Northside MamaMag Jun/Jul 2017

NORTHSIDE

mamaMAG Jun/Jul 2017

WIN A SPRINGFREE TRAMPOLINE WITH tgoma AND DELIVERY valuedtoup$2173 MamaMag turns 3 Local party people Kid’s health Holiday heroes Winter glow

free Local fun for the Northside mum 1

Jimmy Giggle Lah Lah’s Big Live Band Frank Woodley Trolls - Paw Patrol

Captain Festus McBoyle’s Travellin’ Variety Show Melbourne City Ballet - Josh Earl The Adventures of Broer & Zus and many more...

www.fun4kids.com.au

THE ZOO CAN COME TO YOU! WHY NOT HAVE THE WILDEST PARTY IN TOWN FOR YOUR NEXT BIRTHDAY?

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It’s party time Happy 3rd birthday to us! Terrific 3s, our little mag has come out the other side of the terrible twos – ok, they weren’t so terrible at all. We’ve grown a little and also moved to bi-monthly this year, which has been great to revitalize, have extra time with our kids and family and even a little sneaky Mama time! I miss feeling busy and the adrenaline rush, but am learning to embrace this year of slowing down.

As I pen this, it’s the day after Mother’s Day, so I’m feeling very blessed after celebrating with the Mother’s Day Classic charity walk (check your boobies ladies – this one was all about breast cancer) amongst a sea of pink, and coming home to a cooked roast and a warm bath. Sadly no wine, but for good reason - we are finally adding a second little Chick to the family in August! So it’s probably a good thing that things have slowed down, eeekkk sleep deprivation!! Right now I am just enjoying a sudden resurgence back to pilates and remembering what the pelvic floor is and those butterfly belly kicks.

How amazing is the human body? Becoming a mum really gives you an appreciation on a whole new holistic level. It’s such a transformation, filled with uncertainly, excitement, fear, joy. We absolutely do rise by lifting others, there ain’t no hood like Motherhood!

In honour of bump life, and before things get more crazy, we’ve snuck away for some sneaky Melbourne getaways – including a city staycation. We explored the laneways, street art, tram rides and Docklands. Docklands is often tainted as having a bit of a concrete jungle feel.

However, we found it caters well for kids and families and offers an easy day’s entertainment. Check out the highlights in the ‘street review’.

Inside, we’ve got some great content to get you through your next kid’s party. They have become big business. My theme for this year is “low-key”, I don’t think I can throw another unicorn and rainbow extravaganza with a newborn! I’m sure Lotte won’t notice so much the missing details, as much as the love anyway. Until next edition, keep warm, have a wine for me and don’t forget to check your boobies!

@localmamamag

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WIN

Contents Basically it’s a party Birthday party basics

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Parklife 8 We visit Melbourne Zoo Parkville Get in the theme Party theme ideas

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Turn the page This month’s picks from Story Mama

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Party people Local birthday party ideas and venues

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We love a mother Kirsty Johnson from Love J Frames

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Lovely locals We explore Docklands

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Winter woofers Don’t forget your dog in Winter

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R54 Compact Round with tgoma and Delivery VALUED UP TO

$2173

Visit our Facebook page to enter

www.facebook.com/localmamamag Entries are open to Victorian residents only. Competition starts June 1st 12.01am and closes July 31st 2017 at 11.59pm. Entries and prizes are not transferrable or redeemable for cash. Visit www.mamamag.com.au for full terms and conditions.

Mama can cook Raw cakes from Dani Venn

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Creative learning Essential for children’s development

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www.springfree.com.au

Glow this Winter Winter skin care

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

Holiday heroes Kitchen fun for kids these holidays

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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

Party party fun times Who am I kidding?

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Top 5 styling tips For the perfect party

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A musical headstart in life Learning new skills

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The reluctant party guest A mother’s story

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Colour to WIN WIN a family pass to the Big Freeze Festival in July

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MamaMag June/July 2017

10,000 copies per issue in Melbourne’s North inc.

Moonee Valley, Darebin, Moreland, Yarra and Banyule.

Editor in Chief: Sarah Cavalier: sarah@mamamag.com.au Northside Editor: Kirsty Chick Northside Advertising: Georgie Davoren: georgie@mamamag.com.au National Key Account Manager: Justine Whatmore: justine@mamamag.com.au Like to contribute an article submission? submissions@mamamag.com.au For advertising enquiries: download our media kit from www.mamamag.com.au or email info@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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Basically it’s a Getting back to basics with your party planning Planning and organisation As I have just become a new mum organisation is the key and I would suggest handing out your invites 6 weeks before the party. Request RSVP’s for two weeks before the party to allow time to prepare.

It’s very important to give your child a voice and involve them as much as possible in the planning of the party. Get them to make their own invites. Cut out shapes (Stars and heart) from watercolour paper, paint and decorate with feathers, sequences, stickers and glitter.

Make every invite unique and personal. Write on the information on the back.

Theme Discus the party theme with your little one, decide this early and lock it in. As ARTea is an art studio I hand draw and paint our decorations so any theme is possible. Get your little one to draw and colour images relating to the theme. Enlarge, colour photocopy and cut out. You can make bunting out of them as well as larger wall and hanging decorations. This will impress your guests and give your child a sense of pride, as they will want to show off their creations!!

Party activities and games Set up an arts and craft table with age appropriate activities. For younger guests – animal masks, jewellery boxes, festival hats, for older guests t-shirt designing, jewellery making, photo frame decorating. Have on hand extra activities to give to guests, to engage them for longer. A little tip is not to place all materials out at once, give guests a little at a time. Also place on a wall or a chalkboard stand a large piece of

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paper and encourage guests to write and draw messages to the birthday person. This large birthday card is a treasured keepsake. I would suggest 45-60mins of craft. If you don’t feel comfortable in running the activities yourself enlist some help, an older sibling or relation.

We can also come out and run them for you.

Party food time!

Keep it simple!! Homemade little pizzas, star shaped sandwiches, popcorn in decorative pots, fresh fruit and marshmallows on a stick and rice crispy cakes. A simple and popular birthday cake is cup cakes arranged on a high-tea stand.

Always check guest dietary requirements and offer a nut free menu. If possible set up table and chairs and invite guests to sit down and bring the food out to them; this limits mess and gives them time to enjoy their party food.

Allow 20 mins for food. While the little guests are seated gather all the other guests and bring the birthday cake out and sing ‘Happy Birthday’.

Don’t forget to get family photos with the cake.

Party games!!

Finish the party on a high with party games.

Pass the parcel – A trick that we do is to fill a decorative box with prizes and when the music stops the guests get to open the box and select a prize. That way each child gets to choose what they want. This saves paper and time on wrapping. Children love Musical Statues; have prizes for best dance moves; who freezes first etc. this will encourage all guests to participate.

Get them to dance like their favourite animal and freeze on one leg. For older children, have a simple disco; place coloured rope lights around the room, make glow jewellery and play prepared play list. Be ready for requests.

party!

