Sydney MamaMag April/May 2021

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mamamAg Apr/May 2021

WIN A WEEKEND FULL OF FUN IN MELBOURNE Sally Rippin Slow cooking Kids and money Love Melbourne Moving with kids

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Home or HolIday?

Home or Holiday, or both? This pandemic sure knows how to ruin a good holiday period, hey! As I write this, Brisbane has just come out of lockdown, Byron has been tarnished by a hen’s party and many friend’s Easter plans are changing left right and centre.

Honestly the only place that feels safe to go is between Sydney and Melbourne. We’ve got lots of great ideas for fun across both these great cities on our website if you’re looking for fun. Speaking of Melbourne, we’ve got the most epic giveaway to score yourselfe a wekeend away down south. I hit the town recently with my five best friends and let me tell you, it was the most fun I’ve had in years. We normally plan an annual girl’s weekend away, but with kids getting back into sport, and finally having some sort of social life post Covid, finding an entire weekend to suit six mums was hard. So we opted for an overnight stay in Melbourne and I went to work lining up a day and evening of fun for us. No spoiler alerts here, you can read about the whole adventure on page 8, but as I wrote that article, I thought to myself “wouldn’t this be an amazing prize to give to someone else to enjoy with their partner or best friend”. So I got on the phone and lined up not just a night, but a whole weekend of adventure for one lucky winner with some amazing businesses I’ve had the pleasure of meeting through MamaMag! Make sure you enter this awesome giveaway, it’s a beauty.

Sarah Cavalier support and fun for the everyday mum Editor - MamaMag - @thecavaliermama MamaMag is designed and published bi-monthly free for Sydney mums, families and carers.

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PO Box 8018, North Road LPO, Brighton East VIC 3187 Phone: 1300 771 446 Email: info@mamamag.com.au www.mamamag.com.au | www.grizzledesign.com.au Editor in Chief/Creative Director: Sarah Cavalier: sarah@mamamag.com.au For advertising enquiries contact: Olivia Wilson: olivia@mamamag.com.au Want to write for us or have an article idea? submissions@mamamag.com.au

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Contents Her rippin new books We meet Sally Rippin Love Melbourne Mama’s big day out Moving with kids How to make them help Cervical screen Jana Pittman’s story Teaching kids about money A five-step guide Lysandra’s Al.ive The reno queen’s latest venture Little scavengers Create the ultimate scavenger hunt The next morning Jess Eva, why wouldn’t ya?

Take it slow Slow cooking with Justine Schofield A gift mindset Turn challenges into opportunities Of gold and dust Samantha Wills in print A quick spin through laundry history Who knew?

On the shelf Our top latest release book picks Lockdown Gogglebox dads Wayne, Tom and Mardi Gras Bed in a box Which mattress is right for you?

Sydney goes green City of Sydney’s greening plans Talking loneliness We need to talk Fabulous foliage Our favourite indoor plants

6 8 10 12 14 18 20 22 24 28 30 32 35 39 40

$969!

WIN the ultimate weekend of fun away in Melbourne for two!

Enjoy a two night “Love Melbourne” package at Citadines on Bourke Melbourne with free car parking and late 1pm check out.

A cocktail and canapés at Nick and Nora’s.

A G&T bottomless brunch at State of Grace.

A 2-hour Go Boat experience including captains hats, speaker and an esky with ice.

18 holes of mini golf with a cocktail and pizzas at Holey Moley and an hour of karaoke fun and drinks at Juke’s Karaoke Bar!

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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.

Some featured books contain affiliate links. If you purchase using these links there is no extra cost to you but MamaMag earn a small commission that helps us continue to provide MamaMag as a FREE resource to you.

MamaMag Apr/May 2021

prize worth

Entries are open to Australian residents only. Competition starts April 1st 12.01am and closes May 31st 2020 at 11.59pm. Prize not transferable or redeemable for cash. Flights (if required) not included. Event dates and Black out periods apply. Total prize value $969. Prize valid until 01/06/2022. Visit www.mamamag.com.au/competitions for full terms and conditions.

For your chance to win enter at www.mamamag.com.au/lovemelbourne

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HER RIPPIN NEW BOOKS Sally Rippin is one of Australia’s best-selling and most-beloved children’s authors. She has written over 50 books for children and young adults, and her mantel holds numerous awards for her writing. Best known for her Billie B Brown, Hey Jack! and Polly & Buster series, Sally loves to write stories with heart and create haracters that resonate with children, parents and teachers alike. We chat about her latest book series, School of Monsters.

If you haven’t got some Sally Rippin books in the bookshelf somewhere for your school age kids, I’m just not sure you’re doing this parenting thing right! Sally’s junior fiction has been delighting young readers for years and it’s not to be missed!

Sally has often been asked by parents, educators and book shops to create a series for emerging readers which would provide a bridge between educational readers and early chapter books. After writing her Billie B series Sally knew she wanted to create something for a younger demographic, who were just beginning their reading journey, but she really didn’t know how she could do it as it would involve using such a simplified vocabulary she wasn’t used to.

Sally let this idea brew for quite a long time in her head before she actually started writing.

The inspiration to finally make it happen came about through her research for an adult book she’s currently developing. This book is designed to help parents who have children that struggle to read, particularly neurodiverse kids like her son who is dyslexic and ADHD. Reading has always been a struggle for him, and he doesn’t enjoy it, so this has always been Sally’s primary reading audience, engaging kids who say they hate reading or genuinely struggle to learn to read.

Sally’s new kids’ series, School of Monsters, has cleverly designed pages that have one feature word at the end of each sentence. Children can start by reading only the last word on every line and work their way up to reading the whole story. This idea originally came from a speech pathologist, who Sally was on an educational 6

panel with about 5 or 6 years ago, who had mentioned that the way she engages some of her older students, who may be dyslexic, was to work with complex material of something they were really into, like Star Wars for example.

She would take a Star Wars book and highlight single words that they could sound out for themselves and then grow from there. This planted the idea for a series that Sally could work on for younger children learning to read, where they too could start with just a word and then move into sentences around that word.

She took this one step further by making the key words rhyme, building confidence with these young readers with that additional help too. The words are repeated at the back of the book out of context too so they can practice reading them on their own as well.

“Nothing can take the place of a teacher’s role in those important first years of a child’s reading journey, but my hope is that everything I write will be engaging and accessible enough to entice even the most struggling of readers to want to learn.”

With such an exciting and accomplished writing career, I was keen to find out from Sally where all this began. It turns out she started as an illustrator, not a writer!

The very first book she wrote and illustrated was in 1996. She’d just returned from studying painting in China and as she was quite good at Chinese picked up some work tutoring Chinese/Australian students. One particular

girl was always complaining how her parents made her speak Chinese at home, so Sally created her a handmade book showing her that her story wasn’t actually so bad and having a second language and culture was really interesting. She showed the book to a librarian friend who suggested she try and get it published as there would be so many kids who could relate to that story. And so she did, but this was years before she had any idea about how to write for children and it won an illustrators award which meant Sally was approached to illustrate other books which then led to great contacts in publishing houses and the beginning of her writing career.

When asked what Sally’s favourite book is she fondly replies “Polly & Buster”.

“Everything that matters to me I crammed into that book. I grew up in South East Asia. I was always an expat kid and very aware of my privilege in these countries. My mum always had local friends which was unusual for expats and they always talked to us about how we had a privileged life. So from a very young child the sense of ‘where you are born and the skin you are born into can dictate the type of life you leave’ always seemed very unfair to me. Why should I get a better ride than everyone else?

There are ways to create stories that allow children to access quite deep and important things and because Sally is always trying to engage reluctant readers she makes the language really accessible and fast paced with fun illustrations. She loves that Polly & Buster is a great step up from Billie B Brown and a great middle-man for kids who are not quite ready for books like Harry Potter but are ready to take on these important themes without being overwhelmed.

“The first gift you can give a child is to share a love of reading.

Just show them that it’s a joyful process. Don’t make it a chore.

The easiest way to put kids off books is to bribe them that they can do something more fun after they have finished reading!”

With tumbling rhymes and an infectious sense of humour, the weird and wonderful students at the School of Monsters are guaranteed to spark a love of reading! Their first four books are out now from Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing.

RRP $8.99.

We try to teach children not to judge people by colour, race etc, but then you turn on the TV and that’s what you see is happening. So I wanted to create an analogy that can show how these things can happen, that if you don’t call each other out how easy it can be to slip into the mindsets of the other. But rather than making my characters two humans that were different from each other, be it different cultural beliefs, different coloured skin... I created a family of witches and a family of monsters. Polly and Buster live next door to each other but as a witch and a monster they shouldn’t be friends.

