IssUe 20 APR/MAY 2oo9 - GOLD COAST
FReE!!
5
years
Looking back AT the last 5 years
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issue 20 CONTENTS 3
WELCOME
4
WHAT’S NEWS
welcome
to Kids on the Coast Five years ago this month, after hard work, much planning and risk, the first ever Kids on the Coast landed on the desks of schools, child care centres and retail outlets. Over one million free magazines (and over 300 parenting articles) later, Kids on the Coast is stronger than it has ever been with bi-monthly editions on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, a staff of seven and a swag of exceptional contributors.
5 FEATURE Childcare or childprofit?
10 THE “P” FILES The Birds and the bees – that difficult subject
14 NEW TO THE COAST 15 MEET THE TEAM Introducing the friendly staff at Kids on the Coast
16 EDUCATION Playing by the rules – how have they changed?
20 WHAT’S ON CALENDAR The Kids on the Coast guide to April/May
22 HEALTH What constitutes emotional abuse?
Toni the publisher, Terri in production, Kel in admin, Michelle the designer and Lisa and Tanya in advertising would like to join me in offering a heart felt thankyou - to our readers who devour and swap stories, our contributors who work hard to keep you up to date with parenting news and our advertisers without whom there would be no magazine. This issue is a retrospective look at the past five years. To celebrate our birthday, the Kids on the Coast team share our favourite past articles - most with editorial updates and recommended reading on the subject. Perhaps our most congratulated, and criticised article highlighted problems with the childcare industry in 2006. Many of the concerns raised back then have come to pass so our feature looks back on that article and finds out what has happened since. What were you doing five years ago? Perhaps, like me, you were flicking through a new parenting publication called Kids on the Coast! Thank you for making the magazine part of your lives. Sarah Pye, Editor
25 MY SPACE Creating inspired and practical havens for kids
30 BABIES ON THE COAST Signing for improved communication
32 LET’S CELEBRATE Backwards party – look at the world differently
34 MOTHERVILLE The importance of words
35 HAPPY HOLIDAYS House swapping – make your equity work for you
37 REVIEWS AND COMPETITIONS
you choose? Who will
Have you done your research? are their readers your target market?
ISSUe 29 NOV/De C 2OO8
things to do, places to go, everything for kids & parents on the Sunshine Coast
www.kidsonth
ecoast.com.au
BoREdom
BustERs holid
ay activities for everyone
FReE!!
GiFts FoR
BaBiEs and toddlERs Get it right this year
sEa-chanGE
Rs spend their christmas infirst Qld sEnioRs share their wisdom with the next gener while paREnts ation the classroom in make all the differ ence
cElEBRati thE sEason nG thE
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Plus hEap thE kids on s oF pRizEs, moviE tick Ets and thE coast calE ndaR oF EvEn ts
Kids
is the publication easily accessible? are they reputable? Will they still be here tomorrow? are they affordable and fair to each and every advertiser? will it be thrown away - or is it substantial enough to keep long term? PUBLISHED BY: THINGS 4 KIDS PTY LTD 101 Memorial Drive, Eumundi, QLD 4562 PO Box 491, Eumundi QLD 4562 PHONE: (07) 5442 8679 FAX: (07) 5442 8709 ABN: 86 473 357 391 All editorial in Kids on the Coast has been written in good faith based on material, verbal or written, provided by contributors. No responsibility is taken for errors or omissions and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. All material in Kids on the Coast is subject to copyright provisions. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Feedback/comments/suggestions? Send to: editorial@kidsonthecoast.com.au We aim to reply to all correspondence but don’t guarantee to do so. Letters to the editor may be edited for length or clarity. PUBLISHER: Toni Eggleston EDITOR: Sarah Pye
www.kidsonthecoast.com.au
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS: Jennifer Cochrane, Andrea Dawson, Madonna Hirning, Christine Hobba, Cindy Mayes, Dr Roger Morris, Justine Stewart. ADVERTISING: For advertising enquiries please phone Lisa Moffat on (07) 5442 8679 or email: gc@kidsonthecoast.com.au PRODUCTION COORDINATOR: Terri Sanderson, email: production@kidsonthecoast.com.au PARENTS’ CHOICE SUPPLIER PROGRAMME: Speak with your advertising co-ordinator or email: pc@kidsonthecoast.com.au ADMINISTRATOR: Kellie Kruger DISTRIBUTION: Kids on the Coast (Gold Coast edition) is a free publication circulating over 25,000 copies from Coomera to Coolangatta. A separate edition covers the Sunshine Coast. For distribution enquiries please phone: (07) 5442 8679 or email: admin@kidsonthecoast.com.au FRONT COVER: Various photographers GRAPHIC DESIGN: Michelle Craik
Your guide to nothing muchHere
today, ow! gone tomorr
e day, and lin Grab it to th ie caGe wi your budG ow! it tomorr
When choosing where to spend your advertising dollar - think carefully. Ask your clients who they know and trust. Choose the publication that will do the right thing for your business.
Produced locally for the past 5 years by parents for parents on the Sunshine Coast. For more information, please email Simone Bell advertising@kidsonthecoast.com.au APRIL / MAY 2009 – KiDs on tHe CoAst
3
WHAT’S
news
BONUS BABIES FOR COAST
OPEN ADOPTION NOW AN OPTION New adoption laws for Queensland will mean that, for the first time, people will be able to choose an open adoption. Research shows open adoption results in more positive outcomes for adopted children, by allowing them to find out who they are with the knowledge of both their birth and adoptive parents. Birth parents and the adopted family will soon be able to choose the level of involvement with each other and the extent of information shared. Current laws restrict adopted people and birth parents involved in an adoption prior to 1991 accessing information, if one of them objects. This means more than 1,100 people adopted before June 1991 cannot access their own family history, and more than 1,600 birth parents can’t learn names of the adoptive parents who have raised their offspring. The new laws are expected to come into force later this year.
RICE HELPS VACCINATE CHILDREN IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC Next time you buy rice you could be helping disadvantaged children receive essential vaccinations we take for granted. SunRice is uniting with UNICEF Australia to fund an ongoing children’s vaccination program in the South Pacific to help stop children under five dying from preventable diseases. The UNICEF immunisation programs aim to reach 900,000 by providing funds for vaccination storage, training, distribution and management to eliminate measles and control Hepatitis B. To find out more, visit www.sunricedifference.com.au or phone 1800 255 999.
LETTER TO THE
editor
Dear Sarah, I just read the article on education in your
Feb-Mar issue and thought it was fabulous. I have 2 sons studying to be high school teachers (one is studying math
and science and the other art), and can tell you that the
training they receive is wonderful. The universities here are
doing a great job in training our future teachers. There is so
much involved in becoming a good teacher and everyone needs to know that the training they receive is truly world class. Thank you for the article. Regards, Alexandra Lujan
A new Melbourne Institute study has linked the baby bonus to the sudden reversal of Australia’s fertility rate. When we were called upon to have 'one for mum, one for dad and one for the country', Gold Coasters jumped straight to it, popping out an extra 1,400 babies from 2004-2007. According to ABS data, Nerang enjoyed the highest number of births in 2007 (426) closely followed by Upper Coomera (391) and Southport (336). Across the whole city, a record 6930 babies were born in 2007.
QUEENSLANDERS: LET’S GET HEALTHY! Queensland men are the most overweight (60%) and smoke more than other states (29%). Women fair slightly better with just over 40% overweight or obese and 20.5% are smokers. To encourage improvement, the Queensland Government has launched its inaugural Healthy Queensland Awards. Some of the innovative ideas already developed include social wheelchair basketball, weekly bike rides, fruit smoothie fundraisers, a permaculture garden and football bootcamps. Look out for an initiative near you or visit www.qld.gov.au
CAN YOU CARE FOR KIDS? Over 150 new foster and kinship carers have opened their hearts and homes to help protect at-risk children, thanks to a $15 million recruitment campaign. Statistics show there are a staggering 7,000 kids in Queensland who cannot live safely at home due to the risk of abuse or neglect. While Queensland has around 3,500 foster and kinship carers, more are always needed, even if it's just to provide a couple of hours support for fulltime carers. To become involved, call 1300 550 877 or visit www.childsafety.qld.gov.au
GREEN DAY OUT FOR ECO-KIDS The Gold Coast will celebrate World Environment Day on June 7 with a day of family fun and festivity. The Green Day Out, to be held at Currumbin’s Winders Park, will feature live music, delicious food, a petting zoo, market stalls, art displays, games and rides for the kids, street performers, film screenings, environmental workshops, and much more. Event Coordinator, Anna Itkonen, said the day is primarily about celebrating the wonderful environment we live in, and helping people find out how they can help preserve our ecosystem. For full details or to volunteer, phone 5534 1412 or visit www.gecko.org.au/greendayout
Look for this logo for special discounts!
Readers save money by shopping wherever
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4
KiDs on tHe CoAst – APRIL / MAY 2009
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• Leaps & Bounds Free personal trainer session to parent
• Motivated Mums Mention ad & get free completion report
• Nappy Palace 1 free cuties
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www.kidsonthecoast.com.au
FEATURE
ISSUE 16 SEPT/OCT 2OO6
r o e r a c d l i Ch by Andrea Dawson in 2006, Sarah Pye in 2009
To understand how the childcare industry has found itself in crisis, it helps to look back on the progression of services. In 2006, Kids on the Coast reported that childcare industry had historically been: “a small-scale affair, with many ‘mum and dad’ operators running centres through their own investment and superannuation funds. Banks, stockbrokers and would-be profiteers certainly didn’t take much notice of the industry. But in 1997, the Howard Government scrapped special subsidies to non-profit and community child-care centres. This meant that profit and non-profit childcare centres were on an ‘equal footing’, at least in an economic sense. The government also agreed to pay rebates to parents in the form of reduced child care fees - in effect, paying the difference direct to child care centres.”
www.kidsonthecoast.com.au
FReE!! things to do, places to go, everything for kids & parents on the Sunshine Coast
Editor's comment: Kids on the Coast has always
brought you newsworthy, in-depth articles about those challenges facing parents. None was more pertinent than an article we published The money about childcare in our Sept/Oct 2006 edition. It raised important or the kids? questions and issues about government regulation, for-profit centres STOP IT! Bonjour, Bébé and potential conflicts of interest. The reaction was rather like a Genetically cyclone: we had supportive letters from parents and angry ones from engineered food childcare centres. ABC Learning Centres refused to distribute our N WI In the swim! magazines (a decision which still stands today) and some independent centres (and regional bodies) threatened not to circulate our magazines if we published anything similar again. While the debate raged, Kids on the Coast felt it important to maintain editorial integrity – even when it was bad for business. We knew these issues were important to our readers and they had a right to know. Why so many Australians have childcare concerns
How to deal with hitting and biting
Bilingual babies have better brainpower!
Should you be worried?
Gear up for a safe summer
FAMILY PASSES ZOO TO AUSTRALIA See p. 29
plus the Parents’ Choice Directory, Calendar of Events and lots more!
It seems the more things change, the more they stay the same. With the recent rollercoaster of events in the wake of the collapse of ABC Learning Centres, and the government pledging to keep ABC centres open only until the end of March, childcare is a topic on everyone’s lips. As the childcare industry faces its biggest challenge ever, the controversy is back in the news and an update is in order. With excerpts from the original article, let’s find out how things have progressed since then.
