5
FREE THE ROLE OF A DOULA | BEDTIME MINDFULNESS | AUTUMN FAMILY HIKES FOSTERING CREATIVITY | KIDS IN THE WEST: A HISTORY
FREE SCHOOL HOLIDAY FUN AT WILLIAMS LANDING Week One
Week Two
Crayola Creative Centre Workshops
Storytelling & Superhero Face Painting
Unleash the artist in your child at these dynamic workshops featuring three Crayola creative stations. Thursday 31 March to Saturday 2 April 11am – 2pm daily
Come dressed as your favourite superhero! Thursday 7 to Saturday 9 April 11am – 2pm daily
Win!
1 of 3 Deluxe Digi Tools Crayola Art Packs valued at $49.99 each!
Entry forms available in centre. Conditions Apply.
100 Overton Rd, Williams Landing williamslandingshoppingcentre.com.au
+ OVER 15 SPECIALTY STORES
AWARD WINNING PROPERTY DEVELOPER
BUBBA WEST /2
welcome.
HELLO Welcome to edition 5! It feels like a lifetime ago that we launched our very first edition of Bubba West Magazine, in January 2015. We’ve since met so many wonderful westsiders, and discovered some amazing and inspiring people doing great things for our community. We’ve explored the nooks and crannies of our ‘burbs, found new playgrounds and rediscovered old favourites, and have chatted with many of you beside the swings, or in kids’ corners of local libraries. Yes, we have been feeling reflective, and in keeping with this mood, our feature story in this edition is all about looking back – way back – to Melbourne in the 18th and 19th centuries. Through research and interviews with some fascinating local grandmothers who’ve lived here their whole lives, we share with you what childhood was like in the west throughout the last 150 years (page 4). We’re also focusing on education in this edition, as many little ones adjust to their new world in prep, and older kids get used to their move up the rungs. On page 9, we look at ways in which parents can foster their kids’ creative thinking – a valuable skill in all fields, from art and design, to history, science and languages. On page 12, Claire Weigall shares with us her tips for encouraging budding novelists, with some great tips for parents, and some fun storytelling games.
16 Parenting kids with autism
In our ‘health and wellbeing’ section, local mum Sarah Gail shares her personal experience of parenting three children with autism, and offers her words of wisdom to other parents in the same situation (page 16). And for all those parents who have ever struggled with their children’s sleep (that’s all of us, right?), Kellie Edwards brings us a bedtime mindfulness exercise for children of all ages (page 18) – from toddlers to teenagers. As usual, our ‘parent hood’ section features some fresh and funny new stories from some of our favourite local writers, Ali Webb and Bernadette Collins. On page 28, Ali tells us all about the trials and tribulations of toilet training her toddler, with some good tips for other mums and dads facing this ‘fun’ time! On page 30, Bernadette reflects fondly on her maternity leave period, as she quickly approaches its end. We hope that you enjoy reading this edition and, as always, we welcome all your thoughts, feedback and comments. See you ‘round the west! Eden and Emily Find us online at: www.bubbawest.com www.facebook.com/bubbawesthub, or send us an email at admin@bubbawest.com
04
24
Kids of the west: a history Enhancing the bond
All reasonable efforts have been made to trace copyright holders. The editorial team, their staff and printer are not responsible for the accuracy or correctness of contributions in this publication, both advertisements and editorial, or for the consequences of any use made of any products, and the information included in this publication. The editorial team and their staff expressly disclaim all liability of whatsoever nature for any consequences arising from any errors or omissions, whether caused to a consumer of this publication or otherwise. The views expressed in the articles herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial team. It is impossible for the editorial team and their staff to ensure that the advertisements and other material herein comply with the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth). Readers should make their own inquiries when making decisions and, where necessary, seek professional advice. © Bubba West 2016. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited.
Madalena Banda in her backyard in Browning Street, Seddon, in 1958. Photograph by Tony Banda. Image courtesy of the State Library of Victoria.
Kids of the west
A HISTORY WORDS EDEN COX
Imagine you’re nine years old. Your mother has just given you two pounds to buy the weekly groceries for the family. It’s been raining on and off all day so you rug up for the walk to the Chinese farmers’ market. You have to be careful – the footpaths are unsealed, muddy and slippery. Your boots are caked already. You walk close to the houses so you don’t slip into the gushing open drain. If you hurry, you will have time to play street cricket with your friends before it gets too dark. A cow bellows at you as you hurry along, so you stop to give its nose a gentle rub... BUBBA WEST /4
feature. It might sound like a rural childhood, but this was an experience common to many kids growing up in the western suburbs in the 19th and early 20th centuries. For many decades right across the west, the streets were unsealed and muddy, street lighting was scant, and whole suburbs were prone to flooding – in the 1800s, industrial suburbs like Footscray, Yarraville and Spotswood were characterised by flat, boggy meadows, almost completely cleared of trees. In 1870, 42 per cent of Melbourne’s population was under the age of 14, but playgrounds were non-existent. If they were lucky, children had a school within a few miles, but for many, there were no schools for years. The ones that did exist were far from the comfortable classrooms of today, and rarely had heating, which was a problem with all the mud and rain because kids would stay wet all day. The rooms were poorly ventilated, smelly and overcrowded, and became hotbeds of illness. Even up until the 1930s, many children ended their schooling at age 13 or 14, and were expected to find employment to help support their famillies. For girls, the options were to either find a job, or attend a ‘homemaker’ school, where they would learn about commodities, shopping, prices and cooking, as well as laundry and sewing. In A History of Footscray, John Lack describes how boys who didn’t find employment were left to ‘run wild’ in the streets. The arrival of the Boy Scouts in Footscray in 1909, and in Yarraville in 1910, managed to prevent lots of boys from joining the notorious mobs of teenagers that terrorised the west, but by the 1920s, there were still gangs with names like Yarraville Blue Birds, Troc Eagles and Moore Street Push. In 1926, the infamous Seddon Snakes, a gang of well-organised teenagers all under 16, gathered regularly to throw stones, harrass people and damage property. They once rioted for two days, smashing windows in Somerville Road and attacking pedestrians. When they joined with the Tottenham Tigers as Grainger Road Boys, they even armed themselves with iron bars and revolvers. With no playgrounds, children played in the street, in the alleyways, in the quarries and rubbish tips, and on the banks of creeks and rivers. Children built and raced billycarts, went fishing, netted yabbies, shot rabbits (even into the 1950s), listened to the wireless, and played chasey and rounders in the street. The Maribyrnong Swimming and Lifesaving Club at the end of Chicago Street on the Maribyrnong River was a beacon for children and their families on Sundays. In the 1930s, there was a little picket fence erected in the shallow water, with white sand on the shore for the little kids to play in, as well as a diving board for older ones. Gangs of young boys would initiate new members through gruelling river swim challenges. Another ‘game’ involved children climbing the pylons under the tram bridge and
Wilma Perkins, aged nine, at her childhood home in Sunshine.
sticking their heads between the sleepers to await oncoming trams; the last to duck was the winner! Young families have long fuelled urban expansion in the west, and they still do today, but many suburbs were like large country towns even well into the 1920s – everyone knew everyone. This is hard to imagine for many people today who’ve only lived a modern city lifestyle. So three lifelong westside residents have shared their childhood memories with us: Wilma Perkins, born in 1932 in Benjamin Street, Sunshine; Marie Miller, who was born in 1923, and grew up in Ryan Street, Footscray; and her daughter Dianne Clucas, who was born in 1953 in Footscray, and grew up in Maddock Street. Ninety-three-year-old Marie’s strongest memories were of plenty of freedom and fresh air. Her and her siblings were never allowed inside, so they were outside, running, playing hide and seek or rounders. For Marie, life seemed a lot easier than it is today. ‘We caught yabbies somewhere in Footscray... and fished a lot. We would find bits of old string and use tiny bits of meat that we would steal from our mother’s kitchen. But we never caught anything. ‘The boys would play cricket in the street near Moore Street. One day, I was sick of watching and wanted to join BUBBA WEST /5
feature.