I feel like kids really get it when something is unfair and that’s important to me as they will be running the world one day!

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When was the last time you got away for the night. For two even? Is a a hot weekend away with your hubby and time off from the kids well overdue? 2020 certainly put a dampener on travel, and having a good time, so I decided it was time to do what every good Australian should be doing right now by having a ‘holiday at home’.

Exploring the beautiful cities of Australia is something we can often forget about. When we think of a weekend away it’s more often than not a country retreat, heading up the coast, booking an Air BNB somewhere.

But how well do you know your own capital city, let alone another state’s? This Mama recently spent a weekend in the heart of Melbourne with her besties and discovered so much fun right under my feet!

Citadines on Bourke Citadines on Bourke are running a ‘Love Melbourne, Love Citadines’ package at the moment and what could be more appropriate for our night in Melbourne? To make the most out of our city adventure we checked into Citadines around noon (after parking in the complimentary car park) and much to our delight all three rooms were ready (there were 6 of us!). Their studio apartments come with everything you need including a fully equipped kitchenette with cooktop, should you fancy whipping up your own bacon and eggs in the morning! The rooms boast floor to ceiling windows overlooking Melbourne’s stunning skyline and the location of the hotel is central to theatres, amazing restaurants, shopping and everything in between. They are even dog friendly with a dedicated level for people staying with their furry friends which features a rooftop courtyard for when pooch needs to go! Unfortunately we were here to paint the town red so there was no time to work up a sweat in the fitness centre or squeeze in a couple of laps in the indoor pool, but they all looked amazing. Included in our Love Melbourne package was our first stop, Nick and Nora’s, for cocktails and canapes, so who were we to argue. Let’s go!

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Nick and Nora’s Nick and Nora’s is a fantastic new cocktail and champagne bar in Melbourne by the Speakeasy Group. They’ve got one in Parramatta as well and you may know them for Mjølner Sydney too. This almost secret little bar was an absolute delight and literally meters from Citadines. The warm, dark interior brings to life the golden era of post prohibition times and the champagne and cocktail list is beyond impressive. We crowed the winning cocktail The Jiminy Cricket, a play on the old Grasshopper with chocolate, pandan and celery bitters.

Go Boat For a different view of Melbourne, captaining your own boat on the Yarra River is perfect. Leaving from bustling Southbank, you can drive your electric engine powered boat down towards Docklands or head up the leafier side of the Yarra past the rowing sheds. Take a picnic with you and a couple of drinks, there is a table right in the middle for all your goodies!

Melbourne street art It’s not a trip to Melbourne if you don’t take in some of the world’s largest collection of street art. Opposite Fed Square Hosier Lane is a standout, with the crowds to prove it. AC/DC Lane is great as well and the Melbourne mural in Duckboard Place is the perfect Instagram spot.

State of Grace All this outdoor fun works up an appetite. Dinner was planned at the incredible State of Grace. I’d been hearing about this place for ages and it didn’t disappoint. Our private dining table overlooking the stunning chandeliers, and our mate the giraffe, was topped off with great European flavours, more fantastic cocktails and our divine French waiter who was brilliant. Make sure you check out the secret underground bar down the stairs hidden behind a bookshelf full of vintage books! So awesome!

Holey Moley For the first part of after-dinner fun we were ready to putt-loose! Holey Moley is a multi-sensory labyrinth of fun where mini golf meets bar.

We decked ourselves out in golf-visors, because a girl has got to look the part, and laughed our way through 9 holes at their Crown location. Each hole has a different theme like ET, Jaws, even a life size version of the oldschool game of Mouse Trap. Eight hours into our day of fun we still found room for a couple of their Red Bull Summer cocktails to ensure we had the energy needed for our next destination, karaoke next door!

Jukes Karaoke Bar We love to sing so finishing up the night in a private karaoke room was a no-brainer for us. Our host Lachie showed us how to line up our songs then busted out a quick Lady Gaga duet with Anita (they were both brilliant). We were thrilled to discover our 1 hour 10.30pm booking was the last of the night so they let us we sing our hearts out till the 1am close before we retired back to Citadines. Talk about mums gone wild! We even snuck in a nightcap back at the hotel before retiring into our uber-comfy beds. Honestly, mama hasn’t had this much fun in years.

Got a bit of FOMO? Make sure you enter our Love Melbourne giveaway on the website to win a 2-night stay for two with all this fun in Melbourne included!

MOVING WITH KIDS There’s no doubt about it, moving house can be a stressful time. All that sorting and packing, cleaning, moving and unpacking. It certainly doesn’t make the job any easier when you’ve got kids to look after too! Not to mention the general chaos of moving can be quite disconcerting for them.

However, you don’t have to do everything yourself – the kids can help. Not only does this reduce your workload, it can also give them a sense of ownership and control over their situation, helping reduce their anxieties about the move.

Little Kids (3-7 years) Young children can help pack items that don’t require too much careful handling, such as: • Clothes • Soft toys, blocks, plastic dolls • Towels, sheets and linen.

Clothes and manchester can easily be placed in a suitcase. Toys can be stuffed into a box, bag or laundry hamper. Don’t forget to keep their favourite soft toy and a change of clothes aside for moving day.

School aged children can help sort through and declutter their belongings. Ask them to pick their top 10 toys or books to keep. Then sort through the remainder together and divide into ‘keep’, ‘donate’ and ‘discard’ piles. This is a great opportunity to teach your kids about giving to charity.

Tweens (8-12 Years) With a little guidance, children this age can help you in a number of ways: • Decluttering their personal belongs • Packing non-delicate household items • Writing packing labels while you pack • Cleaning.

Start by giving the kids one space to work on at a time, such as their bookshelf or top drawer.

Have a bin handy for throwing out broken items, then get them to divide the rest into keep and donate piles. Once again, you can get them to choose their top 5 or 10 items for each category that they definitely want to keep.

Tweens can also help with household packing.

Work on packing a box or two together, then get them to do a few boxes on their own.

Give them a defined task, such as packing the bathroom cupboard. Make sure they label what’s in each box!

Tweens can also help with general cleaning, such as vacuuming or weeding the garden.

Give them a set task that’s not overwhelmingly big and show them how it’s done. A reward such as choosing their favourite takeaway dinner can help with motivation (and bonus, no cooking for you).

Once you have moved, let tweens unpack some of their own things into their room. You might need to guide them with this, starting with something like unpacking all clothes into drawers. They can also help unpack household items such as the cutlery drawer, towel cupboard etc. You can finesse it later.

Pinder Tower Movers provide packing and moving services across Melbourne and interstate.

With over 35 years of experience, this family-run business maintains a reputation for providing a friendly, professional service while handling customer possessions with the utmost care. pindertowermovers.com.au 10

Teenagers Give this age group the responsibility for sorting and packing their own possessions and let them make decluttering decisions for themselves. If asking them to simply sort out their stuff is too overwhelming, break the job down for them. For eg: • Pick one category of possessions and pull everything out.

• Discard anything that’s broken or incomplete.

• Sort the remains into ‘keep’ and ‘donate’ piles.

• Donate anything clothes that they have outgrown.

• From the ‘keep’ pile, choose a top 5 -10 items to definitely keep.

• For old school work or collectables, provide a tub or binder, and only allow them to take what fits.

• For everything else, consider discarding anything that hasn’t been used in a year.

Teenagers can also dust their possessions, wash their clothes and clean their own room after it’s packed up.

Teens can help with the household packing, heft bags of goods to charity, clean up rooms, and do some household chores. You might think of an incentive to their being extra helpful during this time, such as being allowed to choose new bedding or furniture for their new room.

Once moved, allow teens to set up their own room - you may need to set deadlines and provide incentives for this to happen! They can also help with tasks such as sorting household bedding into the linen cupboard.

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CervIcal screen Olympic athlete and Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation (ACCF) ambassador, Dr Jana Pittman, was recently diagnosed with a rare form of cervical dysplasia, causing the development of abnormal cells in the cervix. Dr Pittman underwent surgery at the beginning of March this year to remove the abnormal cells.

‘It was a bit unexpected especially because everything seemed normal, and I didn’t have any symptoms’.

Dr Pittman was given the news that she had a precancerous condition of the cervix back in 2014 while having IVF treatment to conceive her daughter. Thankfully Dr Pittman fully recovered from her condition, but this time circumstances were very different; ‘I had symptoms back in 2014 so it was obvious that I needed to go and have a check-up and follow the correct treatment pathways suitable to me. This time however, there was nothing obvious to indicate that something was wrong, but I had a funny gut feeling. When I was waiting for the results of my CST some part of my subconscious just knew it wasn’t going to be normal, I couldn’t believe that my gut instinct was correct.’