End the party A nice way to finish the party is to get the little guests to sit down and finish by playing musical bumps (sit down when the music stops). Get the birthday person to invite each guest individually to come forward and receive their ‘Thank you bag” , which can be hand decorated by the birthday person and filled with art materials. Big cuddles and kisses and a great photo opportunity.

The main thing to remember is that it’s not about how clean your house is or how much you have spent on the party it’s about celebrating your little one and that they are having fun with family and friends.

By Helen Pollard, ARTea Art School.

ARTea host parties in their Port Melbourne studio.

They also run after school art programs for 5-12yos in Altona and Seabrook. www.artea.com.au

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Parklife melbourne zoo, ParkvIlle As the weather gets a little frosty, we are all looking for a balance of indoor/outdoor play options. So this month we take a look at the playground inside the Melbourne Zoo! There is a wet-weather plan that we have used a couple of times, in the Keeper Kids indoor playspace. Kids can dress up and explore activities as vets, researchers or learn the importance of the gardens surrounding the zoo. Of course, you have to pay to get inside the zoo, so technically this is not a free playground for all! However, a Zoo annual membership has been a godsend for our family over the past few years of toddler and pre-schoolhood! And being so close in the North, you only have to visit a few times a year to justify the annual fee, as kids are included free.

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We love playgrounds that offer a little adventure along with the romp in the park, and the Zoo offers just that. After you’ve spotted the lions and tigers and bears (oh my!) a great spot for a little picnic lunch is the playground. It’s not the biggest or best playground in the North, but it will satisfy little climbers and slide fun-seekers! There’s a small toddler structure with smaller slide and a bigger one for the slightly more advanced, complete with a climbing chain and fireman’s pole, and animal tic-tac-toe game. Next to the sail-shaded playground is a beautiful vintage restored carousel that operates on weekends and school holidays usually 11.30am-2pm. A ride will set you back $3, which is worth the delight on your child’s face.

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making a difference Kid’s health and wellbeing:

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We hear about it constantly but it doesn’t solve the problem… our nation is becoming more inactive and suffering weight challenges more than ever before. Australian Government statistics suggest that 2-in-3 adults and 1-in-4 children are overweight or even obese. Why is this happening and what can we do about it before it starts causing lifelong health issues like cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes, not to mention mental health issues?

This change is serious; the effects of modern technology are creating a genuine health risk to the most important generation of our country – our kids! How do we do something about it before the children of our future become indoor screen addicts? Technology has and will continue to change our world, no doubt for the better, however, we must actively instill device control with our kids before they forget how to be kids and have fun!

When reflecting on the good old days of our country’s older generation’s childhood, my how the times have changed. We were active, out and about in the great outdoors whenever we could, until Mum called us in for dinner and even then it was a tough choice - more play time or food!? We would be running, throwing, catching, chasing or climbing anything that looked fun, we were fearless and always active.

It is recommended children aged from 5-18 years spend around 45 minutes each day being active, away from screens and the sofa. Being active daily is guaranteed to elevate their heart rate, give them cute little rosy cheeks and get a sweat up but more importantly, help them understand how great your body and mind feel when you exercise daily, plus how much fun being physically active is!

Parents are the key here; we all know how easy it is to pop a screen in front of the little ones to keep them from misbehaving (or to give us some peace and quiet!), however we hope parents will start to understand the extensive benefits their kids will find from using their creativity and being more active instead of letting the screen babysit. Children must learn from a young age and understand the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle.

Without intervention, our children will become stuck in a cycle where being active is a ‘chore’.

The time is now - let’s get children more active and make sure they have lots of fun doing it!

Being active and engaging in physical activities each day will not only put a smile on their faces and sparkle in their eye, it will be the highlight of their day plus have many advantageous health and wellbeing benefits – they will sleep better, be more positive, have more energy and be happier!

Sport and fitness develops a child’s confidence and self-esteem that is critical for their development. Without this, a child can potentially suffer various mental health issues if they don’t feel they are capable of being active, part of a team or have fun with other kids.

It is vital that parents explore different options in an effort to make physical activity for children fun again and not too competitive, challenging or even boring. Try a few different sports or fitness based activities to figure out together what they enjoy most or excel at. Most importantly, get them moving, please parents help us fight the stats and change the future for our kids to be healthier and happier!

There are plenty of exciting and physically challenging, fun kids activities to try around your local community. If you are looking for a noncompetitive activity that is different every week, where your child will learn new sports, make fitness exciting and is guaranteed serious fun then get in touch with your local Gecko Sports Coach to attend a FREE TRIAL CLASS at one of our after-school sports and fitness programs.

Templestowe Gecko Sports: Call Ying on 0430 622 375 or email ying@geckosports.com.au Get fit. Get Gecko fit! By Kim O’Donnell Managing Director, Gecko Sports. www.geckosports.com.au

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turn the page Billie B Brown The Birthday Mix-up by Sally Rippin Billie’s party is going to be the best ever. She has lots of fun things planned! Now she just has to wait for her friends to turn up. This is a great series by Sally Rippin for beginning readers. It contains 4 chapters with big print and plenty of black and white illustration for kids moving on from picture books.

Billie asks her parents all the time “how many sleeps until my party?” When the big day arrives her friends seem to be very late and Billie thinks that nobody is coming.

Eventually Billie realises she had written down the wrong time. She is relieved to solve the mystery. We highly recommend it for ages 5-8.

Fancy Nancy and the Butterfly Birthday by Jane O’Connor and Robin Priess Glasser Nancy thinks butterflies are simply exquisite. And that is why she can’t wait to go to her friend Bree’s Butterfly Birthday! But when Nancy finds out she can’t go because her grandparents’ 50th anniversary party is the same day, she is furious! How will she overcome this disappointment? In a glorious twist everybody’s favourite fancy girl gets a sparkling lesson in fancy from her own grandparents. Maybe being fancy runs in the family after all! If you have a child into glitter, butterflies, and sparkly things they will love Fancy Nancy. Great fun for ages 3-6.

Wombat’s Birthday Surprise by Lachlan Creagh “Today is Wombat’s Birthday! Roo’s planning a treat: A surprise party full of games and lots of things to eat”. Who doesn’t love a party? But will his friends be able to wake up sleepy Wombat in time?

This book contains fairy bread, party pies and pavlova. A very Aussie party. It is full of super cute birthday fun and Australian animals. A great gift for any child about to have or go to a birthday party. Little kids will love calling out “Happy Birthday!” to wake the sleepy wombat. This paperback even includes some cute birthday wrapping covered in balloons. We recommend it for ages 3-6.

Bring a Duck by Lesley Gibbes and Sue deGennaro Birthday party at my place! Bring your own duck. Bear has never been to a duck party before. Whatever happens it’s sure to be fantastic, fabulous, feather-tickling fun. This is a fun read aloud about a birthday party with a difference. All the characters bring a different type of duck to Pig’s birthday party and the duck’s antics are heaps of fun.

They row, fly, dress up, play party games and even have a best duck parade. This book may inspire unusual birthday party requests. Guaranteed to make parents and children smile. Highly recommended for ages 4-7.