Two children outside their home in Austin Street, Footscray, circa 1880. Image courtesy of the State Library of Victoria.
in. As soon as the first bowl went, it smashed my teeth and I had to get two false teeth at 14.’ ‘There were lots of paddocks,’ says 84-year-old Wilma. ‘And I can remember every person who lived on my street – it was a street full of children. I remember running up the laneways, and running through stinging nettles. I had a good life.’ Wilma tells me that she played hopscotch and ‘alleys’ (marbles), and that she spent time mucking about in the quarries, but mostly played in the alleyways used by the nightsoil carts. ‘We used to play “Tally-high-ho” in the alleyways at night time. We would run up and down in the dark, and one of us would stand under the street light and try to find everyone’, she says. Dianne, aged 63, recalls a similar childhood in which her favourite memory is hearing the ‘Milko’ and the bread man delivering their wares down the street in the mornings, and receiving a little bottle of milk at school. Days were spent making billy carts, having races with her friends in the street, and going tadpoling. ‘There was a huge quarry down the end of our street, so we’d get cardboard and slide down to the bottom.’ This site of this quarry, once one of many, is now part of Footscray North Primary School’s playground. All three women tell me that it was safer back then – that children could feel safe playing outside at night, walking to school, and playing without supervision in their local area.
‘If we went into the city at night we could walk home from the train without worries,’ says Wilma. ‘My mother would even leave the key in the front door for us.’ ‘You could go out at night without looking over your shoulder,’ Marie says, ‘There was no alcohol or drugs to worry about.’ But growing up in the mid 1900s was not, of course, all carefree. ‘We were very poor,’ says Wilma. ‘My father worked in the quarry... breaking rocks to go in the crusher to build the roads for Sunshine. He died when I was nine, so we had relations come to live with us.’ And there were chores: ‘On Saturday mornings it was my job to get all the groceries from the corner shop. I used to walk up there and buy what we had to have for the week. In primary school, when my mother went to work, I had to put an order in at the butcher to pick up on my way home. If I forgot, I had to go back and get it... we had no fridge, only an ice chest. ‘I had to get the wood and light the fire after school. I didn’t have my own key or anything; it was hidden so I could let myself in and put the veggies on. On a Sunday morning I would have to get up and go to the dairy and get cream and milk.’ We found out that the dairy Wilma used to visit was located on the corner of Morris Street and Hampshire Road, Sunshine. The pink and taupe 1930s building still exists, but today it is a chiropractic centre.
Sunshine School grades 6, 7 and 8, 1926. W. Edmends photographer. Courtesy of the State Library of Victoria.
Wilma attended Sunshine School until she turned 14, ‘then I had to go to work. I worked at Spaldings, where the Bunnings is now [on the corner of Ballarat and Macintyre roads]. I walked from Benjamin Street to work and back again every day until I had saved up enough to get a bike.’ Marie Miller says that when she moved to Footscray at 14, ‘you didn’t go to school; you helped work for large families.’ Her first job was at Anglis Meatworks, in the meat canning factory above the Maribyrnong River, opposite the Melbourne City abattoirs. ‘Everyone worked down there,’ she says. Marie had her first baby at 19, and she and her husband ran a wrecking yard on Ballarat Road.
Research sources: A History of Footscray, by John Lack, 1991 Maribyrnong: Action in Tranquility, by Olwen Ford and Pamela Lewis, 1989 A Distinctive ‘Wedge’ in the West: A History of Kingsville until 1930, by Dr Emma Curtin and Tony Kelleher, 2015 State Library of Victoria digital image records.
With the advent of World War II, life changed dramatically for children in the west. Those living near Deer Park were sent to the country due to fears that the explosives factory would be an enemy target. ‘During wartime, I was sent up to my autie’s farm near Ballarat,’ says Wilma. ‘I went rabbitting there with three cousins to catch rabbits to feed the family for a week, using ferrets and nets. My sister used to ask me why I behaved so much like a male! They had 12 cows, and I used to bring them in with the horse. I was there for nine months.’ There’s no doubt that childhood was very different in days gone by. With no playgrounds and limited schooling, children had no choice but to make their own fun. But in claiming public spaces as their own, kids became very visible and integrated members of their western suburb communities – perhaps more so than they are today.
Margie, 4.5 years, and Jean, 14 months. Image taken by J. Ward Symonds in Hopkins Street, Footscray. Courtesy of the State Library of Victoria. BUBBA WEST /7
EGG-FREE LEMON CURD TART
FOOD.
RECIPE AND IMAGE EMILY RAUBENHEIMER
When I was growing up, we had a massive lemon tree. Every year, my father and I would pick some and turn them into curd. I loved the cheery bright yellow, the silky, creamy texture and the tart, fresh-smelling lemons. The newy poured jars of yellow goodness looked so homely all lined up on the kitchen bench. While this version is very different, it tastes exactly like that sunny childhood curd.
NOTE: This recipe is dairy- and gluten-free, and is suitable for people who require a low-FODMAP diet.
PREP TIME 5 mins
COOK TIME 45 mins
INGREDIENTS
For the curd: 200 grams of silken tofu zest of 2 lemons zest of 1 lime juice of 2 lemons juice of 1 lime 6 tablespoons of caster sugar
Recipes MINI PIZZAS WITH RATATOUILLE INGREDIENTS Mini whole wheat pita breads Baby Bistro Baby Ratatouille Tasty cheese Red capsicum Red onion Sliced mushrooms
METHOD Simply spread Baby Bistro Baby Ratatouille across the base as tomato paste and add toppings of your choice! Place directly onto rack for a nice crispy base into a pre-heated fan forced oven at about 190 degrees. Cook for 10 –12 minutes or until cheese has melted to your liking!
• • • • • •
BUBBA WEST /8
Enter BWEST for FREE Delivery
For the tart base: 4 rice cakes 1/2 cup of oats 3 tablespoons of coconut oil
METHOD
Basil leaves
www.babybistro.com.au
TOTAL TIME 50 mins
•
Preheat your oven to 170 degrees Celcius Process the rice cakes and oats to fine crumbs, then combine with the oil. (The mixture should resemble a crumble.) Press into two small pre-greased pie tins or one 10-centimetre one. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven to cool. While the bases are in the oven, process the curd ingredients until smooth, and then refridgerate for 20 minutes to firm up. When the bases have cooled, pour the mixture into the pie tins and bake at 170 degrees Celcius for a further 15 minutes. Serve chilled.
FUTURE THINKERS FOSTERING CREATIVE MINDS WORDS EMILY RAUBENHEIMER
The landscape of learning and education has undergone a rapid change. Memorisation, a skill so heralded in the schoolrooms of the past, is now taking a back seat due to the proliferation of devices that make it unnecessary. Children have information and ideas available at the swipe of a smart phone. With all these rapid changes, it’s hard to predict how the future will look for our children; we need to teach them to be creative thinkers. To prepare them for an uncertain future, we need to equip them with skills that allow them to respond quickly to their environment, to empathise with others, and to be flexibile in the midst of the changes afoot. This all requires creative thinking. The skills we once relegated to the domain of the arts are now becoming essential to daily living and success. Businesses are starting to list creativity as the ‘must have’ skill for potential employees. Barbara Dyer, president and CEO of The Hitachi Foundation believes that: ‘Promoting a culture of creativity requires honing the skills of observation and invention, and is essential to success’.
One of the common and very damaging misconceptions is that creativity is something that some people are born with and others not. Creativity CAN be taught. So how do we teach it and how can we foster it? There are four components of creativity as described by psychologist Ellis P. Torrance: fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration. I would also add a fifth – the ability to evaluate ideas, which is key to creativity.
Fluency Fluency is the ability to produce a number of different ideas. Fluency is flexible thinking in action and it is key to problem solving. Complex problems will often need a variety of solutions and equipping children with this skill will allow them to successfully problem-solve any situation. What does fluency look like?