A recent study has revealed that Australia is set to be the first country to eliminate cervical cancer, aided by the national HPV vaccination and screening program. According to the research, cervical cancer could be classified as ‘rare’ by 2022 and the new goal for eliminating the cancer is the year 2028.

The National Cervical Screening Program changed in 2017 from a two-yearly ‘pap smear’ test to the new and improved five-yearly ‘Cervical Screening Test’ or ‘CST’ that detects for the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), the most common cause of cervical cancer.

However, the HPV vaccination and cervical screening programs have been subjected to disruption because of the pandemic. In order to meet the new elimination goal, it is important for women 25 years and older, and 12

all Australians with a cervix, to ensure their vaccinations are up to date and that they are attending regular Cervical Screening Tests.

Elizabeth Ham, National Health Promotion Manager, Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation (ACCF) said; ‘It is wonderful to hear that Australia could be the first country in the world to eliminate cervical cancer. At ACCF we see first-hand the detrimental affect a cervical cancer diagnosis can have on an individual and their loved ones. Too many women have lost their lives to this cancer, which can be preventable in certain circumstances if the correct measures are taken.

The number of Cervical Screening Tests being performed has dropped during the pandemic.

HPV vaccination of young people has also been disrupted due to schools being closed. Now that life is getting back to some kind of normal it is so important that people who may have delayed their CST during the pandemic are making sure they are now up to date and parents and guardians are contacting schools to ensure their children’s vaccinations are all up to date.’

In 2019, an estimated 951 new cases of cervical cancer were diagnosed in women in Australia.

An estimated 256 women died from the disease in 2019. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2019 statistics over 70% (72%) of cervical cancers occur in women who have never-screened or who were lapsed screeners.

The ACCF vision is to eliminate cervical cancer in Australia. They are working to facilitate and implement practical programs designed to provide awareness about prevention of and vaccination, screening and treatments for cervical cancer, cervical abnormalities and HPV related cancers and enable and encourage effective changes which produce life-saving results to improve women’s health outcomes and contribute to empowering women.

‘We are so lucky in this country that we have the option to be screened. If you leave it too long, you might not be that lucky. My message to all women out there is to have the screening done and get the treatment done if you need it. That way you can breathe and sleep easy knowing that component of your health is looked after.

It can be scary because often there aren’t symptoms. The Cervical Screening Test is one of those things you just need to do. I was up to date with my CSTs this time and still there was cellular abnormalities found so I am just very glad that I continued on the routine screening program.’

‘I got the call last week to say everything was clear at this point which is great news.

I’ll have a Cervical Screening Test in six months to keep an eye on things and then every 12 months after that. And then hopefully after a few years I can get back onto the routine screening (every 5 years).’

Jana Pittman To find out more go to accf.org.au

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money money money

5 STEP GUIDE TO TEACHING KIDS ABOUT MONEY It’s never too early to start teaching kids about money and how to manage it. With the added challenges associated with COVID, it’s never been more important either!

Even as coronavirus case numbers dwindle in Australia, the financial effects of the pandemic will be felt for a long time to come. It has also been the ultimate lesson in the importance of saving for a rainy day, as things can happen that you never saw coming.

As we being the new year, it’s a perfect time to be teaching your kids about money. These five steps will help get you started:

1. Stamp out the ‘money tree’ misconception We all heard it growing up and now we’re passing it onto the next generation: “Money doesn’t grow on trees”. However, if you keep handing out the cash, those words begin to sound pretty hollow.

When it comes to teaching kids about the value of money, there’s really no better way than to start them spending their own cash instead of yours.

Giving them pocket money or an allowance provides a hands-on approach to saving for big things, budgeting to meet regular costs (like going out with their friends) and, crucially, that once it’s gone, it’s gone!

As they get older, tie pocket money to household chores to introduce the concept of earning an income, and the value of hard work.

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You may even want to revisit your own relationship with money too. Taking control to build solid financial foundations will benefit you longer term and simultaneously sets a positive example for your kids to follow.

2. Make play time count We know that puzzles and Lego are not just fun to play with but also teach kids valuable skills such as problem-solving. The same is true of many board games when it comes to money.

Games like Monopoly and Game of Life allow kids to experience different risk styles and what it’s like working with cash – including how your choices influence your bank balance. They’re also free entertainment, meaning you can save cash for other fun things. So why not skip movie night and get the dice rolling instead!

3. Encourage entrepreneurship The school holidays mean many kids will have plenty of time on their hands.

They could use this time to start their own little business – washing cars, weeding gardens and walking pets within the neighbourhood. If you live near the shops, they could do grocery shopping for elderly neighbours who can’t get out or are afraid to because of COVID. Or perhaps they could monetise their talent and sell things like homemade artwork, jewellery, music or crafts online.

That way, you’re teaching them not only about money but skills in business too.’’

y

4. Waste not, want not On average, every single Australian throws out 300kg of food waste each year – equivalent to one in every five bags of groceries we buy.

Imagine giving them $50 and then making them throw $10 in the bin!

I suggest involving them in the grocery shopping. Show them the price of everything that goes into the trolley. Then you can help them attach a dollar figure to their wastage.

That way, they learn to think twice about throwing away good food or opening things only to leave them half-eaten.

5. The gift of giving Tough times help us see there is always someone worse off, and the pandemic has hit many people hard – whether from jobs lost, isolation or, sadly, the death of a loved one for over 900 Aussie families.

From donating toys or clothes to the less fortunate, volunteering time at a charity or selling things online to raise money, there are many ways kids can give to others in need.

After all, Christmas is the season of giving – and what better way to teach kids the value of money than encouraging them to support those who need it most!

Helen Baker is a licensed Australian financial adviser and author of two books: On Your Own Two Feet – Steady Steps to Women’s Financial Independence and On Your Own Two Feet Divorce – Your Survive and Thrive Financial Guide. Proceeds from the books’ sales are donated to charities supporting disadvantaged women. Find out more at www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au Note this is general advice only and you should seek advice specific to your circumstances.

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LYSANDRA’S AL.IVE The past nine years have been a whirlwind for TV reno queen Lysandra Fraser. For starters there’s been two stints on The Block, alongside her twin sister Alisa, the day to day running of their interiors business, and the launch of their successful hand and body lotion business - al.ive body - in the midle of a pandemic. Somehow she’s managed to do all this whilst raising her two boys Emerson, 11, and Cohen, 9. The sisters have now just released a new product – al.ive body baby - aimed at toddler and babies which features a hair/ body wash, body lotion and nappy cream.

What were your kids like when they were babies and what did you think of the range of baby lotions available back then?

Emerson was fine, but Cohen was a nightmare!

He had bad colic and reflux, so I don’t think I slept for more than two hours in a row for the first five months. I remember the range of lotions was fairly standard and there was a limited choice.

Was it scary launching a new business during COVID? Yes, it was a risk. With the country going into COVID lockdown and uncertainty, people questioned the timing of our start-up launch.

However, we were confident we had the right product at the right time, given it was body washes and hand sanitisers! It’s been a crazy ride, with lessons learnt long the way, but it’s done extremely well.

What’s been toughest period of parenting?

Right now is actually pretty tough. I wasn’t prepared for the stage when they both hate each other’s guts so much! They’re both very different and are just butting heads and arguing a lot. Emerson is really into sport and he’s more serious. Whereas Cohen hates sport and is loud and in your face. I’ve threatened to ban their 18

Nintendo Switches during the worst fights, but for the most part I just try to let it sort it out themselves, as whatever I say doesn’t have that much effect!

Do you ever get ‘mum guilt’?

Oh yeah! I try to do things with them like play cricket and basketball and take them to the pool or beach, but then there are times you’re too tired or can’t be bothered and that’s when the guilt kicks in! It’s hard work, nothing really prepares you for having children. Once you think you have it all figured out, they enter another stage and the whole figuring out stage starts again.

What kind of a mum are you?

I try to be the cool mum. At times I’d like to be stricter, but I don’t think I have it in me!

What’s been the hardest moment?

Both of them had the croup virus at different times. Cohen had it when he was three and actually stopped breathing in the doctor’s office.

He was turning blue and had to be rushed by ambulance to hospital. Then Emerson had it when he was eight and was struggling to breathe at home. That time I had to call the ambulance myself. Both those times were so scary. It just goes to show you how quickly things can turn when you have a virus and that you need to be vigilant about your health.

How do you manager the work and family life juggle?