Debbie Hatswell is a Melbourne mum and the founder 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 12 12

“To say we were happy, thrilled, delighted and convinced this was a great thing for our child to do would all be understatements!”

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beginnersonstage.com.au

Young Australian Broadway Chorus presents

Fun for the whole family in the school holidays!

12-15 July, 2017 Union Theatre, Parkville

www.shrek-jr.com.au

Based on the DreamWorks Animation Motion Picture and the Book by William Steig BROADWAY JUNIOR COLLECTION®

Book and Lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire

Music by Jeanine Tesori

Originally produced on Broadway by DreamWorks Theatricals and Neal Street Productions Original Production Directed by Jason Moore and Rob Ashford “I’m a Believer” by Neil Diamond Licensed exclusively by Music Theatre International (Australasia).

All performance materials supplied by Hal Leonard Australia.

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

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Party People!

Mama has got local birthday party fun covered!

Lollypops Bundoora

Bundoora www.bundoora.lollipopsplayland.com.au Children will enjoy unlimited play and be lost in a world of fun in the 4-story play frame, with three giant slides, rock climbing and of course the famous pirate ship ride. Toddlers have their own safe, fun area designed for children under 3 with soft floor mats, ball pits, mini slides, soft building blocks, musical wall, mounted toys and exciting tunnels and puzzles to discover.

Crafternoon

Brunswick www.crafternoon.cafe This craft cafĂŠ is a little out of area but well worth the trip. Theme options in their dedicated party area include a Frozen Party with a Frozen jewelry workshop, Super hero parties to make masks and cuffs, as well as Fairy, Pirate and Flower themed parties.

Homemade beef sausage rolls are included in the party menu, along with fairy bread and popcorn.

Inflatable World Bundoora Bundoora. www.inflatableworldoz.com.au

Parties at Action Indoor Sports & Inflatable World Bundoora combine fun, sport and physical activity all in the one safe environment. Kids can run, jump and play around with their friends on the Inflatables and play against their friends on the brand new courts in a variety of sports. Packages include catered and self-catered options with cafĂŠ and bar facilities available.

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Clip n Climb/Up Unlimited Richmond www.clipnclimbmelbourne.com.au

Clip n Climb in Richmond was the first of its kind in Australia and brings indoor climbing to a new level. There’s colourful challenges and climbs that look like nothing you’ve seen before.

Parties include a 15 minute safety briefing, 1 hour climbing session, harnesses, free Vertical Drop Slide and Leap of Faith for the party child, private party room and food.

Bounce

Essendon Fields www.bounceinc.com.au An action-packed trampoline adventure. Dodgeball, slam dunks, wall-jumping, taking a leap into the big bag for a cushy landing.

All party packages include 60 minutes of free jumping mayhem followed by 30 minutes access to your own party room, a dedicated party host to guide you through the action, delicious food options to feed the crew and official BOUNCE grip socks for everyone.

Collingwood Children’s Farm

Abbotsford www.farm.org.au

Organise your own basic farm party, where normal entry prices will apply for your group. Otherwise hosted parties are a more organised option and very popular, so you need to book well ahead – dates open up a year in advance. The hosted parties will see kids have a pony or tractor hay ride and milk the cow hosted by one of the friendly farmers.

Wild Action

Comes to you www.wildaction.com.au Another party that comes to you – and by that we mean snakes, a crocodile, gecko, lizard, frog, turtle, owl, kangaroo and a possum come to you. If you’re not keen on snakes just make sure you stay behind the camera! Zoologist Chris Humfrey runs a private zoo in the Macedon Ranges and really knows his stuff.

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Crocs Reservior

Reservoir www.crocsplaycentre.com.au Most kids will instantly recognise the Crocs mascot as representing all things fun and entertaining! Kids will be entertained by the ocean themed play area, multi-level ball battle zone, slam dunk basketball room, bike lanes with ride-ons, giant speed slide and toddler play area. Kids parties will include a dedicated party host in a themed party room.

The Circus Spot

New venue in Pascoe Vale www.thecircusspot.com.au Be the class clown with a 75 minute circus workshop for up to 28 kids!

Learn a wide variety of new skills including trapeze, mini-tramp, hula hoops and juggling. The workshop is fast paced and split into smaller groups to ensure kids move quickly between activities.

Commencing September 2017.

Latitude

Heidelberg www.latitudeair.com Bounce, climb and fly! Latitude’s has everything! Rock climbing, trampolines and obstacle course high in the sky. They offer General Parties for children 5 years and older, or the Kids Zone Party for children aged 18 months - 5 years with a three storey adventure playground and mini tramps. Choose either the obstacle course and 2 tramp activities, rock climbing and 2 tramp activities or 3 tramp activities.

Bulla Hill Railway Bulla www.bullahillrailway.org.au

Ride the miniature trains around the scenic 1.5km track (10 min trip) and pass over bridges, through cuttings with scenic views of Mt Macedon and you might even see a dinosaur or two! Private picnic area with coin operated barbecues and picnic shelters.

Toilet facilities and a kiosk are at the station and a great children’s playground right outside the gates in the public parkland area.

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Birthday Party w

1. Inflatable World Parties:

Saturday & Sunday.

Self-Cater Party - 12 kids & 4 adults for $200. Stadium table reserved (first 90 mins only). BYO Food, Cutlery & Cups.

Invite some friends and we'll organise an action-packed birthday you'll never forget!

2 hour BIRTHDAY PARTIES

Designed by re pik F e

2. action SPORTS Parties:

Friday & Saturday.

Choose from Aussie Rules, Soccer, Cricket, Dodgeball, Basketball, Netball & Party Games. $25 per head. Food, Drinks & Minimum Staff supervision included.

3. COMBO PACK Parties:

12 guest for all parties

Friday & Saturday.

45 minutes of Inflatable World & 45 minutes of Action Sports. $27 per head. Food, Drinks & Staff supervision included.

party bags & a gift from us with sports and combo options 2 & 3+

For further party information visit bundooraactionindoorsports.com.au or call 9467 2422

39 Clements Avenue Bundoora

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

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we love a mother Kirsty Johnson, mum to Rylan (6) and Charli (4) is one half of the sisterin-law duo who run Love J Frame. Their personalised crossword inspired frame idea started 3 years ago as a heartfelt gesture to loved ones. Now their product proudly sits on the walls of thousands of family homes.

Everyone is looking for that personal gift at special times and Kirsty and Stacey Johnson have developed a gorgeous keepsake that nails the brief.

Where did the idea for Love J Frame come from?

I saw a simple crossword idea at a friend’s house and had an “aah-haa” moment. I decided to make my husband a family frame joining all our names together with the words: Family, Love and Wye River (where we got engaged and married). It took me SOOOO long to make that first frame that the present was late! But, his face when he opened the frame…priceless!

“Best present ever!”

Stacey absolutely loved the idea too. We started making frames for family and friends, “Unique and thoughtful” was the constant feedback we received. From there, the word started to spread through friendship and family circles and weekby-week we started getting more people asking us to make one.

What’s the meaning behind the name “Love J Frame”?