In science class, students might be generating ideas to solve a real-word problem. In art, kids might brainstorm different ideas for an artwork responding to a theme. At home, a child might think of diferent uses for common household items. Could a teapot be used to pour glitter? Could holes be drilled in it for use as a tea-light holder? Could it be a home for an ant colony? BUBBA WEST /9
How can you foster fluency? The point with fluency is to have LOTS of ideas, but not worry or concern yourself with the quality of them. Working out which ideas are viable is an important skill, too, but it comes later. Fluency is the starting point of any great artwork, idea or construction. It is important at this stage to allow your children to play with ideas and avoid/discourage judgement of any of these ideas. Sometimes the craziest-sounding idea can spark a future project. Avoid toys that have one function and purchase toys that can be used in a variety of ways. Wooden blocks, Lego, Duplo and Meccano are perfect for this. Play games that encourage fluency. A favorite one of ours is ‘How many things can a circle make?’ In this game, kids draw as many things as they can think of that use circles. Older kids often take this game a step further and invent things that make use of the shape. This game is very similar to a creativity test now used in recruitment agencies. Give your kids natural items such as sticks or stones and encourage them to use them as tools or make things with them. A stick could be used to form a bow, prop a flag, make stick people characters, or hang a mobile. Encourage your child to generate their own solutions to a problem. If a toy is broken, how could it be fxed? Could you use glue, tie it with string or re-make the toy into something different? If your child has hurt a sibling’s feelings, help them to think about ways in which they could make amends. Get them to make a few suggestions. Another fun game is the ‘What if’ game. Kids of all ages LOVE this game when generating ideas for an artwork, story or construction. They use the words ‘what if’, and then finish the sentence, making as many variations as they can.
Flexibility Flexibility is the ability to approach different situations and develop solutions from a number of different perspectives. Flexibility is important because it fosters empathy. A flexible thinker can consider points of view, feelings and situations. They can make decisions about how to address different perspectives. What does flexibility look like in action?
In history, a flexible thinker might consider what a war experience was like from both sides of the battlefeld. They might form opinions on how to avoid the tensions that cause war in the future. In design, a flexible thinker considers the audience that will consume their product/design. They think carefully about all aspects of how the design will be perceived and used. When designing a house, a flexible thinker will consider how different members of the public will use the BUBBA WEST /10
house, and perhaps include things like ramps for the disabled, or windows that are low enough for young children to look out of. At home, an older child might see a younger sibling struggling and offer assistance, or protect them when they seem scared. How can you foster flexibility?
When reading to your child, help them to recognise the different emotions in the characters; ask them what they might be feeling and why. When talking about the news/events, talk to your child about the diferent perspectives of the people involved. Older kids can be encouraged to think about alternate opinions in a debate.
Originality Originality is the ability to have a new or novel idea. I think the word ‘original’ is often overused and misconstrued. It can cause huge anxiety for kids and professional artists! One definition of original might be very different from another. So I tend to use the word sparingly. I would replace it with the word ‘play’. To play is to take elements of ideas, stories, structures and feelings and construct them in novel ways. The components of the new construction are not original, they are universal; but the final work is unique in the way it was formed. What does it look like?
In art, a child might gather found objects, using them to construct a new sculpture. In writing, a child might take a universal concept such as love, but develop a story based on their imagination/experience. How do I foster this?
The best way to do this is to let your kids play and give them plenty of non-structured time. Allow them to use a wide range of objects and toys and let them lead the play.
Elaboration Elaboration is the ability to extend ideas. What does this look like?
In creative writing, children might consider alternate endings to their story or elaborate on the description of a character. In dance, they might develop a sound piece to accompany their choreography. How can I foster this?
Encourage your child to see problemsolving/art-making as a process rather than an end product. If your child tells a story, encourage them to flesh out characters or describe a
education. scene vividly. Help your child to present their idea in different ways. Could a story they wrote become an artwork or short film?
Evaluation Evaluation is the ability to make informed decisions. A creative thinker is also a deliberate thinker who can think broadly, freely and wildly, and then make decisions about the validity of their ideas. Ken Robinson (of Ted Talk fame) makes the observation that ‘creativity isn’t just about coming up with new
ideas; some ideas might be completely crazy and impractical. So an essential bit of every creative process is evaluation. If you’re working on a mathematical problem, you’re constantly evaluating it, thinking, ‘Does that feel right?’ If you’re composing a piece on the piano, part of you is thinking, ‘Is this going in a good direction?’ Creativity can be found in all aspects of a life and it can be fostered. By allowing our kids to play, imagine, construct and make decisions, we are equipping them to be considerate, empathetic makers and thinkers.
FOOTSCRAY CITY COLLEGE
SELECT ENTRY ACCELERATED LEARNING PROGRAM (SEALP) Limited places for students of high academic ability and potential.
SCHOLARSHIPS PROGRAM Academic General, Academic Science, Music*, Sport* Scholarship Applications close Friday 6th May Edutest Selection for Academic Scholarships Friday 13th May * No Edutest Selection required
This prog ram is ta ilored to with high students academic ability an Students dp are accele rated thro otential. program for Years ugh the c ore 7 – 10 in A combin three yea ation of V rs. CE Units Enrichme and Year nt 10 well as co units are studied in Year 10 mpleting . VCE unit 12, there s in Years As will be th 11 and e possibil university ity of stu subject. dying a SEALP A pplicatio ns close Edutest S Friday 6th election May Test for S EALP Fri For more day 13th inform May ation visi
Kinnear Street Footscray 3011 Ph 8387 1500 www.footscray.vic.edu.au
t www.fo
otscray.v
ic.edu.au
/seal
BUBBA WEST /11
NURTURING YOUR BUDDING NOVELIST WORDS CLAIRE WEIGALL, FOREST ROOM
Since childhood, I have loved losing myself in the process of creative writing. I write to capture the invented characters, imagined conversations and fantastic landscapes that exist inside my head; I write to explore my internal world more deeply; I write as a balm for big emotions; I write because I have something to say. Yet for many kids and adults, creative writing is an excruciating task. The seeds of doubt in one’s creative ability are planted early and are often paralysing when it comes to putting pen to paper. BUBBA WEST /12
EDUCATION. When I was a child, my parents played an important role in fostering my creative writing skills. My brothers and I fondly remember our dad’s epic made-up bedtime stories. Listening to stories unfold and enthusiastically contributing our ideas was a wildly happy experience that reinforced the fun and playfulness of story-making. Today, I endeavour to create the same enriching environment for my students and my own young children. Memories of my creative childhood are reflected in these five tips for helping children to develop creative storytelling skills:
1: Tell your children made-up stories A great way to encourage creative play is to model it for your children. When my dad invented stories for me, he was modelling creative play and unconsciously fostering my creative storytelling skills by showing me that there were no rules to the creative process. We never made up a ‘bad’ story, and it was impossible for my ideas to be wrong. Our stories entertained us and our enjoyment of the process made them all good stories. My parents also read aloud to me, which I now know is so important for children’s language development and literacy; but Dad’s made-up stories were my favourite because they were interactive, and the characters were naughty and liked what I liked. Dad’s stories taught me much more about the creative storytelling process than sharing a storybook ever could. For parents in need of creative inspiration, the ‘Story Soup’ game provides all the ingredients you’ll need to get your story cooking. We play it at bedtime and in the car.
Story Soup: Ask your child/children to suggest a total of three to six items to be included in the story: for example, an animal or household item. (My daughter nearly always chooses a unicorn, while my son favours treasure maps and volcanoes). Now that you have your main ‘ingredients’, do your best to invent a story using the chosen items. Let your child be involved in the creative process. Chances are they had an idea of what the duck was going to do with the superglue when they suggested these items in the first place! Be loose, be loud and laugh a lot. Children are receptive listeners ready to gobble up even the silliest storyline.
2: Encourage creative storytelling play The advice most frequently given to aspiring writers is to practise, practise, practise. The thing is, when you’re a kid, creativity is just play. Kids should practise creativity only if they want to and only if it’s fun. The following activities encourage kids to develop foundation skills for creative writing:
• • • • •
Make up stories and act them out with siblings or friends. Make a video. Pretend to be a spy. Write secret messages and clues with an invisible ink pen, then reveal all with the attached UV light. ‘Spy pens’ are available for under $7. Write a letter to a friend and send it via snail mail. Just for fun, write your letter in the voice of your pet or an imaginary character. Create your own picture book. Parents: please don’t interfere! Let your child discover their creativity free of your influence. Your job is only to provide the pencils and paper and to remind them that the process is more important than the outcome.
