Eastside MamaMag Feb/Mar 2018

EASTSIDE

mamaMAG Feb/Mar 2018

WIN 1 of 4 $15o YAYME! personalised prIZE PACKS Mum’s kitchen rules The young mummy Let’s talk about sex Dinner like a boss Job sharing

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LI VE Di AN re I Yo ct MA u! To LS

THE PERFECT WAY TO CELEBRATE YOUR NEXT CHILDREN'S BIRTHDAY PARTY!

Summer sweetness Summer, my favourite season of the year. This mama loves nothing better than an afternoon lounging on the beach, reading a book and taking a dip when the heat gets too much. It’s been an excellent Summer for our family. For the first time in years the kids and I had a proper Cavalier Christmas with a big family picnic in a local park, followed by a few days to ourselves in Melbourne before we spent a glorious week camping at Seaspray in Gippsland. Lachie got his long-held wish of visiting the prestige car shops in Richmond.

What is it with cars and boys?! Camping was amazing.

Six nights in our big tent, listening to the waves crashing on the otherside of the sand dunes. Days at the beach or hanging around camp whilst the kids scooted off to the jumping pillow. What more could a mama want besides another glass of cold rosé? We took the long way home via Metung to visit some gorgeous school friends where Milla caught her first fish off the end of the jetty. #excited!

Back in town from camping bliss and it was time for the kids to go off to their Dads. Pros and cons of split parenting. Con being I’m away from my kids for 2 weeks and pro, I’m away from my kids for 2 weeks! Whilst they swanned off to the Gold Coast for theme park fun with Daddy, Lauren and their brother from the other mother, this mama was straight back in the office not having to worry about juggling kids and work. It’s not very often I get to work 9-5 every day and even less often I can go out anytime I want on a week night. Of course I miss my little cherubs, but it’s so refreshing to finally have some time to myself.

But the Summer holidays really blew by in a flash, but not without fun and adventure. School routine will be welcomed with open arms, reuniting with friends in the playground and sharing holiday stories. It’s time to sign up for all the year’s activities. What do you do? Swimming, gymnastics, karate? Lachie’s showing interest in tennis this year (and soccer, and footy) so that should keep me on my toes! Best wishes for the school year ahead xxx

@localmamamag

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Local fun for everyone • Bayside • Eastside • Northside • Westside

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Contents Whose kitchen rules Seven Network’s new super mums

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1PERSONALISED OF 4

PACKS FROM

Parklife 8 Eastern Reserve, South Melbourne One job, two minds Job sharing with Endi Frydman

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Let’s talk about sex How to discuss with your kids

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Mummy makes magic Young Mummy Sophie Cachia

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Turn the page Book picks from Story Mama

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Walk this way Liz Walker juggling kids and work

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Nothing happens inside Lee Watson’s new book

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Time to be dry Is bed wetting an issue?

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Mama can cook Dinner like a boss

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At lunch with Jules Sebastian Jules shares her lunchbox tips

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Lovely locals Templestowe Village

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MamaMag® is published bi-monthly for the mums of Melbourne’s East by Grizzle Design Pty Ltd

We love a mother Skye Abraham from Packed

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Choosing a school Help to find the right school

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ABN: 26 042 138 550. PO Box 8018 Brighton East 3187 Phone: 1300 771 446 Email: info@mamamag.com.au www.mamamag.com.au | www.grizzledesign.com.au

Enjoying maths Some simple ideas to help

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Lunchbox legend Julie Goodwin’s freezer tips

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Are you a musical family Here’s how to make it happen

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Colour to WIN Enchanted Adventure Garden passes

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PND, massage and me A mum’s story

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Fear of committee-ment Thinking of joining a committee?

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MamaMag Feb/Mar 2018

Each pack includes: 1 Essentials Backpack RRP $55, 1 Lunch Bag RRP $35, 1 Mighty Label Bundle RRP $60 Available in either Flamingo or Rocket Designs.

Enter at woobox.com/bs9tor or www.facebook.com/localmamamag Competition starts February 1st 12.01am and closes February 28th 2018 at 11.59pm.

Prize awarded as a $150 voucher redeemable at www.yayme.com.au.

Entries and prizes are not transferrable or redeemable for cash.

Visit www.mamamag.com.au for full terms and conditions.

10,000 copies per issue across Melbourne’s East including Stonnington, Boroondara, Yarra and Melbourne. 40,000 copies across all four areas: Bayside • Eastside • Northside • Westside Editor in Chief: Sarah Cavalier: sarah@mamamag.com.au Eastside Editor: Kara Wilson Local Eastside advertising: Anthea Riskas: anthea@mamamag.com.au Melbourne-wide Key Account Manager: Clare Betts: clare@mamamag.com.au Want to write for us or have an article idea? submissions@mamamag.com.au The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publishing staff. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without permission of the publishers.

Health related articles are designed to be informative and educational. They are not intended to provide specific medical advice or replace one-on-one advice from your health practitioner.

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Whose kitchen rules? understand the value of food. When we met at high school our friendship grew because we understood each other so well.

What made you decide to audition for My Kitchen Rules?

Kim: We’ve been thinking about this for a long time. We’re doing this for ourselves and for our families. We want to make them proud. It’s going to be hectic but we’re mums, we’re used to it!

What are you like in the kitchen?

Meet Kim and Soung, two Vietnamese refugees who came to Australia with nothing in their pockets, but a huge passion for food in their hearts. Kim and Suong (both 38yo mums) have been friends for over 20 years after meeting at high school in Melbourne and this year sees them living out a long-held dream of representing both themselves and their families as part of the new season of My Kitchen Rules.

Immensely proud of their culture and their food, these “supermums” have seven children between them. Kim is mum to three daughters and Suong to three boys and a girl.

Suong says being mothers changed their lives.

They lost themselves with life becoming all about the kids. So being on MKR is about doing something for them.

You mention in your promo video “We all have a story within us”.

We’d love to hear more of yours…

Suong: We’re both Vietnamese and we’re both refugees. I came here when I was five on a homemade boat. I’ve never been to a five-star restaurant before. I never say no to food. I eat everything. It’s thanks to our parents that we’re here and having a good life. When I grew up we didn’t have much to eat so I always want to make sure my four kids are happy and fed.

Kim: What we didn’t have we are trying to give to our kids now. We definitely appreciate and

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Suong: We cook with love and passion and try to use every bit of an ingredient to minimise waste. For example, we use the carrot skin, orange skin and roots in our cooking.

Kim: I am more assertive, especially when it comes to timing and presentation. Suong is in charge of the cooking. We write our own recipes and wing it when required.

What is your signature dish?

Kim: Oxtail stew because it’s nutritious, full of flavour and my children love it.

Suong: Vietnamese pork and seafood noodle soup. At first glance it looks simple but it’ll catch you by surprise with its depth of flavour. It’s my kids’ favourite dish.

What is your ultimate food dream?

Kim: I would love to open a restaurant or café while Suong wants to build a new career in the food industry.

When did you start cooking and how did you learn?

Kim: I was 10 years old. Self-taught from other family members (brothers and sisters), the culinary institute and an apprenticeship.

Suong: I was 5 years old. Self-taught and watching everyone and anyone in the kitchen.

What will your team bring to this year’s season of MKR? Kim: Fun and traditional Vietnamese cooking.

Suong: Diversity, passion, competitiveness, cooking skills and presentation skills.

What can we see in your kid’s lunchboxes in 2018?

We love including things like fresh fruits, coconut and apricot chia balls, fun sandwich kebabs or vegetable and prosciutto rolls.

Coconut and apricot chia balls – makes 12 3 ripe bananas, cut into 0.5cm thickness (leave the skin on) 300g dried apricots 2 tablespoons coconut oil 2 tablespoons honey 1 cup desiccated coconut, toasted ¼ cup desiccated coconut, raw 1 cup sesame seeds, toasted Juice and zest of 1 lime 4 tablespoons chia seeds Extra desiccated coconut for rolling

Method: In a pan, combine bananas, coconut oil and honey. Cook the bananas until golden and soft. Add the bananas to a blender and blend until a smooth paste.

Using the same pan, add the apricots and gently simmer in the residual liquid for five minutes or until just soft. Add the apricots and the liquid from the pan to a blender. Add toasted and raw desiccated coconut, sesame seeds and zest and juice of the lime. Pulse the mixture for around 10 seconds or until just combined. Add chia seeds and set aside for 30 minutes. Roll the mixture into 2cm balls and coat with extra raw desiccated coconut.

Sandwich kebab – makes 12 Meat Patties: 500g regular pork or chicken mince 1 small brown onion, finely minced 1 carrot, finely grated (keep the skin on) 2 stalks celery, finely chopped 50g glass noodles, soaked for 10 minutes in hot water then coarsely cut 1 teaspoon white sugar ½ teaspoon tablespoon salt 2 tablespoon fish sauce ½ teaspoon cracked pepper ¼ teaspoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon coriander, finely sliced 1 tablespoon spring onion, finely sliced Ingredients to assemble: 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or olive oil 12cm – 15cm bamboo skewers Sandwich bread slices cut into ¼ Cherry tomatoes Cucumbers cut into round 0.5cm thickness Method: In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meat patties and massage the meat until well combined. Set aside for 30 minutes overnight in the refrigerator.

Roll the meat into balls the size of a tablespoon then gently flatten the balls to around 1.5cm thickness. In a large pan, add oil and bring to the pan to medium heat.

Cook the patties for 3-5 minutes on each side or until golden. Set the patties aside to rest.

Thread a skewer through a piece of bread, then a meat patty, then a slice of bread and a slice of cucumber. Repeat the process and finish with a cherry tomato on top.