LoveJFrame stands for ‘Love from the Johnsons’ (Stacey and Kirsty Johnson), stemming from the desire to create a much-loved, sometimes quirky and unique feature for the home from our family to yours.

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has always been at the forefront of our minds and not every week is easy juggling a busy small business while caring for our children but we wouldn’t have it any other way.

We’ve been fortunate to have amazing advice and talented people working alongside to get LoveJFrame to where it is today.

What were the first steps you took to turn what essentially began as a hobby into a thriving business?

It’s hard to answer. This, as like any business, takes many hours, research, trial and error of products and each step you take is as important as the next.

In the early days Stacey had to teach me how to use Instagram, then we started a Facebook page, website and started designing and importing our own frames. Now we have a small team of amazing working mums who assist with a variety of tasks from the production of orders, office management, product styling, designing, advertising and customer service.

What were you doing before LJF?

What effect did Megan Gale’s Instagram feature have on the business?

Both Stacey and I were primary school teachers and were on maternity leave before LJF started.

Going into our own business was never on the cards but we are so grateful and maybe a little lucky that we found a market to start the business up. Being at home with our children

We were in the process of designing our own frames to import but weren’t sure whether or not to invest in the purchase as LJF was still developing into a business and we needed to buy over 2000 frames! It was around this time that we were lucky to receive an amazing post

from Megan Gale. Megan received one of our frames as a gift from a customer when she had her son. That one post definitely helped to develop Love J Frame into a business, promoting our business through Instagram.

We are so grateful.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

We receive the most amazing feedback from customers. Sometimes we take for granted how meaningful each frame is to the recipient.

It makes our job so rewarding and is our drive behind LJF. Products don’t always have to be expensive to be loved or sought-after.

We absolutely adore family frames with all the names entwined together and newborn frames, which will proudly be displayed in nurseries. But we also love wedding and engagement frames and have been lucky to have partnered up with Global Weddings to create keep-sake wedding gifts for all the lucky couples getting married overseas.

What advice do you have for other aspiring business mums?

Team up with another mum. Being a working Mum is a juggle, especially if you are running your own business. Stacey and I are sister-inlaws, friends, business partners and mentors.

We rely on each other in so many ways and LJF wouldn’t be what it is today if we didn’t have each other’s support.

Image: Jordy Lucas @_shedoesthis

And finally, what has Motherhood taught you?

Where to start? A quote from Marissa Mayer, “….motherhood forces prioritization. Being a Mum gives you so much more clarity on what is important.” We completely agree. I think females are often ‘pleasers’ and we like to say yes all the time but when we have children to look after we have to prioritize what is really important to them and our family.

Find Love J Frame at www.lovejframe.com and on insta @ lovejframe

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lovely locals 1.

EXPLORING DOCKLANDS 1. OBRIEN GROUP SKATING Formerly the Medibank Icehouse, here is the place to take your Frozen crazed little fan! Especially with Disney on Ice coming up and the weather getting a little frosty, rug up and get your skates on! If you have an early riser, or you’re already in the city on staycation - each Sunday (and daily in school holidays) between 9-10am there is an Under 8’s Ice Fun session.

It’s a good little introduction for the uninitiated on the ice, with games, snow-play areas and the cute seal ice vehicles. Bring a spare change of clothes and gloves! 105 Pearl River Rd, Docklands.

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2. LEGO EDUCATION LEARNING CENTRE Is there any greater toy than Lego? Enduring and nostalgic. The store has a drop-in Sunday Funday hour session, for 5 bucks little Lego Lovers can have some creative play in the large back room. Arrive between 10.30am and 1pm. They also run school hol programs, hands-on workshops and Lego parties. 5/439 Docklands Drive, Docklands.

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3. MELBOURNE STAR OBSERVATION WHEEL The obvious landmark of the Docklands as you cross the Bolte Bridge, The Star Observation Wheel offers a slow 30 minute birds-eye view of the city.

We enjoyed playing a little bit of eye-spy and spotting the landmarks we’ve had adventures at – including the fantastic Ron Barassi Snr playground, also in Docklands. A little pricey, so scout deals or book online for best value ($27 adult). Kids under five are free. Harbour Town.

4. GROOVE TRAIN Lunch? Most of us have experienced the Groove Train chain. It gets our tick of approval as an easy family-friendly place to refuel. The woodfire pizza is YUM and value, or grab a burger - great before a couple of hours of fun at ArtVo which is just next door! The Manager is super friendly, making you feel right at home. Level 1, 3-6 Star Cres, Harbour Town

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5. ART VO A great way to inspire a bit of art and culture in the littlies. The viewer really gets to become the subject in an immersive art experience. There are over 100 3D images painted by Korean artists that are designed for people to pose and become a part of the story! With such a selfie consuming culture, the concept is not surprisingly a hit. Get creative and you might find yourself in an Indiana Jones type scenario, patting a unicorn, taking a longboat through Venice or in the hands of King-Kong!

Level 1 26 Star Cres, Harbour Town.

ALSO OF NOTE: 20

Wonderland Fun Park (inner-city fun park with amusement rides to suit preschoolers – check opening times).

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www.thebigfreezefestival.com.au /thebigfreezeau

/thebigfreezefestival

/thebigfreezeau

/thebigfreeze

winter woofers Grooming doesn’t stop in winter! During the chilly months, it’s even more important to take care of your dog’s coat. The cold weather stimulates hair growth which can result in matting and skin problems. Follow our simple tips to keep your dog’s coat healthy during winter and best of all, they can become a great activity for the whole family!

Brush It Out To keep your dog’s coat long and beautiful, regular brushing is vital and it will maintain skin and coat health. This is something that you and your children can do together – all you need is a couple of minutes a day and it is a great way to bond with your pooch. A dog’s winter coat can also hide skin nasties, such as lumps, sores or rashes - which is another reason to brush regularly.

There are specific dog brushes available for different coat types. Slicker brushes work best for removing knots and for breeds with medium-long or curly fur, while bristle brushes are ideal for short-haired dogs. Brushing throughout winter and maintaining regular wash and tidies at your local groomer will help avoid the dreaded short shave. No one likes a nude pup however if you must get your pup clipped short don’t forget that there are protective raincoats and natural fiber jumpers available to keep your dog warm and stylish!

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Rub-A-Dub-Dub Get Your Dog In The Tub Just like humans, dogs can suffer from the bane of winter - dry skin and hair! Cold weather, wind and heaters within the home all contribute to dryness. The best solution is prevention! Use a moisturising shampoo and conditioner during winter to keep the skin and fur healthy and luscious, and it will also make brushing a breeze. Ask your kids to collect their dog’s favourite toys & treats to turn bath time into a game - how many times will your pup shake it out in the tub (and all over yourselves)?

If you bath your dog at home, ensure they are completely dry before letting them outside because a wet, cold dog is not a happy dog!

Clip Those Nails As the weather gets cooler we tend to go outside less, and our dogs aren’t playing or walking on concrete as much as they usually would. This means that their nails aren’t wearing down naturally and they need to be checked regularly. If you can hear “tap tap tap” on your floors as they walk, then it’s time for a trim. Keep those paws in tip-top shape and tell your kids to listen out for that delightful sound!