3: Respect that writing can be a private process If your child doesn’t want you to read their story, then don’t. It’s easier to put our thoughts, dreams and imaginings into words when we know they don’t have to be shared. Our inner world is a private place and sharing it should be a choice. Lockable journals help to foster a liberating sense of privacy and can be purchased for around $15. 4: Listen attentively to your child’s imaginative ideas Listening to your child’s longwinded flights of fancy, no matter how nonsensical they may seem, helps to foster their confidence in the inner resource of their imagination. 5: Don’t focus on perfect writing Rather than teaching ‘creative writing’, I prefer to focus on ‘creative storytelling’ because for many kids, ‘writing’ implies hard work and struggle, dampening the joy of the creative process. Treating storytelling as a separate skill to writing prevents tension around the story-making process. When children are in the midst of creative flow, don’t worry about spelling, handwriting or punctuation. Don’t worry about ANYTHING. Just allow them to enjoy the process of their creative adventure.
Who is Claire Weigall?
Writing is intrinsic to who I am – a state of being rather than a state of doing. I’m a storyteller and Forest Room is my creative writing school for kids (www.forestroom. com.au). I’ve been many things along the way, including an editor, a lawyer, a boot-scooting waitress and a Wilderness Society koala. When my firstborn started school, I ventured into the classroom as a parent helper and had an epiphany; I’m now studying primary teaching and loving it!
BUBBA WEST /13
PROTECT YOUR CHILD, PROTECT THE COMMUNITY
Under the new ‘No Jab, No Play’ laws now in effect in Victoria, all parents must have their children immunised before they start attending childcare or kindergarten. Most parents harbour a few worries about immunising their kids, even if it’s just preparing your little one (and yourself!) for the pain. Helen Pitcher, Department of Health and Human Services Immunisation Nurse, answers some common questions parents have about immunisation and their child’s health. Why is it so important that all children are immunised?
Is immunisation safe? Compared to the risks associated with the diseases they protect against, vaccines are very safe. The chance of your child having a serious allergic reaction to a vaccine has been calculated to be one in 1.31 million. But if your child catches diphtheria, for example, they have in one in seven chance of dying. The scientific evidence supporting immunisation is overwhelming, and the benefits far outweigh the very small risks.
Ninety-two per cent seems like good coverage – why do we need to increase it? Immunisation coverage of 95 per cent is necessary to stop the spread of particularly contagious diseases such as measles. We call this ‘herd immunity’. Immunisation not only protects those people who have been vaccinated, it also protects vulnerable people, like newborn babies, the very sick and the very elderly, who can’t be immunised themselves or have weak immune systems. If the disease is not around, or is not given a chance to spread, these people won’t be exposed to it.
What do you think are parents are worried about?
The short answer is because we want our kids to have long, healthy lives. Immunisation is one of the most effective ways of preventing certain diseases – some of which can be disabling, and even fatal. Worldwide, it is estimated that immunisation programs prevent approximately 2.5 million deaths each year. In Victoria, around 92 per cent of children under five years of age are fully immunised.
BUBBA WEST /14
There are a whole lot of mixed and confusing messages circulating that can leave people feeling unsure about immunisation. An open chat with a doctor or immunisation nurse can really help to clear up a lot of worries.
But some people do react to vaccines?
Vaccine reactions are generally mild and do not need medical treatment. A mild fever, some grizzling or even extra sleepiness can occur a few hours after immunisation, and may
health and wellbeing.
last one or two days. The injection site might be sore, red or a little swollen for one or two days. The risk of complications from childhood disease is much higher than any risk from immunisation.
What if parents don’t believe in immunisation?
It’s understandable that parents are concerned with protecting their child’s health. Some parents spend time researching the safety and efficacy of vaccines before immunising their children. Searching the internet is a notorious trap for anxious parents. That’s why it’s important for people to get information about immunisation or particular vaccines from a qualified source, such as your GP or immunisation nurse. There’s also some great information available on the Better Health Channel (www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au).
What is ‘No Jab, No Play’ and how does it affect families in Victoria?
The ‘No Jab, No Play’ law aims to improve immunisation rates and reduce the prevalence and spread of disease in Victoria. Under the law, parents must provide evidence that their child is fully immunised (or on a catch-up program) before the child can be enrolled in childcare or kindergarten. Some children cannot be immunised for medical reasons, in which case parents need to get proof of this from their GP. Particular beliefs or values, such as religious or cultural beliefs, are no longer legally valid reasons to not immunise your child.
immunisation and the diseases that vaccines protect against. Most people have not personally seen the devastating effects of preventable diseases such as measles and chickenpox because of the success of the free immunisation program in Australia. Immunising your child will protect your child and your family, as well as the greater community, from these preventable diseases.
No Jab, No Play By law, your child must have an immunisation status certificate to enrol in child care, kindergarten and primary school. Your child’s immunisation history status is automatically provided to you from the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register when your child turns 18 months of age and five years of age. Your doctor or local council can also provide you with a school entry immunisation status certificate.
What advice would you give to parents who are still unsure?
Remember that a decision not to immunise your child can have far-reaching consequences, not just for your child, but for all of us. Talk to your GP to get professional advice about
CLICK TO FIND OUT MORE
YOUR #1 LOCAL DENTIST SINCE 1999 Monday to Saturday and evening appointments available. Bupa, Medibank, HCF Preferred providers. Kids and adults braces/Invisalign offered with interest-free payment option
www.seddondental.com.au
184 Victoria St & 71 Charles St, Seddon Vic Australia, 3011 | 03 9687 7688 | www.seddondental.com.au BUBBA WEST /15
health and wellbeing.
SARAH’S STORY: PARENTING KIDS WITH AUTISM Mother of three Sarah Gail knows firsthand about the emotional roller coaster ride of learning that your child has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Almost overnight, the Wyndham Vale mum’s world was turned upside down. She faced a huge lifestyle change, characterised by hopping from one therapist appointment to the next, and the quest to understand what this diagnosis meant for her and her family. For Sarah, the process of obtaining a diagnosis for her children was ‘long and horrible’. ‘We knew our eldest needed assessment at the age of three,’ says Sarah. ‘But due to hospital wait times for the initial referral to a private clinic (which cost over $1000), we didn’t receive the diagnosis until he was four and a half years old.’ Sarah has three children who she affectionately calls ‘The Monsters’ – Jason (seven), Patrick (five) and Eliza (three). ‘For our middle child, we knew he required assessment at about two years of age, but due to lack of funds, hospitals losing our referral letters twice, and many other hospital clerical errors, he was also not diagnosed until he was four and a half. BUBBA WEST /16
‘My left eye still twitches a bit just thinking about it all!’ Sarah says that actually obtaining the diagnosis was ‘AWESOME’ because it meant that they were finally able to access therapy. They got to work straight away by researching and talking to other parents in the same boat. It was the beginning of the rest of their lives. ‘There seems to be a whole lot of misinformation out there about autism. A lot of people are still scared of a diagnosis being a “label”, rather than a tool to help,’ says Sarah. ‘Most people believe that autism is something you can tell a person has simply by looking at them. Most people are scared out of their wits by the word “autism.”’
Even though Sarah wouldn’t change her children for the world, she says she would have done things a little differently had she known then what she does now.
house, but it is worth it. I didn’t socialise with parents in the same situation until my son started school last year. I truly regret not doing it sooner.’
‘I would have accessed parent support groups much sooner. Amazingly, other parents experiencing the same wonderful, chaotic, slovenly, brilliant nightmare on a daily basis is mental salvation!’ laughs Sarah.
Sarah is keen to share her advice with parents who have found themselves in the same position as her. She says, ‘Do not, under any circumstances, let anyone bring you down! When your child has an episode in a public place, you will get looks – some will be a small smile of encouragement, but the ones you notice will be the old guy shaking his head and muttering to his wife about the “naughty kid”. THEY. DON’T. KNOW.