It was a situation ripe for entrepreneurial business. As we reported in 2006: “Suddenly, the childcare boom took off - with our kids and tax dollars providing the opportunity for savvy entrepreneurs to make large amounts of cash. In the December, 2005 quarter alone, childcare fees rose a massive 10.2% compared to a 0.5% overall increase in the cost of goods and services. It’s worth remembering that there’s a hefty Federal Government subsidy scheme which can account for up to 50% of centre revenue. According to reports, revenue for some of the private sector providers has more than tripled in recent years. Eddie Groves’ ABC Development Learning Centres, which dominates the market with around 900 centres across Australia and New Zealand, reported a 75% increase in profit to $12 million this year (around $100,000 per year per centre).”
APRIL / MAY 2009 – KiDs on tHe CoAst
5
FEATURE We weren’t the only media outlet that found this to be a potential conflict of interest. At the time ABC Radio interviewed Labor's spokeswoman for Youth and Early Childhood, Tanya Plibersek, who believed there should be a 12-month ban on former ministers taking up paid employment and consultancies with companies in areas relevant to their old portfolios. ”As a minister he set up a situation where childcare fees went through the roof, and now he's on the board of the company that will benefit most from those fee increases. When it comes to the Government deciding which childcare operators are able to claim childcare benefit, that's the area that you'd really have to be watching,” Ms Plibersek told ABC Radio. The heat is still on. Only last month, The Australian reported that ABC Learning had paid Larry Anthony “more than $235,000 to lobby government on its behalf”.
The federal minister who engineered the Howard government’s overhaul was Minister for Children’s Affairs Larry Anthony. A former stockbroker and investment banker, In 2005,The Age reported he “played a major role in the development of child care-friendly policies introduced by the Howard government, including the 30% child-care rebate to help parents, which is worth more than $1 billion annually to child-care providers.” All very well, until Mr Anthony lost his federal seat. But look what happened next, as we reported in 2006: “Just months after losing his seat in federal Parliament, former (National Party) Minister for Children’s Affairs Larry Anthony, who had overseen major changes to the childcare industry, was appointed to the board of ABC Learning Centres.”
“Mr Anthony joined ABC Learning's board of directors in 2005, just six months after voters kicked him out of his Byron Bay-based seat of Richmond.” The Australian said. “His private company, Larry Anthony & Associates Pty Ltd, earned $125,000 in 2007 and $110,000 in 2006, according to ABC Learning's annual reports.” The childcare industry revelled in the boom. It seemed as if ABC Learning Centres took over a new centre every few days so, by November 2008, when ABC went into receivership with $1.6 billion in debts, its receivers closed 55 centres and tried to sell the remaining 961. As a parallel disaster to the current financial crisis, the boom has bust. With over 1,000 centres teetering on the edge of closure, many parents were left wondering if they will be able to maintain full time employment and the government stepped in. Minister for Education Julia Gillard spoke at Caboolture High School on January 28 of this year: “We are working through centre by centre with the court-appointed receiver regarding the future of these centres,” she said, “so government assistance is there until the 31st of March.”
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KiDs on tHe CoAst – APRIL / MAY 2009
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Questions parents should ask when choosing childcare Is this centre accredited, and for how long has it been an accredited centre? Do you have an open door policy - are parents encouraged to drop in at any time? Do I have access to all the information that has been recorded about my child? How many children are in a room at any given time? What are the current staff:child ratios? (maximum and minimum) Will my child have the same carers each day? Do staff at this centre belong to a union? And if not, are they encouraged to join? (If not, why not?) How do you handle a child who is having difficulty settling in / behaving inappropriately / having trouble going to sleep? Are methods such as time-out or 'controlled crying' used? (Is this developmentally appropriate, where is the child sent to, and how long does it last?) Can my child eat when they are hungry or is there a set time for eating? How is my child’s self esteem and self-confidence fostered?
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APRIL / MAY 2009 – KiDs on tHe CoAst
7
FEATURE
So what caused this nightmare, and what can be done to fix the mess? Julia Gillard said the ABC Learning Centres collapse was the result of a lack of industry control by the former government. In our 2006 article, Brian Elvish, (the CEO of Australia’s community based crèche and kindergarten association C&K), agreed: “[The Government’s} free-for-all development policies have encouraged entrepreneurs by significantly increasing the number of childcare places available. However, the simultaneous removal of operation subsidies to the community sector has virtually eradicated the right of choice for ... families.” “Former president of the Ethical Investment Association Michael Walsh, raised the issue of the potential for lines to become blurred between the provision of the best possible care for children and the quest for the best possible profit margins. Walsh was quoted in Business Review Weekly (BRW) as saying ‘a moral argument lies at the heart of the child-care debate. Who is the client, and what is the service provided to them? For the non-profit centres, the client is the child. For other types of child-care centres, the client is the parent or the employer. The ramifications of this shift are enormous.’ Brian Elvish suggests there is simply ‘a fundamental difference in the quality of service provided by community-based centres, which emphasise parental accountability and individual child welfare’, and that offered by the corporates which, ‘like the fast food industry, are dominated by the logic of shareholder accountability and thus cost minimisations’.” Whether you agree with these sentiments or not, the truth is ABC Learning Centres has folded, and many of the former directors have escaped with a hefty bank balance. On January 29, 2009 The Australian reported that: “Company founders Eddy Groves and his ex-wife Le Neve, along with former director Martin Kemp - who all left ABC last year - were shareholders in Ezi Debit, which ABC paid $108,000 in 2007 and $156,000 in 2006 for ‘parent payment solutions’.”
Lasting memories with a fun photo party
Jen soon came up with the idea of Studio Jen Jen - photography by party plan. While mums enjoy a morning together, the kids play in their usual environment amongst their own friends and are so comfortable, they don’t notice Jen capturing long lasting memories. With the option of either outdoor sessions or Jen’s fully mobile studio, your children’s portraits are sure to be of the highest quality and professionalism.
Baby & Children Photographer Private sessions also available
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KiDs on tHe CoAst – APRIL / MAY 2009
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“I love the innocence of children” Jen says, “I take thousands of photo’s of my daughter playing, and love to capture those special moments of children in their own environments doing the things they love.”
At the end of each party, all untouched images will be shown as a slideshow so parents can choose which images they love. Many different photo packages are available, as well as personalised products. After Jen has added her creative touch, photos can also be displayed as storyboard images, traditional collages or scrapbook designs. The sitting is free, and for a low price of $150 you will receive all images on a disc in both colour and black and white – copyright free. Special introductory offer Host a fun photo party and you will receive: FREE Photo Sitting for you and all your friends (minimum 6). FREE disc with all images in colour and black and white. FREE 8x12 print of your choice. Guests receive a FREE 5x7 photo of their choice when they purchase the disc of images.
P: 0407 038 403 E: jen@studiojenjen.com.au
After being in the photography industry for over 10 years, and still inspired by her passion for children’s photography, Jen Barnes was looking to offer families something a little out of the ordinary.
www.kidsonthecoast.com.au
It was also reported that Bill Bessemer, a fellow former ABC director, was “a shareholder and director of the Austock Group at the time it was paid $30 million by ABC in 2007 in fees and property rentals. Mr Bessemer is now chairman of Austock, which is the landlord of hundreds of childcare centres run by ABC”. So, two important questions still stand: Firstly, should childcare centres make money? In 2006 Kids on the Coast put it like this: “We need to decide whether we think childcare centres, like schools, are part of the education system and should be funded by taxpayers; or whether they should be commercial profit-making enterprises. When you consider that the age difference between a child in school and one in a childcare centre may only be a matter of months, it does seem odd to deny younger children access to publiclyfunded facilities…” Secondly, even if for-profit centres are acceptable, is it advantageous to allow free market practices to run this industry without severe competition regulation? How long would it be before another major player dominates the industry? Does this put childcare at risk again in the future? The Age reported that Julia Gillard asked the receivers to “look favourably on offers that would inject diversity into the childcare sector, particularly those from non-profit operators, and groups willing to take on the accrued entitlements of ABC workers” which would indicate that the Government understands the risk of a monopoly. In early February, this year, The Age reported that 470 entities made offers for the 240 ‘unviable’ Learning Centres and each was given until Feburary 25 to make a binding offer. At the time of printing, The Courier Mail reported a resulting 180 firm bidders. The Age said “The future of the centres must be finalised by March 31, when the Commonwealth money is due to run out.” It seems the childcare industry stands at a cross roads. We have seen the growth and downfall of a giant and now the industry begins to rebuild itself. What direction will it take? Time only will tell. advertisement/LOCaL BUsiness PrOFiLe
What a great idea! If you are a friendly family with a spare room, hosting an overseas “au pair” for a few months is a win-win situation for everybody. In return for their room and board, your overseas guest will help out with housework and childminding, and can even introduce your family to a new language and culture. Meanwhile, your au pair experiences an Australian family life firsthand, and can use their free time to travel or study. Lifelong international friendships can be formed, and you might even end up visiting your au pair in their home country one day! Hosting an au pair is not only cost effective way of getting help with housework and childcare – it also means kids can be cared for in their own environment. The timing is flexible to suit you and your children’s needs, eating and sleep times. The au pairs may not be professional child-care workers or cleaners, but they are eager to learn and can be that “extra pair of hands” when you really need it during the children’s bath, at breakfast or around dinner time. Au Pair House helps families all over Australia by removing the risk of just searching at random. With proven enrolment procedures, immense care is taken to match families and au pairs to suit each other. Personal friendly service including follow-ups with each family provides every chance for a successful experience for all. With the housework done and the kids taken care of for a few hours a day, there is the opportunity to gain more free time to enjoy hobbies and interests. Many families around Australia have already found out that by using Au Pair House what a difference the daily help can make to their quality of life. To find out more, call (07) 5520 4442 or check out www.aupairhouse.com.au
www.kidsonthecoast.com.au
Australian Heartlands by Brendan Gleeson (2006) is a provocative examination of the health of our urban communities and their role in national life. It ranges across topics such as gated communities and the new suburban poverty sinkholes, the loss of the public domain, the experience of childhood in contemporary suburbs, environmental degradation and the challenges of migration.
Au pairs
Combination of nanny and housework Who are they?
Young women – 18 to 30 yrs From overseas, many from Japan, Germany, Switzerland, South America Polite, respectful, family-orientated and eager to learn Carefully selected to match your family
How does it work?
You provide a family environment, bedroom, access to 3 meals a day Registration is free Placement fee is paid only after family agrees and confirms with all booking details The au pairs provide nanny and housework services
What do they do and when?
General Nanny / Housework duties up to 4 hours a day, 5 days a week Flexible schedule to suit family
Ph: 07 5520 4442 Email: info@aupairhouse.com.au www.aupairhouse.com.au APRIL / MAY 2009 – KiDs on tHe CoAst
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THE ‘P’ Files
ISSUe 2O MAY/JUNe 2OO7
FReE!!
Editor's comment: Do you remember back before you knew
things to do, places to go, everything for kids & parents on the Sunshine Coast
where babies came from? Before you were aware of the workings of your body? When school yard chatter and romantic passages in sneaked novels formed your picture of adult relationships? Helping children understand these important parts of life is a subject that many parents find hard to broach in fear that the questions might be too hot to handle. In May/June 2007 Jennifer Cochraine talked to experts about helping kids understand and make a smooth transition into puberty.
THE BRADY BUNCH MYTH Can step-families really live happily ever after?
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ANNOUNCING Kids on the Coast VACATION CARE! (see p. 21) PLUS Babies on the Coast, the Parent’s Choice Directory, Calendar of Events and lots more!
“the Birds &theBees” by Jennifer Cochrane
The bus is crowded, and a six-year-old is sitting on her mother’s knee. When a young couple kiss passionately in the seat in front, the little girl loudly asks: “Are they making a baby?” As mother blushes awkwardly and other passengers laugh or look shocked, I’m glad I’m not in her shoes - but what would I do if I was?