Take Care Of Cracked Paws Like their skin, dogs’ paws can become quite dry when outside in winter. If severe enough, the pads can become cracked and in some cases infected. Use a moisturising balm on their pads to help prevent cracking from occurring.

Another quick and easy solution is to wipe your dog’s paws with a dry towel after each outing.

Keep a towel at the front door and make it a fun routine that your kids can help with – it might help your kids remember to wipe their feet after playing in puddles too!

All of these simple tips really do make a difference to your dog’s health and happiness, so make it a fun part of your family’s routine.

By DOGUE. dogue.com.au

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mama can Cook!

Dani Venn’s raw carrot cake Prep time: 20 minutes

Method:

Ingredients:

Line a 20cm pan with baking paper on the base and sides.

500g carrots, finely grated

It’s really easy to do all your prep like chopping walnuts, making your own oat flour (simply blitz rolled oats) and grating carrots in your food processor. Then blitz dates until a mushy, smooth consistency is formed and add back in carrots, oat flour, spices and walnuts and pulse until mixture is well combined.

1 cup medjool dates, seeds removed 1½ cups oat flour or almond meal 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped Icing 200g raw cashews, soaked overnight ½ cup thickened coconut cream 1 tbs raw coconut oil

Place mixture into cake pan and smooth out and leave it in the fridge to set for an hour or so. Or if you would like two layers of cake (pictured), add only half of the mixture, then add icing, wait for it to set for an hour or so then repeat .

I’ve also served this dessert in small jars because everything looks cute in a jar.

1 tbs raw sweetener like maple or honey To make icing, place cashews, coconut cream and oil, sweetener and lemon juice into food processor and blend ½ lemon, juice only on high until smooth consistency is achieved, scraping down Extra walnuts, pumpkin and sunflower the sides as needed. Remove cake from pan, smooth over seeds, for garnish icing and garnish with nuts and seeds. Yummo!

Find more fabulous recipes from Dani Venn at thewholeheartedcook.com 24

Dani Venn’s raw rainbow icecream cake Ingredients: Base 20 Medjool dates, pitted 2 cups almonds Pinch of sea salt 8 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight or for at least 4 hours 3/4 cup lemon juice 2 ½ cups melted coconut oil 1 ½ cups coconut cream, thickened part only – from chilled coconut cans

Layer One 2 cups frozen raspberries Layer Two 10g matcha (green tea) powder OR 2 ripe avocadoes, pit removed, flesh scooped out Layer Three 2 cups frozen blueberries Layer Four 2 teaspoons saffron threads (soaked in ½ cup extra coconut milk) or saffron powder

1 cup pure maple syrup 2 teaspoons vanilla powder or 2 vanilla beans, seeds scraped 25

Dani Venn’s raw rainbow icecream cake cont.

Method: To make the cake base, using a high-powered food processor blitz almonds into almond meal, remove and set aside. Then blitz dates until sticky and smooth, add back in the almond meal and pinch of salt and pulse until the mixture comes together and you could roll into a smooth ball.

Add extra dates if too dry or nuts if the mix is too wet. Press firmly into the base of your cake pan and store in the fridge.

I like to make one big batch of creamy cashew and coconut mixture then divide the mix into four batches, which I then spike with various colours and flavours. So to make the cake, ensure that your cashews have been soaking for at least 4 but ideally 8 hours or overnight, drain them and add to your food processor.. depending on the size of your food processor you might have to do this in two batches.

Add lemon juice, coconut oil, coconut cream, maple syrup, vanilla bean and a pinch of salt to the processor and blitz on high until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed. Divide this mixture into four batches.

For the first raspberry layer, return your creamy cashew mix back to the food processor, add in your frozen raspberries and blitz till smooth and pink. You can choose to add more raspberries if you’d like a more vibrant colour. Pour the mix into your prepared cake tin and set in the freezer.

To make the second layer, repeat the above process but use matcha powder or avocadoes.

Once the raspberry layer is firm, you can add the second layer.

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To make the third layer, repeat the above process but use frozen blueberries. Once the green layer is firm, you can add the third layer.

To make the fourth layer, you will need to steep the saffron threads (if using) into warm coconut milk – just use the excess you will have after scooping the thickened part of the coconut cream out of the can. Allow to steep for 15 minutes before adding to the cashew mixture.

Alternatively you could use saffron powder.

Repeat the same process as above and once the blueberry layer is firm you can add the last layer.

Vanilla Bliss Balls to decorate: 1 cup almonds 1 cup fresh medjool dates 1 teaspoon vanilla powder or 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped 2 cups desiccated coconut For the world’s simplest bliss balls (you can trick them up with other things if you’d like but they still taste great!) blitz together dates, almond meal, vanilla and salt, roll into balls and then roll into desiccated coconut. Keep in the fridge until you are ready to decorate your cake.

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creative learning Why creative learning is essential for your child’s development

Creativity in learning is important for lifelong education, especially at the preschool age. It can help children develop their own creativity, allow them to express feelings and learn communication skills. Creativity including movement such as dance and drama will help them develop, practice and improve coordination and motor skills. While being creative, children will problem-solve and find new ways of looking at things and the world around them.

Increases confidence A study by the Australian Council for Educational Research shows that children who participated in arts program were more engaged in their learning and their self-esteem was increased. This was especially true of children who came from disadvantaged backgrounds. Children were also observed to have developed their social, communication, teamwork and self-expression skills.

Boost achievements at school Being creative at school can help children be active in their learning, understand what is being taught and to express that understanding in different ways. Creativity in your child’s school or early learning centre often translates to fun and if children are having fun they will want to learn a lot more! Teaching approaches such as Reggio Emilia highly encourage that play and education shouldn’t be separated because it’s the most effective way for children to learn.

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Involvement in arts programs over a long period of time will help children with decision making, problem solving and critical thinking.

Their reading and maths skills will also be boosted. Learning about words and numbers through songs are a great way for them to stick in children’s heads!

Respect for themselves and others Art forms such as drama help children connect with other people, making them able to empathise with others and to recognise that we are all different. Stories from books and songs teach them about the world around them, other cultures and history. Children who participate in different forms of art can become more tolerant, understanding and respectful.

Self-expression Self-expression through many forms can be achieved by learning creatively. The arts help children learn focus, self-discipline, innovation, creativity and emotional expression, as well as verbal and non-verbal skills. They learn to use symbols, movement, visuals and sounds to convey meaning and to express their emotions.

Children learn to get in touch with their feelings and the feelings of others through art.

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29

Glow this Winter!

There are so many things to love about winter.

From matching beanies and scarves, to hot chocolates with marshmallows, it’s the perfect season for curling up with a good book and forgetting about the outside world. But as the temperatures drop and the layers go on, there is one thing everyone needs to remember: skin care!

We sat down with Australian Skin Clinics National Training Manager Darlene O’Gara to uncover the treatments that will keep your skin happy and healthy this winter.

CONCERN: Visible capillaries There’s nothing better than coming in from the cold and jumping in a long, hot shower.