‘Finding certain services is easy enough. I was immediately referred to AMAZE Victoria by our paediatrician. They put us in touch with Early Intervention and sent us eleventyhundred pages of stuff.’ Early Intervention is a system of services that help babies and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities. ‘Our worker Rita, from Noah’s Ark, has been wonderful. She has helped me with school enrolment for Western Autistic, and finally obtaining a diagnosis for Patrick, as well as providing us with some great suggestions to help us manage behaviours.’ When asked what advice she would give anyone who has found themselves in a similar position, Sarah shared the following: ‘I would find an autism play group. This is somewhere you can take your kids and speak to other parents who are in the same position. You might not feel like being social, you might dread the two-and-a-half-hour battle to get your child to put on their damn shoes so you can leave the
‘If anyone is rude enough to actually complain or yell at you about your child, remain calm! They. Do. Not. KNOW. Tell them that you’d love some help if they’re offering to push the trolley! Ask them if they left the house feeling the need to be rude to someone! Stick up for your child! If they suggest you need to smack him or her, ask if it would be ok to smack them, since they are the grown-up who can control what they do and say, rather than your child with autism who is still learning! ‘STAY STRONG! You’re doing a good job,’ Sarah concludes. Sarah is one of thousands of Melbourne parents who will be attending the inaugural Melbourne Autism Expo 2016, a unique event for anyone who is touched by autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Proceeds from the Melbourne Autism Expo will be donated to community organisations supporting ASD, including Irabina Autism Services and Yellow Lady Bugs.
BUBBA WEST /17
welcome.
BEDTIME MINDFULNESS FOR KIDS Mindfulness techniques are wonderful additions to the family routine, helping parents and children of all ages to relax and focus. This can be particularly valuable at bedtime, especially for preschoolers who fight sleep, and for older children who find it difficult to unwind after a busy day. Psychologist and mindfulness teacher Kellie Edwards shares with us her family’s very own tried and tested bedtime mindfulness routine. WORDS KELLIE EDWARDS, PSYCHOLOGIST AND TEACHER, MINDFULNESS 4 MOTHERS
‘Mummy, can we do a different mindfulness practice tonight?’ ‘OK, close your eyes and settle down into your bed. Then take a long deep breath in... now blow it out. Do that again – and blow it out. ‘Now, take your attention down to your feet. See if you can feel where your feet are in the bed without touching them – like feeling them from the inside. As you feel where they are touching the sheet, silently thank your feet for walking you around all day. They worked hard for you today to get you where you wanted to go. They need rest now, so send them a silent “thank you” and let them relax. ‘Now, bring your attention up to your legs. Feel from the inside where they are heaviest as you sink gratefully into the bed like a floppy rag doll. Silently thank your legs for
holding up your body all day, helping you walk and run and do cartwheels on the grass. They have worked hard today and they need to have a rest now, too. ‘Now, bring your attention to your tummy and chest. All your organs are in there – your stomach and intestines that have helped you digest your food, your lungs that have helped you breathe, your heart that has been pumping blood all around your body. Silently thank all your organs in your tummy and chest for doing all of that for you today. Let your chest relax deeper into the bed, getting ready for a big rest. ‘Now see if you can get a feeling of your arms resting in the bed. Are they heavy against the sheets? Can you let them go all floppy? ‘They have been very busy today lifting and carrying things, dancing and waving about and helping you have fun. Silently thank your arms and let them settle down into the bed for a rest. ‘See if you can feel where your hands are resting: where they are touching the sheets. Boy, those
mind and body.
hands of yours need a big “thank you” for doing so much to help you today. They have been writing and drawing, picking things up and playing, using the computer and pointing which way to go. Silently thank your hands and let them have a lovely long break.
‘Send a warm and gentle smile of thanks to your wonderful body and have a beautiful sleep.’
‘Finally, as you really let your body go floppy and drift off to sleep, feel how heavy your head is against the pillow. Your brain is in there and it has been working hard all day for you. And your eyes and ears, your nose and your mouth – they have all done so much for you today. Silently send your head a big “thank you” for all the thinking, smelling, hearing, looking and tasting, and let it rest on your lovely soft pillow.
Kellie is a psychologist, mindfulness teacher and parenting educator. She has developed mindfulness-based parenting programs, runs small workshops for parents, and has developed several online mindfulness wellbeing programs for parents and children. Find her at www. mindfulness4mothers.com
Who is Kellie Edwards?
"Life Changing. It's rare to come across a program that you can instantly apply in your life and have it make such an impact." Christine Maisel, mother
ONLINE MINDFULNESS PROGRAM - TAKING CARE OF MOTHERS
Bringing calm, caring and confidence to motherhood. Find out how mindfulness and self compassion can: - restore and resource you for the long haul of motherhood - open up greater choice in how you respond to the challenges and demands of motherhood - bring more joy and optimism to motherhood - build a warm and connected relationship with your child. You recieve: Life-time access to expert interviews, downloadable guided meditations and your own Facebook Group
Take Better Care of Yourself & Develop a Stronger Relationship with your Child
mindfulness4mothers.com/shop and enter code BWMums BUBBA WEST /19
FIVE AUTUMN FAMILY HIKES IN THE WEST WORDS SANDRA MULLER, HEADING FOR THE HILLS
Autumn is the perfect season in which 1. Newport Lakes, Newport Lakes is a small sliver of wilderness tucked to embark on a family hiking adventure Newport away in urban Newport. The park is small enough that to explore the bush – the weather is not it’s almost impossible to get lost, but big enough to feel too hot, not too cold, and not too wet. like you’re having a wilderness adventure. Meander You don’t have to worry about bushfires along the gravel paths around the park for an easy twokilometre circuit, or join a few tracks together to make a and there’s less chance of an encounter more challenging four-kilometre hike. The kids will love with a snake now than during summer. hopping across the lake over the large stones. Location: Margaret Street, Newport (just off There are plenty of great places to Mason Street), and only 1.2 kilometres from Newport explore by hiking in Melbourne’s west. Station. Here are some of my favourites. Facilities: There are toilets, barbecues, covered
picnic tables, a wide grassy space and a park with a playground. It’s a great place for a post-hike picnic. Tips: The paths around the lakes are not suitable for a pram. You don’t need hiking boots – you can wear runners. Great for preschoolers and up. No dogs allowed.
2. Serendip Sanctuary, Lara
Serendip Sanctuary is perhaps the best place in the west for a family walk that allows you to get up close to native wildlife like birds, wallabies, kangaroos and emus. Explore the ponding site – where kids can use nets to catch water bugs – visit the bird hides and watch hundreds of noisy water birds come and go, walk through the animal enclosures and test your jumping skills against the resident kangaroos at the long jump pit. It’s an easy 3.5-kilometre walk around the Sanctuary. Location: Windermere Road, Lara. Facilities: There are toilets (including baby change facilities) at the picnic ground next to the car park, covered and uncovered picnic tables, electric barbecues, and lots of space to play and explore. Opening hours: 8 am until 4 pm every day, except for Christmas Day and Good Friday. Tips: You can bring a pram, but there are
out and about. many double gates to access the different animal enclosures, which can be tricky. Dogs are not permitted. The tracks are sandy gravel, so runners are fine. Great for all ages. 3. Long Forest, Melton Halfway between Bacchus Marsh and Melton, you’ll find a slice of bush called Long Forest. Here, there is a variety of easy walks, ranging from 1.5 kilometres to five kilometres. Look out for the post marks indicating the different tracks. Location: Long Forest Road, Melton. Facilities: There are no toilets or picnic facilities, but there’s lots of space to play and explore. Tips: Bring your own water. Not suitable for a pram. Dogs are not allowed inside the park. You might need something sturdier than runners, depending on the condition of the tracks. Great for preschoolers and up. 4. You Yangs Regional Park, Little River There are plenty of different hikes in the You Yangs to cater to all ages and all levels of fitness. An easy family walk of about three kilometres starts at the Ranger’s Station car park and goes to Big Rock and back. If you’re feeling like a more challenging walk, head to the Turntable car park and take the 3.2-kilometre Flinders Peak walk to the summit, or the 4.5-kilometre, well-signposted East West Walk. These two walks are not pram friendly. Location: Branch Road, Little River. Facilities: There are toilets, barbecues and lots of picnic areas scattered throughout the Park. Opening hours: The Park is open from 8 am until 4:30 pm on weekdays, and 8 am until 6 pm on weekends and public holidays (during daylight savings). Tips: Bring your own water. Some trails are pram friendly, some aren’t. Runners should be fine. Dogs are allowed in the park. Great for all ages.