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Parklife Central Park, Burke Rd, Malvern East This is a small and quaint playground, which is hugely popular with the locals. You probably wouldn’t come here solely for the playground, but Central park, which spans almost 19 acres, is definitely worth visiting for the day. Bring the dog (there’s an off-leash area), and the kids’ scooters or bikes, and chase them around the walking track. On a lovely day, you could find a shady tree among the Edwardian gardens, and set up a picnic. Sit and watch as the kids fly a kite on the oval, or play a game of cricket.

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The semi-fenced playground is protected from the road, and is partially shaded by large English trees. It boasts swings, a see-saw, and two wooden structures for different abilities. The low one for the toddlers has a slide, walkway, and firefighter’s pole, while the more challenging structure has various ladders, a fun spiral slide, monkey bars, and a flying fox. Amenities include public toilets, free parking, nearby public transport, and neighbouring cafés for the allimportant caffeine fix.

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one job, two minds Women looking to return to work after kids are often faced with the prospect of being demoted purely because they can’t commit to a full-time role whilst they juggle being a new mother.

Also, job sharers tend to be very independent, as problem solving occurs between the two of them. With job sharing, the whole is certainly greater than the sum of its parts.

The parent penalty is a challenging reality of work today, with many highly talented employees deciding to walk away from senior corporate roles after having children because they simply can’t reconcile a way to make parenting and career work in tandem. Parents feel extreme frustration, as do employers given that replacing staff is time consuming and can cost around 75% of a year’s salary.

I had a background in executive recruitment, which I loved it but I knew it wasn’t what I wanted to do long-term. I wanted to do something a little bit different. Then I got really ill with a nasty Bali virus and had to stop working altogether. This gave me time to stop and reflect and I realised I wanted to start something new. But there was just such limited part time work, particularly corporate.

I realised Job sharing is one workforce strategy for organisations that is underutilised.

In today’s competitive landscape, Job sharing expert Endi Frydman believes companies should nurture and offer more flexible solutions for talented candidates despite their inability to commit to full-time work.

With many years of experience as an Executive Recruitment Consultant under her belt, Endi launched OneJob TwoMinds, a job share recruitment and coaching agency that specialises in helping candidates maintain career progression and work life balance.

Through job sharing, a business can gain access to the minds of two skilled and talented individuals and their unique experiences, networks, knowledge and perspectives, in one role. That is double the amount of reflection time and potential ‘aha’ moments that we all experience when we are away from the office.

How did you come into job sharing?

How does job sharing work?

We make job sharing simple. We present two individuals as one candidate to fulfil a full-time role, providing organisations with two minds for one job. It’s a retention and engagement tool. For example you find parents wanting to work flexibly and it’s such a short time usually that you need this flexibility. So organisations can retain and engage their top talent. It also enables women to get to senior leadership roles. The cost of recruitment to senior roles can be at least a year’s salary, so we not only help businesses retain great staff, but we also save them money.

Job sharing is the only workforce solution which resolves the tension between roles that can’t be achieved over part-time hours and the increasing number of ambitious and skilled workers who can’t commit to working full time hours.

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How do you find a job share partner and make it work?

The first thing to do is look within your organisation. Is someone trying to work flexibly already? The organisation is going to want to retain you. If you do work for a small business, think back to people you have worked with before. Who is in your network? You may already have a good working relationship with them.

Before you start, really hammer out the terms of it. Talk about your preferences of availability.

Negotiate the details. Who works when? What happens if kids are sick? Meetings... do we both go? Know your own strengths and know your job-partner’s strengths. Have a look at that in relation to the role you are wanting to do. Then you can support each other in your weaknesses. Through this process, you also identify your gaps. That awareness allows you to create strategies to fix those gaps and make you stronger in your role. Often where there is a gap with both, having each other for support makes it ok anyway. It makes tricky situations less daunting when you have someone who has your back. What do you bring as a team? Work on your strengths and not your weaknesses. You are so much more motivated working to your strengths.

What are your top tips for making a job-sharing position work?

1. Find the right partner. Someone who has aligned values. Short term motivation. These roles don’t need to be long term, but have a 12 month vision at least.

2. It’s really important to choose someone who is collaborative, who will share success and equally take the blame. “It’s our problem” 3. Like a marriage you always have your job-share partner’s back.

If you don’t agree with a decision, that kind of discussion happens behind closed doors.

4. Regularly check in with each other.

Giving each other opportunities to see how it’s working and providing feedback. Keep your relationship transparent.

5. Communication is everything in a job share partnership. Setting up the right systems for handovers, being accessible to each other. You do need to over communicate, especially at the start. How you are going to share information? Set up boundaries so you know when and when not to contact each other. All this is absolutely achievable.

6. Setting up the right systems and processes eg. if you are managing teams then you need a process to evaluate. KPI’s must be the same as effectively you are doing the one job.

7. Set it up so it is working for both you and the organisation. They get coverage 52 weeks a year so it’s about that communication. Plan your annual leave to work around each other.

Endi Frydman, founder of OneJob TwoMinds. lives in Caulfield with her three kids, 14 and 12yo boys and an 11yo girl. onejobtwominds.com.au

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Let’s talk About Sex Talking to your kids about sex is usually one of those topics that make most parents squirm. And there is a good reason for that… It takes us right back to our childhood.

For most of us “the chat” or lack of it that we may have had with our parents was one that was probably quite limited in its in-formation and awkward in its delivery.

However that doesn’t mean that we need to repeat history and if there was ever a time to be raising sexually educated children - then it is now.

Thanks to the internet, children are exposed to sexual images and videos way before their brains can comprehend what is happening.

With the average age of first exposure to pornography around 11 years old, kids are simply unprepared to distinguish the messages they encounter in porn and without 12

the knowledge or understanding of what a respectful, consenting, intimate relationship is, pornography then becomes a major source for youth to learn about sex. We are also seeing that children are going through puberty at a younger age and educating children around what is happening in their bodies helps them to feel more confident around this transition in their lives.

Teaching sex education to children isn’t about one chat, it is many conversations, starting when they are young. From teaching toddlers the proper names for body parts and helping them understand what parts of their bodies are private, we are helping to create an awareness and safety around their bodies. We are also beginning a conversation at a young age that instils in our children that our growing bodies are a normal thing and it is ok to talk about it with us.

Talking about consent from a very young age also instils in children their rights around their

bodies and helps them to establish a voice that can say “no” if something doesn’t feel right for them. We can do this with young kids by not making them kiss and hug adults to say hello or goodbye. Always giving our children the option to choose if they would like to touch someone instils the inner barometer of honouring themselves. How many of us had to kiss old Aunt Jackie at family catch ups and hated it because she smelt funny.

Teaching this to our children at an early age helps them to navigate the teenage years which can be tricky around exploring sex.

When they have a strong compass on what feels ok and what doesn’t, then they are more likely to trust themselves in situations and say what they need.

There can also be a fear that in sharing this information, our children may become interested in sex earlier. Research has found that if we have age appropriate conversations with our children around sex, then they are more likely to wait till they are ready and participate in less risky behaviours. Teens who report having good conversations with their parents about sex are more likely to delay sex and have fewer partners. (Alpert, 2012).

When talking about sex and sexuality, remember the basics: • Don’t try to cover everything at once – it is about lots of little talks. Use teachable moments, such as seeing a pregnant woman becomes a great time to explain to a 4 year old about where babies grow and how we are all born. Talking to a 9 year old about pregnancy might involve a more in depth conversation around conception and birth. At each age, keep it simple and talk about the biology involved. Until children start to go through puberty, most of the conversations around sex and sexuality are all about science, not so much about emotions and intimacy.

• Don’t stress if you say too much. If they don’t understand or if they aren’t interested, they’ll forget and ask again when they are ready to hear it. I have had the same conversation many times with my children as they have grown. They take in the information when they are ready.

• Keep it light and remember it is just a friendly chat, not a lecture or lesson.

The more comfortable you are with the conversation, the more at ease they will be and the more likely they are to ask more questions. We want them to come to you for the facts, not the internet. We al-so want to be aware of not setting up any shame around sex and sexuality.

• Don’t be surprised or shocked if they are asking a specific question, it means that they are either naturally curious or have heard something. Satisfy their curiosity by answering them and if you don’t know how to answer say “That is a great question, let me have a think about it and get back to you”.

• Books are a wonderful way to start the conversation. From looking at picture books about bodies when our kids are toddlers, to great factual books on puberty for pre-teens, these are a great way to facilitate open chats with your kids.

• You may feel embarrassed – but the more you talk, the less embarrassed you will feel.

Be sure to keep checking in with your own triggers and angst around this topic. Talk to some-one about how it makes you feel or look at any wounds you may have around sexuality.

• Kids learn about relationships and sexuality from us, so be aware of modelling good intimate relationships. Be playful, set boundaries and always be respectful to yourself and your partner. Talk about your own body in positive ways and model great self care. As always in parenting, kids do what we do, not what we say.

Our goal is to raise sexually aware teens, who have good boundaries, respect their partners and explore safely, so they can experience pleasure, intimacy and relationships in a healthy and satisfying way. So start chatting!

By Lael Stone, Melbourne birth, sexuality and parenting expert and Mama to 3 kids. www.facebook.com/laelstone/

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mummy makes Sophie Cachia, known to most as The Young Mummy, shot to social-fame after she became a proud young mum to son Bobby at the age of 23. After becoming quite overwhelmed with the vast amount of information on offer for new mothers, Sophie decided to start documenting her own story and experiences online.

Sharing her journey as a young mother was an overnight sensation and today over 235k Instagram lovers follow her journey.