Unfortunately, this winter warmer can wreak havoc on your skin. Sudden changes in temperature can cause the capillaries in the face to contract and expand rapidly, leading to broken veins and skin redness.

Darlene O’Gara, Australian Skin Clinics National Training Manager says the most commonly affected areas are the nose, forehead and cheeks.

“Laser for general redness and laser for facial veins are two popular treatments that can effectively reduce the appearance of visible blood vessels, capillaries and general redness,” Ms O’Gara said.

“For the treatment of general redness you will generally need six treatments at two weekly intervals. For the treatment of facial veins, the recommendation is usually one to three treatments at six weekly intervals. Speak to your laser technician who will advise a treatment plan according to your skin type.”

CONCERN: Dry, flakey skin The dry air and low humidity of winter can strip the skin of its natural layer of protective oil, leading to flakey, dry and dull-looking skin. Add central heating on top of that, and you’re in for a skin disaster!

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While it might not seem as important during the cooler months, drinking enough water is the first step in the fight against dry skin. Not only does water keep your body functioning optimally, it also provides the skin with the hydration it needs to stay soft and supple.

Another great way to combat the dehydrating effects of winter weather is with an active moisturiser for dry skin. Combined with antioxidants, natural moisturising factors and a sophisticated water delivery system, we recommend the Balense ReBalense Moisturiser for dry skin helps skin stay silky smooth and is available at Australian Skin Clinics across Australia.

CONCERN: Stretch Marks Stretch marks are every woman’s worst nightmare, however, they are a natural occurrence. Winter is the perfect time to prep for that summer body by reducing the visibility of stretch marks.

“Australian Skin Clinics’ Fractional RF and dermal stamping can reduce the appearance of skin concerns such as stretch marks and loose skin. The Fractional RF treatment stimulates and re-energizes the skin promoting a reduction of scarring,” Ms O’Gara said.

“Prior to receiving Fractional RF, stay out of the sun for a minimum of two weeks, luckily winter makes that easy! We recommend having three to six treatments every two weeks to prepare your winter body for summer.”

Following the treatment, stay out of the sun for another 48 hours, and always follow the advice of your clinic professional.

Always seek professional advice before adding new products or treatments to your skin care regime. For more winter treatment tips contact Australian Skin Clinics on 1300 303 014 or visit www.ozskin.com.

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Holiday Heroes Stuck inside the house these school holidays? Get the kids creative in the kitchen with these fun ideas from McKenzie’s Foods.

For more ideas visit www.mckenziesfoods.com.au

Make your own lunch homemade pizza Ingredients: 375ml (1 1/2 cups) warm water 2 tsp (7g/1 sachet) dried yeast Pinch of caster sugar 600g (4 cups) plain flour 1 tsp McKenzie’s Australian Natural Sea Salt 60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil, plus extra for brushing Your choice of pizza toppings Method: Step 1: Combine the water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes or until foamy. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the yeast mixture and oil. Use a round-bladed knife in a cutting motion to mix until the mixture is combined. Use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl.

Step 2: Brush a bowl lightly with oil. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.

Place in the prepared bowl and turn to coat in oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draught-free place to rise for 30 minutes or until dough doubles in size.

Step 3: Divide dough into thirds. Flour the bench and roll out each into 25-30cm rounds. Place each base onto either a pizza stone or a baking tray lined with baking paper.

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Step 4: Top 2 bases with tomato puree and savoury toppings of choice including mozzarella cheese, ham, pineapple, capsicum, olives and mushrooms. Cook in a preheated oven (180°C) for 15 to 20 minutes or until base is golden.

Step 5: For an extra special treat top the last pizza base with butter. Cook for 10 minutes, then top with Nutella spread and chocolate pieces.

Top with McKenzie’s Shredded Coconut. Cook for a further 5-10 minutes until chocolate melts.

Makes: 3 Pizza’s Preparation Time: 20 min Cooking Time: 15-20 Min

Create your own Puffy Paint Ingredients: 1 cup plain flour 3 tsp McKenzie’s Baking Powder 1 tsp McKenzie’s Australian Natural Sea Salt Water Method: Step 1: Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add enough water to make the consistency of a pancake batter.

Step 2: Divide mixture into four parts and place each into zip lock bags. Add a few drops of food colouring to each zip lock bag. “Squish” the mixture in the zip lock bag until desired colour is reached.

Step 3: Rubber band the zip lock bag on one edge like you were icing a cake and snip off the very tip. Paint away. Best to use thick paper or cardboard to paint on.

Step 4: Once painting is completed, place your son/daughter’s masterpiece in the microwave for 30-45 seconds and watch the puffy paint puff and grow!!! If paint is still wet, place in the microwave for additional 10-15 seconds. NB: Please note all microwave wattages are different so times may vary.

Baking gingerbread biscuits Ingredients: 125g unsalted butter, softened ½ cup brown sugar ½ cup golden syrup 1 egg yolk 2 ½ cups plain flour 1 tsp McKenzie’s Bi-Carb Soda 2 tsps McKenzie’s Ground Ginger 1 tsp McKenzie’s Ground Cinnamon ½ tsp ground cloves Royal Icing: 1 ½ cups pure icing sugar 1 tsp lemon juice 1 egg white Method: 1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 2 oven trays with baking paper.

3. Add egg yolk and beat until just combined.

Sift flour, Bi-Carb, ginger, cinnamon and cloves into mixture. Use a wooden spoon to combine.

4. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth. Roll out dough to approximately 5mm thick. Use cutters to cut out shapes. If hanging on string, with a skewer, create a hole in your preferred spot. Place on prepared trays.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden.

5. Remove from oven and cool.

6. TO MAKE ROYAL ICING: Sift icing sugar into a small bowl. Add lemon juice and egg white to form a firm paste. Place in a piping bag fitted with a 1mm nozzle. Pipe icing onto biscuits. Set aside for 1 hour to set.

Makes: Approx. 20 Preparation Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 10 minutes

2. Beat butter, sugar and golden syrup in a bowl with electric mixer until pale and creamy.

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Make an erupting volcano Remember to always supervise young children

MAKING THE ERUPTION:

Materials: Used empty drink bottle (plastic or glass) Newspapers PVA glue and water mixed together Water 4- 5 drops dishwashing liquid Red food colouring 2 tbsp McKenzie’s Bi-Carb Soda ¼ cup of Vinegar

Step 1: Fill the bottle almost full with water.

Put four to five drops of dishwashing liquid into the water followed by two drops of red food colouring.

Method: MAKING THE VOLCANO SHELL Step 1: To make the basic shape of a volcano cut the middle of a plastic bottle out and then overlap the two ends together securing it with masking tape.

Step 2: Now for the fun part: Apply paper mache to the volcano using small strips of newspaper dipped into a gluey water mixture. Allow to dry.

Step 3: When the paper mache is dry, get the kids to paint the volcano.

Homemade Playdough Ingredients: 2 tbs cooking oil 4 tbs McKenzie’s Cream of Tartar 2 cups plain flour 1 cup salt Food colouring 2 cups water Method: Mix all the ingredients in a saucepan and stir over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until the mixture congeals.