5. Werribee Gorge, Ingliston Werribee Gorge is just north of Bacchus Marsh. You can choose an easy walk or one that will challenge your family. Take on the eight-kilometre Circuit Walk, with magnificent views as a reward for the steep incline at the start of the route. Have fun traversing the rocks above the Werribee River while holding onto a bolted wire. The kids will love it! Otherwise, take the 4.5-kilometre Short Circuit Walk. Both walks are signposted. There is also a shorter and easier threekilometre walk along the river, and there is a swimming hole close to the Meikles Point picnic ground where these walks start and finish. Location: Meikles Point picnic ground, Myers Road, Ingliston. Facilities: There are toilets, fireplaces and picnic tables at Meikles Point. Tips: Bring your own water. The Circuit Walk and Short Circuit Walk are not suitable for prams. Dogs are not permitted in the park. You may prefer sturdier footwear than runners for the Circuit walks. Great for preschoolers and up.
Who is Sandra Muller?
Sandra is a Melbourne-based writer, blogger, hiker, mum and ultramarathon groupie. You can usually find her and her family on tracks and trails around Melbourne’s west. Find more great hiking destinations on her blog at: www.headingforthehills.com
BUBBA WEST /21
WHAT’S NEW AT THE LIBRARY? If you come to any Hobsons Bay Libraries branch for a fun read, I suggest you make a beeline for the children’s area. There are books galore, including shelves of wonderfully funny and interesting picture books. Sometimes in a quiet moment at the desk, I sneak down there to read a book or two (for professional development, obviously!). With a library card, you get access to all of our wonderful picture books. We also have storytime sessions at each of our five libraries. But while you’re waiting for the next storytime, check out some of my favourite new picture books, which are all available at the library. WORDS EMILY BEIMERS, LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT LIBRARIAN: CHILDREN AND YOUTH, HOBSON’S BAY LIBRARIES
The Pocket Dogs and the Lost Kitten | Written by Margaret Wild, illustrated by Stephen Michael King | Scholastic, 2016 Biff and Buff the pocket dogs are back, and they’re as cute as ever! In this book, Mr Pockets and the pocket dogs adopt a lost kitten. The pocket dogs learn about love and acceptance from Mr Pockets. This is a great book if you’re getting ready to welcome a new family member, and it’s totally cute to boot. I’m particularly fond of Mr Pockets in his spotty, orange pyjamas. Ideal age range: 3–6
Yak and Gnu | Written by Juliette MacIver, illustrated by Cat Chapman | Walker Books, 2015 I’m a massive fan of this book! Yak and Gnu are the best of friends and they sail the seas together singing their sea song, ‘Yippee-ai, Yak! Woo hoo, Gnu! There are no other beasts like me and you’. Rhyming books are wonderful for helping kids get ready to read, and this one is no exception. As an added bonus, you can head to the e-library section of the Hobsons Bay Library website and find a video of Brian Nankervis reading it aloud on Story Box Library. If you haven’t discovered it yet, Story Box Library is a real gem, with loads of wonderful books read aloud by loads of wonderful people (free acces with your library card). Ideal age range: 3–6 BUBBA WEST /22
Love… | Written and illustrated by Emma Dodd | Nosy Crow, 2015 I think you’d struggle to find a more heart-warming book than this one. Love is everywhere in this little book; the pictures could melt the coldest of hearts. A baby rabbit and his mother feature throughout, with inspirational little snippets: ‘I love you when you get it right, and when you get it wrong’. I might be biased as a rabbit lover (and owner), but this book should not to be missed! Ideal age range: 1–4
My First Day at School | Written by Rosie Smith & Bruce Whatley, illustrated by Bruce Whatley | Scholastic, 2016 A picture says a thousand words in this one. It is a simple book as it covers elements of the first day at school, but it’s by no means boring. A host of animals fill the pages with comical and interesting features, such as a centipede wearing colourful socks! Simple and relatable, this book is perfect for children who are about to start school. Ideal age range: 3–6
Mine! | Written and illustrated by Emily Gravett | Macmillan, 2016 Here is another Bear and Hare instalment from the evertalented Emily Gravett. In this Bear and Hare episode, Bear wants Hare to share, and Hare is not so keen on the idea. It’s cute, it rhymes and ultimately it ends with a little lesson on sharing; if we don’t share, we might be chased by a hoard of angry bees! Read it now. Ideal age range: 2–4
READ.
The Marvellous Fluffy Squishy Itty Bitty | Written and illustrated by Beatrice Alemagna | Thames & Hudson, 2015 Every now and again, I completely fall in love with a book, and The Marvellous Fluffy Squishy Itty Bitty is one of these. To begin with, the illustrations are mesmerising and I could spend hours exploring the detail on every page. Then you have the story itself. Edith is on the hunt for the perfect present for her mother – a marvellous fluffy squishy itty bitty. The problem is that she has no idea what that is! It’s translated from French and set in Paris, so it will have special appeal for the Francophiles among you. This book is a joy to read, so borrow it today (if I can bear to return it, that is). Ideal age range: 3–6
Piranhas Don’t Eat Bananas | Written and illustrated by Aaron Blabey | Scholastic, 2015 Here is another wonderful book from Aaron Blabey. It’ll have you laughing your head off as Brian the piranha (who’s ever heard of a piranha called Brian?) tries to convince his friends to try fruit. It’s full of rhyming and laughs, and Aaron Blabey never disappoints! If you’re keen to read it, or more of his work, you can find him reading aloud a few of his other books on Story Box Library. Ideal age range: 3–6
Imaginary Fred | Written by Eoin Colfer, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers | HarperCollins, 2015 Eoin Colfer and Oliver Jeffers, both well know and loved in their own right, paired up to create Imaginary Fred, and it turns out they’re a bit of an Irish dream team. A colleague recommended this one to me, and ever since I’ve been recommending it to anyone who will listen! It will appeal to anyone who’s ever had an imaginary friend, and make anyone who didn’t wish they did. Ideal age range: 4–8
BUBBA WEST /23
HELD – the role of a doula WORDS LOLA HOWARD, DOULA
Birth is a rite of passage that challenges the birthing woman at every level: physically, mentally, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. It can leave you feeling like you can do anything, on a complete oxytocin high. Or, it can leave you feeling shocked, sad, confused, distressed and like a failure, or somewhere in between. We evolved in tribal groups, and would once have birthed surrounded by women we knew. The lack of continuity of care in our current birth culture means that many women are labouring mostly on their own, or just with their partner. This can make it much harder to cope with the intensity of labour. Having a doula present for the birth means that the woman giving birth is never left alone. Working with a doula is about continuity of care. The trust created in this relationship can help the labouring woman to feel safe, which will allow more oxytocin to be released, which helps the labour to progress efficiently. All too often in our culture, birthing women are pitied. If the birthing woman is surrounded by caregivers who pity her and don’t want to see her ‘suffer’, then it’s challenging for that woman to step into her strength and birth her baby from an empowered place.
However, if her caregivers see birth as a challenge, but also an opportunity for transformation, courage and empowerment, then the woman is able to believe that she can do it. Birth support work is about a relationship, and the key ingredient in this relationship is trust. You want your doula to be respectful of your hopes and dreams for the birth, and to be knowledgeable about birth and the current system. You want to feel comfortable with her and be able to share any fears and doubts you may have. In the midst of a whopping contraction, when you feel you can’t go on, you want to hear her voice telling you that you can do it. You want her to help you into a different position, offer juice or water, perhaps give you massages, help you into the shower or tub, or put on your favourite music. You want your partner to feel reassured by her presence and her positivity. You want to look in her eyes and know
baby and I.
that she has been where you are now, and that you can trust what she is telling you. Doulas aim to make the mother feel good by tailoring their support to her. Doulas can also help advocate for the birthing woman and her partner. She can help you to tease out whether the intervention being suggested is for true medical need based on you and your baby, or if it is a hospital routine based on timelines. We are in the midst of a baby boom and, unfortunately, hospitals are under a lot of pressure. Their timelines for allowing labour to progress before suggesting an intervention are shortening because the demand for birthing suites is so high. Another aspect of this baby boom is that the birthing woman and her partner may be left alone for hours in the birthing suite because there aren’t enough staff for each woman to have her own midwife. This can be difficult to manage for the woman, and also her partner. A doula will stay with the birthing woman for the duration of her labour, both at home and in hospital. Feeling positive about the birth experience, no matter how it played out, acts as a touchstone for the new mother and helps her, in the early weeks and months, to follow her instincts and to fall in love with her baby. It acts as a support for the new mother. That’s not to say that you can’t follow your instincts and fall in love with your baby if you are distressed, upset, confused, angry or traumatised by your birth experience – you can. But the task is greater because those dark emotions may rise up unexpectedly and affect how you feel about yourself. Having a doula at the birth helps you to feel good about the outcome, no matter what it is. A doula can also help clarify why the birth happened the way it did. Contextualising the birth helps to normalise your
experience, and then you can claim the beautiful parts of the birth, rather than feeling overwhelmed by it all, confused by what happened or, perhaps, as though you failed. How we meet life transitions can have a big impact on how we feel about ourselves. Our ability to cope and rise to the challenge of a transition is largely dependent on how supported we are.