Never one to shy away from the spotlight, in January 2017 Sophie took to Snapchat to document the entire birth of her second child, a baby girl called Florence. And it’s no surprise that little Flossy, as big brother Bobby called her, is now the inspiration behind her latest venture, ‘Fairy Magic for Florence’. Collaborating with Melbourne mum Leah Betts, General Manager of Fairy Magic, an already international brand of fairy dresses, Sophie and Leah have created a special range of fairy dresses to bring magic and luxury into little one’s wardrobes, launched just in time for Flossy’s 1st birthday.

‘Fairy Magic for Florence’ is not a first for Sophie and Leah. The two have been working together for a few years now and are the perfect combo with Leah’s years of experience in the world of textiles and Sophie with her background in journalism, marketing prowess and large following. Fashion has always been something Sophie wanted to get into and when Bobby was born she struggled to find any cool hats for him to wear. “They were all so kitsch and ugly.”

So Sophie and Leah joined forces and in 2017 they finally launched Cachia, a brand featuring hats and rash vests for kids as well as adult casual wear, sleep wear, boxer shorts, tshirts and kaftans. Their initial plan was to launch one product a month, but it all took off so quickly this plan was soon fast-forwarded. Sophie’s large social following was paying off with one of their pyjamas selling out in 12 hours, and some sizes selling out in just minutes. Shocked, they described it like selling popular concert tickets!

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Once Florence was born Sophie knew she wanted to create a special brand she could share with her little girl in years to come. With such a great working relationship with Leah already, she knew creating a high-end fairy dress range was perfect for Flossy. Leah’s Fairy Magic brand has been supplying fairy dresses to some of Australia’s biggest retail chains for over 23 years, but in the world of retail, buyers are constantly trying to cut costs or use less tulle and thinner fabric. The girls have made the ‘Fairy Magic for Florence’ range special and luxury, but still affordable, an extension of a little girl’s wardrobe that can be worn both as a dress up and as a special outfit. Leah also has a background in early childhood development and understands the importance of imagination for kids aged 2-5. “This is the time learning foundations are built, so let kids be free and have something cute and creative. Our dresses evoke imagination and play.”

Everyone always needs a fairy dress. It’s such a perfect market with a never ending stream of little girls wanting to be princesses.

Find all the fun and magic at https://fairymagic.shop/ https://cachia.shop/

magIc Confidence isn’t walking into a room and thinking you’re better than somebody else. It’s walking into that room and not having to compare yourself to anyone else in the first place.

Don’t be afraid of being different.

Be afraid of being the same as everybody else.

Photography © Monika Berry

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turn the page Here We Are (Notes for living on Planet Earth) by Oliver Jeffers Our world can be a bewildering place, especially if you only just got here. Your head will be filled with questions, so let’s explore what makes our planet and how we live on it. From land and sky, to people and time, these notes can be your guide and start you on your journey. And you’ll figure out lots of things for yourself. Just remember to leave notes for everyone else... Some things about our plant are pretty complicated, but things can be simple too: there are lots of us on here, so be kind.

This book was inspired by the birth of Oliver Jeffers’ first child. It is a moving story that makes a great baby shower gift. We LOVE IT for ages 3-7.

The Poesy Ring a love story by Bob Graham Love is always there. It just needs to be found. It’s 1830 in County Kerry, Ireland, and a gold ring is thrown into the wind by a young woman on a black horse... This is the tale of a ring that symbolises true love. The ring takes a great journey through time.

It spends years neglected and alone. Animals and birds help move it around and the seasons change around them. It is even eaten at one stage by a fish. Who is later caught and the treasure found and sold. Set between County Kerry in Ireland and the streets of New York city this is a beautiful love story for kids and grown-ups. There is some great detail in Bob Grahams illustrations which give kids lots of new things to spot with each reading. Gorgeous! And probably very likely to be on the 2018 awards lists! Ages 5-8.

First Day by Andrew Daddo and Jonathan Bentley (Paperback) There will be new games to play. And new rules. You might have to be a bit brave.

With first day breakfast, iPhone pictures and mum doing the first day of school drop off this is a picture book likely to tug at your heart strings. Capturing perfectly a little girl’s anticipation of her first day. We love the way the little girl counsels her mum that tomorrow will be easier.

This is a perfect picture book to be reading as school approaches to get both child and parent’s head around separation. Filled with excitement, anticipation and a touch of nerves it is an excellent “bound for school” tool. = For ages 4+.

Hooray for Birds by Lucy Cousins Birds of all feathers flock together in a fun, rhyme-filled offering by the creator of Maisy.

From the rooster’s “cock-a-doodle-doo” at dawn to the owl’s night time “tuwit, tuwoo”, the cheeps and the tweets of many bright and beautiful birds makes for a fun read aloud. The day in the life of birds will hold the attention of even the smallest birdwatchers, whether at storytime or just before settling into their cozy nests to sleep.

We love how it asks you to imagine for a day that you are a bird. You might like to fly like a bird, or stand on one leg like a flamingo. We can see this book being used in Kindergarten for imaginative play prompts. Great for ages 2-5.

Debbie Hatswell is the Founder and Director of Story Mama. Story Mama is an online children’s bookstore featuring a huge range of carefully curated, parent recommended, high quality books for children ages 0-9.

You can shop online by age, by interest, by award winners or even by milestone. Buy these titles online or find out more at www.storymama.com.au 16 16

Great education s ta r t s e a r l y a t St Catherine’s

Visit our School

Thursday 15 March, 10.00am Register online at www.stcatherines.net.au/admissions

ST CATHERINE’S SCHOOL EARLY LEARNING CENTRE FOR GIRLS & BOYS 17 Heyington Place, Toorak VIC 3142 T: (03) 9822 1285 | E: admissions@stcatherines.net.au www. stcatherines.net.au

walk thIs way Liz Walker, mum of one and almost due with her second child, lives and breathes real estate.

A local Ivanhoe East resident she has vested interest in the North-East side of town. In a short time Liz has fast tracked her career and excelled at becoming partner in 2011. With Liz’s fantastic knowledge of the local area and her special people skills it’s no wonder she is one of Nelson Alexander’s top agents.

In her spare time Liz enjoys keeping fit and shopping within the local area with her family.

Her dog Indy keeps her busy in many of the great parklands available. We recently took the time to chat with Liz about her role in the North-East side of town……

You started off your working career in fashion, what drew you to real estate?

A friend of mine who was working in the industry kept pushing me to consider a career in real estate, because I was working so hard in retail and in his opinion he felt I had the people and selling skills to make a career in real estate work. After deliberating for years, I decided to give the course a go and since that day I have never looked back.

Tell us what’s involved in your day to day role? And what’s your favourite part about your job?

My day starts early and usually involves meetings with my team to plan the day ahead.

Most of my day is spent on the phone. I spend a lot of time face to face with clients, either showing them properties to buy or helping owners with advice on how to prepare their homes for sale. My favourite part of my day is opening a bottle of champagne to celebrate a sale or helping put a sold sticker up!

The market over the North-East area has always been at the higher end? What can you foresee for the 18

future in that area of town?

Property values on this side of town have doubled in the last seven years and for many of my clients they have enjoyed the spoils of some solid capital growth on their investment.

I believe this side of town is still enjoying a strong growth pattern and it’s not too late to invest to enjoy some strong capital growth over the next decade.

You must get to see some fabulous real estate? How much of what you do is glamorous?

I’m privileged that I get to sell some of the area’s finest properties. The job is rewarding, however you are required to roll up the sleeves a lot and get your hands dirty.

What’s your views on first home owners and their struggles to get into the market? Will it ever get easier?

I really feel for first home buyers in today’s market. It is a very competitive market as they’re competing against other first home buyers as well as investors; so it’s really tough.

The best advice I give first home buyers is stay home as long as you can to save for a substantial deposit, don’t rent. Get your foot into the market as soon as you can and consider suburbs on the fringe of some blue chip ones.

And most importantly, don’t give up!!!

Being and busy mum, and heavily pregnant with no. 2, have you found work in this industry especially challenging?

Yes, for pregnancy number two, as I’ve battled with morning sickness the whole time!

However, I’m exceptionally lucky to be backed by an amazing company and business partners who provide me with enormous amount of support being a full time working mummy.

What would be your top tips for sellers or getting your house ready for the market?

Presentation is exceptionally important.

A lot of the real estate I sell is to families or young couples looking to start a family.

The presentation plays a big role in showing the buyer how they can live in the home. It’s important to give them the ‘warm and fuzzy’ feeling once they walk through the front door.

Real estate is a highly competitive industry to work in. How have you found it whilst managing a family?

With almost 20 years in the industry, I have built up a strong referral base, which means my ‘down’ time can be spent with my family.

How do you like to spend your spare time?

Any spare time is spent with family these days, which is precious to me with a young child. I love shopping with my little girl and spending time with my family and our dog exploring our local parklands.

What’s your favourite park, café or local hang out to visit?

Chelsworth Park in Ivanhoe East is a favourite for my family and I. We are also spoilt for choice with so many amazing cafes on our doorstep in Ivanhoe East Village.

Any advice to families wanting to buy/sell in North/East side in the near future?

If you find a home that ticks most of the boxes – snap it up!! Don’t wait for the perfect home. You can create your dream home.

You can find Liz at the Nelson Alexander Ivanhoe office or call her on 0412 659 140.

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nothing happens Meet Lee Watson. As a wife to Australian cricketer Shane Watson, proud mother of two to William (age four) and Matilda (age two) and owner of Let’s Activate, Lee know that plenty happens outside and she is here to make sure kids all across Australia know too. Lee is very family focused and has a real passion for encouraging kids to get outside and get active.