Before I was a parent I’d think, “I would never allow my kid to act like that or do that”. Then you have them and all those pre parenting assumptions go out the window! I’m not sure if you ever find a balance. It’s always a juggling act no matter how organised you are. I feel like a clown most of the time, juggling lots of balls in the air.

As a divorced mum who shares custody with her ex, how do you navigate the ‘one week on, one week off’ living arrangements?

It’s been eight years now, so it’s definitely easier these days. It works pretty well – I tried to get everything prepared before they come home such as the washing and grocery shopping, so I can spend as much time with them. The week I don’t have them, I’m in the office from 7.15am to 6pm night doing as much as I can, and the week I have them I leave the office at 2.45pm to pick them up from school. I make sure I spend as much time with them as possible.

Your oldest starts high school next year – how are you feeling about that?

Everyone says the teenage years are the hardest which makes me gulp. I thought the hardest years were behind you by that stage! It’s coming up to a tricky time because I know he wants more and more independence. He’s just started riding his bike to school which is a big deal for me. Soon he’ll be riding around with his friends on his own.

It’s hard trying not to worry but I’m getting used to it.

What are your best hacks for coping with mum stress?

In the last couple of years, I’ve become very good at acknowledging that life is pretty short, so you need to enjoy every moment. When things get hard, I remind myself that I’ve been lucky and that I’ve got nothing to complain about. My daily mantra is “the days are long, but the years are fast.” I take time for myself to enjoy beach walks and work out at the gym.

For more information on al.ive body visit www.alivebody.com.au 19

LITTLE SCAVENGERS Whether you’re exploring your backyard, your neighbourhood or a camp ground, scavenger hunts provide a wealth of opportunities for active outdoor fun.

Scavenger hunts can be done just about anywhere, are easy to create and you can customise them to suit your child’s age, abilities and interests.

They might feel like play, but there are many advantages and learning opportunities when children participate in scavenger hunts.

Boosting observation skills, teaching kids to practice problem-solving, learning about the outdoors, teaching teamwork and making discoveries of their own... and it’s a great way to keep children occupied for a length of time.

Impromptu scavenger hunts are easy to create, but if you’d like to plan ahead and create a scavenger hunt specific to your environment or your children’s ages and interests here are some ideas.

Creating a Scavenger Hunt Scavenger hunts can be held during the day or at night and they can basically be held anywhere. The location you chose and the time of day will depend on how old the players are, how large the group is, the weather, and what sort of scavenger hunt you are doing.

LOCATION: A smaller more confined space is better for younger children while older children will enjoy exploring further afield.

SINGLE PLAYER OR TEAM: If you have a large group of children or a wide range of ages you might consider creating teams that work together to find the items. If your scavenger hunt is for younger children, buddy them up with an older child or a parent or even in a team with older children.

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: When designing a scavenger hunt, have them search for common outdoor objects that won’t be difficult or frustrating to find or items you have planted.

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SAFETY AND SUPERVISION: Depending on the age of the children and the location, you might want to have adults on hand to provide guidance, maybe give a hint or two, and to keep watch over them.

TIME OF DAY: Evening scavenger hunts can be so much fun for all ages and a great way to entertain kids away from their screens or by integrating the screens into the hunt. If any of the children are scared of the dark make sure they are in a team with older, more responsible children or an adult is there to supervise and look aft er them.

PHYSICAL OR DIGITAL COLLECTION: Instead of asking the children to physically collect items, ask each participant or team to take a photo of the items on the list. This is especially great for national parks where you can’t remove things or even in your backyard neighbourhood to prevent flowers being picked from your garden or your neighbour’s garden.

CREATING SCAVENGER HUNT LIST: There are several ways to include items in your scavenger hunt. You can simply create a list of known landmarks and items; you can deliberately hide items to be found (great for backyard hunts or alphabet hunts where you need to have items starting with letters such as Z); or you can be less specific, for example a colour scavenger hunt where there could be many items that match the colours on the list.

EQUIPMENT YOU WILL NEED: The basic equipment you’ll need for any type of scavenger hunt is a list of things to find and a way to collect or record these things. You can either print out or hand write the list and give it on a clipboard and pen for each participant or team or let kids use their phones or devices to photograph the items as they find them.

If the scavenger hunt is a physical collection of the items on the list make sure the items are not too heavy or cumbersome to collect and provide a bag or a container for collection.

Scavenger Hunt Ideas ALPHABET SCAVENGER HUNT: This type of hunt is great for all ages and can either be a specific list of items that you stipulate from A to Z or you can just allow the children to find their own items from A to Z. You can also be more specific and create an A to Z of plants, animals, etc...maybe even number plates if you are hunting in an urban area.

NATURE SCAVENGER HUNT: Make a list of items that would most likely be found in the area you are camping in or your backyard. If the children are older and have an interest in flora and fauna you could add specific animals or plant names to this list as well.

FIVE SENSES SCAVENGER HUNT: A scavenger hunt doesn’t have to be about just collecting physical things. You can also scavenge for experiencing the different senses: smell, sound, sight, touch and taste.

For safety and hygiene purposes scavenging for taste is probably best done using the contents of your pantry or camp kitchen.

PHOTOGRAPHY SCAVENGER HUNT: This is a great one for tweens and teenagers – instead of fighting to get them off their devices, encourage them to use their devices to engage with nature and the outdoors.

The concept is simple: the scavenger hunters take photos of everything on the list instead of physically collecting everything on the list.

DRAWING SCAVENGER HUNT: This is similar to the photography treasure hunt in that you don’t physically “collect” anything. The list for this type of treasure hunt will probably be smaller because it takes longer to draw an item than it takes to collect or photograph it.

Some simple ideas for a drawing scavenger hunt include drawing a tree, flower, butterfly, plant, person, bird or animal. If your child is particularly fascinated with a particular plant or animal tailor the hunt to their interests.

NIGHT TIME SCAVENGER HUNT: When my children were younger my sister-in-law came up with a wonderful Christmas gift idea. She gave them all a headlamp as their Christmas present and then organised a night time scavenger hunt on Christmas night. Th ere were 16 cousins in total, ranging in age from 2 - 17 years old and the headlamps and night time scavenger hunt really was the best present ever - we still use these headlamps today, well over a decade later.

Headlamps are inexpensive and ideal for camping in general or even just having fun in the backyard, but they are especially ideal for scavenger hunts because they free up both hands to hold a list or a phone and collect the items on the scavenger hunt list.

Australian Geographic’s Camping & Outdoor Family Activity Guide is $39.99 RRP and is available now for preorder for delivery early June at www.booktopia.com.au.

After the hunt the children can upload their photos, and then arrange them into a short presentation or create a photo journal that can be printed out at a later time as a memory of the camping trip.

COLOUR SCAVENGER HUNT: All you need is a sheet of paper or a paper lunch bag on which you use pencils or markers to draw the colours - you can also print out a scavenger list using your colour printer. The children can either physically collect items that match the colour or take photos to “collect” the colours. At the end of the hunt everyone can share their items in a “show and tell” because they will have most likely collected some different items.

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the next mornIng...

On making it to the kitchen, I looked at Norm and said good morning, awaiting his response so I could analyse his tone like a Russian spy.

Don’t you hate that? You only get two days in a weekend, so if you screw up on a Friday night, the thought of wasting a Saturday being in trouble is depressing. The thought that the entire universe hates you is only a bonus.

He looked back at me with a smile. ‘Morning, Boozy! Coffee?’

Oh my god, had I hit the jackpot? Maybe Norm was BLIND last night and the gods above had granted me a wild card for the weekend by making him black out. That was my best bet here. Come on, Normy, tell me you drank until you blacked out. I went all in on it! ‘Do you remember anything from last night?’

‘Yeah, you were feral,’ he sniggered.

‘Are you angry?’ I asked, confused.

‘Nup, I read a quote yesterday.’

Completely bewildered, I asked him what it was he had magically read. Because until that moment, the only way I’d thought I could get out of the crap basket was if he had met up with Stacey for a $40 glass BBQ breakfast and the buzz of an illicit drug was clouding his judgement.

Now, when I tell you what he said, you should imagine a balding man wearing a pair of jocks with a hole in the left butt cheek, stirring Nescafé into two old stained cups, and pretend he’s talking to you. Especially if you’ve ever had anyone ever say something to you that’s ruined your day. You know, when your boss is mean to you at 10 am and when 7 pm hits, nine hours later, you’re still talking to your friends or partner about it, at home on your verandah with a wine, getting more and more worked 22

up . . . plotting his or her death or demise etc.

Okay, back to the visualisation of a jockwearing, balding Nescafé maker.

‘If you had $86,400 and you lost $10, would you throw the $86,390 away looking for the $10?’