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Dr Clare Boothroyd - gynaecologist, parent, and board member of Family Planning Queensland (FPQ) - says parents need to be prepared to take up opportunities to provide sex education as they arise. “I don’t think there is a right or wrong way to talk about sex with your children, but the best people to do it, by far and away, are parents,” she says. In other words, in the situation above, the mother should let her child know that her question is very important and they’ll talk about it later that day, in private - and make sure she DOES talk about it, that same day. We have no time to waste. Girls are beginning menstruation as early as nine years old. Research shows 30% of females and 40% of males born in 1986 first had sexual intercourse under 16 years of age. And the evidence is clear – early sexual activity has bad consequences for long-term health, including an increased number of sexual partners, increased risk of getting sexually transmitted diseases, and increased risk of teenage pregnancy. We need to be aware that sexual messages come to our children from every direction including television, music, advertising, computer games, the Internet and from jokes with friends. Sex is often portrayed as a threat in news reports about sex attacks, and paedophilia. It’s up to parents to not only protect children from this overwhelming onslaught as much as possible, but to provide context and balance with positive messages about healthy and loving sexual relationships. Research shows young people who have had ongoing and effective sexuality education are more likely to delay sexual intercourse. If they do become sexually active they’re more likely to use contraception and to protect themselves and their partner by practicing safer sex. Family Planning Queensland says part of its mission is to support parents as the primary educators of children about sexuality. Dr Boothroyd says the first thing we need to do is reflect on our own sexual journey: consider the information we were given, what our experiences were, and how we would like that experience to be for our kids. “Parents need to work together to discuss what messages they
want their children to get about sex,” says Dr Boothroyd. Decide as a couple what standards you want to set and what you tell your children, not just about `how babies are made’ but about issues like masturbation, pornography and relationships. FPQ says communicating about sexuality is not just a "one-off" talk. Like road safety, drug education and other life lessons, it takes open and ongoing communication. Your children need to know this is an important subject and one that you’re happy to talk about. In a world where children are forced to grow up too quickly, some parents are reluctant to teach kids about sex for fear of stripping children of their innocence. But sexuality education doesn’t necessarily mean telling a three year old the 'facts of life’. For instance, children receive positive or negative messages about themselves and their bodies by the way they are cuddled, touched and spoken to. They have a natural curiosity about their bodies and those of others, but they do not experience sexual desire. Young children don’t need to know everything about sex, but they certainly need to know enough to protect themselves from sexual abuse - which is far more likely to be perpetrated by a `trusted’ friend or family member than a `stranger’. Children should know the correct names for male and female genitals, that these areas are ‘private’, and that it’s okay to talk about sexual issues with their parents. Teenagers can be overcome with sexual feelings when hormones are raging. With a good knowledge of the biology and emotion of sexuality, they will have a healthy outlook; without it they could see themselves as ‘wrong’ or ‘bad’. “Children who are well informed about sexuality are less likely to feel guilty or shameful about their bodies or their sexual thoughts, because they will understand their feelings and know what is, and is not, okay for them,” FPQ says. “This in turn will also help protect them from sexual exploitation and abuse.” In this way, proper sexuality education can actually help to maintain innocence.
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THE ‘P’ Files “But I don’t know what to say!” Here are some tips adapted from Family Planning Queensland fact sheets. • Answer your child’s questions simply and honestly giving just enough information. If they want to know more they will ask another question but too many details can be off-putting or boring. If you don’t know the answer, find it together in a good book. • Have a selection of resources at home. Check bookshops, your local library or visit recommended websites for more information and resources. For very young children, providing puzzles and games or anatomically correct dolls will encourage them to learn while they play. • Some children just don’t ask a lot of questions, but this doesn’t mean they aren’t interested. They may have picked up the message that this is something you don’t ask about. Look for an opportunity such as a pregnant friend to get the conversation going. You could ask your child what they know already and then build on this knowledge. Children can get frightened and confused by the sudden changes their bodies begin to go through as they reach puberty. To help stop any anxiety, talk about what is happening now as well as the next stage of development. • If you feel embarrassed or uncomfortable, talk about this with your child. You could say something like “I’m finding this a little difficult because no one ever spoke openly to me about sexuality when I was growing up, but this is an important subject so I really want to talk to you.” The more you examine a subject, the more confident you’ll feel discussing it. • Research shows that as a community we have a poor knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases. Do some research for yourself and have the facts on hand. Give teenagers the medical facts about living with a sexually transmitted disease and how their future fertility and health can be affected. advertisement/LOCaL BUsiness PrOFiLe
One child drowns every week in Australia Swimming pools provide endless fun but they also raise serious safety issues and obligations when children are around. Fenced pools can make parents feel falsely secure about their children’s safety and sadly, drowning still occurs when a pool fence is in place. It often takes less time than it takes to answer the phone. “Little did we know our son had got into our pool while we were preparing to go out,” said mum Katie, who found her son Jacob in their backyard pool. “After a night in hospital, he made a full recovery. We were so lucky to find him when we did.” A gate may not close properly, a chair enables them to reach the gate bolt, or the kids just simply see the pool fence as a challenging object to climb. A recent survey indicated by the age of four, 62% of children could climb a 1.2 metre fence in around 12 seconds!
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KiDs on tHe CoAst – APRIL / MAY 2009
The Aqua-Guard Pool Safety Net fits snugly over the pool as a barrier between children and the water. Made from heavy duty polyethylene, the net can easily hold an adult’s weight and children cannot get under, over or through the net. “We are now at peace knowing our Aqua-Guard Pool Safety Net is in our pool,” Katie said. “We wish we had done it sooner.” Over 350,000 parents, schools, communities and safety experts worldwide rely on a Pool Safety Net because they are one of the most secure, proven safety systems available today. No child has ever drowned in a pool protected by a correctly installed Aqua-Guard safety net. Be part of Aqua-Guard Pool Safety Net’s 100% safety record. Phone 07 555 91 237 now, or visit www.aqua-guard.com.au. Rest assured with 24-hour-a-day, yearround pool protection.
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• Use the correct name for private body parts. By using these words (penis, vulva, vagina, breast) you don’t single out these parts of the body as being ‘rude’ or ‘embarrassing’ and you give your children an appropriate vocabulary to use in discussions or questions. • How you react when you find your child exploring their body through sex play will give your children very strong messages about sexuality. If you are angry, the child may feel guilty, ashamed or confused. Buy yourself some time and ask “Are you pretending you are grown up?” or “Tell me about the game you are playing”, you are acknowledging your child’s curiosity while giving yourself the opportunity to gather information and discuss it. This is a good time to discuss privacy and safety with your child and set limits about what is OK. For example, if your daughter was playing ‘doctor’ and examining a friend’s genitals you could say something like: “I see you are examining John just like the doctor does. But his penis is private, so he should keep his pants on when he is playing. If you want to know what boys look like then perhaps we can find some pictures to look at together.” • Masturbation is quite normal and being angry at a child for masturbating will not stop it. Rather it is likely to continue, but with feelings of shame. You could say, “I know it feels good to touch your vulva/penis, but it is a private part of your body. People touch the private parts of their body when they are alone in a private place.” • When it comes to talking to adolescents the key is giving them the message without them feeling like they are being ‘told’. Use a conversational learning strategy: “Did you hear/read about …” • Sometimes children or teenagers don’t want to listen, or already feel they know it all. Perhaps you could ask them to do you a favour and discuss it for a few minutes anyway. Make it clear that you need to talk about it with them, even if they don’t feel the need to discuss it. • Continue to hug your teenagers. Some kids who have early sexual experiences are seeking affection rather than sex.
Everyone’s got a bottom is a collaboration between Family Planning Queensland, writer Tess Rowley, illustrator Jodi Edwards and experts from the early childhood and child protection sectors. It is a story about Ben and his brother and sister learning and talking together about bodies and acts as a tool for parents and carers to gently start a conversation with children (3-8) about self protection. Available at www.fpq.com.au • Be aware of yourself as a role model. Your children will learn to be loving, responsible, honest and caring by observing you. Believing in them will help them believe in themselves and to feel positive and confident about all aspects of their lives, including their sexuality. By discussing the emotional aspect of a sexual relationship with your child, she or he will be better informed to make decisions later on and to resist peer pressure. Family Planning Queensland has education centres at Maroochydore (phone: 07 5479 0755) and Southport (phone: 07 5531 2636).
Want to know more? Parent Line 1300 30 1300 Department of Child Safety 07 3224 8044 / 1800 811 810 Family Planning Queensland (FPQ) - www.fpq.com.au Children Now and Kaiser Family Foundation www.talkingwithkids.org Have Hormone Factory - www.thehormonefactory.com
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“To find out how easy it is to advertise with us, and the great features we have coming up which may suit your business, give me a call on (07) 5580 9834 or 0408 228 319, or drop me an email at gc@kidsonthecoast.com.au” APRIL / MAY 2009 – KiDs on tHe CoAst
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A KIDS ON THE COAST ADVERTISING FEATURE
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‘New to the Coast’ is a way in which Kids on the Coast can support new businesses that cater to Gold Coast parents and families. We think local kids and parents deserve just as much choice, style, fun, innovation and value for money as those living anywhere else. So if you agree, please join us in helping these new ventures to get off the ground by taking a look at what they’ve got to offer. And if you’ve got a new business you want to spread the word on, let us know!
Is bedwetting a problem in your family? Annie Hackett, Registered Nurse, Registered Midwife, Child Health Nurse, Family Planning Practitioner and Bedwetting Consultant (enuresis) has practised in the field of Child Health for more than 16 years. Thirteen years ago Annie developed a clinic to manage bedwetting in children. Following a medical assessment, an individual program is developed which incorporate education, counseling and esteem building. Operant conditioning using a Ramsey Coote night alarm is used in cases of bed wetting (enuresis). While no guarantee of resolution of the problem is given, almost all children have gained complete control while others have shown significant improvement. DON’T DELAY, SEEK ADVICE TODAY! Call Annie Hackett on 0418 778 049.
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Elaine Harvey is a qualified sleep consultant and maternity nurse, with 10 years of experience working with parents and their children from birth to 6 years. She moved to the Gold Coast in January 2006, and set up Lullababy S.O.S, after a huge demand from parents asking her to help with their children’s sleep and routines. She is passionate about helping families settle their babies into healthy routines, so they can enjoy their baby and family life. Lullababy S.O.S’s natural sleep solutions offer a gentle approach to dealing with difficult sleep situations. “There is no controlled crying in my program, and I work together with parents to individually tailor their routine and settling plan to their own situations,” she says, “I have excellent feedback from parents and 100% of my parents see a huge improvement in their child sleep patterns.” Elaine offers a range of services, to view a full list of services and testimonials from other parents go to http://lullababysos.googlepages.com
“Studio lights tend to make children nervous, uncomfortable and tired. We like to create beautiful portraits in a familiar environment, and using only natural light, to make your photo session FUN!“, Zelia says. “We prefer to conduct our sessions in your home or in a place where you and your children are comfortable to ensure that we get the best possible photos. “We are passionate about children and how their absolute honesty shines through every facial expression. We charge no studio/sitting fee, and my photos are the most reasonably priced on the Gold Coast!”
