, my father was diagnosed with motor neurone disease and given six months to live,” Suzy said.

“Like Lisa’s dad, mine sat us down and told us his story.

“The challenge was revisiting the feelings my dad’s death stirred in me 20 years ago.

“This book was my chance to dig deeper and truly grieve.”

Inkflower is about a Holocaust survivor who buried the horror of his teen years to build a new life in Australia.

“My dad, when he came out of the war, he didn’t just survive - he thrived,” Suzy said.

“Everything was possibility and hope.

“He never spoke about what he went through. He put walls up.

“I grew up doing the same thing.

“Even when he died, I just took his lead and put the walls up.”

The Brighton author tore them down to imagine how a teen would have lived her experience.

“I just started bawling,” she said.

“It was the first time I’d really properly let myself.

“Lisa is younger, angrier, and more unsure of herself than I was ... but she’s me.”

Suzy wrote down her father’s life story when he became ill and let down his walls.

“It was a beautiful project we could do together,” she said.

Inkflower features the tales he shared with her, along with details from a video memoir he made for the Melbourne Holocaust Museum.

“Telling it to a stranger, it was different to him telling us,” Suzy said of discovering the tape.

“He was still protecting his kids. He was cushioning us.

“He spoke about being hungry, not starving. He told us about death, not murder.

“He didn’t want to be the one to introduce us to hate.”

Suzy contrasts his story with chapters told by Lisa, set in the 1980s.

Her schoolmates and boyfriend don’t know that she’s Jewish or that her father is dying.

“When my father was sick I took a good three or four weeks to tell my best friend,” Suzy said.

Lisa at first listens to her father’s story because she’s forced to, “Later because she wants to understand who she is and where she comes from.”

“Maybe, in Inkflower, I’ve created something healing; something kids can

take forward into their lives when they encounter someone who’s sick or someone in the schoolyard who’s being bullied.

“A book that lets them hold onto hope and build resilience.”

Suzy’s three children are now aged in their twenties.

“They were all toddlers and young children when my father was sick,” she said.

“They didn’t have all these ideas in their mind about what it means to be sick.

“He was just their grandpa.” She fondly remembers her dad giving them rides around the garden in his wheelchair, and them helping to feed him.

“I think it was an incredible lesson for them, too,” she said.

“To be patient, to listen, and to just love him for what he could give them.

“He lived his illness so beautifully and bravely.

“It can be a time of learning and growth and connection.

“It can be a beautiful, rewarding experience.”

Suzy started her working life as a lawyer. Recording her father’s story changed her path.

“After I’d written about my father’s tragic, brave life in The Tattooed Flower, I couldn’t go back to being a lawyer,” she said.

She quit her job, wrote for local papers and magazines, went back to university, and wrote several more books.

Author Suzy Zail.

Diving into Mim’s world of disguise

By Melissa Meehan

MEET Mim is the perfect bed time book to read with your kids after a long day.

It’s got some beautiful pictures, it’s informative and it’s not too long.

The images immerse young readers in the wonders under water, taking them on a deep dive under the waves for a cheeky guessing game and sharing the wonders of little-known mimic octopus.

A master of disguise, the mimic

octopus can change colour, shape and skin texture in all kinds of amazing ways.

Sandra Severgnini shows how the mimic octopus deters predators by shapeshifting into creatures that are known to be poisonous, such as the spiked lionfish and the banded sea snake.

It can even imitate jellyfish and sea stars.Sandra, a talented author and illustrator, is well-known and loved for her books that bring children closer to nature.

Children’s books...

Her 2022 release Grub was named a Notable Book by the Children’s Book Council of Australia, while Tree Beings, written by Raymond Huber and Illustrated by Sandra, won the Wilderness Society’s Environment Award for Children’s Literature Award.

This book is for everyone from inquisitive little people who love nature

to adults who can still be fascinated. Budding marine biologists will delight in the wealth of accurate detail presented in the illustrations.

Adult and child readers alike will be left with a new appreciation for the life in our precious yet threatened marine environments.

If I Was a Horse

Sophie Blackall

From two-time Caldecott Medallist Sophie Blackall, a joyful picture book that captures, with exuberant illustrations, the astonishing spectacle of a child imagining life as a horse.

Gallop along with two-time Caldecott Medallist Sophie Blackall through this riotous day in the life of a child who imagines their life as a horse. Sophie’s delightful text and resonant illustrations that feature a giant horse in familiar settings offer a visual feast, a grand dose of joy and a celebration of the real power of imagination to help us navigate the world.

Lothian Childrens Books

$24.99

Gnome Alone at Christmas

Nick Pine

A perfect stocking filler for readers aged 5+!

Fans of The Christmasaurus will love this funny and festive story about a magical, mischievous gnome that’s ideal for sharing aloud or reading independently.

Noah can’t believe his eyes - or his luck - when a magical gnome called Tommy turns up on the 24th of December.

He’s sure it’s going to be AWESOME! But Tommy’s spells keep going WRONG...

Hachette $14.99

Bluey: Where’s Bluey? At Christmas

Cheese and crackers, it’s Christmas! The countdown is on, but can you find Bluey and Bingo? There’s lots of hidden surprises too, so join the festive fun in this search-and-find book.

A gorgeous Christmasthemed search-and-find book for kids of all ages.

Bluey is an award-winning preschool show about Bluey, a blue heeler pup, and her family. Airing on ABC KIDS, the show has amassed legions of dedicated fans and hugely popular ranges of books, toys, clothes, games and more.

Puffin

$16.99

Just Because

Matthew McConaughey

Renee Kurilla

Filled with his trademark humour and wisdom, Academy Award–winning actor and #1 New York Times bestselling author Matthew McConaughey has crafted a soulful and irreverent collection of life lessons that empowers readers, big and small, to celebrate how we are all full of possibility.

Why? Just because.

Puffin

$24.99

Not Here to Make You Comfortable

50 Women Who Stand Up, Speak Out, Inspire Change A collection celebrating boldness, bravery and brilliance.

Here are fifty times a woman did something brave. Something disruptive. Something exceptional. We saw them. And we were inspired to be more confident and maybe a little bold.

It’s time to stop saying yes all the time.

It’s time to stop apologising all the time.

It’s time to stop avoiding conflict all the time.

It’s time to be true to our emotions, whatever they are Puffin

$22.99