‘No.’ ‘There are 86,400 seconds in a day, and if someone uses ten of those seconds to upset you, why would you lose the rest of those seconds focusing on the ten?’

I looked at Norm and his holey jocks, gobsmacked at the wisdom of a man who’s go-to quote is usually ‘Fuck ’em’ or, if not, something he read off the back of a bottle cap.

But he’s right: if you lost the $10 you wouldn’t care because you’d still have $86,390! You’d still be rich and could do so much with that cash. If you met a random stranger and you asked how they were and they said, ‘I’m terrible! I dropped a tenner this morning so I spent 86 grand today hiring a search party to find the tenner, and we didn’t find it so now I have nothing,’ you’d think they were mad! Clinically INSANE. But that’s what we do to our mind! We focus on the ten seconds we lost and not the 86,000 plus that we still had. And chances are the person who stole those seconds doesn’t even know or care.

So why give them more? If a robber took $10 off you, would you reward them by asking for their bank account details and saying, ‘Hey mate, I’ve got another $86,000 . . . here, have the rest . . . I insist!’ NO! You would protect the remaining cash you have. You would feel entitled to your own money and adamant that no one can steal that off you. So let’s try and take the same ownership of our time (which is a shit ton more valuable).

This is an extract from Why Wouldn’t Ya?

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TAKE IT SLOW For me, cooking and comfort have always been linked. There’s nothing more therapeutic than a pot of delicious food gently bubbling away on a low heat for a few hours on a wintry Sunday afternoon. I adore it so much it felt only natural that my next book would be a compilation of all my favourite slow-cooked dishes.

The ritual of slow cooking is at the heart of how I fell in love with food, with most of my repertoire stemming from my French roots.

My mumma Françoise and my grandmother Mémé instilled in me the art of cooking homestyle dishes that are steeped in tradition – and it’s this culinary legacy that I’m always eager to share with you. A lot of French dishes are based on the fundamentals of slow cooking: braising, stewing, poaching and roasting.

Think beef bourguignon a red wine beef stew, chicken slowly cooked with mushrooms and finished with cream, or a vibrant ratatouille.

Mmmm, mouth-watering … It’s no wonder I’m so passionate about this style of cooking.

Slow cooking also forms the basis for many other cultures’ cuisines. In this book you’ll find some of my most-loved slow-cooked dishes from Morocco to Italy, Japan across to America. These recipes, even if they’re new to you, will give you the warm, fuzzy feeling of coming home.

There is much to be said about the convenience of cooking hearty, wholesome recipes like these. They may take time to cook, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are difficult or time consuming to prepare. I’ve designed this book so that you can control how much attention you give each recipe, by including both conventional and slow-cooker instructions. This helps make preparing meals easy, with maximum reward for minimal effort.

The true appeal of slow cooking is the one-pot concept, which means not only less washing up but also big-batch cooking and freezerfriendly meals. Most of these recipes can be easily doubled so there will always be enough for leftovers to store in airtight containers in 24

the freezer for up to three months. You can choose to cook these recipes the conventional way – in a traditional vessel like a heavy-based casserole dish, cast-iron pot, ovenproof sauté pan or even a baking dish – or set and forget, leaving the dish to cook completely unattended in that much-loved, clever kitchen appliance, the slow cooker.

The ease of switching on a slow cooker just before you leave for work in the morning is so gratifying, knowing you will come home to a beautiful meal.

Slow cooking is also extremely cost effective.

The ingredients that shine most after a long and low-temperature cook are usually the least expensive secondary cuts of meat that have more fat and a good marbling of connective tissue – like neck, shanks, shoulder, chuck, brisket, cheeks and ribs.

A total ‘ugly duckling’ transformation happens, and the tough, underrated cut turns into an irresistibly tender piece of meat. And let’s not forget all our beloved vegetables and how budget-friendly they can be when slow cooked in a creative manner. I really wanted to provide you with lots of ways to transform humble vegetables into iconic dishes that we all love to eat but don’t necessarily know how to prepare.

Explore cooking with dried legumes and pulses like chickpeas, lentils and kidney beans.

Not only are they good for you, they’re economical and ideal to bulk out a dish for bigbatch cooking.

x Justine The Slow Cook by Justine Schofield, Published by Plum, RRP $39.99, Photography by Rob Palmer

The mind-blowing flavours of sweet, spicy and tangy – from the pineapple, chipotle in adobo sauce and lime – pair beautifully here with slow-cooked pork.

Pork and pineapple tacos Serves 4-6 Ingredients: 1 kg piece of pork scotch fillet or boned and rolled pork shoulder, skin removed 1 small pineapple peeled 1 tbs olive oil salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper 1 handful of coriander, roots finely chopped, leaves and stalks roughly chopped, plus extra leaves to serve 1 tbs coriander seeds, toasted and crushed 3 garlic cloves, chopped 2 tbs chopped chipotle in adobo sauce (including sauce) 2 tbs chopped jalapeño chilli in brine, plus 1 tablespoon brine zest and juice of 1 lime 2 teaspoons sugar 12 small wheat or corn tortillas sour cream, to serve lime wedges, to serve Method: Remove pork from the fridge 45 minutes before cooking.

Juice half the pineapple and measure out 1 cup. If you don’t have a juicer, puree the pineapple in a blender and strain. Alternatively, substitute with bottled pineapple juice. Cut the remaining half into four long wedges.

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Heat the olive oil in a large, casserole dish over medium–high heat.

Season the pork with salt and pepper and sear on all sides for 4–5 minutes until caramelised.

Remove the pork from the dish and add the finely chopped coriander root, coriander seeds, garlic, chipotle in adobo sauce, pineapple juice and 1 cup of water. Stir and return the pork to the dish, cover with the lid and transfer to the oven. Roast, turning and basting the pork with the juices halfway through, for 1.5–2 hours until tender.

Remove from pan and cover with foil.

Roughly chopped coriander leaves and stalks, the jalapeño chilli and brine, lime zest and juice, sugar and a pinch of salt in a small bowl and stir to combine. Cover and chill in the fridge until required.

Preheat the oven grill. Line a baking tray with foil. Brush the pineapple wedges with a little of the cooking juices in the dish and place on the prepared tray.

Grill for 6–8 minutes, turning halfway through.

Pour the cooking juices into a saucepan, and cook over high heat for 6–8 minutes until reduced to a thick, glossy glaze.

Warm the tortillas as per the packet instructions.

Pull the pork apart with two forks. Add to the glaze and stir to coat. Serve with pineapple wedges alongside in the middle of the table with the warmed tortillas, jalapeño chilli salsa, sour cream, lime wedges and extra coriander leaves.

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Japanese Chicken Curry Serves: 4-6 Ingredients: 1 tbs vegetable oil 1 large onion, sliced 3 cm piece of ginger, grated 6 chicken drumsticks (about 1 kg), skin removed and knuckle cut off 50 g butter 50 g (1/3 cup) plain flour 1 tbs curry powder 1 tbs garam masala 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1 litre chicken stock 250 ml cloudy apple juice 1 tablespoon soy sauce 2 tsp apple cider vinegar 2 carrots, cut into 3 cm pieces 3 desiree potatoes, peeled and cut into 4 cm pieces 3 spring onions, cut into 4 cm

pieces, plus extra spring onion green parts, julienned, to serve pickled daikon, ginger and shallot Steamed short-grain rice and coriander sprigs, to serve Method:

Rose-vanilla bath melts Heat the vegetable oil in a large sauté pan over medium–high heat. Add the onion and ginger and cook for 2–3 minutes to soften. Add the chicken and cook on all sides for 4–5 minutes until the chicken changes colour but the onion does not begin to caramelise.

Transfer the chicken and onion mixture to a plate and set aside.

Return the pan to medium heat, add the butter and melt. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for

3 minutes, or until caramel in colour. Whisk in the spices and cook for about 30 seconds until aromatic, then slowly whisk in the stock, apple juice, soy sauce and vinegar until smooth. Bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat to low, add the carrot and potato and return the chicken and onion mixture to the pan. Cover with the lid and cook for 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

Add the spring onion pieces to the curry and stir to combine.

Serve with the pickled daikon, ginger and shallot, steamed NOTE—Pickled daikon, ginger and shallot can be purchased at Japanese grocers.

Before travelling to Japan, I had no idea curry (Japanese style) was so popular.

And I can see why – it’s addictive!

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This easy dessert is perfect for a relaxed gathering when friends come over. If the oven is being utilised for the main dishes, I love to cook my lemon delicious in the reliable, steady heat of my slow cooker.