When Will was just a toddler Lee just couldn’t find the perfect activity to keep him active for 60mins. So Lee and Shane, along with the original Yellow Wiggle Greg Page, started Let’s Activate, a sports program that fuses music with movement to get children excited about sport whilst developing their confidence and coordination. Three years in the making, Let’s Activate uses age appropriate programs for kids ranging from 20 months to 6 years of age. The programs lay the foundation for many sports, using specially written songs to teach the basic shapes for sports such as cricket, soccer, netball, league and basketball.

They connected with Greg, who has four kids of his own, through LinkedIn, knowing he had the music and passion to complement their sports background and Let’s Activate began.

But it wasn’t just the parents taking notice of this clever new program. Brands were seeing the benefits in their program too. Golden Circle, with a rich 70-year history, has been a part of Australian families for generations. With family at its core, the brand wanted to give parents a positive tool to encourage more family time and highlight the benefits of real moments together and physical activity.

Golden Circle approached Lee, not long after she launched Let’s Activate, because they wanted to create a book for kids with a strong message on health and fitness. Lee immediately saw a great synergy between the two companies and knew straight away it was something she wanted to be a part of,

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believing beautiful family memories are made outside in the sunshine. That’s where kids really learn and parents will always find time in the day to sit and read a book with their children.

These moments go on to be forever cherished memories.

No matter where in the world she and Shane are, they have one constant, and that’s their bedtime routine with the kids. Reading is always a part of that and Lee believes books are an incredibly important part of children’s lives, particularly with a beautiful book like this that promotes such an awesome message of being outside and the life lessons learned.

It can be tough juggling work and other commitments as a busy parent, and it becomes more and more tempting to put a device in front of a child. With the number of devices in households increasing, Lee knew a book encouraging meaningful time spent outdoors was perfect. Getting away from the iPad is such an issue at the moment and hopefully with this beautiful message the lessons and benefits of being outdoors will be learnt by many children and their parents as well.

Lee’s new book Nothing Happens Outside follows the story of Charlie, Tilly and their new neighbour Max, who begrudgingly step outside, after dropping their device in the loo, and embark on a captivating and thrilling adventure in the Australian outdoors. The book works as a reminder to unplug from devices, reconnect with loved ones and appreciate the infinite possibilities of fun in the outdoors where adventure and special moments together can be enjoyed. New guidelines, that have been released by the government surrounding children and screen time, suggest up to 3hrs a day should be spent doing physical activity including simple things like playing outside or hide and seek and the book provides a timely reminder of the importance and fun of this.

ouTSIDE Lee’s tips for keeping kids of tech and outside having fun? Keep your phones hidden from the kids to keep your work life separate and to avoid them picking up when they are around.

Whilst inside with TV it can be all arguments, but outside playing there is always smiles on faces. Let’s Activate has finally brought a great work-life balance to Lee’s life. She wakes up early to check emails and tries to work while the kids are at preschool. Let’s Activate has 5 instructors helping run the program and she is incredibly passionate about what they are doing.

Out now, Nothing Happens Outside can be redeemed after purchasing three Golden Circle juice or drinks from your local supermarket.

“The messaging behind Nothing Happens Outside is remarkable and I truly believe it will motivate Aussie kids to keep active and connect with family and friends off screen” - Lee Watson.

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tIme to be dry When your child wets the bed on a regular basis it can become problematic for parents and children alike.

Bedwetting, also known as nocturnal enuresis, is a very common childhood condition. One in ten children aged six to eight still wet the bed.

This will often impact a child’s self-esteem and can influence their social participation. A child’s risk of developing enuresis is 3.5 times higher for children of mothers who had the condition, and 10 times higher in children of fathers who had the condition. It is a condition more common in boys.

Parents are often frustrated by their child’s bedwetting, and are often left wondering what to do and when to act. The last thing a parent needs is to lose sleep and wake up feeling exhausted after having to deal with wetting during the night. Having this issue can result in conflict, and in children feeling embarrassed and ashamed, particularly as they get older. It can influence a child’s ability to participate in normal childhood activities such as sleepovers and camps. The bedwetting is not the child’s fault and punitive measures shouldn’t be used in the management of bedwetting.

The following strategies can be tried prior to seeking professional treatment:

How to talk to your child about bedwetting: • Talk to your child openly about bedwetting.

Explain that the problem is not their fault, but rather their body is having difficulty sending a signal from the bladder to the brain to let your child know that they need to go to the toilet during the night.

• Explain to your child the role of genetics in bedwetting. If parents or other family members were bedwetters explain this to your child so they understand that it ‘runs in families’. Also, if a parent had this 22

condition, have that parent talk about his/ her experience.

• Explain to your child that it is very likely that in their class there will be at least one other child that wets the bed so that your child does not feel that they are alone.

Other strategies: • Encourage adequate fluid intake throughout the day (1 – 1.4 L for four to eight year old’s).

Plain milk can also contribute towards daily fluid intake.

• Avoid fizzy or caffeine based drinks in the evening.

• Encourage children to use the toilet regularly throughout the day.

• Use bed protection and commence a trial without nappies or pull ups. Consider trying one week without a nappy every couple of months.

• Reward and reinforce behaviors that children have control over that support long-term dryness (i.e., adequate water intake, regular toileting etc.)

• Discuss and remedy any barriers to using the toilet during the night (i.e. keep night lights on, encourage your child to call out to you if they need support with getting up to use the toilet during the night).

What doesn’t help • Punishing or chastising your child for bedwetting, something which they cannot control.

• Waking or lifting children may be a practical short term solution, but does not promote long term dryness.

• It’s important not to restrict fluid intake at bedtime If these strategies do not help, discuss your child’s bedwetting with a General Practitioner or Paediatrician. In rare cases children’s bedwetting may be associated with a medical condition. Your GP or paediatrician will usually

start by conducting an assessment to exclude medical issues underlying the bedwetting.

Medication can be prescribed but bedwetting alarms are regarded as the first line response, as medication is not considered a long-term solution.

You may seek treatment through a practitioner.

Your practitioner will supply a professional level alarm, and provide you and your child the help and support needed to achieve dryness.

This approach can be considered an evidencebased treatment.

The first-line response to bedwetting, when other medical issues have been ruled out, is use of a bedwetting alarm. Bedwetting alarms are safe, effective and not associated with negative side effects.

You may wish to consider seeking treatment:

Bedwetting alarms are generally the most effective way to treat bedwetting. The Royal Children’s Hospital reports “..that alarms will help more than 80% of children become dry, and most will stay dry” (Royal Children’s Hospital website).

There are various over-the-counter alarms available for purchase at pharmacies and online. The alarm you choose needs to be reliable and robust enough to last the duration of treatment (usually a minimum of 6 weeks).

• When your child is around 6 years of age.

They will likely have the maturity and understanding to be able to participate meaningfully in treatment.

• When your child is motivated to get dry (often due to upcoming sleep overs or camps).

• If you feel your child’s self-esteem is impacted.

• If bedwetting is worrying you or your child.

• If the family is impacted negatively by managing the bedwetting.

By Maria Dhroso, Psychologist (Educational & Developmental), Dry Time Kids Bedwetting Clinic info@drytimekids.com.au

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mama can Cook!

Mild Indian vegetable fritters with mint yoghurt Fritters: ½ small onion, roughly chopped 1 ½ garlic cloves, crushed 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger 1 green chilli, seeded and chopped small handful of coriander leaves 1 egg, separated 180g besan (chickpea flour) 1 teaspoon ground cumin 2 teaspoons ground coriander 1 teaspoon sea salt 2 tablespoons Greek yoghurt 225 g frozen peas, defrosted 60 g baby English spinach leaves 2–3 tablespoons vegetable oil Mint yoghurt sauce: 140g Greek yoghurt 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint ½ garlic clove, crushed Simple carrot salad: 3 medium carrots, peeled and grated 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon chopped coriander pinch of sea salt

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Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced and line a baking tray with baking paper. Put the onion, garlic, ginger, green chilli (if using), coriander and 1tbs of water in a small blender and blend to a smooth purée.

Whisk the egg white until firm peaks form. Put the besan in a large bowl and add the cumin, ground coriander and salt. Add the blended spice paste and the yoghurt. Then add 125ml of water and the egg yolk and combine to a smooth batter. Stir in the peas and spinach then fold in egg white.

Heat 2tbs of the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium–high heat. Drop heaped tablespoonfuls of the batter into the pan (you can make eight large fritters or 16 small), then flatten slightly so they are about 10 cm in diameter for large or 5–6 cm for small, and cook for 3 minutes on each side until golden. Drain the fritters on paper towel, transfer them to the baking tray and finish cooking in the oven for 5 minutes. Use the remaining batter to cook more fritters, adding extra oil to the pan as necessary.

While the fritters are cooking, make a minted yoghurt sauce by combining all the ingredients in a bowl. Combine the carrot salad ingredients in another bowl. Serve the fritters accompanied by the yoghurt sauce and the carrot salad.

The syrup isn’t vital, but it does make for a wonderful addition.

You could also drizzle the fritters with maple syrup. The kids can help make the batter but an adult will need to do the frying.

Sweet ricotta fritters with orange-honey syrup Ingredients: 250g firm ricotta 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1–2 tablespoons milk 2 tablespoons caster sugar, plus 1 tablespoon extra to serve Finely grated zest of 1 orange 100 g plain flour 2 teaspoons baking powder mild-tasting vegetable oil for shallow-frying Orange-honey syrup (optional): 55g caster sugar 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice (ensure you grate the zest for the fritters before juicing) 1 tablespoon honey

First, make the orange-honey syrup. Put the sugar, 60ml of water and the orange juice in a small saucepan and bring slowly to the boil to dissolve the sugar. Add the honey and simmer for 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and leave to cool.

Preheat oven (170°C/160°C fan-forced) to keep the fritters warm once cooked. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, 1tbs of milk, caster sugar and orange zest. If your ricotta is really dry you may need to add the extra tablespoon of milk. Sift flour and baking powder into the ricotta and gently combine.