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Step 2: Add the Bi-Carb to the mix. Put the Volcano over the bottle so it is in place and ready to go.

Step 3: Pour the vinegar into the Volcano bottle and watch it erupt.

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Party Party Fun Times...

Who am I kidding?

I am lying very uncomfortably on my back in bed dressed as an enormous pineapple. My boyfriend is already snoring, his watermelon outfit rising and falling with each lethargical snort. Our three year old son is (extremely) reluctantly a mango and our baby is the cutest little strawberry you ever did see. Baby Dot is asleep next to the watermelon and Mango Bob is watching Octonauts on an iPad. We were dressed as tropical fruits for our “Australia Day Tropical Fruit Dress Up Party”.

As you can see it is going off.

We invited twenty families. There was a whole Facebook event page on which, for the week prior, I posted jovial little memes with cats in fruit baskets and the like. Where is everyone?

The party was meant to start at 10am. A good small-child friendly time we supposed. We waited for an hour, drank a lot of fruit punch and contemplated smashing the piñata (I had a real hankering for some lolly snakes).

At 11.05 we went back to bed.

It is hard to roll over and reach my phone.

My costume took me aeons to make since I had never used a sewing machine before and sewing gold sequin material to a hula hoop turned out to be an extreme sport. There is a flurry of messages. Oh no such-and-such is still asleep. Oh bother whats-his-name is just too grizzly to leave the house. Sorry Mim it’s just too hot to put said baby in the car. Tiddlywink has caught a cold… And so on and so on.

These are not mere excuses. I am reasonably sure our friends don’t mind being around us.

This is not like the old days when you couldn’t be bothered with something and you had to wrack your brain for a reason just slightly too wacky to be a lie. Like I can’t come to your

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birthday because I have accidentally super glued my elbow to the kitchen bench. Or I haven’t finished the essay because my sick grandmother ate it. And I can’t come to work today because an elephant has escaped from the zoo and lodged itself in the stairwell of my apartment block.

When you have kids you are desperate to leave the house. Like a toddler who wants to get out of her cot NOW you are lying on the floor banging the front door with your fists and screaming to have a taste of life outside these four walls. But it’s near on impossible. When I was pregnant with my first child I had these dreamy, dappled-sun visions of all the mummybubby play dates I would go on. Serene mothers lying around on picnic rugs under leafy trees in floppy yet sexy straw hats eating homemade chia seed delights. We would all hang out and laugh through time and space.

In reality time bangs on like a kid on the pots and pans in a relentless cacophony of last minute cancellations, conflicting sleep times, alternating weeks of who is sick or teething and days upon days of just being too utterly exhausted to get out of pyjamas. Organising a time that suits everyone (with kids) is impossible and having young children can in fact be very isolating.

Perhaps quantum physics could come up with a theory of extra special relativity, some abstract algorithm that deals with the absurd time warp kids plummet you into. HK(having kids) = WATSAH(well and truly stuck at home).

The Oconauts theme song blast through my day dream and in the confusion my pineapple hat dislodges and wakes the small strawberry.

“Waaaaa waaaaaaa waaaaaaaa…” Watermelon wakes up and we all waddle back out to the

We were dressed as tropical fruits for our “Australia Day Tropical Fruit Dress Up Party”.

When you have kids you are desperate to leave the house.

Oh no such-and-such is still asleep.

Oh bother whats-his-name is just too grizzly to leave the house. garden and put our feet in the blow up pool. It’s awkward doing anything when your costume makes you the size of a hippopotamus. The mango falls on his papier-mâché back and gets stuck like a beetle. The day is going well.

from my social anxiety and reminds me that at least we have each other. We tear our costumes off, smash a kiwi fruit shaped piñata with gusto and the two biggest members of the family get pretty tipsy. The End.

At 1pm we acknowledge no one is coming. We eat pavlova for lunch and wonder if we are the biggest dorks in the whole country right now?

Certainly the most tropical. As we lick our sticky fingers my Giant Watermelon talks me down

By Mim Cook, A stay at home mum and writer from Brunswick East

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top 5 styling tips for These days’ parties are pinned all over social media and can make you feel like you have big shoes to fill. I hear you asking, what happened to a homemade cake from the Women’s Weekly Cake book? (Still one of the best cake books after all these years.) Don’t get me wrong, I love a low cost, low effort party, but even with a small budget you can still make a big impact, and give your special person a day they won’t forget.

For some people, arranging a party can be a daunting and scary experience, especially if you have not done it before.

I have listed my top 5 tips to style the perfect party to help you on your way.

1. Think about who the party is for A kid’s party should be fun for the kids. Whilst it is easy to become swept up into a frenzy of theming and perfectionism, at the end of the day I would be surprised if any of kids notice the difference.

2. The season If you have a July baby, chances are a picnic in the park isn’t going to work for you. If you don’t want to have it at your house (or can’t for space reasons) there are so many amazing play centres, party centres and halls to choose from.

All of these can be “styled” really easily using these simple ideas.

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a perfect party

on any budget

3. Theme A theme is such a simple way to create the wow factor. This can be as simple as using a pattern, like chevron, or a consistent colour palate, like baby pink and white. You can go all out with tried and tested themes like Batman, Pirate or Fairy – or try a modern alternative to these such as Woodlands, Moustache, Vintage transport or Milk and Cookies parties. Why not ask your guest of honour what they dream of…. you might be surprised at the answer. Pinterest is your friend. Start a board for your upcoming party to gather inspiration.

4. Invitations and decorations Your invitation is the first element of your party and introduces guests to your theme. There are great sites like etsy.com that create custom listings, and you can save some money if you go with a theme that has been done before. Alternatively, there are some free templates on Google.

Next, start to source decorations from your house (and your family and friends too), finding anything that you can use. These days you don’t need a table with a plastic cloth – you can use anything from baby change tables, to suitcases to storage units. Hiring key items such as kid’s chairs and tables, cake stands etc. is a cheaper alternative to purchasing them and ensures you are on trend for minimal cost. Once you have your “table”, head to the $2 shops for plain coloured plates, napkins etc. This is much cheaper than using a “Disney” or the themed variety, and you can stick in your colour theme for half the cost. If you want to, add a couple of more expensive key themed items, but keep your cost down with everything else. Don’t forget the finishing touches.

Thank you cards, lolly bags and a big smile on the day!

5. Entertainment This really depends on your budget. There is nothing wrong with pass the parcel wrapped in newspaper and musical chairs, but if you have some extra money to spend, there are so many options for entertainers in theme – e.g. Queen Elsa, a magician, jumping castles and so much more.

A party doesn’t have to be stressful; and there are plenty of experts out there to help you if you would like to outsource your next party.

Don’t forget to check out sprinklewithstyle.com.au for all your hire and styling needs.

Good luck and happy planning

By Pip Hunt - Owner of Sprinkle With Style www.sprinklewithstyle.com.au

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A Musical Head Start in Life!