Lemon delicious Serves: 4-6

Method:

Ingredients:

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Lightly grease a 1 litre (4 cup) capacity baking dish with butter.

125 g unsalted butter, chopped and softened, plus extra for greasing 1 cup caster sugar 2 tsp lemon zest, extra to serve 4 eggs, separated 1/2 cup self-raising flour 1 1/2 cups milk 1/3 cup lemon juice (from about 1 1/2 lemons) Boiling water Icing sugar, sifted, for dusting crème fraîche, to serve

Place the butter, caster sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on medium speed using the paddle attachment until pale and creamy, about 1 minute.

Add the egg yolks, one by one, beating well after each addition. Fold in the flour, milk and lemon juice to form a smooth batter.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. Then, with a large metal spoon,

gently fold half the egg whites into the batter to lighten the mixture. Fold through the remaining egg whites until just combined.

Gently spoon the mixture into the prepared dish. Place the dish in a large roasting tin.

Pour boiling water around the dish into the tin to reach halfway up the side of the dish.

Bake for 35–40 minutes until the lemon delicious is golden and just set.

Dust the lemon delicious with the icing sugar and serve with the crème fraîche and an extra sprinkling of lemon zest.

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A GIFT MINDSET Why adopting a ‘gift’ mindset turns challenges into opportunities Life throws us curveballs. Some are made of glass and are hard to catch, some bounce off us and others seem to fall straight into our hands.

But why not think of these experiences as ‘gifts’?

How we catch and embrace (or drop) these gifts depends on our mindset, perspective, beliefs, experiences and values.

By adopting a ‘gift’ mindset, we can approach situations in our lives with deeper self-awareness, viewing challenges as an opportunity to learn and progress. Lessons may fall into any of the key 12 gifts: resilience, connection, forgiveness, growth, change, optimism, contribution, empathy, curiosity, courage, re-energising or gratitude.

The 2020 global pandemic presented gifts that challenged us and provided opportunities to look at life differently. We live in a hyperconnected world, but at the same time, we are infinitely disconnected.

A National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing indicated that 2.1 million Australians aged 16–85 had serious thoughts about taking their own life at some point in their lives (Slade et al. 2009). Causes include stressful life events (imagine if we could share these openly), mental illness and substance abuse. The gift mindset helps us to share more of ourselves, as a way of helping others.

Where do gifts come from?

Sometimes hidden or buried in the past, our gifts, challenging and positive situations and people, are the key drivers to unwrapping our lessons or ‘gifts’.

In the game ‘pass the parcel’, a neatly wrapped newspaper parcel makes its way around a circle of excited kids. Each child takes their time

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passing on the parcel, hoping the music stops so they can remove the next layer to expose a small gift. The biggest gift always saved for the end. Not getting a gift was resilience-building and having to unwrap each layer brought you closer to the main prize - the real gift.

In life, challenging situations are like playing pass the parcel, the gift in the situation is never usually planned, clear or accepted in the moment.

Anna’s daughter was diagnosed with cancer two years ago. She resigned from a job she loved to care for her child. Not long after this, she started a consultancy – resulting in greater work–life balance doing what she loves.

Just like pass the parcel, the initial gift is not pleasant, not chosen and the biggest gift is saved for the end. So, how can you adopt a gift mindset?

Self-awareness Whether facing a challenge or a success, the first step in adopting the gift mindset is to have deeper awareness of the event.

A crisis or success can send us into a tornado of confusion, denial and defeat. By going through the ‘unwrapping’ process, we can peel back the layers and see the gift in a way that serves others and us. In the practice of dealing with any pain or challenge, we can gradually build our strength to handle more.

Acceptance Acceptance is choosing to embrace or tolerate something, rather than resist it. It is sometimes seen as a last resort in a world which is focused on self-improvement and being better than before.

Taking the path to acceptance allows us to come to a place of wisdom, perspective and ultimately change. It is about developing a relationship with an experience that is

characterised by allowing it to be what it is; registering the presence of difficult feelings and succumbing to whatever will happen next.

A few questions to ponder:

Think about how sharing your story and lesson benefits others.

• Who could benefit from your gifts?

Action Sharing our lessons – the gifts – is not always comfortable; yet growth means moving beyond what we know, so we need to break through this barrier.

We can’t move forward until we learn the lesson and believe what it means to us personally. Use risk-taking, making mistakes, or experiencing success, as a learning experience.

Accept and share – don’t bury it under a rug.

Sharing lessons can enrich the lives of others; help replicate success and is potentially a survival guide for someone else.

• What lessons have you gleaned and how will you apply these?

• What is one thing you could do today to share a gift?

By adopting the gift mindset, we get to live our legacy right now by living a life of purpose, connection and contribution.

What will it cost you not to unwrap your gifts?

Renée Giarrusso, author of Gift Mindset, is a communication and leadership expert. She is a speaker, trainer, mentor and a professional coach (PCC) and works with leaders, teams and organisations to energise mindset and accelerate leadership and communication to lift performance and create collaborative and connected cultures. Find out more at www.reneegiarrusso.com

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Of Gold and Dust One thing the pandemic did for businesses is normalise the good old Zoom interview which makes interviewing incredible Aussie women so easy! Mama was lucky enough to recently have a great little Zoom-chat with Sydney’s wonderful Samantha Wills.

You may remember Samantha as the self-titled jewellery designer. She started her jewellery company on her kitchen table in Bondi when she was just 21 years old. By 26 she had turned over her first million dollars and her designs were being worn by celebrities like Eva Mendes, Katy Perry and Rachel Zoe. Her earrings were even featured in the second Sex and the City movie. Dividing her time between Australia and New York, her life certainly looked all glitz and glamour, but Samantha had a very different experience behind the scenes which she reveals in her new book Of Gold and Dust.

A far cry from her humble beginnings as a child growing up in Port Macquarie, today Samantha has amassed 217k followers on Instagram!

Her love of jewellery came as an 11-year-old when her mum put her into a beading class at her local craft shop. Here she learnt the basis of jewellery making, which she loved, and continued this through high school as a hobby selling a few pieces here and there in the playground. When she was 20 she moved to Sydney and started making jewellery to pass the time in between her part-time retail job.

The Bondi market, which was a big platform for Australian designers, was her first step into proper sales and it was at this same time that a friend mentioned she had a local showroom for Australian Fashion Week where she was wholesaling some brands and asked Samantha if she’s like to include some pieces. Unsure if what she was creating was a hobby or a brand, she took the plunge and said yes and ended up filling $17,000 worth of orders. She was officially a brand!

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At 21 she quite her retail job and threw everything at it. Working 22 hour a day with bleeding hands from all the labour. Thinking the more she sold the morn money she’d makes, three years in and $80k in debt she realised she know how to build a brand but not how to run a business! But working with the right people made the business a success as well.

So after 15 years of success, and a business turning over $12 million a year, why did she close the business?

“I decided the close the business in 2018, but if I’m really honest as a creative I could feel that light starting to dim 2 years earlier.”

In 15 years she had designed 12,000 pieces and whilst she could design with her hands but she was no longer designing it with her heart. She felt designing without her heart was too fraudulent and she wanted to honour her brand’s legacy. Selling a self-named business didn’t feel right so she decided to close this chapter of her life.

Besides the lack of heart Samantha’s health was also suffering and she was exhausted. The constant commute between New York and Sydney, with 6 weeks in New York and 10 days in Sydney, was taking its toll. Despite being in pain Samantha continued to put off going to the doctor because she was just “too busy”.

It was during this time Samantha decided to freeze her eggs. At 39 she thought she would know very clearly by now in life and assumed having a child would be one of them, but for her this was not unwaveringly clear yet. Unsure if and when she really wanted to become a mother, even unsure if this was a possibility, she thought freezing her eggs would provide the safety net should she make that decision to become a mum. It was also through this

t Of Gold and Dust, A memoir of a creative life by Samantha Wills is published by Allen & Unwin.

Out now. RRP $32.99 process that she discovered the cause of her ongoing pain. Stage four endometriosis and two orange-sized fibroids which resulted in surgery and a 6 month wait until she could complete the egg freezing process.

Now, one of the biggest messages in her new book is to listen to your body. No job is worth pushing through pain and ignoring your health. She also wants to open up the conversation about egg freezing and a woman’s right to not be ready for children.

Samantha shares this part of her story quite publicly because she feels people are not openly talking about being undecided about having kids yet. It’s ok to have that conversation. To have options as an older woman is a real luxury as while everything else in life, our careers, the ability to travel, have had adaptable timelines, the female biology is stuck on that old timeline that doesn’t allow for change. But the ability to save your eggs, as a first-time mum or an existing mum who isn’t sure she is done yet, is incredible.