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KiDs on tHe CoAst – APRIL / MAY 2009
Elaine Harvey
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Meet the
team
Toni Eggleston, Publisher
Sarah Pye, Editor
Age: 36 Children: Ruby 7, and the bump Favourite childhood toy: My Malvern
Age: 43 Children: Amber 9 Favourite childhood toy: Big Ted – a
Star bike & Pussy Willow (giant blue cat)
Childhood dislikes: School Favourite childhood TV/Movie: The Muppets and Lost in Space (the original one!) Favourite childhood book: Anything Dr Seuss, Roald Dahl Favourite childhood food: Lamb Chops Advice from your parents: “If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say it at all”. And one for my brother, “Never chew gum or wear thongs.” Biggest parenting challenge: Learning that your children are exactly like you when you were their age. My mother is enjoying it so much!
straw filled teddy bear from a garage sale
Childhood dislikes: My brother Favourite childhood TV/Movie: The Waltons and Dr Who
Favourite childhood book: The Secret Garden
Favourite childhood food: Mum’s treacle tart!
Advice from your parents: “Be kind to dumb animals… and your brother.”
Biggest parenting challenge: communication in a 50/50 shared parenting situation
Kids on the Coast is staffed by a team of capable and fun loving mothers. Without their dedication the magazine would stop in its tracks. So, meet the team…
Lisa Moffat, Advertising Account Manager
Tanya Ryan, Advertising Account Manager
Age: 38 Children and ages: Sienna 7, India 5 Favourite childhood toy: Christabel, my
Age: 42 Children: Elliot 10, Abbey 8, Bronte 6 Favourite childhood toy: My Barbie and
big brown bear that growled when you tipped him upside down Childhood dislikes: Going to the dentist, big scarey rollercoasters and mathematics.
Favourite childhood TV or movie: Humphrey B. Bear and The Sound of Music Favourite childhood book: The Folk of the Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton Favourite childhood food: Spaghetti Bolognaise Advice your parents gave you: "Never burn your bridges." Biggest parenting challenge: Dealing with embarrassing public tantrums (thank goodness they're over!!)
Skipper Doll
Childhood dislikes: Eating vegetables Favourite childhood TV/Movie: The Brady Bunch, Little House on the Prairie and Bewitched Favourite childhood book: Hansel and Gretel Favourite childhood food: Spaghetti Bolognese Advice from your parents: “Don’t eat the seed or you’ll grow a fruit tree in your stomach.” – I really wanted to grow a grape vine so that I could eat grapes whenever I wanted! Biggest parenting challenge: Bringing up three children with different personalities and strengths
Terri Sanderson, Production Coordinator Michelle Craik, Graphic Designer
Age: 36 Children: Tavis 6, Talise a super-charged 15mths
Favourite childhood toy: Barbie Dolls with horses Childhood dislikes: Smokers Favourite childhood TV/Movie: Countdown Favourite childhood book: Golden Books – looking at the illustrations…and reading them of course
Age: 48 Children: Kate 7 Favourite childhood toy: Mousetrap game until my brother broke it
Childhood dislikes: Carrots Favourite childhood TV/Movie: the Wizard of Oz Favourite childhood book: Ash Road, set in the aftermath of an Australian Bushfire
Favourite childhood food: Choo Choo Bars Advice from your parents: “If the wind changes, your
Kellie Kruger, Administration
Age: 38 Children: Lili 6, Wil 3 Favourite childhood toy: Wendy Walker Childhood dislikes: Cauliflower Favourite childhood TV/Movie: Brady Bunch/Grease Favourite childhood book: Little Women Favourite childhood food: vegemite and cheese sandwiches Advice from your parents: “Don’t pick you nose or
Favourite childhood food: Any fruit Advice from your parents: “Trust your instincts.” Biggest parenting challenge: Cooking…(I am
face will stay like that!”
your head will cave in.”
Biggest parenting challenge: Having my one and only
Biggest parenting challenge: Trying to fit everything in
challenged in that area)
child aged 41
and not upset anyone at any given time
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APRIL / MAY 2009 – KiDs on tHe CoAst
15
education
ISSUE 17 NOV/DEC 2OO6
Editor's comment: If you want to have a heated parenting
discussion, then physical discipline is guaranteed to raise a few heckles. “In my day we used to get smacked and I’m not the worse for wear,” is the argument on one side, while studies show physical discipline is not the best option and other methods of control are far more effective. In issue 17, Nov/Dec 2006, Jennifer Cochrane discovered societal changes and standards on discipline have raised challenges in the classroom and spawned a whole new method of behaviour management.
FReE!! things to do, places to go, everything for kids & parents on the Sunshine Coast
Healing the hurt What you need to know about child abuse
Naturally beautiful
Cosmetics without chemicals
Discipline dilemma Who rules at school? plus the Parents’ Choice Directory, Calendar of Events and lots more!
How art, music, sandplay and more can help kids deal with problems GREAT PRIZES TO
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A MOUNTAIN BUGGY PRAM
¨ Christmas crafts ¨ Silly season survival tips ¨ Fun holiday food ¨
by Jennifer Cochrane
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KiDs on tHe CoAst – APRIL / MAY 2009
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Miss Simmons asks the final question of the guessing game and speedy hands fly into the air above bursting faces. All eyes are on the adored teacher, even Jack’s - although he’s standing at the back of the room, withdrawn from the game for being disruptive. He’ll have to sit-out play time too. The posters on the wall help remind him to try harder next time. In this school, the behaviour policy is clearly understood by the whole community. Students spend class time learning the keys to success for social interaction, and know what to do if they feel themselves getting angry or if another student is getting angry with them. When rules are broken they know what steps the teachers will take, time after time. Welcome to today’s behaviour management in schools, without the threat of 'the cane' which held kids in check once upon a time. Poor student behaviour is a significant problem in some schools. Teachers’ unions and research reports show that teachers face an increase in the numbers of ‘serious misdemeanours’ that confound their attempts to teach. Education Commentator, Dr Kevin Donnelly, said teachers are finding it increasingly more difficult to cope with disruptive and rude behaviour. He added that compared to overseas countries, one survey suggested Australian classrooms suffer more from disruption. “Good teaching is seriously impeded, and teacher commitment is reduced, by low morale amongst staff due largely to the huge increase in verbal abuse from students, with little or ineffective consequences for students,” he said in his book Why Our Schools Are Failing. Talk to teachers and it is easy to find comments like this: “Perhaps a trip to your local shopping centre might show you where the rudeness is coming from... it’s called society, of which parents are a component. We, as teachers, have no means of discipline that we can fall back on - none. Sure, we can send them to the detention room, but the kids could not care less. Try and explain this to a parent and they give you a mouthful worse than the kid does,” a Brisbane teacher said.
“The current state of society, especially the lack of discipline at home, the rise of a ‘feel good’ culture- based on giving priority to ‘self’- make it extremely difficult for teachers. Many children come to school unwilling and unprepared to be educated,” Dr Donnelly said. Children spend more than 1,000 hours at school each year. For some, this is where aggressive or anti-social behaviour is first recognised. It is where children grow up, try to fit their interests and experiences with curriculum and cope with physical, social and technological change. On average, up to three children per classroom have ADHD. On any given day, some of the students will not have had enough sleep, not eaten breakfast or seen mum and dad argue before coming to school. Each day, teachers face these challenges to manage the relationships and behaviour of all the children in their classroom and achieve the best learning outcomes possible. Acting industrial services officer for the Queensland Teachers’ Union, Louise Comino, [now Assistant secretary] said society is changing and kids are generally becoming more difficult to manage. “But I do not believe classrooms are out of control,” she said. Between 1992 and 1995 corporal punishment was phased out of all state schools. The Queensland Teachers’ Union supported the change. “There needed to be other means of behaviour management put in place. There was a regression around behaviour as other measures were not thought through,” Louise said. The debate about physical punishment continues, only now it’s about parents smacking their own children. While it may relieve an adult’s frustration and stop bad behaviour for a time, smacking does not teach alternative acceptable behaviour, trust, security or good communication. While most students comply with expected behaviour, in all school systems there are 5-15% who need support outside the classroom to comply. An even smaller number, up to 5%, need extensive support including alternative placement programs. It is internationally recognised that up to 5% of children will be challenging and 1-2% will be very difficult.
ol o h Sc 010 h 2 g Hi ning e Op
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APRIL / MAY 2009 – KiDs on tHe CoAst
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education
Last year, the non-government school sector gained 200,000 students while state schools nationally lost 3000 students. “Surveys suggest that parents are not choosing non-government schools because they are better resourced; the attraction is that parents feel the values in such schools are better than those in government schools. Rightly or wrongly, the impression is that private schools are stronger on teaching discipline and respect,” Dr Donnelly said. Independent and church schools typically base their behaviour codes on core values, beliefs and principles that are well understood by the broader school community and church. For example, Suncoast Christian College (a co-educational, independent school with 930 students from pre-school to year 12) has developed a behaviour management policy in a round table process involving parents, teachers, and the wider community. Suncoast Principal, Mr Brian Barker [Editor: Principal is now Peter Bosker], said the school’s policy takes a positive approach, which promotes students acting responsibility and reaches into life outside of school. “The thrust of our behaviour management process is self-discipline and self-management. Students accept that their behaviour belongs to them. The policy incorporates the values we would like to see our students graduate with,” he said, “A document outlining our formal discipline process is given to every family on enrolment and this clearly articulates the consequences students can expect when behaviour does not meet the standards.” As far as state schools go, last year’s [2005] Ministerial Advisory Committee for Education Renewal prepared a report called Smart School, Smart Behaviour that has since led to legislative, policy and strategic changes in the area of behaviour management. In 2006, the Government spent $28.6 m to strengthen school discipline and promote responsible student behaviour. Such funding supports alternative education programs, such as the Positive Learning Centres now open at Sunshine Coast South and the Gold Coast regions [Morayfield and Labrador], additional guidance officers, a new code of behaviour for state schools and access to training and professional development for staff.
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Upcoming Events at Abrakidazzle - The Family Fun Centre
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April 11/13 - Easter Saturday & Easter Monday. Come and meet the EASTER BUNNY roaming the centre with ALICE from Wonderland giving away FREE easter eggs. Thursday April 16 & Saturday April 18 - Holiday Entertainment. ‘OUR FAVOURITE THINGS’ Show featuring our Abrakidazzle Singers & Dancers as they take you on a musical journey to meet our lovable costume characters. Show tickets $5 per child. Book your seats for all the family on 5528 3844. SHOWTIME: 10.30am. Limited theatre seating. Monday April 20 - New Term commencing for all Dance, Ballet, Drama, Hip, Hop, Breakdance and Acrobatics classes. UNDER 5’s - we have our ‘PLAY-WITH-ME’ & ‘SING-WITH-ME’ parent/child interactive 45 minute classes kicking off with our FREE OPEN HOUSE WEEK. Call 5528 3844 to book your preview class in our age-appropriate classes. Commencing April 24. TRY OUT OUR NEW ACTING & DRAMA CLASSES Whether your child is the next NICOLE KIDMAN or HUGH JACKMAN or perhaps your child is quite shy in a group and would benefit from a class where confidence, social interaction and verbal communication is nurtured and developed in a colourful setting of action, drama, fun and creativity. Come and try a class with “Kat’ whose energy and enthusiasm will motivate and inspire all students to become effective and articulate communicators with skills that will last a lifetime. CLASSES HELD ON FRIDAYS: 10 yrs & Under, 3.30pm - 4.30pm. 11yrs & Over, 4.30pm - 5.30pm
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KiDs on tHe CoAst – APRIL / MAY 2009
ril ‘09 Friday 24th Ap pm 00 8. pm 30 5.
Calling all you Hip Hop Girls & B-Boys out there. Could you be the next “Australia’s favourite dancer”. Come dressed as your favourite “FINAL 4” and join in all the fun, games, prizes & disco with our own Abrakidazzle performers. Cost $15 per child includes entry, fairy bread, hot chips, drink, and glowstick for our famous MAZE-IN-THE-DARK.