Fill a medium saucepan with oil to a depth of 3–4 cm, then warm the oil over a medium heat. Drop half a teaspoon of batter into the oil, if it bubbles and rises to the surface the oil is hot enough. Carefully drop dessert-spoonfuls of mixture into the hot oil (this is easiest done using two spoons).

Fry for about 2 minutes, until golden, turning once during cooking. Keep an eye on the oil temperature as you cook each batch. Remove the fritters from the pan with a slotted spoon, transfer them to paper towel and keep them warm in the oven while cooking the remaining fritters.

To serve, sprinkle the fritters with caster sugar and drizzle over the orange-honey syrup (if using).

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Teriyaki salmon with udon noodles Salmon ingredients: 60ml soy sauce 2 tablespoons mirin 2 teaspoons caster (superfine) sugar 1 tablespoon honey 600–800g skinless salmon fillet Stir-fried vegetables and noodles: 1 bunch baby bok choy 270g dried udon noodles 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 garlic clove, crushed 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger 150 g snow peas, ends trimmed, thinly sliced lengthways small handful of coriander leaves (optional)

Combine the soy sauce, mirin, sugar and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 2 minutes. Pour the mixture into a shallow dish and leave to cool for 10 minutes.

Cut the salmon into four portions and remove any bones. Place fish in the cooled marinade and turn to coat. Set aside for 10–15 minutes.

Line a baking tray with foil and place a grill shelf about 10 cm away from the heat.

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil for the noodles. Next, trim the ends of the bok choy, then shred the stalks and leaves, keeping the stalks and leaves separate.

Boiling noodles for 10 minutes, or according to the packet instructions. Drain well and rinse under hot water to prevent sticking. Return the noodles to the saucepan, add the sesame oil and toss to coat.

While the noodles are cooking, heat the grill to high. Remove the salmon from the marinade (reserving the marinade) and place it on the lined tray. Grill for 3–4 minutes on each side, or until just cooked through. The exact cooking time will depend on the thickness of your fish.

Pour the reserved marinade back into the small saucepan and warm it through over a very low heat.

Once you turn the fish, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 30 secs, or until fragrant. Increase the heat to high, add the bok choy stalks and 1 tablespoon of water and stir-fry for 1 minute.

Add snow peas and bok choy leaves and stir-fry for 2 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Divide the noodles between bowls and top with the stir-fried vegetables and a piece of salmon.

Spoon over the hot marinade and scatter over coriander leaves.

Variations:

This is an edited extract from Dinner Like a Boss by Katy Holder published by Hardie Grant Books RRP $29.99 and is available in stores nationally.

You can swap around the vegetables to suit your family. Green beans, red capsicum (bell pepper) and mushrooms all work well too.

Carrots can be used, but slice them thinly and add 1–2 tablespoons of water to the pan to help them cook – they will take 3–4 minutes.

Photographer: © Benito Martin 27

At lunch Jules Jules Sebastian is the epitome of the super-mum, balancing career (she works as a stylist and as a television presenter), motherhood (she has two kids Hudson (5) and Archer (3) with her husband, musician Guy Sebastian) and engaging in philanthropic work through her and Guy’s charity, The Sebastian Foundation.

Jules’ son Hudson started school last year, so she spent the good part of 2017 learning the ins and outs of conquering the lunchbox game. Jules understands the morning school rush and the struggle a lot of parents experience when it comes to packing their kids’ lunchbox and getting them to eat and drink the right things. “The morning rush before school can make it so difficult to throw together a healthy, nutritious packed lunchbox. Having convenient, better-for-you options for Hudson is so important,” she explains. We chat with Jules about how she tackles food in the Sebastian house.

What are your top three tips on getting Hudson coming home with an empty lunchbox – every time.

1. Trial and Test: Something I learnt quickly is that throwing in or even sneaking a new food or flavour into Hudson’s lunchbox doesn’t always go down with smiles.

So I always trial our foods at home first to see if he will eat it there. I find that when I eat something new with him, and am excited by it myself, he generally jumps on board and is more confident to try it himself.

2. Reward System: I also try to give an incentive whenever Hudson eats something he wouldn’t usually. A star chart or reward of some sort usually works! Siblings can also be competitive so you can make it into a bit of a game!

3. Encourage, Praise, Repeat: Go over the top with adoration and encouragement when they try something new or come home with an empty lunchbox. It’s a big deal when they try something that isn’t familiar, and kids love to be praised!

What are your best distraction or swap methods when it comes to eating junk food?

I have discovered some sugarless lollies that taste exactly the same as lollies with sugar and my kids think they are awesome! If I know there is a birthday party or somewhere I know there will be junk food served and is unavoidable, I try and have a really healthy week of eating leading into the event so I don’t feel so anxious on the day.

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with Sebastian Is there any food that is off limits in your household?

I don’t really have too much sugar in our house, if any at all! If it is there, I will eat it, so it’s better if it isn’t an option!

What are the most important factors when choosing food and drink for the boys?

Taste is defiantly a factor when choosing food and drink. If it’s not delicious, then it’s hard to get them to have it. I look for no added sugars and preservatives and the fresher the better so lots of fruit and veg.

Do you or the boys have any dietary requirements or food groups that you choose to avoid?

Fortunately we don’t have any of that for the boys! We just try our best to make healthy choices!

What are 3 mummy-hacks on how to tackle your kids’ sugar cravings?

1. Distraction works for my 3 year old! Doing something physically active provides them with that endorphins kick and keeps their minds and bodies buzzing and away from the sugar!

2. Education is key. I try to explain why too much sugar isn’t good for them (it makes you tired, your teeth aren’t strong, gives you a sore tummy).

3. Swap it! I find giving them other alternatives works. Especially if they’re not after something really specific, but just something sweet. My go to is the Troperiffic or Wildberry popper flavours from the H2coco Lunchbox Range, as they’ve been formulated with kids in mind, combining 100% pure natural coconut water with real fruit juices – it tastes like a treat, but is actually good for them!

Jules is an ambassador for the H2coco Lunchbox range, available now in Woolworths and Coles nationwide www.h2coconut.com

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lovely locals 1.

TEMPLESTOWE VILLAGE 1. Mélissa Café & Restaurant – For a sweet treat with the kids With a friendly, family-run atmosphere, this coffee and cake shop offers an authentic Greek experience. You and the kids can enjoy a syrupy, nutty ‘baclava’ or a creamy, custardy ‘galaktobouriko’ - their taste and quality is as authentic as any found in downtown Athens. www.melissacakes.com.au 63-65 Parker Street 2. Jetts – For the mama wanting to get fit Finding time for yourself, let alone getting a chance to work out is every mama’s struggle. Jetts has the perfect solution for you: 24/7 access to their gyms. Also, when life gets in the way as it tends to, you don’t have to feel guilty about not going for a short (or long!) period, since there are no lock-in contracts. With kids, we need that kind of flexibility. Now, do we drag ourselves there at the crack of dawn before the kids wake up, or wait until they’re tucked in at night when all we want to do is watch Netflix and eat chocolate? www.jetts.com.au Shop 4, 114-116 James Street

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3.

3. Gourmet Living – For the foodies This stunning fine food store, with an exciting range of Australian produce and artisan European brands, offers a selection of beautiful gourmet hampers and corporate gift boxes. You could even book in for a gourmet indulgence evening with your friends for a fun-filled night out! Check out their website for cooking class times, as well as their delicious and simple chef-created recipes. www.gourmetliving.com.au 17a Anderson Street 4. The Girls on Anderson – For the well-dressed mama

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The lovely owners of The Girls pride themselves on providing a beautiful environment and excellent customer service. They ensure that their stylish and elegant selection of clothing and accessories caters to every woman’s lifestyle, from workwear to special occasion clothing. You’ll also find stunning décor items such as cushions, candles, hand towels and French toiletries. www.facebook.com/thegirlsonanderson 120 James Street 5. Vibrante – For a family meal out Vibrante is a casual, family-friendly restaurant that uses fresh and local ingredients, specialising in modern Italian cuisine. Their menu has gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian options, with a mouth-watering selection of gourmet pizzas made with spelt flour, plus pastas and risottos.

Their scrumptious main dishes include steak, a seafood platter, and chicken Parma. Save room for one of their many indulgent desserts (after a meal with the kids, you deserve it…or a vino!). www.vibranterestaurant.com.au 133 James Street 30

5.

CamberwellShopping.com.au

We’ve got it all in Camberwell

As one of Melbourne’s premier retail and entertainment destinations, Camberwell offers a classic street shopping experience.

Find your favourite brands and go-to services in bustling Burke Rd and the junction, wander the laneways to discover independent boutiques, or relax over coffee at a family-run cafe or world-class restaurant.

From mainstreet fashion brands to boutique style labels, you’ll find everything from streetwear to special occasion dressing in Camberwell shopping precinct.

Each new season the latest looks are collated from the fashion and beauty retailers and shown on our fashion website StyleJunction.com.au. It makes it easy to see what’s available in the stores, and you could win a shopping spree.

To find out more about the Camberwell shopping precinct visit CamberwellShopping.com.au.

Our website offers the latest news from our retailers and their current special deals or offers. You can also find out what’s happening locally, including our many family-friendly events as well as our monthly competitions.

Subscribe to receive a monthly e-newsletter to keep you up to date.

FIND YOURSELF AT BURKE RD AND THE JUNCTION With over 400 stores, we’ve got it all!

@CamberwellShops

CamberwellShopping.com.au

we love a mother It’s every mama’s dream: to take some time off the monotonous (and thankless!) task of preparing school lunches. Imagine being able to order nutritious, additive-free, refined sugar-free, and most importantly, kid-approved lunches? Imagine no more, because we’re thrilled to introduce you to Eastside mama, Skye Abraham, the founder of Packed.