Who is Lola Howard? I am a Melbourne-based doula. I qualified last year after
training with Rhea Dempsey, and am doing ongoing professional development with her this year. I’m passionate about birth and supporting women through the huge transition into motherhood. I’m also a performance artist; my last show Echo was at La Mama Theatre. Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, I’m a mum to two incredible kids. I love spending time with them and watching them change and grow. They’ve taught me so much about myself.
FAMILY DAY CARE CHILD CARE VACANCIES AVAILABLE NOW
Hobson Bay City Council has over 40 years experience overseeing child care in a home based learning environment for children from birth to 13 years, with: • Flexible routines • Qualified and catering to your experienced child care educators child’s needs
Supportive, therapeutic & educational environment
• Service monitored by • Activities, experiences and qualified educators outings based on • Small numbers of the interests of children allowing your child personalised care
Vacancies exist in all areas, including: • Williamstown • Newport • Altona • Altona Meadows • Seabrook • Laverton • Point Cook • Williams Landing
For more information please contact the coordination unit on 9932 1527 or email fdc@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au or go to the Councils website at www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au Bookings: 0425 788 001 kristen@newportcounselling.com.au newporthealthandwellbeing.com.au
BUBBA WEST /25
welcome.
BABY AND I: enhancing the bond WORDS KANTHI SAYERS, PERINATAL PSYCHOLOGIST, ANTENATAL & POSTNATAL PSYCHOLOGY NETWORK
A relationship with our babies in which they feel heard and understood, and have their emotional needs met (most of the time) helps them to feel safe and secure. This provides the foundation for positive feelings about themselves in the world. A baby’s first relationship with a parent serves as a blueprint for future relationships, so experiencing an early relationship with an emotionally attuned parent helps individuals to function productively in relationships, and in life. Every parent has the best intention for a positive relationship with their child; yet, this does not always go to plan. New parents can be doubtful about their relationship with their baby, feeling lost, and even frightened of this much-anticipated new arrival. There can be feelings of aloneness, emptiness, guilt and shame for not enjoying the parenting journey. Parents can find themselves caught between an internal turmoil, and desperate attempts to care for the baby they so wanted to love and cherish. Human beings are complex. Each of us carries a relationship blueprint that began with our relationship with our own parents. We develop self beliefs as well as emotional and behavioural patterns as a result of these relationships. Have you ever wondered why a certain look from someone, or a tone in their voice, can rouse an emotional response within us, yet not affect someone else the same way? This is because the look or tone is familiar to us, triggering emotions associated with our very early relationship experiences. Although each individual’s early relationship is unique, negative feelings BUBBA WEST /26
triggered later in life commonly have to do with early life feelings of aloneness or vulnerability, or feeling unheard or misunderstood. Our babies’ needs and behaviours can inadvertently trigger old dynamics from our early relationships. Some parents experience feelings of anxiety or dread when their baby signals a need for closeness and comfort through crying or unsettledness. Others experience sadness, alarm, or a feeling of rejection when their baby crawls away from them to explore the environment. Even though we know that babies lack the sophistication to deliberately upset us, the emotions stirred up can be so strong that it can feel as though our baby is manipulating us. This, of course, is not the case. Our babies’ need for comfort (closeness to us) or autonomy (distance from us) can trigger memories of unmet needs from our own childhood, which we may not be fully aware of. Perhaps our own parents struggled with providing comfort when we needed it, or had difficulties supporting our need for
welcome.
independence. Making sense of what our baby is triggering in us can help to remove the blocks that prevent us from attending to their needs and connecting with them in healthy ways. It frees us up to have the kind of relationship with them that builds trust. There is no such thing as the ‘perfect relationship’ with our children. Experiencing pain and disappointment is part of being human; but if we get it right enough of the time, then we are doing just fine. When we miss the mark, repair of the relationship is not only possible, it is powerful. Repairing and rebuilding teaches children that they are worthy and that they can be imperfect, but still loved. Parent-child relationships can be improved with counselling, parent–infant work, and parenting and play programs. Talk with your doctor or maternal and child health nurse if you wish to enhance this important relationship.
Who is Kanthi Sayers?
Kanthi is a perinatal psychologist with the Antenatal & Postnatal Psychology Network. She has a particular interest in adjustment to new parenthood, and in the parent–child relationship. Kanthi is located in Niddrie (Essendon area), and her colleagues in the west are located in Newport and Werribee. Visit www.antenatalandpostnatalpsychology.com.au and www.facebook.com/antenatal.postnatal.psychology/
Psychology Social Work Family Therapy Parenting Skills Individual/Couple/Relationship Counselling Child & Adolescent Counselling Mother/Infant Therapy Trauma Sensitive Yoga Supervision, Education and Training Group Programs: Being Held Mother/Infant Group Circle of Security Parenting Education NEWPORT HEALTH & WELLBEING www.newporthealthandwellbeing.com.au FOR MORE INFORMATION: kristen@newportcounselling.com.au | 0425 788 001
BUBBA WEST /27
THE PARENT HOOD.
SHITS AND PIDDLES WORDS ALI WEBB
We are toilet training. This is epic. I’m so impatient; I thought learning to wee out a doodle would be easy. Isn’t it like a hose? Can’t you aim? As I don’t have one myself, I just assumed that wee and doodle and aiming would all come together in three days. Why three days? A friend of a friend told me that her son was toilet trained in three days. Was he 23? Three days. Snort. My son is almost three, and I know he is super close to learning how to use a toilet, or at least know when he needs to go. So, how do you train a kid to use a potty? I have no definitive answers for you here, but this is what I’ve learnt so far: 1: If you smell a pop off, a poo is on the horizon. Dacks off and get potty ready. 2: Nude aint rude, it’s so very good. Let the kid run and watch their wee go everywhere. 3: Hold onto those old cloth nappies. Accidents – and I mean LOTS of accidents – happen. I hope you have floorboards and a good mop, oh and a dog that doesn’t eat poo. 4: Undies with your kid’s favourite TV or cinematic characters rule the roost. There is no way my son is going to want to piss on Lightning McQueen’s face. 5: Be super positive. Dance hard when a wee makes it in the potty. Let your kid press the button on the toilet. Tell your kid that the poo and wee is going to the ocean to swim with all the rad fishies and crocodiles and really cool happy sharks (don’t tell them that if they are shit-scared of fishies and crocs and sharks though). 6: Poo is exciting, not scary. My son loves looking at his afterwards. Yep, it’s gross, but I would rather my kid be excited about taking a crap than holding it in, terrified it’s going to eat him alive. 7: Let your kid watch you go to the toilet. It’s creepy, but it’s been creepy these last few years, hasn’t it? Remember, that kid was in your tummy; you haven’t had a private moment for almost three years, so what’s a crap in front of your kid once a day in the scheme of things? Make sure you smile when you do it. BUBBA WEST /28
If you find a poo on the floor… whoops, clean it up, highlight the potty is nearby if your kid needs it, but let them know that once daddy did something similar and he hasn’t done it again because he’s a big boy. Poo on the floor happens to the best of us; let’s not dwell. And finally, when you are out in the world with your kid wearing undies, take them to the nearest toilet/gutter/tree/ bush/garden the SECOND they say… ‘Mummy, I need to wee’. You don’t have any longer than a second; that wee is coming out now. Run. Carry a towel with you. So, accidents have happened this summer; my son has taken a crap in the display cubby at Bunnings, weed on the card stand in the post office, pooed in his Lightning McQueen undies so massively that I just chucked them in the park bin, and told every person he meets that wee comes out of his doodle. It’s ok. We are not quite there yet, but it’s on the horizon. We are so close, I can LITERALLY smell it. Wish us luck or tell me your toilet training story at www.houseofwebb.blogspot.com
Who is Ali Webb? When she’s not parenting her two-and-a-half-year-old son Alfie, Ali Webb tries to figure out the difference between Gordon and Thomas and why the producers would create two trains of the same colour. But colour is Ali Webb’s thing. She loves to live a colourful life filled with running (after her kid, not for ex-ercise), writing, hunting for vintage treasures, whipping up a macrame or broccoli-shaped cushion and composing raps in her mind about Milo and Sunshine Pine. Ali is a nutcase. Be her friend at www.houseofwebb.blogspot.com.au
Tired, dry, itchy, dermatitis affected SKIN? Every mum, raise their hands! Switch your soap, restore your hands, nourish them naturally, daily
Nurture your skin with Natural Saffie's Skin Care Collection, developed to nourish your skin from head to toe daily Natural liquid soap, scrubs & lotions for your body, scrub and cream to restore your feet and a heavenly collection of natural products for your face. It’s your one stop online shop E
FRE
S YE ’S E D S IL D D A C H ER UR SUP YO OR S | F S RT T A S IN E U DS O O IN B A G E NTS | R PA
DON’T MISS OUT ON YOUR COPY! ID E TS S | ES . W IO N L K .. S AT W AN V E R E O TH LK LE C W A L IT T
E FRE Bubba West Did you know that you can have
Magazine delivered straight to your door?