Phone early to book your tickets on 5528 3844. ABRAKIDAZZLE INDOOR PLAY CENTRE 48/3 JACKMAN STREET, SOUTHPORT 4215 www.kidsonthecoast.com.au
Dr Kevin Donnelly is a former teacher who was, for 10 years, Director of Education Strategies. In Why our schools are failing (2004), Donnelly empowers parents by explaining the background to the main problems affecting our schools today.
Senior adviser with the Centre for Behaviour Support, Education Queensland, Robyn Lloyd, says the evidence is clear: if you engage and support young people instead of marginalising them, they have brighter futures. [Robyn is no longer in this position]. Robyn explained the Code of School Behaviour shows ‘what’ is expected by the whole community: students, teachers, district staff, and parents. School communities are now developing ‘how’ behaviour will be managed by detailing strategies to promote appropriate behaviour as well as the consequences of unacceptable behaviour in ‘behaviour management plans. Students, parents and principals will sign enrolment agreements requiring them to abide by the Code and other conditions of the school. “When schools and parents work together it is great, but when schools, parents and kids work together it is very powerful. It is not being done ‘to’ kids but being done ‘with’ kids", Robyn said. Today, teenagers are staying at school longer. 20-30 years ago there were lots of jobs available for 16 year olds and so those not suited to school left. New ‘Earning or Learning’ legislation will see teenagers staying at school until they are 16 years old and then participating in TAFE and high school based apprenticeships to year 12 or equivalent. “Research show students finishing senior school or an equivalent level of education have a much better life outcome with career and personal success, Robyn said. Teachers support teenagers staying at school, but helping those who do not want to be there will test the new behaviour management strategies.
Want the
Parenting for better behaviour in school In his delivery of the Manning Clark Lecture in 2005 psychologist and social researcher Hugh Mackay said the falling birth rate means we are producing a generation of children who will “almost certainly be over-parented, over-indulged and over-protected. They are likely to become a highly rebellious generation of teenagers when the time comes to assert their independence from parents who have been trying too hard”. This is a stark warning indeed. So what can parents of young children do now to prepare them for school, help them in the early years and towards a brighter future? Families have to begin, and help reinforce, the process of education, said Dr Kevin Donnelly. “Turn off the video, the computer games and get the kids off the Internet - read them myths and fables, take them to galleries and museums and help them develop an interest in the world around them. Spark their curiosity and teach them how to sit still and concentrate to get things done. Also, teach them respect and that they have an obligation to support and help others,” he advised. Parents can set effective boundaries for behaviour, said Louise Comino. “Set limits and enforce them consistently. By having consequences of bad behaviour such as the removal of privileges you set up framework of values that are present when kids start school,” she said. Good communication with your child’s teacher is essential. Louise recommended attending parent information evenings and going to the classroom whenever you can so that your child will see that parents and teachers are in partnership. Robyn Lloyd said recent research shows the single greatest factor for success at school is not intelligence or wealthy parents or the best private school - it’s the ability to manage Have your say yourself. “That is the most powerful thing you Comment on this article at www.kidsonthecoast.com.au can teach your children,” she said.
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or phone: 3552 5333 toll free: 1800 177 092
www.kidsonthecoast.com.au
APRIL / MAY 2009 – KiDs on tHe CoAst
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April/May
Special Events Calendar A calendar of regular weekly events is available online. For details of playgroups, library activities, weekly sporting events, craft classes, Australian Breastfeeding Association meeting times and much more, visit www.kidsonthecoast.com.au. To update your group meeting times or venues, email events@kidsonthecoast.com.au
April 4
Where/when: 11am-2pm, Norfolk Park, Halfway Drive, Ormeau This day will offer a fantastic line-up of free fun including mini jam skateboard and BMX comps and demos, live music by local bands and workshops. Bring the family along and enjoy the BBQ, and maybe try the jumping castle or laser skirmish amongst the other stalls. Cost: Free Visit: www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au
April 4
March 14 - May 9
MAKING MUSIC LIVE!
D’ALLIANCE COMEDY WORKSHOPS
Where/when: 10am-12pm, Currumbin RSL Currumbin RSL in collaboration with Mandy Nolan and the sponsorship assistance from Q 150, is offering 15 Queensland children (8 -12yrs) the opportunity to learn how to see the humour in every day life, laugh at themselves and to make others laugh through stand up comedy. Cost: Free Visit: www.currumbinrsl.com.au
April 2
OXFAM’S NATIONAL CLOSE THE GAP DAY
This aim of this day is to raise awareness about Indigenous health in crises and what can be done to help close the gap. Register your own event, or find one near you to support. Visit: visit www.oxfam.org.au/events/close-thegap-day
April 11
COAST GRIND SKATE AND BMX
If you have older kids with a passion for stardom, Making Music Live! is a fun 10 week program that provides young artists (ages 14-19 years) with the experience of playing with a band and performing in a live gig. Cost: TBA Contact: Bianca Svantesson on 5581 6075 or email bsvantesson@goldcoast.qld.gov.au
April 4-5
BABY SHOW FUNDRAISER
Where/when: Registration is at 9.30am at Runaway Bay Shopping Village. This competition is for ages up to five years. The girls competition is on April 4 and the boys on April 5. Don’t forget a favourite photo for the photo competition. There are optional novelty categories including parent/child look-a-like, best costume and biggest smile. All entrants receive a free gift band and the proceeds go to the Mother’s Milk Bank. Cost: $30 with an additional $2-3 per extra novelty section entered. Contact: Amanda on 0439 777 477.
We publish information based on what is supplied to us - to the best of our knowledge all details were correct at time of printing, however we do recommend you check event details with the organisers.
EASTER SATURDAY FAMILY FUN RACE DAY
Where/when: 10am-5pm, Gold Coast Turf Club, Bundall Fun for the whole family! There will be rides and entertainment for kids throughout the day. Cost: Entry through the gate is free. Contact: Sophie 5591 2556
April 4-5
April 16-17
Where/when: Workshop Rail Museum, Ipswich. Get close to cute and cuddly animal babies including chicks and lambs at the Barnyard Babies mobile animal farm. Features appearances by The Workshops Bunny with special treats for children, art and craft fun, and free rides on The Workshops Express miniature train. Larger steam train excursions take passengers through the countryside, but bookings must be made ahead. Cost: Some costs apply Contact: 3432 5100 or visit www.theworkshops.qm.qld.gov.au
Where/when: Peppertown, 320 Olsen Ave, Parkwood, 10-11am Reservations are essential for this fun-packed craft event. Contact: 5563 2844 or email peppertown@dovell.com.au
FREE CRAFT ACTIVITIES
BUNNY EGGVENTURES
April 5
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS ENDS
It’s time for New South Wales and Queensland to get together again and those Gold Coast residents working across the border can breathe a sigh of relief!
April 9
April 25
ANZAC DAY
This is the day all Australians pause to remember and give thanks not only for the men and woman who are currently fighting wars overseas, but all those who have fought and died in all wars. Where/when: various services and parades at different locations around the Coast. Details: www.anzacday.org.au
May 9
MUMZ WITH BUBZ CLUB
Mumz with Bubz Club
Where/when: Australia Fair Shopping Centre, morning tea Proudly sponsored by Kids on the Coast, the Mumz with Bubz Club features morning tea in the comfort of the cinema, with an interesting speaker each month. Contact: For more information, or to join, visit www. australiafair.com.au
Where/when: Australia Fair Shopping Centre, morning tea Proudly sponsored by Kids on the Coast, the Mumz with Bubz Club features morning tea in the comfort of the cinema, with an interesting speaker each month. Contact: For more information, or to join, visit www.australiafair.com.au
ENTRY
ALL OUR VENUES ARE INDOORS
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Mt Gravatt High School, Entry via Creighton St
GOLD COAST – Sunday April 26
Upper Coomera State College Stadium, 137 Reserve Rd, Upper Coomera (take Dreamworld exit from M1)
IPSWICH – Sunday May 10
Ipswich Basketball Courts, 2A Ross Llewellyn Drive, Booval
Stallholder enquiries contact Karren 0433 831 140 or email info@zero2five.com.au
www.zero2five.com.au kotc_mb_ad 199x60 03-09f 7/3/09 10:30 PM Page 1 C
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Special Events Calendar May 9-10
May 10
May 22-24
Where/when: Currumbin Creek, Currumbin Presented by the Currumbin RSL, the D’Allance is a celebration of the arts, including theatre, performance, comedy and visual arts. Cost: Free Visit: www.currumbinrsl.com.au
Where/when: 10am-1pm, Schuster Park, Elanora Tallebudgera Drive, at entrance to Elanora Treatment Plant, alongside Tallebudera Creek. This walk through the estuarine forest alongside Tallebudgera Creek is suitable for children aged eight and above. Learn about the importance of ecological restoration and community bush care involvement. Cost: Free, but bookings are essential. Contact: 5581 1521
Where/when: Tamborine Mountain Everybody loves a scarecrow (except the crows!) Admire the scarecrows created by local schools, businesses and residents. Join in the fun of street entertainment as well as a giant parade down Main Street on Saturday afternoon. Cost: Free Visit: www.tamborinemountainscarecrowfestival.com.au
May 10
May 29 – June 8
Where/when: From 6am, Huntingdale Park, Main Beach Join an expected 70,000 Australians this Mother’s Day, for this nationwide community event. Walk or run in the Mother’s Day Classic with family and friends to help raise money for breast cancer research. Cost: Children from $14 Visit: www.mothersdayclassic.org/register/
Where/when: Coolangatta and Tweed Heads This is billed as Australia’s premier retro rock and roll event featuring performances by over 100 bands, dancing competitions and street entertainment. There will also be over 1500 hot rods, custom and classic built cars on display. Cost: Mostly free Visit: www.wintersun.org.au
May 16
THE COFFEE FESTIVAL
D’ALLANCE – CARNIVALE BY THE CREEK
May 9-10
LIZZY SURF SLAM May 9
QUEENSLAND BALLET – A MIDSUMMER’S NIGHT DREAM
Where/when: 2pm and 7.30pm, Gold Coast Arts Centre Directed by Francois Klaus and based on Shakespeare’s beloved play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a magical tale of gods and fairies, mischief and misadventures, and the confusing path of true love. This ballet is suitable for children aged 10 and over. Cost: From $26 Visit: www.gcac.com.au To win two tickets to the May 9 matinee of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, visit www.kidsonthecoast. com.au
Where/when: Gold Coast The bikini battlelines will be drawn for this all female state title tournament. There are many divisions open for entry including under 14 and under 16 years old. Visit the website for specific locations. Cost: $60 per division Visit: www.surfingqld.com.au/event
May 10
TREES FOR MUM
Where/when: your place Children of all ages are encouraged to plant a tree to create a living memorial to their mums. Cost: The price of a plant Visit: www.treesformum.com
May 11
Where/when: 2pm and 4.30pm, Gold Coast Arts Centre Scoobie Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne and Thelma appear live on stage when then try to solve a mystery at a movie studio. You can be sure of plenty of laughs along the way at their madcap antics. Cost: From $29.90 Visit:www.gcac.com.au To win one of five family passes or five runner’s up prize packs, visit www.kidsonthecoast.com.au
Mums. why not use of the Personal Training Studio whilst your kids are in class! Come and see for yourself the fun we have at Leaps & Bounds! A variety of Exercise and Nutrition classes for children aged 2yrs – 12yrs. NOW introducing Kinder Yoga! See our website for program details or phone us. eader R
Free PT session for Parent
Di
s c o u nt
www.childrensfitnesscentre.com.au Email:info@childrensfitnesscentre.com.au P: 07 55 34 40 30
www.kidsonthecoast.com.au
ELANORA DISCOVER – NATURALLY GC WORKSHOP
MOTHER’S DAY CLASSIC
WATERWATCH – NATURALLYGC WORKSHOP
Where/when: 9am-11am, Somerset Park, Wyangan Creek, Mudgeeraba. The park entrance is off Swanton Drive. Become a water watch detective along Wyangan Creek and investigate the life teeming under the creek’s surface. You might be surprised at what you find. This is a hands-on activity for all ages. BYO chair. Cost: Free – but bookings are essential. Contact: 5581 1521
SCOOBIE DOO IN STAGE FRIGHT
book Phone now to AL CLASS your FREE TRI
April/May
SHERIDAN’S STUDIO 1
SCARECROW FESTIVAL
WINTERSUN
May 31
Where/when: Appel Park, Surfers Paradise Join in on a celebration of coffee, chocolate, tea and spice. Ever wondered what it would be like to paint with coffee or sample different chocolates from around the world? Then this is the festival for you. Cost: free, but workshops have limited places. Visit: www.thecoffeefestival.com.au List your event for FREE! Preference is given to community and non-profit organisations and businesses which support Kids on the Coast. Email your details to events@kidsonthecoast.com.au as far in advance as you can!