Skye has her sights set delivering freshly made lunches directly to registered schools.

If you think that’s the most exciting news in the world of busy family life, wait until you read about the healthy party catering service she already has going!

Can you please tell us a little bit about your kids and where you live?

I have three boys – identical twins Benji and Elijah (8) and Remy (6). We live in Malvern.

What were you doing before you had kids? What led you to create Packed?

I was working in strategy and planning at the Australian Red Cross Blood Service before I had children and continued in that role for seven years before I started Packed.

I think there is a real gap in the market for good quality healthy, fresh, convenient kids’ food.

Parents are increasingly aware of the impact of sugar and additives in processed packaged foods on their children’s health and behaviour, but that doesn’t mean we always have the time to make food from scratch. Packed is designed to give parents a healthy little break from food preparation, without compromising on quality and nutrition. We currently deliver healthy children’s party catering, but our goal is to move into schools as a tuckshop alternative.

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thought, why not focus on the thing I am most passionate about?!

Can you tell us about the services that Packed provides?

Packed started out as a lunchbox delivery service idea. I’m still keen to develop this, but healthy parties have really taken off and are easier for me to manage at this stage of the business. I’m still working out how to make the lunch model financially viable – it needs to be through a strong relationship with a single school, but I haven’t found the right opportunity yet. In the meantime, I’m loving the creativity that comes with party catering!

What is the best thing that motherhood has taught you?

It’s really taught me to prioritise. Whether that means on a day-to-day basis juggling multiple needs and priorities, or on a more macro level looking at how I spend my time and energy, motherhood is all about prioritisation. The other big one has been learning to ask for and accept help. Just say yes.

Have you always been passionate about cooking and nutrition?

Do you have any advice for mums thinking about starting a business?

Yes! I’ve always loved good food and as a teenager became really interested in health and nutrition and considered becoming a naturopath. I always considered it more of a passion than a vocation, but last year I

I find most mums start their business for a combination of two reasons – it’s something they’re passionate about, and they’re looking for better flexibility in hours so they can be there for their children. My advice is to make

sure it’s financially viable as well. Otherwise it’s a hobby or a side-hustle, not a business.

And that’s fine, but you need to be clear about your financial goals from the outset. My other advice is that sometimes near enough is good enough – if you always wait for each piece of the business to be perfect, you will never launch anything. You can finesse and perfect as you go, but you must start somewhere.

How do you juggle motherhood and running a business?

I’ve chosen a business that is mostly confined to school hours, so that is a good start. The party catering on the weekend I need family support to achieve, but I have the benefit of being able to say yes or no to jobs depending on our availability.

I try to make the most of pockets of dead time. I take my laptop with me to appointments or activities for the kids where I’m left in a waiting room. I don’t connect Wi-Fi, so it’s a solid hour of blogging or menu planning time guaranteed.

I’m also learning to let go of the need for things to happen ‘RIGHT NOW!’. I have three young kids – they are my priority and as much as it goes against my personality, my business will be coming around the mountain when she comes.

Can you share with us your funniest parenting story?

I kind of feel bad that this one doesn’t even involve me (maybe that’s why I find it funny?).

My mum was kind enough to look after our twins when they were 2.5 while my husband and I went to New York with baby Remy for my 30th. We were out at a fancy restaurant overlooking Central Park when my mum messaged to say that she thought she would just check in on the twins during their day nap only to find that they were not asleep at all. They had helped themselves to the industrial sized Sudocrem under the change table and had painted each other and the carpet. It’s a water-proof barrier cream… I can only imagine how hard that was to clean up!

Love you mum!

Find Skye at www.packed.com.au 33 33

Choosing a school Finding the right school for your child is one of the hardest tasks and decisions you will face. There is a variety of schooling options as well as unique terminology that can become overwhelming when searching for the best educational setting for your child. So here are some hints and tips to help you get started.

As a family make some key decisions to avoid having to tour all schools in the area.

• Decide whether you want a public, private or catholic education.

• Discuss what your family values are, these are the things you like to do together and your family beliefs.

• Look at how your child will be getting to school; will they be driven, taking public transport or walking/cycling to school?

From here, look at the schools in your area that meet your initial criteria.

Once these tasks are done, take a deep breath and give yourself a pat on the back.

Congratulations, you have created your shortlist!

Ready for the next step? Now you can start to compare what each school offers. It’s time to get your Google on! Start searching each school and keep an eye out for any information that links to the criteria you initially identified.

Compile a list of what each school offers you can use a simple table or a list like the one below.

School A Criteria Criteria 1: Criteria 2: 3: School B

Criteria Criteria 1: 2 Cr34 iter ia :

While exploring your chosen school’s website, it is also a good idea to gather information on the following: • Facilities: art, music and drama rooms, ovals, computer labs and other devices utilised within the classroom, library and flexible learning spaces which encourage students to work collaboratively with their peers.

• Learning programs: these will include, literacy (reading, writing, speaking and listening), mathematics, inquiry, play based options within the primary school setting and outdoor education.

• Extra-curricular opportunities: sports, music ensembles, choir, theatre productions, camps, pastoral care, debating and overseas/interstate exchange.

• Specialist subjects: art, music, language, performing arts and PE just to name a few.

• Intervention and extension programs.

Whilst gathering information, ensure that you jot down any questions for further clarification which could be asked during a tour. Online, you should be able to find tour dates and times.

Some schools will need you to book a tour, whilst others are happy for you to rock up. So get your diary out and lock in some dates!

A wonderful resource which you can access for free is myschool.gov.au. This site enables you to look at statistics and results from all schools within your local area. These are generated from NAPLAN assessments. Don’t panic if you discover that a preferred school has achieved results below the national average in a particular area. Utilise this information to ask questions. For example, if a school has achieved below average resulting in numeracy during your tour ask what numeracy initiatives/ programs have been introduced to improve results? Other information includes a short blub supplied by the school, how many students are enrolled and staffing numbers.

Now you’re prepped and ready to tour. What is a tour like? Well, it’s pretty much the best bits of a school. Some schools will have the principal/ deputy principal tour you and some will assign children to act as your guides or a registrar (enrolment officer). This is a great time to get to know the school’s history, see the learning environments in action, meet and greet staff and ask all those well researched questions!

The tour process can go very quickly and you may feel bombarded with information. Make sure that you have your notes section ready on your phone to jot down any key pieces of information which you can reflect upon later.

Don’t be afraid to call the school and ask further questions if you get home and realise you have forgotten to cover any of your criteria.

So, you have reviewed bullying policies, gathered canteen lists (because you know that school lunches will become a chore by the second week!) and collected information relating to the before and after school program. It is now time to sit down, review all the information gathered and decide which school is the one!

Finally, remember to enjoy this exciting time. It’s an amazing achievement as parents to get your child to school age happy and willing to take on the next phase of their learning journey. Ensure you take the opportunity to participate within the school community, get to know other parents of children in your child’s class.

It’s important for you to have some new friends too, as it is always nice to partner up with someone when having to create costumes for productions, volunteer on fete stalls and display art for the art show!

Written by Claire Smith and Stephanie Murphy School Finder Consulting www.schoolfinderconsulting.com.au

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ENJOYING MATHS As primary school teachers, parents often ask us how to help their child with maths at home.

The good news is, you don’t need to know all the answers or cover off all the curriculum. The biggest gift you can give your child, is to model a healthy attitude to maths- be a problem solver, be curious. These simple ideas will make a big difference: Watch your language! It’s quite common to hear adults proclaiming ‘I’m just not a maths person’ or ‘I was never any good at maths’.

Research now tells us that everyone CAN be a maths person, given the right opportunities. If you can foster the idea that it’s possible to grow your maths brain, you will be doing your child a big service.

Praise effort, rather than intelligence.

Research on ‘growth mindset’ shows that intelligence is not fixed, but malleable. When giving your child feedback, try “you must’ve worked hard to figure that out” rather than “you’re so clever.” If children believe that intelligence can be ‘grown’ they are more likely to engage in activities involving effort and be more willing to make mistakes in the learning process (which lead to new discoveries).

Never answer a maths question for your kids.

‘The correct answer to “Mum what’s 5 + 8” is not “13”, it’s “that’s a great question. Let’s try and work it out,”. Like having a child who plays piano, draws beautifully or can kick goals in footy, it’s all about working at it and enjoying putting in that work.

Ask your child what THEY think and take it from there! Be a good listener and hold back from jumping in too fast. It’s not all about speed and answering quickly. Although we do still acknowledge that key skills need to become automatic, maths is about thinking things through, exploring strategies and explaining how YOU would work it out.

Give your child some ‘wait time’, to allow him/her to think. This promotes a positive and calm space for your child to solve questions. It shows that we value persistence and problem solving qualities, not just speed.

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Notice the maths! It’s everywhere and it’s the reason it’s important. We use it everyday, so help your child see that. Money, cooking, counting, calculating; tune into it with your child and solve everyday problems together.

Talk to their teacher. Teachers are there to help. If homework is becoming stressful or negative, please work together to find a solution. Homework is not meant to create negative attitudes to maths.

A key skill for students in Years 3-6 is times tables. We hear horror stories from adults who are transported back in time when they recall the fear instilled, as the times tables were drummed in. Equally, parents also lament ‘at least we knew the times tables back then and students today do not.’

How would you work out 13 x 6? When posing this question, we are looking for some good strategies. Perhaps you know 12 x 6 = 72, so then you’d add an extra 6, making 78? Or you’d do 10 x 6 and add 3 x 6 to it, giving 78.