Nourishing you
SUBSCRIBE AND RECEIVE: Four editions delivered to your door every three months. As a special thanks from us, every now and then we also include: - surprise limited edition prints/postcards $16.50 - exclusive offers from our advertisers
for a yearly subscription
www.bubbawest.com/shop/
Synthetic, Detergent, Fragrance, Paraben & Sulphate FREE Made in Williamstown www.naturalsaffie.com.au | enquiries@naturalsaffie.com.au
BUBBA WEST /29
GOLDEN OLDIES
WORDS BERNADETTE COLLINS
There’s a thing in filmmaking called The Golden Hour. It’s the magical fraction of time, just before the sun goes down, when everything is bathed in heavenly light, making the grubbiest of landscapes look like an oil painting. Another Golden Hour, of sorts, happens midweek around midday. An anthropological phenomenon witnessed only by those who don’t work nine to five, it’s when opposite ends of the demographic spectrum – mums with babies, and grannies and grandpas – take to the streets.
the parent hood.
Generations collide on Mondays and Tuesdays for discount movie tickets. On Wednesdays, they’re out for coffee/cake meal deals and quiet time at Coles when you don’t have to pull a hip and shoulder netball move for the last roast chicken. At different stages of life, but similarly unburdened by the stress of full-time work and peak-hour traffic, these two groups combined represent life is at its most pleasant. When the population is made up of ladies with babies and golden-agers, the streets seem more relaxed, carefree, more sun-drenched. So, what binds these kindred spirits? It could be a collection of unfortunate ailments – for every dodgy hip there’s a cracked nipple, for every bunion there’s a limp pelvic floor. But on the whole, I think it boils down to one shared acceptance: that life needs to move at a slower pace. It dawned on me when I visited Brunswick with my newborn son. What was meant to be a quick trip became a full-day excursion as the length of Sydney Road transformed into something more like the gauntlet from Gladiators. I swear I could hear Mike Whitney blowing his whistle as I faced each challenge – changing a nappy at a bus stop,breastfeeding in a car park... It probably would’ve been easier to pull on a leotard, pick up an oversized foam weapon and go head-tohead with the likes of Vulcan. It was then that I decided that if I was ever going to enjoy this first year with my baby, everyday life needed to be taken down a gear. Readjust your expectations, Bernadette. Embrace the fact that things take time. Need to meet a friend for a coffee and go to the post office? Don’t attempt to do both in one day. You’re not that organised. Best to split it across two. Once I submitted to a slower pace, I started to view life through a whole new lens. I had time to enjoy small talk with
strangers at the shops; to take the dog for an extra lap around the park; to pull over for cars on narrow streets and give a little finger wave as they passed by; to take my neighbours up on their invitation for tea and bickies; to watch Beyonce’s full 15-minute Super Bowl performance. Taking time with people made me feel more connected to the world and to my community than I ever have before. The saying is true: ‘time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time’. I’m due to go back to work mid year. I’m reminded of the looming date with every thread that wears bare on the inner thigh of my maternity jeans. I’ll once again be shackled by deadlines, meetings, inner-city traffic and normal pants that don’t have a stretchy waistband that covers me from hip to boob. I’ll miss hanging out with the nannas. My days have been a lot nicer for it. They’ve been doing it right this whole time. When I return to the rat race, I hope I never forget how enjoyable the ride can be when you ease your foot off the pedal a bit. I hope I can still catch a movie on Tightarse Tuesday every now and then, and get out early enough to soak up the last embers of golden light before the sun goes down on the day.
Who is Bernadette Collins?
Bernadette lives in West Footscray with her husband, son and dog. As a new mum, she’s taking a year off work to master new skills, like steering a pram and eating with one hand. Find her at :
https://longhoursshortdays.wordpress.com/
Education, Early Learning, Masterplanning & Heritage 4 Emilton Avenue St. Kilda 3182 www.woollanhamlett.com.au BUBBA WEST /31
A monthly child-led community arts project designed for young families,promoting wellbeing through play, creativity and curiosity!
Building strong communities through creative spaces Through regular pop-up community art installations The Installation Series supports development, family relationships and curiosity by providing playful and educational spaces in the local community. The Installation Series is a collaboration between arts therapist Avrille Burrows, Little Creatures Collective director Beck Ferguson, Rachel Allan of Rachel Allan Photography, and Bubba West founders Emily Raubenheimer and Eden Cox. The Installation Series is always interested in collaborating with others; get in touch with us via our Facebook page for more information.
Avrille Burrows (Founder)
Beck Ferguson
Avrille Burrows is a mental health social worker and arts therapist inspired to provide spaces where relationships and creativity weave together. She offers therapeutic support and counselling to children, adults and families, with a focus on the parent–infant relationship and parent–infant mental health. Avrille believes in the importance of sharing stories and knowledge and the use of creativity for development, reflection and healing. Medicare rebate available. www.avrilleburrows.com.au
Beck is a fine artist, and the founder of the Little Creatures Collective children's art school. Beck believes that young children's art should not focus solely on the end product, but rather on the creative process itself. Beck is an avid supporter of the arts and works with other local artists and businesses to build and strengthen the arts for all children within her community, and beyond. www.littlecreaturescollective.com
Eden Cox
Eden is an editor, and co-founder of Bubba West. She has worked in magazine publishing for over 10 years and is passionate about print media and how it can foster stronger communities. Along with the day-to-day runnings of Bubba West, Eden is the editor of Bubba West Magazine, the free publication for parents in Melbourne's west. She believes that progressive and socially minded publishing has the power to change the world! www.bubbawest.com
Emily Raubenheimer
Emily is an artist, teacher and co-founder of Bubba West. She is passionate about improving ourcomes for parents and children through community engagement and education. She believes that engaging in the arts fosters empathy, understanding and critical thinking skills: skills that are vital for our future. Among her other roles at Bubba West, Emily is art director and designer for the magazine. www.bubbawest.com
Rachel Allan
Rachel is a lifestyle photographer and event manager. She thrives on collaborations with local businesses and like-minded souls. Rachel’s future ambitions are to intertwine her social work knowledge, photography and event management to create supportive and healing environments. Rachel believes in the power of creativity to nuture a child’s sense of self. www.rachelallanphotography.com
Follow the Facebook page for information on pop-up installation locations and dates www.facebook.com/TheInstallationSeries/