What’s the quickest way for your child to learn new skills? Well, it starts with knowing what the quickest way is for them! Parents naturally think a group music class will teach children one skill: music. After more than ten years as a Suzuki music teacher, I could write a PhD thesis on all the things that children learn from music classes! For instance, I find fascinating the ways in which parent and child discover their child’s unique learning style. It is this awareness that sets the child up for lifelong learning.

I teach Suzuki ECE (Early Childhood Education) group music classes for babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers. Born in Japan in 1898, Dr Shinichi Suzuki was a philosopher - as well as a violinist and educator. He strove to teach the whole child through music, and to create happy, sensitive, high achieving people.

Dr Suzuki observed how naturally children learn their first language, and developed an approach to learning music which follows the same principles. Through his observations he realised that every child learns how to speak their first language to a very high standard in their own time. There isn’t a sense that ‘maybe English isn’t for my child, perhaps we’ll focus on Japanese instead’. We accept that every child will get there when they are ready.

Parents greet each attempt at speech with joy and encouragement, and lots of repetition! You naturally provide a rich language environment for your child, and they hear thousands of words before they can say any. Parents don’t introduce one word at a time, and insist on the baby mastering that world before introducing the next word. In the same way, classes provide a rich musical environment for your child by playing many beautiful musical instruments and singing many songs each class.

A partnered music education experience, where parent and child both take an active part, is a powerful opportunity for the parent to observe their child in a relaxed but structured learning environment.

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Music is a complicated, multi-faceted skill which requires all parts of the brain - all at once! Keeping the beat on a wood block whilst singing a rhyme is a complicated task for a little person. It’s quite remarkable to think how much is going into something we adults might consider straightforward!

I know from experience that if we celebrate the journey, the skill will definitely be achieved.

Confidence comes in many forms: to have the confidence to sing in front of the class is a wonderful thing, but for me it is just as important that I help the student to develop the confidence to try new skills. Weekly music classes provide a ‘drip-feed’ of new skills, which you are approaching step-by-step, as a team.

Your child is learning that it’s ok to try and fall over, because we can try again. We place the importance on the fact that the child tried, rather than the outcome. The excitement created around trying gives them the courage to try again, and refine that skill. It is a privilege to be a part of this process.

Knowing how your child learns gives them an amazing head start! Even before your child starts school, you are working successfully as a team to achieve new skills. This is helpful because there are limited opportunities in the school classroom to observe your child being presented with new skills, and see each step along the path to mastery. In music classes, you are there at each step, and are sharing in this magical journey of learning.

Teachers should be trained to observe the student in order to support and assist the parent in their learning teamwork with their child. We see your relationship with your child as being of the utmost importance. A beautiful example of this was a conversation I had with the parent of a three-year-old. The parent was concerned that her daughter didn’t want to go to the teacher for a turn on the xylophone, and therefore

wasn’t learning. The parent was delighted to discover that I had observed the child mimic the motion of playing the xylophone with her hands in mid-air, and say the rhyme for each student’s turn in the class. In this way, her child had practiced that activity eight times, not once. The next week the child happily walked across the circle for a turn! She felt confident enough to try, rather than feeling pushed into something too soon. The parent saw her child as a success, and understood what her child needed to feel confident to try.

When our children grow into young adults, the challenges they face will require them to be highly adaptable; to thrive in this world, they will need to have the ability to learn new skills quickly. In our lifetime we have seen remarkable jobs created that are worlds away from ‘doctor, lawyer, teacher’. Who knows what amazing jobs will be available to these children? By working together in music classes, parent and child are discovering what that child’s unique learning style is, and therefore setting them up for future success in any field.

By Sophie Maxwell, Musical Adventures, Spotswood and West Footscray www.musicaladventures.com.au

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The Reluctant Part When I was a child I loved parties! It was such an honour to be invited and then there were games and lollies and treats and of course the cake. What’s not to like?

Then eventually I had my own child, a very adventurous little boy. For this story, let’s call him Liam. As a toddler I would have to say that he loved parties a little too much. While all the other children were playing nicely together he would manage to find some broken glass that needed tasting, some power switches that needed investigating or even a small dog whose head needed biting. (And this was just one party.) Needless to say I did not have any time to socialise like the other mothers.

Once Liam grew up a bit and I could take Sunshine Hospital emergency department off speed dial, we went to a party where his behaviour really stunned me. It was for a four-year-old girl from playgroup and he bizarrely refused to enter the house at all. I asked him sweetly, I demanded that he enter, I encouraged him nicely and used every other trick I could think of but he wouldn’t budge and we were stuck on the front veranda. “You are being silly, you know that there is watermelon in there Liam?” Liam loved watermelon and he pleaded with me to bring him some. I remembered that as a young adult I also found parties difficult and I forced myself to attend them. Eventually I came to enjoy parties and therefore I decided that that was the path that Liam should follow too, so I stuck to my guns. No I would not go in and get him some watermelon, he would have to go in himself. We were there for over half an hour with me encouraging and him refusing.

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Eventually we found a compromise and we walked down the side of the house. He found some things to amuse himself with in the backyard and he got his watermelon. He did not join in any games and did not even want to see the candles being blown out. What was wrong with him? Why was just MY son the one who could not enjoy the party?

He was later diagnosed with being on the Autism Spectrum with Asperger’s Syndrome. I’ve since learnt that he is not me. Just because I enjoyed parties as a child does not mean that he has to do so. My method of overcoming my adult shyness of parties has nothing to do with this little boy. He is his own person and has his own feelings. He did get to enjoy parties once he was able to approach them on his own terms. We went to a party of a girl in prep and he sat in the cargo bike in the front yard the whole time. His friends knew that he was there and brought him out cake and things to eat. Once all the other guests had gone home he did venture inside.

He was invited to two parties in grade one but because he didn’t want to attend he gave the invitations straight back.

Opps! I had to talk to him about how to politely decline. One of the children’s mothers kindly tracked me down and diplomatically said, “I think Liam lost his invitation, here is another one.” It was for a party at a swimming pool and Liam loved pools! I explained to the other mother about Asperger‘s and how Liam would not want to join in the organised pool games and she said that that was fine. We went and had a great time.

He had a swim by himself when the organised pool games were on and then

ty Guest did actually sit down and join in the food part as well. He once went to a bowling party and did not bowl but did have the food. At a couple of play centres he hid around the corner with a plate of food but still had fun on the play equipment.

At the next-door neighbours child’s party he spent the whole time literally on the side fence. At another next door neighbour’s party he put on a formal suit and played his cello for the pass-the-parcel and then went home again.

I just take each one as it comes and now parties are a lot easier. I accept that some parties (most actually) he will not attend, some parties he will attend at a distance and some he will leave early. That is okay. Now that I have stopped fretting about it and talk openly with other parents life is a lot easier.

He is not me. He is not Tommy down the street. He is himself and should not be compared with other people. I stop myself from thinking that he “should” be having more fun.

I would be lying though if I did not admit that a part of me always feels sad when he is unable to be with the group. I suppose that that is my problem and not his.

A great place to go for more information about autism spectrum disorder is Amaze at www.amaze.org.au or phone 1300 308 699

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