• When helping your child with multiplication facts, begin by putting the focus on understanding. Ask ‘how did you know that?” or “If you forgot the answer, how could you work it out quickly?”

• Avoid jumping straight into memorising answers, without the backing of understanding.

• Speed will build up as you go.

• As your child gains confidence, start working on speed. Select a set of facts (times tables) to learn at a time.

• Praise effort, persistence and mathematical thinking.

Every little bit helps. It’s going to be hard to get back on track if your child ‘shuts down’ after a negative experience. Be patient, keep it positive and over time the results will follow!

Justine Shelley and Natalie Bierman are primary school teachers and have co-created an online resource for multiplication facts and run a maths tutoring service. www.mfacts121.com

Preshil Arlington Kindergarten and Primary School Open Day Thursday, 8th March from 9:15am 395 Barkers Road, Kew Join us to discover: • Our rich specialist programs of Philosophy, French, Art and Music • The beautiful, natural surrounds, including our animals, gardens and workshops • The harmonious and productive relationships between teachers and students • Preshil’s culture of creativity, curiosity and challenge

To learn more call 9817 6135 or visit www.preshil.vic.edu.au/enquiry

At School Finder Consulting we support you in finding the right school for your family.

As experienced educators, we have the knowledge to help you gather all the information necessary to make a confident decision.

Find us at: www.schoolfinderconsulting.com.au Phone 0423 271 827 info@schoolfinderconsulting.com.au @schoolfinderconsultingau

• Mazes • Tube Slides • Gardens • Big Zip • Tree Surfing

Children’s Parties

Let nature be your party venue with hours of fresh air fun!

Land based or Tree Surfing adventure parties avaliable.

www.enchantedadventure.com.au Get more from mama - www.mamamag.com.au | Get social with mama - @localmamamag

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We’re here to help Call 1800 819 140 www.noahsarkinc.org.au

At Sleep Sisters we provide personalised in home help.

Respite/night nanny for babies under 4 months.

Routines & sleep settling techniques for 4 months - 4 years.

We believe in a gentle approach, to suit the needs of your family. Our aim is to educate, empower and encourage you to help your baby develop great sleeping habits.

Sleep Sisters Melbourne Email help@sleepsisters.com.au for information pack and price list, or call 0434 019 895 to make a booking.

TRAIN AND HOBBY SHOW incorporating:

The F1 Air Race, Model & Hobby Displays plus MORE

Free Child Entry (3-15) with Swap Car when with an Adult.

Swap Cards available FREE at Model & Hobby Stores

Sandown Racecourse,591-659 Princes Hwy, Springvale. Enter via Princes Hwy Adults (16+ years) $15 Children (4-15 years) $5 Children 3 & Under Free.

Airplanes Cars Gliders Helicopters Layouts Lego Meccano Trains Trucks

On two levels & Outdoors. Still the largest Model Train Exhibition in Australia plus Radio Control & More

Victorian Labour Day long weekend

Saturday(10th March)10am-6pm, Sunday(11th March)10am-5pm & Monday(12th March)10am-4pm

www.trainandhobbyshow.com.au or www.facebook.com/trainandhobby

Sign up for our monthly ‘MamaMail’ and be the first to know about amazing features and competitions! www.mamamag.com.au

be social!

CALVIN BOWMAN

THE MAGIC PUDDING THE OPERA

Happy 100th birthday, Pudding!

15-17 March Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse A perfect show for the whole family.

Suitable for ages 5+ book via victorianopera.com.au | 1300 182 183

@localmamamag

© Image H.C. & A. Glad, 1918, from The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay. Published by HarperCollins Publishers Australia. Supported by Victorian Opera’s Education Syndicate

Get more from mama - www.mamamag.com.au | Get social with mama - @localmamamag

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lunchbox legend As a mother of 3 boys Julie Goodman has made her fair share of school lunches! So when we asked her for her best tips for making time-saving lunches for kids, she had just one word, “freezing”.

“Do whatever you can for the whole week on the Sunday – use the time to bake and make sandwiches, then simply pop everything in the freezer,” she says. “That way on busy school mornings, you can just take whatever you need out of the freezer and pop in in the lunchbox.”

As one of Australia’s most celebrated and bestloved family cooks, Julie knows what it’s like to face lunchbox dilemmas.

“My sons are now 21, 20 and 18 and believe me there have been plenty of times I’ve run out ideas,” she laughs. “I know what it’s like to pack lunch boxes day in and day out, and how tricky it can be to come up with food to keep them interested that’s still healthy and no-fuss.

“I’d advise to mix up the choices. Ask the kids what they might like to eat or try eating. If you involve them, instead of just plonking something in front of them day in and out, they’ll probably be more interested in trying new things.”

Julie’s new Weet-Bix Lunchbox Snacks Cookbook is a great source of inspiration.

It features quick and easy treats made with crushed Weet-Bix, including apple crumble muffins, hommus dip, mini banana and strawberry loaf, spinach parcels, zucchini and corn slice, sultana pikelets and more.

“It was a lot of fun developing recipes with Weet-Bix,” Julie says. “It just adds a good bit of fibre and a really nice texture to dishes. Any chance you get to look outside the square and try to create more interesting food for kids is worthwhile.”

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Julie gives us her tips for freezing food ahead of time.

Lunch food: Sandwiches So, sandwiches which are easy to prepare ahead and freeze are always a bit of a lifesaver.

However, make sure that no filling such as a piece of rocket or ham is overhanging out of the sandwich. You want the bread to protect as much of the filling as possible. Wrap in plastic wrap and store. Good quality ham, rocket and aioli sandwiches freeze well. As does corned beef, mango chutney and Jarlsberg cheese.

Just pop them frozen into a lunchbox in the morning and they will thaw out by lunchtime.

Fritters and patties Allow the patties and fritters to cool down first.

Then arrange them in single layers between sheets of freezer paper. Store in an airtight container. They will separate easily. Patties are a great lunch option for kids because they’re tasty and you can include vegies like carrot, capsicum and peas in them.

Muffins, cakes and slices Wrap the slices, muffins and cake pieces individually in a double layer of plastic wrap, then once more in foil. Then store the slices together in a sealed plastic bag. Muffins – either savoury or sweet – are a good carb burst and a really tasty addition. I include a great recipe for Apple Crumble Muffins in my Weet-Bix eCookbook.

Other stuff: Packaged meat Always remove meat from its supermarket packaging as it’s designed to allow oxygen in to keep the colour of the meat bright. This can lead to freezer burn. Instead wrap individual portions in double layers of plastic wrap. With mince, place in sealed plastic bag and flatten to expel excess air.

Liquid based dishes Store in airtight containers and leave a gap of about 3cm at the top so the liquid can expand as it freezes.

Casseroles For dishes such as pasta bakes and meat casseroles cook in an overproof dish, cover with a double layer of plastic wrap, then a sheet of foil and freeze.

Don’t ever freeze these things: Vegies with a high water content Vegetables such as carrots, celery, cucumber, lettuce and tomato should not be frozen individually as the water inside them will expand during freezing turning them to mush upon thawing.

Jam Forget the jam sandwiches – jam turns watery and runny when thawed and frozen, due to the sugar breaking down during freezing.

Certain dairy products Cream, milk and yoghurt should never be frozen as it will curdle when thawed.

For a great freezer-friendly recipe, and tasty lunch time treat try my samosa patties from my eCookbook. You can also place them on a lightly oiled oven tray and lightly oil top of patties. Bake in a moderate hot oven, 190°C, for 30 minutes turning half way through cooking time.

By former MasterChef winner Julie Goodman.

Julie recently teamed up with Weet-Bix to devise a unique eCookbook of lunch box snacks – Julie Goodwin’s Weet-Bix Lunchbox Snacks Cookbook is free to download from www.weetbix.com.au/lunchbox/ 41

Are you a Musical Family?

You don’t all have to play instruments or sing in harmony to be a musical family. Establishing simple musical rituals in your family can foster a life long love of music in your children. When your children are young is the ideal time to start.

What can you do to become a musical family?

1. Singing together Find opportunities to sing together; in the car, walking to the park, getting dressed, having a bath. Whether it be songs from your childhood, songs from music class or songs you’ve made up on the spot using familiar tunes (think Skip to my Lou, Here we go round the Mulberry Bush or even Waltzing Matilda!), make singing part of your everyday life.

2. Dancing together Whether it be spontaneously dancing around the kitchen together to tunes on the radio, establishing a nightly routine of having a boogie after dinner, or even a weekly ‘family disco’ with a play list built up of everyone’s favourites. Make dance a part of your lives.

Dancing (like singing and making music), builds up the body’s natural endorphins (which are the feel good hormones).

3. Lullabies at bedtime There is nothing better for a baby/child than hearing the soft, soothing tone of a loved one singing to him before bedtime. Establish this as part of your bedtime routine. Build up a repertoire of favourite lullabies or take any song, slow it right down, sing it softly and ‘hey presto’ it becomes a lullaby.

4. Jamming as a family Build up that family music basket with a mix of home made and shop bought instruments e.g. drums, shakers, rhythm sticks, kazoos.

You might also like to bring out a collection of ‘kitchen instruments’ to clang, tap, shake and scrape from the kitchen. Play along to your favourite backing track or sing as you play.

5. Being a musical role model Have you heard the phrase, if you want a child to be a reader then read yourself? The same can be said about music. You don’t have to be the greatest musician in the world, simply by having a go you will stimulate your child’s interest. If you’ve never played an instrument, it’s never too late to learn. There are plenty of simple tutorials online these days. Alternatively grab a couple of spoons from the kitchen drawer and see what cool sounds you can create.