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APRIL / MAY 2009 – KiDs on tHe CoAst
21
health
good
DR. ROGER MORRIS www.doc4kidz.com.au Dr. Roger Morris is a General Practitioner in Maroochydore, who has a special interest in Child and Adolescent Health
Emotional Abuse easier than you think Psychological or emotional abuse refers to a pattern of relationship with a child that involves damaging attitudes, feelings and responses to the child’s emotional needs. Neglect, also a form of abuse, is the failure to provide physical and emotional requirements for healthy development. Chronic neglect can have physical, developmental and emotional consequences. There are five main categories of psychological abuse: Emotional unavailability, unresponsiveness and neglect. The child’s primary care givers may be preoccupied with their own difficulties (for instance post-natal depression, substance abuse), and they are unable to respond to the child’s emotional needs. This can result in difficulties with development (especially language and learning) and problems with future attachment relationships. Negative attributions or misattributions to the child. This form of abuse includes hostility, denigration and rejection of a child due to perceived negative attributes. For example a child may be seen and described by the parent as naughty, bad, lazy, deliberately defiant and provocative. This type of abuse is particularly damaging to the child’s developing self-concept and self-esteem and is linked to ongoing relationship and personality problems. Developmentally inappropriate or inconsistent interactions with the child. This may involve expectations of the child beyond their developmental capabilities, overprotection
ISSUE 17 NOV/DEC 2OO6
Editors comment:
We all know continual yelling at kids constitutes emotional abuse, but Dr Roger reported in Nov/ Dec 2006 that there is far more to it than that.
FReE!! things to do, places to go, everything for kids & parents on the Sunshine Coast
Healing the hurt What you need to know about child abuse
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of the child, and/or exposure to confusing or traumatic events including domestic violence and adult suicidal behaviour. Some parents expect their child to be independent at an inappropriate age or want the child to ‘look after’ the parent. Failure to acknowledge the child’s individuality. Some parents lack the ability to see the child’s reality as separate and distinct from theirs and may use the child for fulfilment of their own psychological needs. The problem often occurs in custody or contact disputes in parental divorce proceedings where an emotionally needy parent may have unrealistic expectations of a child. Another example is a parent who has fixed and rigid ideas about the child that are not modified as the child develops, leading to anger and conflict. A healthy parent is able to allow their child to develop a sense of separate identity. Failure to promote the child’s social adaption. Parents may fail to provide opportunities for social learning and moral development, and sometimes directly encourage antisocial behaviours and attitudes (e.g. alcohol or drug abuse or involvement in criminal activity). ‘Child maltreatment’ may also include exposure to drugs or alcohol in the uterus, exposure to domestic violence, or failure to provide adequate medical care. The experience of child abuse, including psychological/emotional abuse and neglect, is traumatic and has far-reaching implications for ongoing physical and psychological development. The risk of developing mental health problems is increased by up to four times in those who have experienced abuse. Source: ‘Child Abuse & Neglect’, (Newman), Australian Doctor, Aug 2004 (29-36).
THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS ARTICLE IS NOT INTENDED NOR IMPLIED TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR INDIVIDUAL PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE FROM YOUR PHYSICIAN OR QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.
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MY space
FEATURE
– your kid’s own haven by Sarah Pye
Why is it the smaller the kid the more space they need? Parents throughout the Sunshine Coast welcome the arrival of their babies with a flurry of activity: nurseries are painted, shelves erected, cots decorated. Before long their kids have grown and it’s time to do it all again with larger beds, homework desks, storage solutions and fashionable wall hangings. In this article, Kids on the Coast has compiled some of the best ideas, up to date trends, and nifty solutions for making your child’s bedroom or playroom their own little sanctuary.
Murals: They look great if done well, but what if you aren’t that creative, or the idea of decorating a blank wall scares you? There are many other alternatives to personalise a wall than painting a professional looking mural. Try covering the wall with large sheets of butcher paper (using blu tac) and then go wild with the paintbrushes. This way the kids can paint their own wall, and when the mood changes, so can the wall! (This idea works really well if you live in a rented home). Or paint art canvases (Kids on the Coast’s Terri Sanderson made canvases that looked like castle walls and then themed the room to make it look like a princess’s tower!). There are a number of wonderful business on the Coast that create personalised canvas’s for you. A current fad, wall art stickers are available all over – just Google ‘wall art’. Alternatively, try sponge painting: All you need are two colours (white and blue work really well), and a sponge. Start with one colour and dab colour on the wall. Then add a little of the second colour and do it again. Repeat this action until you
ader Re Di
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have several layers of different colours. A sponged wall works well as a backdrop to other projects. Blue and white can easily become a sky or an ocean scene. Make sea creatures or aircraft using craft supplies, like paper plates and shiny paper, and hang them in front of the wall or attach them!
For an ever-changing wall, why not paint it with blackboard paint, or attach commercial blackboard stickers? Another, similar, idea is to cover a wall with cork tiles so kids can pin their own creations where and when they like. This way the kids can redecorate whenever they want! Don’t forget to have a place for kids to display their latest creation. It doesn’t matter how you display them, kids love to see their work treasured so cover a wall with artwork, laminate a few, or put your favourites in frames. Commercial business can add the ‘decor’ touch with professional framing or printing on canvas.
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APRIL / MAY 2009 – KiDs on tHe CoAst
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ADVERTISING
FEATURE
Floors
Anchovi
It is important to have plenty of floor space for games and projects. If your kids are anything like mine, a cardboard box provides hours of entertainment. Make sure you don’t clutter their room to the point that a cardboard box no longer fits!
Ceilings
Don’t forget kids bedrooms have six surfaces, and ceilings are just as important as the others. It is usual to keep the ceiling a light colour because this gives the feeling of space, but there is nothing stopping you hanging all manner of things to add excitement. Plastic ivy can help create a jungle theme, mobiles add dimension to baby’s rooms and luminescent stars help tweens get over their fear of the dark.
Anchovi
Storage
Kristy Clayton
Perhaps the most important thing to remember when it comes to floors is ease of cleaning. To avoid wear and tear in the most trafficked areas, buy a colourful and inexpensive rug to add colour and protect the more expensive carpet. Or for little children, why not buy rubber jigsaw mats available at most discount stores, to carpet their nursery. Not only are these mats, colourful, but they provide a soft cushioned fall when learning to walk.
Kids are messy things, and hooks, placed on the wall at their eye level are a great way to clear the clutter. Pockets too can be a godsend. Why not buy a hanging shoe pocket and paint the days of the week on each pocket? Then put those things needed each day at school (like running shoes, library book, homework, musical instrument) in the right daily spot. Colour-coded tubs are good for little fingers and if you want to organise the contents, tape a picture on the front. Storage is important in the bathroom too, where kids’ toys can take over. Simple suction string bags keep bath toys together, or a storage stool can keep toys out of sight, and double up as a knee-saviour at bath time! Make cleaning up fun too, with colourful laundry baskets. I especially like the ones with basketball hoops above because they have reduced the number of times I pick up dirty clothes!
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Ph or SMS Sally on 0416 023 560 or Marissa on 0417 881 971 e us: info@motivatedmums.com.au www.motivatedmums.com.au www.kidsonthecoast.com.au
This book is jam-packed with ideas and images sure to get your imagination going. It is organised according to kids’ daily activities, rather than geographic areas and includes practical solutions as well as designer looks.
Furniture
Keep storage in mind when choosing furniture too. Desks with drawers are great for cutting down stationary clutter; under-bed drawers are an easy way to hide clothes yet enable them to be easily accessible, and bunk beds turn a small room into a usable space. Robes are notoriously crammed with gear and a good shelf system can go a long way. Don’t forget, though, that hanging rails don’t need to be as high as adult closets, and baskets and drawers should also be at child height.
Cute Kids Interiors
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It’s easy to be sucked into the picture perfect images of kids bedrooms in decorating magazines where everything is well organised and colour coordinated. In reality, kids need an expressive outlet and their bedroom is their very own sanctuary. The sooner you let go of the House and Garden image, the better. Let your kids put up posters of their favourite pop stars and create their own door nameplate. Make sure there is plenty of room for those things only they deem important. (In our house, this consists of shell pieces, polished rocks, sticks and craft creations). Accessorising their room makes it their own, so let them have input into the way THEY want their bedroom to work.
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Cute Kids Interiors
Cute Kids Interiors
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FEATURE
Budget Bedrooms
Sometimes the best ideas are the cheapest. Here are a few of our favourite budget ideas for creating kid havens. • Fill a large tub with recycled boxes, plastic bottles and ribbons for kids to use creating. • Cover a corkboard with bright art paper to change the look of the room, then pin kid’s artwork on top. • Sarongs are colourful and inexpensive, and can be used as bedspreads, cushion covers or curtains. • Add buttons or lace trim onto cushions for a ‘shabby chic’ look. • Save plant pots and paint them. Then replant with herbs to put on a windowsill. • Frequent the craft shop sale tables to top up your kids’ craft box!
Playtime
Many Australian homes are lucky enough to have a playroom, spare space in the garage or a generous garden so they can limit the kid clutter in the adult living space. Yes, it’s good to clean up after an activity, but the more space you have, the more lenient you can be. Prevention is as good as a cure (my nana used to say!), so why not throw down an old sheet under the craft table before the paints come out? You could even spend a painting session decorating the drop cloth! Give your garage floor two uses by taping a hopscotch board, which can be used when the car is away. Drape a large sheet over the clothesline and cut holes for windows to make a portable cubby, and give your kids a small patch of garden and a set of garden tools so they can create dinosaur gardens, Survivor television sets, or Japanese pebble patterns. If you have a vegie patch, why not give them a corner to tend? They are likely to cover themselves with dirt, so consider an outside shower, or a simple Have your say bracket on the wall where the hose can be Comment on this article at fixed into a shower position… and avoid www.kidsonthecoast.com.au muddy footprints through the house!