With a public profile built around success Samantha felt a responsibility to share in her book that it’s not all easy.

She wanted to tell all the layers of the story, not just the ones you see on Instagram. She hopes her words give others permission to explore ideas, take their ideas seriously and not be afraid. Look after your health and live your best successful life.

Photo: Scott Ehler

“I wanted to share that part of my story because I think that part of the conversation is missing. At 39 I’m not sure, I think I should be sure, but I’m not. So I think it’s important to keep talking about that.”

A quIck spIN THROUGH LAUNDRY HISTORY Washing machines are one of those things that we take entirely for granted unless – heaven forbid – we have to manage without one! Can you imagine having to wash clothes, towels and bed linen by hand? Of course, for many centuries of civilisation that’s what people had to do, and indeed continue to do in some parts of the world today.

Rockin’ the laundry Early civilisations generally made do with a river and a few rocks, and garments were usually pounded by or over rocks, scrubbed with sand or small stones, and manipulated with wooden tools or underfoot. It took a lot of time and effort, and many garments would have remained unwashed a lot of the time.

Roman ingenuity It took the Romans to make washing clothes a much bigger and grander affair. The Romans built public laundries called ‘fulleries’ where garments were washed, whitened, re-dyed and pressed by the ‘fuller’, or laundryman. Clothes were washed in stone bowls with clay and ammoniated water and dried by being hung on frames, then pressed flat by being fed through a large press turned by cranks. The ammonia in the ammoniated water came from urine collected from public urinals. It may sound disgusting, but apparently, it worked, and urine was used for stain removal in Medieval Europe as well. Combinations of animal fats and various types of ashes were also used as cleaning products.

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Early washing machines Laundry work continued to be hard manual labour throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, although at least soap that is more similar to the product we know became available during the 1800s. Washing machines of various types were developed around this time too, and these contraptions were powered by hand-cranks or steam. The first electric-powered washing machine, the Thor, was produced in 1908 and was a commercial washer sold by the Hurley Machine Company of Chicago. It wasn’t until the post-war period of the 1950s that automatic washing machines become more widely available in domestic homes.

Laundromat popularity Even though it took many years for households to have their own washing machines, at least laundromats had been invented in the meantime. The first laundromat was known as a Wash-a-teria and was opened in Texas, USA, in 1934. Laundromats became extremely popular in the US and were soon available all over the country, allowing families the luxury of using washing machines, which would have otherwise been unavailable to them.

While washing machines are everyday items these days, laundromats provide a valuable service, particularly with the increase in highdensity housing where space can be in short supply.

IMAGE. AWM H17133 P04236

Anzac Day 25 APRIL

ON 25 APRIL 1915, MEMBERS OF THE AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND ARMY CORPS LANDED AT GALLIPOLI.

ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THIS DAY EACH YEAR WE PAUSE TO HONOUR THE SERVICE AND SACRIFICE OF ALL OUR

VETERANS WHO HAVE FOUGHT IN WARS, CONFLICTS AND PEACE OPERATIONS.

anzacportal.dva.gov.au

on the shelf

kids

Princess Benjamina Has a Very Cheeky Bum by Claire Hooper Princess Benjamina’s talking bum gets her into all sorts of mischief. But now Benji has a plan to get to the bottom of the matter - a clever plan that will shoosh her tush for good, or at least for the night of the Royal Ball...

When you are trying to find your inner voice, sometimes you need to look behind you! This gloriously witty, feel-good story about self-confidence, friendship and acceptance comes from Claire’s own experience in a supermarket, and toeing the line in her adult comedy today.

Ages 3-6. Published by Albert Street Books RRP: $19.99

School of Monsters series by Sally Rippin With bright, colourful artwork, tumbling rhymes and an infectious sense of humour, The School of Monsters is Dr Seuss meets Sesame Street . Through the use of simple words and sentences, loveable characters and engaging storylines, Sally’s aim is to make the challenging task of reading a little more fun. New readers can start by reading only the last word on every line and work up to reading the whole story all by themselves.

Ages -7. Published by Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing. RRP $8.99

Mo and Crow by Jo Kasch, illustrated by Jonathan Bentley Mo lives alone and he likes it that way…until Crow comes into his small and tidy life offering friendship. Mo lived alone and he liked it that way.

He had a house to protect him.And a wall. Mo trusted his wall. It kept everything out he wanted kept out.

A beautiful story about breaking down barriers and discovering the joys of friendship, from the brilliant creative team of Jo Kasch and award-winning illustrator Jonathan Bentley.

Ages 5-8. Published by Allen & Unwin. RRP $24.99

Hello, Baby! by Shelly Unwin, Illustrated by Jedda Robaard An adorable picture book that celebrates the arrival of a new baby, with gorgeous illustrations by the bestselling illustrator of It’s Not Scribble to Me. Here you are. Look at you! Tiny, precious, all brand-new. At first you were a beating heart, now your life’s about to start ... Hello, Baby!

A sweet story that perfectly captures the special feelings that arrive with a new baby, and which will welcome a bundle of joy into hearts and homes.

Ages 9-13. Published by Allen & Unwin RRP $16.99

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t(w)een The Treehouse Joke Book 2 by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton Andy and Terry live in the world’s craziest treehouse. They like making books and telling jokes. And now they’ve made the world’s funniest joke book. Again!

From fairytale fun to classroom capers and movie madness, there are jokes galore for the whole family. An especially perfect book for fans of the Treehouse series. Q: What did one ghost say to the other ghost? A: Do you believe in people?

Published by Pan Australia. RRP $14.99

The Dragon and Her Boy by Penny Chrimes A story of a the very last living dragon, stuck living in a tunnel under London, and the boy who unintentionally finds himself as her protector, perfect for fans of The Girl of Ink & Stars. When Stick discovers there is a dragon living underneath the streets of London, he finds himself unintentionally drawn into an epic adventure and a quest -- but how can he find a place for a dragon to live in London when dragons aren’t supposed to exist? And with foes at every corner who want to exploit the dragon for themselves, it’s going to take a daring plan for Stick to find a safe place for his dragon -- and for himself.

Published Orion Children’s Books. RRP $15.99.

Huda and Me by H. Hayek When their parents have to travel to Beirut unexpectedly, twelve-year-old Akeal and his six siblings are horrified to be left behind in Melbourne with the dreaded Aunt Amel. Things do not go well, and Akeal’s naughty little sister, Huda, hatches a bold plan to escape. After stealing Aunt Amel’s credit card to buy plane tickets to Lebanon, the iconic Huda persuades her reluctant favourite brother to come with her. So begins Huda and Akeal’s action-packed journey to reunite with their parents half a world away, in a city they’ve grown up only dreaming about. They’ll need to make it through three airports, a boy who is both cruel and kind, and the war-torn streets of Lebanon to get there.

Ages 9-13. Published by Allen & Unwin. RRP $14.99

Cuckoo’s Flight by Wendy Orr When Clio’s town in Bronze Age Crete is threatened by seafaring raiders, she faces the greatest sacrifice of all. A raiders’ ship appears off the coast, the goddess demands an unthinkable price to save the town - and Clio’s grandmother creates a sacred statue to save Clio’s life. But Clio is torn between the demands of guarding the statue and caring for her beloved horses. Disabled in an accident, she must try to put aside her own grief at no longer being able to ride - and in the process, save a friend’s life and stop a war. Rippling with emotion and drama, war and resistance, fear and determination, this novel is a brilliant companion to Dragonfly Song and Swallow’s Dance. Ages 9-13. Published by Allen & Unwin. RRP $16.99

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The Design Files Kids Art Awards is an online art awards program, celebrating kids’ unique creativity, and rewarding five talented young Aussie artists with $2000 each, thanks to Honan.

100% of entry fees go to Children’s Ground.

tdfkidsartawards.com Entries close on Sunday April 18th

Proudly Presented by

Honan are proud to support the inaugural The Design Files Kids Art Awards, and excited to see the imagination and inspiration they uncover.

Founded in Australia in 1964, Honan is with you all the way, offering bespoke commercial, risk and financial solutions, advice when you need it, and support no matter what.

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Green Cleaning by Alisa & Cynthia Mayne

adults

Change starts from home and each chemical cleaning product that you leave on the supermarket shelf is an inspiring step towards a simple, clean, healthy, and happy home. Green Cleaning is your go-to guide for beating the big companies at their own game. Handy and simple home hints, tips, and recipes for cleaning anything the environmentally friendly, non-toxic way, whilst saving lots of money! Written as an easy-to-follow workbook that takes you from room to room. Perfect for people interested in environmentally friendly cleaning, saving money, DIY, and living a simpler life.