6. Building up a play list of favourites If you are passionate about music, your children are more likely to be too. Expose them to music you enjoyed as you grew up and music that you’ve collected along the way. Seek out new and interesting music as well as old classics. Expose children to a variety of genres e.g. folk, world, jazz, classical, pop, country, rock, blues, swing…… but most importantly the music you love as they will sense that passion.

From this you can gradually build up your own family play lists for listening to, dancing to, jamming to etc.

7. Attending live music gigs Making music together at home and dancing and jamming along to recorded music can unquestionably set off a lifelong love of music.

Seeing music live can enhance this enormously.

Look out for family friendly gigs and festivals this summer. There are plenty around.

8. Incorporating music into your daily lives As easily as children learn to walk and talk with their families, they can also learn to sing and make music with them too. By making it something you do naturally every day, you are establishing your identity as a ‘musical family’ and giving your children the best start to their life with music.

By Gillian Lee, The Rhythm Tree. Gillian runs family music classes at MC Square Doncaster www.therhythmtree.com.au

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WIN

1 of 2 Family Passes to Enchanted Adventure Garden Wor th

$100 each

!

Immerse yourself in a wonderland of mazes, artistic fun garden designs, tube slides and a canopy walk through the trees at Enchanted Adventure Garden, Arthurs Seat.

See www.mamamag.com.au for terms and conditions. Parent’s email will be added to our monthly MamaMail. You can opt out at any time.

Family Pass includes general admission for 2 x adults and 2 x children.

Post your entry by March 31 to: MamaMag, PO Box 8018, North Road LPO, Brighton East 3187.

Child’s name:

Age:

Parent’s name:

Mobile No:

Suburb:

Postcode:

Email:

43 43

PND, Infant Massage There are things I wish I had known before I had my first baby. Like how to hold a baby for example, that would’ve been useful; and that breastfeeding is really difficult, and that there will be some days when it feels like all you’ve achieved is getting out of bed and making it to the lounge to feed your new tiny human. But of everything I have learned since, knowing how to reconnect to my baby after those early days when postnatal depression (PND) left me in a fog of anxiety and loneliness, has probably been the most valuable to me.

I became pregnant fairly soon after returning from our honeymoon in 2010. That was great because I was 34 and wanted to get the factory into production asap. I got my wish and you’d think I would’ve been jumping for joy. I thought I would be too, but funnily enough I wasn’t. It is not that I was disappointed I was pregnant, that’s not it at all! To be honest I don’t even know why I wasn’t excited, even to this day.

All I can say is that from the moment that life changing second line appeared on the pregnancy pee-stick, a dark cloud descended overhead and stayed there. It was a cloud that slowly grew over time and was filled with fear, anxiety and sense of ‘I don’t think I can do this’.

The pregnancy shuffled along like everyone’s does. I had a few issues here and there but nothing too dreadful. The usual nausea in the early days, a pelvic instability until my wonderful osteopath sorted it out, but overall it wasn’t too bad. I managed to quell the rising fear while the baby was just ‘The Belly’. I did all the things I was expected to do; wash the baby clothes in soap flakes, prepare the room in gender neutral colours, smile and feel excited about having a little person to love and take care of. That last one was the really tricky bit. I was too anxious to feel excited but I did a pretty good job of pretending.

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The day of the birth arrived and 29 hours later we had a small, perfectly beautiful, little girl. After a few hiccups, like learning how to actually hold a baby and dealing with the epidural headache from hell that dominated my first two weeks of motherhood, we went home and started to get on with things. There was one small problem however; I didn’t have a damn clue about anything baby related.

Nothing. I didn’t know what to do when she cried all the time, I didn’t understand the supposed recommended routine of ‘feed-playsleep’. Breastfeeding? How can something that’s so natural be so bloody difficult? This became the bane of my life for the next 6 months. It felt like I was glued to couch some days as my tiny baby seemingly sucked the life out of me. At least that’s what it felt like. I was lost, bored and I was lonely. Motherhood felt like an isolated little island in the wild sea of my emotions.

After my first baby I tried to go back to teaching but my heart wasn’t in it. Following my second baby (no PND that time round thankfully) I decided to retrain. I wanted to help people so I became a remedial massage therapist. I specialised in sports, then pregnancy massage.

The natural next step was to do infant massage.

When I began my training in 2016 it was like a light switched on. All I could think was, “If only I had known about this, things with my first baby might not have seemed so hard, I would’ve had something to use to bring us together sooner.”

All I can say is that from the moment that life changing second line appeared on the pregnancy pee-stick, a dark cloud descended overhead and stayed there.

and Me Research was undertaken in 2002 by Vivette Glover, Katsuno Onozawa and Alison Hodgkinson at the Queen Charlotte and Chelsea Hospital to determine what effect infant massage would have on mothers suffering from postnatal depression. Their findings were very positive but they agreed more extensive research was needed to learn more on the subject. The primary outcome of their study was to determine if infant massage improved the mother-baby relationship with a second potential benefit being an improvement in the mothers’ depression. The results of the research found that:

I was lost, bored and I was lonely.

Motherhood felt like an isolated little island in the wild sea of my emotions.

“The benefit of the massage classes to the mothers and babies was very clear.

Although other studies have shown that both counselling and drug treatment can improve mothers’ depression, this is the first time that an improvement in mother-baby interaction has been established. It does seem likely that massage classes have a potentially very important, acceptable and safe role, in helping women who have problems interacting with their baby.”* Infant massage doesn’t cure PND but it gives suffers a practical tool to help them shine a little light in the darkness and begin to find their way back to where they want to be: with their baby.

By Allison Bayliss Box Hill mama and paediatric massage instructor. www.paediatricmassage.com.au

*Glover V, Onozawa K & Hodgkinson A. Benefits of Infant Massage for Mothers with Postnatal Depression. Semin Neonatal 2002; 7 495-500 https://www.researchgate.net/ publication/10875200_Benefits_of_infant_massage_for_mothers_ with _postnatal_depression

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Fear of CommIttee-ment Do you want to give something back to the community and be a positive role model for greater good to the kids, but dread the idea of tedious meetings and group think? You may suffer from FOC – fear of committee-ment.

What is it about the word ‘committee’ that sparks negative feelings? We’ve all heard the gags: camels are the result of a horse designed by committee, a group that keeps minutes but loses hours, and so on.

Community organisations come in all shapes and sizes, but commonly cover a series of activities aimed at improving the function or social wellbeing of individuals, groups and neighbourhoods. Examples are: • One-off fundraisers for a local family in crisis or a community building or environmental project; • Ongoing community-run initiatives, like kindergartens and sporting clubs; • Local clubs which together form major international community development movements like Rotary, Lions and Red Cross.

Committees of management for these ventures are necessary in order to ensure that tasks are assigned and completed, be transparent in how any funds are raised and spent, offer legal protections for the public and members, and to generally display good governance practices.

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Should I join?

Family life is hectic enough; and the thought of giving up some much-needed down time on a routine basis for a community group can be quite daunting. But what happens if we flip the argument – what benefits can being on a committee bring? Here’s a few: Confidence. Raising small children is wonderful, but love’s labour can also be monotonous. After a period of time away from the responsibilities and purpose of paid work many women experience feelings of isolation and lost confidence. Volunteering on a kindergarten committee has connected this author to dozens of local families and created the opportunity to establish networks for friendship, mutual support and return to work opportunities.

Collaboration. It’s satisfying to contribute (or add to) a skill and work alongside a diverse group of people from different industries and backgrounds. Volunteering on committees can provide a deeper understanding of how grassroots projects are built and ordinary people can be mobilised to achieve extraordinary things.

Community. We consume the results of community-run initiatives more than we realise.

Discussing with your children that you are donating your time to help a certain cause or activity provides them with an excellent model to build their own values and relationship with the outside world.

Many community-run organisations will still be seeking new members to replace outgoing 2017 ones. Why not ask around your local networks, or visit websites such as: www.govolunteer.com.au for ideas.

Here are some tips to get you started: If unsure start small. You don’t have to be part of the committee to contribute. All community groups need people to volunteer to do not only the “named” roles but also the other roles. Offer your time for a discrete project, like a stall or sausage sizzle. It’s not an ongoing commitment, and you get to meet some people and suss out the ethos of the group.

Do your homework. Find out the different roles on offer within the committee and discuss them (if possible) with current office bearers to establish a good fit for your skillset, goals and motivation.

Be realistic. Joining a community group and taking on a huge role is not going to help anyone if you cannot attend the meetings or be present at events. If you’re interested but the level of expected commitment is too great for you why not ask if you can share the role between you and your partner, or another volunteer?

People join committees for a myriad of reasons, at all stages of life. Volunteering a small portion of time often brings huge rewards personally in terms of social benefits, and for the community as a whole. If you’ve done it once you’ll probably do it again.

By Frances Hoy, Melbourne mama of 3 and long term committee member.

Volunteering is a great way to build connections and make a difference.

Assisting on committees keeps skills gained in corporate life current and provides a unique opportunity to utilise the sum of all of your life experiences to create change and help others. It increases self confidence and social networks. Our business has hired people I’ve met and worked with through volunteering ... you never know where donating your time may lead!

Jo Kwok (Rotary Club of Brighton, Sandringham Football Club, Hampton Primary School)

Well it started as simply as enjoying the company of adults and that sense of camaraderie when the children were young and I felt a bit house-bound, but over the years my husband Ian and I have followed our passion to provide access and outlets for young people to achieve either academically or physically. I hope we are showing our kids that giving back is rewarding in its own right, and what it means to be part of a community. We’ve gained friendships with people we may not otherwise have had the opportunity to interact with and are continuing to develop time management and people skills!

Sam Jensen-Muir (Hurlingham Preschool, East Brighton Vampires Football and Netball Club, Gardenvale Primary School, Brighton Union Cricket Club)

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