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Advertorial
Gold Coast now gets to enjoy the ‘Bubs’ difference! Bubs Baby Shops was established by husband and wife team, Guy and Meagan Hinze. On falling pregnant with their first child the couple had a frustrating experience trying to locate a store with a wide range of quality baby goods. Larger retail stores had some range, but a significant lack in service, with no trained staff and usually inexperienced attendants. Most other retail stores they visited were quite small with pictures of products displayed in catalogues, all with 6-8 week waiting terms. The couple then had a vision to open a baby store with ‘that little extra something’ that was missing in the baby industry. The vision was to have a baby store with the largest range of product from toys, to strollers to cots and car seats. They also wanted to provide ‘parents to be’ with some extra comforts such as a feeding and changing area and a refreshment station. Most of all they wanted to provide knowledge and information to give new parents peace of mind.
The 5th of April marks the official opening of the Bubs latest store located in Homeworld Helensvale. This store is by far the Biggest and the Best store in our chain. What we wanted to do was to create a friendly warm environment for expectant parents to shop. With this in mind we have created 10 walk in bedrooms complete with false ceilings, mood lighting and a fake window, Operations Manager Michael Vanderhelm said. In each of these bedrooms we have completely set up nurseries so that the expectant parents can actually see what their nursery could look like. We have set up 6 dedicated displays featuring our best brand strollers such as Bugaboo, Phil & Teds, Baby Jogger and more. We wanted to give our wholesalers the opportunity to display their prams the best they could as if they were displaying at a Baby Expo.
And for the parents with a little one already we have incorporated a 'Toddler Zone'. There you can place your child and be sure that they are safe and entertained. We have DVD's playing, toys and the parents can see their child 360 degrees around the store. We also have a parents areas where parents can sit and have a drink of water, read parenting magazines and relax. We have recently introduced myBubs, an online baby gift registry. You can do this in store and then email all your friends and relatives. It is the only on-line registry that is linked to all of our stores so your friends and family can attend their local store to purchase or soon be able to purchase on-line.
So if you are expecting then come in and experience the difference of a Bubs Baby Shop.
GOLD COAST
Helensvale Home World Hope Island Drive, Helensvale ph: (07) 5665 6500
www.bubs.com.au
1300 79 BUBS 1300 79 2827
BABIES ON
the coast
Welcome to the section for all things baby and maternity related!
Sign
OF THE
TIMES by Justine Stewart
At first, the idea of teaching a baby sign language seems like the latest trendy ‘hyper-parenting’ technique. But when you think about it, all babies already use their hands to communicate, for example by waving (‘goodbye’ or ‘hello’); clapping (‘hooray! well done’) or pointing (‘what’s that’ / ‘I want that’). It’s easier for babies to control their hand muscles than their mouth muscles. So by teaching them hand signs for words they know, but may not yet be able to say, you can communicate with them at a much earlier age. Babies as young as six months old can express their wants, needs and thoughts, such as being hungry or thirsty, tired or sick, or wanting to read a book or play with a toy. They can continue to learn to speak and sign together until they’re old enough to speak clearly and no longer need to sign.
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Before making shopping decisions, be sure to check out our Parents Choice Directory. Every business that is listed has been tried, tested and recommended by parents and they want to share their experience with you! Be assured that you will be provided with superior products and service by shopping with businesses who are exclusive Parents Choice Providers. It’s word of mouth from our readers! Look out for the Parents Choice logo to find business’s who have been recommended and check out the Parents Choice Directory at the back of each issue of Kids on the Coast magazine. Also available online at www.kidsonthecoast.com.au 30
KiDs on tHe CoAst – APRIL / MAY 2009
www.kidsonthecoast.com.au
eat
milk
more
Editor’s comment: Have you ever noticed how the
‘terrible twos’ often last from 18 months to three years? When I read this article, published in Feb/Mar 2007, I realised why. As babies become aware of their needs, it raises the issue of communication The gap between this realisation and the development of oral language skills can cause enormous frustration and frequent tantrums. Research shows the use of limited sign language can get parents and children over that difficult time.
The problem with trying to teach a baby sign language designed for hearing-impaired adults is that some of the signs are too hard for a baby to make or remember. However now the Tinytalk system of baby sign language has been especially developed by Australian mum Alison Basson, who has created a range of products to make it easy for parents, carers, siblings...and of course, the babies themselves! Alison herself used the system with her own daughter: “Signing gave me a unique opportunity to know what was going on in my child’s mind and her world, something that is priceless,” she said, “ It also reduced a great deal of frustration for both of us as she didn’t have to wait until she could say the word to be able to communicate.” Even some childcare centres are now incorporating Tinytalk as part of their everyday activities. Some parents may worry that learning sign language could delay a child’s speech but in fact the opposite seems to be true. Because Tinytalk is taught at the same time as normal speech, it actually stimulates the development of the brain’s ‘language centres’ in the same way as does learning a foreign language from an early age. Tinytalk is giving away five memberships to its program. The lucky winners download the Tinytalk EBook about sign lanuage, the TinyTalk EBook of Signing Nursery Rhymes and the Tinytalk DVD. To enter visit www.kidsonthecoast.com.au and for more information visit www.tinytalk.com.au
ISSUE 18 JAN/FEB 2OO7
FReE!!
things to do, places to go, everything for kids & parents on the Sunshine Coast
LEG-CLINGERS OR SOCIAL BUTTERFLIES? How to turn the former into the latter
GOT LICE? GET ANSWERS
THE “READING WARS” How they’ve affected our education system
ACID OR ALKALINE - which are you?
EASY BACK-TOSCHOOL MEALS
SUMMER FUNDAYS
Stacks of things Sign language has been used effectively for decades to combat for families to do! hearing or speech problems. Speech pathologists use a language called Macaton, while hearing impaired teachers prefer a language called Auslan. Both, unfortunately, are Australian languages only and don’t translate around the world (wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was one international sign language - it could then suffice as the world’s ‘second language’?) Unless long-term speech and hearing problems are a concern, babies don’t need to learn an entire language and the 152 signs in the Tinytalk program can suffice. If you choose to continue signing and learn one of the other languages, Tinytalk is 70% compatible with Auslan. PLUS Parents’ Choice Program, Babies on the Coast, Calendar of Events and lots more!
Signing can:
• Reduce tantrums, tears and frustration • Help babies talk sooner • Increase communication and language development • Help improve intellectual development • Enrich bond with parents, siblings and carers • Encourage greater interest in books and pretend play at an early age • Increase self-esteem and self-confidence • Reveal how smart babies really are and give you a window into their mind
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Baby wear and maternity Call us and have a chat to Julia or Natalie or drop in for invaluable information and advice, that will help take the worry and stress out of your purchasing decision. Deciding which car seat/pram/nursery furniture is right for your circumstances is important to us. We have a range of baby products to suit all budgets and always competitive prices. Product lines that we carry include: Valco, Steelcraft, Safe n sound, Bertini, Peg Perego, Mountain buggy, Silver cross, Quinny, Maclaren, Safety 1st, Love n care, Baby love, Kaloo, Gro Time, Babyhood, Infa, Angelcare, Tommee Tippee, Avent, Green to grow, Aromababy, Gaia, Just for baby, Kids line, Mamas and Papas, Moses baskets and cradles, Stork sak, Kapoochi, Gr8x, Vanchi, Baby bjorn, Bubzilla, Buba moe, Bumbo, Gro bag, Grobag egg.
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KiDs on tHe CoAst – APRIL / MAY 2009
www.kidsonthecoast.com.au
Just ISSUE 16 SEPT/OCT 2OO6
Editor’s comment: A change is as good as a holiday, so
they say. When you can’t jump on a plane and lounge by a tropical pool, or you can’t uproot the family and drive around Australia, why not settle for a backwards party, or even a backwards day? It’s amazing how hard it is to get out of bed on the other side, soap yourself down from bottom to top or eat dessert before the main course (kids LOVE that one!)
Clowning Around
FReE!! things to do, places to go, everything for kids & parents on the Sunshine Coast
The money or the kids?
Childrens Parties Magic Shows Balloon Art Roving Entertainment Corporate Events Family Shows
Why so many Australians have childcare concerns
STOP IT! How to deal with hitting and biting
Bonjour, Bébé
Genetically engineered food
Bilingual babies have better brainpower!
Should you be worried?
In the swim!
Gear up for a safe summer
WIN
FAMILY PASSES ZOO TO AUSTRALIA See p. 29
plus the Parents’ Choice Directory, Calendar of Events and lots more!
Call Damian Bryant Mob: 0419 677 665 E. justclowningaround@damianbryant.com
The idea of a ‘backwards’ or ‘mixed up’ party is that everything is the reverse of what it normally would be. Here are some ideas for a ‘backwards’ party - but part of the fun is also coming up with wacky new ideas of your own! • Write invitations backwards so they have to be read in a mirror (do it on a computer and choose ‘print mirror image’).
YADHTRIB YPPAH!
• Ask guests to dress appropriately e.g. clothes on backwards, ponytails over the forehead, shoes on wrong feet.
• Say ‘goodbye’ to guests when they arrive (and ‘hello’ when they leave) • Print backwards name tags and make everyone call each other by their backwards names
backwards Fun and games • As each guest arrives, get them to guess how many lollies are in a jar. The guest who guesses furthest from the correct answer wins! • Non-musical statues - the kids have to stop still during the music and dance when it’s silent. • Backwards Musical Chairs - When the music stops, every person sits down...even if you have to sit on someone’s lap. No one is ever eliminated, but another chair is taken away every round. In the end everyone is sitting on one chair!
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kids’ cakes • personalised cakes with name and age • beautiful, unique designs • choice of flavours – try Rainbow Madeira or Smartie Surprise!
• Crazy Upside-down Faces - Have each child lie on a couch with their head hanging down. Cover their nose and mouth with a bandanna, and draw a mouth on their forehead (it looks like a strange man with a weird beard!). Take photos and print them up for thank you cards. You can also take a photo of all the kids lined up in their backwards clothes (they turn their backs to you and look over their shoulder!)
backwards Food To be eaten sitting under the table, of course! (Or at an upside-down table.) • Start with the cake! You could serve individual cupcakes for each guest, upsidedown on a plate so the icing’s on the bottom, with a candle stuck through the paper case. Everyone can sing ‘Happy Birthday from you’, or ‘You to Birthday Happy’.
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• Other cake options are a cake with YADHTRIB YPPAH written on it, or a cake which you turn upside-down in front of the guests so the icing is on the bottom. You can even cut and serve the cake, then put a candle in each piece for everyone to blow out…then sing the song! • You can also serve upside-down pizza and nachos (with the cheese on the bottom) and extra large hot dogs, cut down the center, with bread placed in the middle. NUF EVAH! (Have fun!) www.kidsonthecoast.com.au
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APRIL / MAY 2009 – KiDs on tHe CoAst
33
TALES FROM
ISSUE 15 JULY/AUG 2OO6
motherville
Editor’s comment: Rather like Dr Who, who morphs
JUSTINE STEWART
Onlywords The other day we were discussing a fancy dress party to which we’d been invited. “Do you have to go as something, uh, specific?” says Mister-Six-Going-On-ThirtySix. Proud as punch I was. Not only could he use the word, he could pronounce it, which is more than I can say for quite a few adults. Now if I could just get him to stop picking his nose. I suppose I’m a little more obsessed with words than most people, seeing as how I’ve spent most of my working life earning a crust by manipulating them. And I married a bloke who’s been known to read a book or three- each week. Recently I begged him to stop going to the bookshop in his lunch hour, in case we went bankrupt before he’d even reached the end of the non-fiction section. So, surprise, surprise, guess whose kids are little word-lovers too? Yeah, alright, the little one’s only able to make burbles and gurgles so far, but she’s obviously trying very hard to communicate. If anyone knows what “oohba pflam” means, let me know. As for our son, he may never win a prize in an art show, run first in a race, or be able to keep his room tidy without some sustained nagging on my part, but boy, does he have a u-beaut vocabulary. It has been somewhat cruelly, although, I fear, accurately, suggested that our son learned to talk so early and so fluently in order to
www.
e h t n kidso ast
into new bodies, so do editors at Kids on the Coast. In July/August 2006, editor Justine Stewart wrote this lovely piece about vocabulary which is sure to bring a smile to your face. Now, I may not look like Justine, but we share a love of language and both hide our blossoming book collection behind the couch!
E FOR TH E C N CHA
co
Children’s Book Week Why is reading so important?
Indigo Children Are they enlightened or just plain difficult?
AND MOVIE PASSES
TO BE WON
My money’s on Australian Houses of the Forties and Fifties, but my husband reckons it’ll be either the Jimi Hendrix biography or The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Football. Then there are his old textbooks. Our darling girl used to be interested in PreStressed Concrete, but now she prefers Waste Management. Hmm. Perhaps it’s got something to do with what’s happening at the other end…
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Meanwhile, back in Nerdsville central, a.k.a. our lounge room, we’re in danger of being crowded out by all our books. There’s a jam-packed bookcase next to the tatty old couch, another two next to the long-term-loan dining room table – thank you, Aunty - and another next to the el-cheapo faded rug. It’s a bit like living in a library, (and rather obvious that we spent on books what we should have spent on décor and furniture.) The baby’s (borrowed) change table is also right next to a bookcase, and although she’s only seven months old, she’s apparently quite fascinated with what’s on offer. As I deal with the dirty nappies, she stares in rapture at all the books, as though working out which one she’ll read first as soon as she’s able.
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• To “C” Or Not To “C” (The Caesarian Question) • Great Baby Products We’ve Tried & Tested • Dr. Roger Morris on Sleep & Settling
get a word in edgewise. Someone else recently accused us of reading the dictionary to him, which we don’t. However I haven’t ruled it out, because it would probably get him off to sleep a lot faster than Donald Duck comics, which is what daddy likes to read our boy as bedtime stories. Educational? Nah, but who cares? They’re fun!
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plus the Parents’ Choice Directory, yummy recipes, Modern Mama, Calendar of Events and lots more!
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FReE!! things to do, places to go, everything for kids & parents on the Sunshine Coast
Also servicing regional QLD & Northern Rivers NSW
Before
after
1800 4 veiNS 1800 483 467 www.kidsonthecoast.com.au
holidays
HAPPY
house sitting &house swapping By Leah Squire, owner of www.byokids.com.au
Did you hear the one about the family that took a holiday in a villa in Tuscany, then a London apartment, followed by a cabin in America’s Rocky Mountains and paid nothing for accommodation? No, it’s not a joke…and to top it all off they had a free car as well! What’s that you say, impossible? Not if you’re prepared to swap your house with someone else’s. House swapping has been working successfully for years. The cost savings are seeing this practice boom, with organisations like HomeLink International acting as a database for potential swappers. Covering over 60 countries, from Brazil to Belgium and Tahiti to Turkey, home exchange gives you the opportunity to meet like-minded people from very different backgrounds, live as a local, and enjoy low cost holidays with all the comforts and warmth of home. HomeLink Australia was established in 1980. On their comprehensive website you can browse listings, learn more about the home exchange concept, and read FAQ’s and members’ stories. Of course, you will find it a little more difficult with children, but there are still plenty of places on offer. Many families are discovering house swapping. The benefits of being in a home rather than a hotel are huge: the kids have space, you can prepare meals, which saves a fortune, you get to meet locals, and it’s a great way to explore a new country or destination. In many cases people swap cars too, which makes it a really cheap holiday. www.kidsonthecoast.com.au
Editor’s comment: More and more people are discovering that
low cost holidays can be had with a little lateral thinking and one of those cost effective ways is house sitting or swapping. By using your biggest asset (your house) as ‘collateral’ it is possible to eliminate the biggest cost of travel: accommodation. In this article, published in Sept/Oct 2006, Leah Squire from BYO Kids shared her expertise as travel guru. Since that date many home swapping sites have cropped up and I, for one, have listed my home and started surfing. I suggest starting close to home with people who speak the same language, and have similar cultural expectations. I, for instance, am in negotiation for a house swap in Queenstown so my daughter and I can learn to ski!
ISSUE 16 SEPT/OCT 2OO6
FReE!! things to do, places to go, everything for kids & parents on the Sunshine Coast
The money or the kids? Why so many Australians have childcare concerns
STOP IT! How to deal with hitting and biting
Genetically engineered food
Bonjour, Bébé Bilingual babies have better brainpower!
Should you be worried?
In the swim!
Gear up for a safe summer
WIN
FAMILY PASSES ZOO TO AUSTRALIA See p. 29
plus the Parents’ Choice Directory, Calendar of Events and lots more!
Create the s e best memori d in the worl
Swim with dolphins in Hawaii. Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef. Visit Disneyland. See the Great Wall of China. Ski in Canada…or follow your family’s dream! With the right advice, travelling as a family can be the best fun you’ll ever have. We can provide expert recommendations, detailed itineraries, prepaid accommodation, car hire, transfers, etc - everything to make your holiday successful and stress-free. We specialise in family holidays!!
To find out more phone your family travel experts - Travel With Kidz Varsity Lakes 5657 3668 Email: kidz@vlt.com.au www.vlt.com.au/kidz
APRIL / MAY 2009 – KiDs on tHe CoAst
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“Many families are discovering house swapping.” If you don’t have a house, it doesn’t matter - consider house-sitting instead. To get around the worry of leaving pets alone and their biggest asset vacant, many people are opting to have a house-sitter when they take their yearly holiday. Register with a house-sitting agency and you may be looking after someone’s house, cat and dog in the next suburb or across the globe. Wherever you go it’s an economical and interesting way to live or travel. Or if you’re heading off on the annual holidays, perhaps you need a sitter to water the plants and walk the dog!
Want to know more? For information on family travel and house swapping log onto www.byokids.com.au Home Link offers support with agents in various countries. Visit www.homelink.com.au. Membership starts at $250 per year. Aussie House Swap offers homes in Australia and New Zealand at www.aussiehouseswap.com.au. It costs $65 per year to register you home. Home Exchange is another good place for international swaps: www.homeexchange.com. It costs about $US100 for one year membership. To explore house-sitting visit www.aussiehousesitters.com.au. A listing costs $65 per year.
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KiDs on tHe CoAst – APRIL / MAY 2009
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FOR YOUR CHANCE TO MORE GREAT PRIZES ENTER ONLINE @ www.kidsonthecoast.com.au
BOOK REVIEWS
The Gold and Sunshine Coasts host a wealth of literary talent and Kids on the Coast would like to take the opportunity to highlight a few of our home-grown writers: You Sexy Mother
Alec the Aeroplane
Jodie Hedley-Ward, Sunshine Coast In a world where becoming a mother often comes with an erosion of the sense of self, Sunshine Coaster Jodie Hedley-Ward’s book You Sexy Mother is a good reminder that staying empowered and self-fulfilled is still achievable. Even better than that, it’s actually sexy! Filled with useful tips, this book makes a wonderful hospital gift to the new mum… (You just might want to flip through the pages first!).
Robert Young, Gold Coast Rather like Thomas the Tank Engine stories, this little book tells the tale of a small aeroplane taking on a big task. It is a simple story, reminiscent of those you might tell at bedtime, with child-friendly illustrations. Suitable for the young reader. To order visit www. alectheaeroplane.com
To win one of five copies of You Sexy Mother, visit www.kidsonthecoast.com.au
Swim, Little Seahorse, Swim!
To win one of three copies of Alec the Aeroplane, visit www.kidsonthecoast.com.au Tina Derry, Sunshine Coast In clever verse, Tina tells the story of the adventures of Shaymus the seahorse and the other sea creatures he meets while learning to swim. Delightfully illustrated and complete with a colouring in section, this book would make a lovely gift for a beginning swimmer! Visit www.seatina.com
How to be a Young Nomad Susanne Rosemond, Gold Coast Why do all the retired folk get all the fun? Susanne Rosemond just returned from a two-year adventure around Australia with her husband and teenager. Besides a swag of memories, the result is this ‘how to’ guide designed to dissolve that list of reasons why you can’t do the same – with or without children! [Editor’s note: As a child I was home schooled on the road, and would recommend it most highly!] To get your own copy visit www.theyoungnomads.com
To win one of four copies of Swim, Little Seahorse, Swim!, visit www.kidsonthecoast.com.au
Magic Boots Christine and Paul Clegg, Sunshine Coast If you have a football crazy primary school boy this is the book for them! It’s the story of Charlie who’s not very good at football… until he finds a pair of old, magic boots. From game to game, his skill improves, until one day when his parents buy him a new pair of boots. Written by mother of triplets, and illustrated by her husband, a portion of proceeds go to rugby league charities. Contact the Cleggs at clegg.33@bigpond. net.au or phone 0412 688 372.
To win one of four copies of How to be a Young Nomad, visit www.kidsonthecoast.com.au
WEBSITE REVIEWS
To win one of four copies of Magic Boots, visit www.kidsonthecoast.com.au
www.madeit.com.au
Just like chicken soup, the handmade items on www.madeit.com.au warm your soul. Independently made and unique, they make great gifts and family heirlooms. Choose from things like handmade quilts, individual children’s clothes, personalised cushions and one-of-a-kind jewelry. If you are the creative sort, this website offers you a window to potential customers and a means to your very own cottage industry.
www.YourKidsEd.com.au
If you’re a parent looking to find inspirational ideas for educating and enriching your children, YourKidsEd.com.au is packed with great tips, information, services, activities and products - to help educate and inspire. It was designed by parents for parents and was selected as a finalist in the NetGuide 2008 Australian Web Awards in the category of Best New Site.
www.kidsonthecoast.com.au
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Parent’s Choice Supplier Directory
recommended
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PHARMACIES
Offering Clarity when it matters most Specialising in all aspects of Family Law
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38
KiDs on tHe CoAst – APRIL / MAY 2009
Learning to Talk, Talking to Learn
The Parent’s Choice Programme Phone: (07) 5442 8679 Fax: (07) 5442 8709 P.O Box 206, Eumundi Qld 4562 www.parents-choice.com.au www.kidsonthecoast.com.au
TM
TM
Copyright All Rights Reserved 2005. The Parent’s Choice Supplier Programme is operated under license by Things 4 Kids Pty Ltd for inclusion in Kids on the Coast magazine. Important Notice: As the suppliers listed are nominated by readers and are included in good faith based on that referral. No guarantees can be given or implied as to the suitability or performance of these suppliers. We encourage all readers to fully satisfy themselves as to the competency of these suppliers when ordering products or services.
4/43 Tallebudgera Creek Rd, West Burleigh
Phone 07 5520 7860 www.kidsonthecoast.com.au
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ice Contact Customer Serv on 5556 6633 or visit .au to www.australiafair.com day! become a member to lub is Our Mumz with Bubz C Kids proudly supported by e on the Coast Magazin le, and Birch Carroll & Coy Australia Fair.
AUSTRALIA FAIR . MARINE PARADE SOUTHPORT . PH 5556 6600 OPEN 7 DAYS . 233 SPECIALTY STORES . UNDERCOVER PARKING
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Call 133 FUN* or visit *$3.95 booking fee applies per transaction on purchases through 133 386. SEA WORLD Š 2009 & TM Sea World Property Trust. WARNER BROS. MOVIE WORLD and logo and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and Š Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s09)
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