Published by Wilkinson Publishing, RRP $19.99 Out 15th April.

Dear Mum, edited by Samuel Johnson If you could tell your mum anything, what would it be?

An honest, moving, emotionally memorable collection of letters to their mothers from some of Australia’s most notable notables including Samuel Johnson, Amanda Keller, Vika and Linda Bull, Guy Pearce, Elizabeth Tan, Rebecca Gibney, Peter Helliar, Clare Wright, Hilde Hinton, Gillian O’Shaughnessy, Adam Spencer, Brooke Davis, Lawrence Mooney, Patti Newton, Shane Jacobson, Julie Koh, Susie Youssef, Lehmo, Favel Parrett, Matilda Brown and many more ... The perfect gift for the mum (or mum figure) in your life!

Published by Hachette Australia. RRP $22.99

Hormone Repair Manual by Lara Briden The Hormone Repair Manual is a must-have guide to understanding and overcoming the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. Naturopath Lara Briden has more than 20 years’ experience in women’s health. Her fresh approach aims to overturn the stigma of perimenopause and menopause and show women that many symptoms are temporary and manageable.

Addressing common symptoms such as hot flushes, insomnia, mood changes, migraines, weight gain, low libido and heavy periods, Lara offers practical solutions of diet, lifestyle, nutritional supplements and tips for how to speak to your doctor about hormone therapy.

Published by Macmillan Australia. RRP $34.99

I’m So Effing Tired by Dr Amy Shah Exhaustion doesn’t have to be your new normal.

Are you feeling overwhelmed, overstressed, and overtired? If so, you’re not alone - and you don’t have to settle for feeling this way. Inspired by her personal wellness journey, Dr. Amy Shah has created this program so that you can regain your energy and reclaim your life. The key is tapping into the powerful energy trifecta: the complex, interconnected relationship between your gut, your immune system, and your hormones. Drawing on the latest science and her work helping thousands of clients, Dr. Shah explains how to transform your life Published by Hachette Australia. RRP $32.99

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To learn more about Youth Week or find activities, scan the QR code or visit the link below:

www.youthweek.nsw.gov.au bit.ly/LCYW2021

lockdown goggle-DADS 2020 was not kind to Former Gogglebox fan favourites and parents Wayne and Tom, facing increased feelings of loneliness and isolation.

This was particularly true of Wayne, who is a huge hugger! Being Melbourne based, and experiencing months of lockdown, the loss of physical connection with others and their children had a real impact, but the pair remain thankful for each other’s company.

While they still haven’t seen their two eldest daughters in more than 12 months, they thankfully were finally able to drive to Sydney in February to see their youngest.

The pair recently teamed up with ANZ to bring a little extra love and support to their community in the recent Mardi Gras – particularly for the many families and children who loved watching them on Gogglebox and have felt the ‘chosen family’ love from the duo since.

“Issues of isolation and loneliness have resulted in a disconnection from our community. These feelings are just a fraction of what our LGBTIQ+ community faces almost every day.”

Wayne and Tom say their community is resilient, and they have come together many times to support each other through many challenging times and events.

services. It also recorded a 31% increase in calls from people who said they had experienced feelings of “isolation” and “loneliness”.

QLife saw a 75% increase in demand from LGBTIQ+ Under-18’s in 2020 The social effects of the pandemic proved to be particularly challenging for LGBTIQ+ Australians living in rural and remote communities, where QLife experienced a 78% increase in the total number of calls made to the service, year-onyear.

ANZ has announced a $100,000 donation to QLife, the equivalent of an additional 2,250 hours of anonymous, free telephone and web chat as well as peer support to LGBTIQ+ community members throughout 2021. This is part of ANZ’s long term commitment to supporting the LGBTIQ+ community and as Principal Partner of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

As Wayne and Tom say: “We may not have been able to make it to Mardi Gras this year, but the strength of the community is as powerful now as ever. Even on our own, we’re still together.”

For more info visit www.anz.com/mardigras To learn more about QLife visit Qlife.org.au

This time is no different, whether it was supporting LGBTIQ+ businesses, using online platforms and chat rooms to host virtual parties or just simply asking are you okay. There’s a natural characteristic that bonds the LGBTIQ+ community together.

New research from LGBTIQ+ community support service QLife, prepared exclusively for ANZ, has revealed there was a 75% increase in calls from under 18’s in 2020, with many callers experiencing feelings of isolation and loneliness.

During the second half of 2020, QLife experienced a 58% increase in the number of people wanting to access its telephone and web 39

Bed In a box Bed-in-a-box mattresses first entered the market in response to the often eye-watering mark-ups made on mattresses sold in bricks-and-mortar stores. There’s around 40 different brands currently offering boxed mattresses in Australia, so how do you choose the right one? To help you decide, we’ve got some great advice from CHOICE mattress expert Peter Zaluzny.

They tend to use more foam and foam-like materials than spring mattresses, so beds in a box may not be for you if you prefer the feel of a traditional spring mattress. But that’s what the free trial period is for.

The internet was relatively slow to disrupt the mattress industry due to the logistical challenges in shipping bulky mattresses.

However, bed-in-a-box mattresses are deoxygenated – enclosed in vacuumsealed packaging – making it possible to be transported in a box, earning them their nickname.

CHOICE conducted a number of mattress tests, and recommend eight of the 12 bedin-a-box models that are currently available.

We also recommend 11 of the 30 mattresses available from bricks-and-mortar retailers. While that’s a greater number of products, a higher percentage of bed-in-a-box models earned a recommendation in our test.

This suggests that the bed-in-a-box industry consistently manufactures better products.

“They’re generally much cheaper than conventional mattresses, costing around a thousand dollars for a queen-size mattress” To combat the uncertainty many might feel about buying a mattress online without being able to physically try it out to see how it feels, these bed-in-a-box brands also offer trial periods that can extend up to 100 days and warranties up to 15 years. If you don’t like the mattress, you can usually return it easily at no extra cost.

Here, we’ve broken down some great options and laid out everything you need to know about each. Sweet dreams! Here are Mama’s top picks:

Brands that have had success in this market, and whose products CHOICE have tested, include Sleeping Duck, Koala and Ecosa.

Australian-made and owned, these guys were the originals with the funniest marketing too!

We love the Zero Disturbance® feature which means that no matter who you sleep next to, you’ll get a good night’s rest. Who doesn’t want to jump on a bed next to a glass of red wine? It’s built with Kloudcell – a comfortable, breathable, open-cell foam that creates the ultimate comfort layer and it has an all important washable cover. They also give 1% of sales to environmental charities (like koalas!) and are a Certified B Corporation.

These mattresses generally represent good value, although they may not be for everyone.

One person’s idea of the perfect comfy mattress may differ from another’s, but we’ve found that a mattress that costs $1000 can be just as comfortable and perform just as well over its lifetime as one priced at $6000.

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Koala - Queen RRP $950 120 Night Trial - 10 year warranty Free 4 hour metro delivery

Hugo Sleep - Queen RRP $995 Ecosa - Queen RRP $1099 100 Night Trial - 15 year warranty Free same day delivery (metro) Aussie owned, but made in China, we still love the sound of the waterproof cover that contains microfilaments to protect from bacteria and dust mites. It also has three levels of adjustable firmness which is pretty clever. Plus the pincore holes allow air to flow freely through all layers of the mattress meaning you can say goodnight to sleeping hot.

Emma Sleep - RRP Queen $999 100 Night Trial - 10 year warranty Free 1-10 days delivery A newer kid on the block hailing from Germany, and the CHOICE 2020 mattress of the year, their exceptional 3-layered Emma Original combines German-designed quality foam and world-class logistics, delivering excellent comfort and value. It’s also got Zero-motion® transfer for uninterrupted sleep and handles to help you move it if needed.

One Bed - Queen RRP $850 125 Night Trial - 15 year warranty Fast & Free delivery This one comes with free steak knives.

Nah, not really, but you do get two free pillows and a set of sheets thrown in. With customizable comfort, zero motion transfer, temperature regulation and alignment support, it’s a pretty great deal.

3 month trial - 10 year warranty Free same day Melbourne metro These Melbourne locals make a simple one comfort level mattress that helps keep your spine aligned and your body temperature regulated. Made from memory foam to tailor to your body’s contours and breathable latex to keep you cool on balmy Aussie nights.

Didn’t enjoy it? Hugo donate all their returned mattresses to the Salvos, Awesome!

Sleeping Duck - RRP $1649 100 Night Trial - 10 year warranty Free next day delivery It’s price tends to say this is the premium mattress in a box and it was the first mattress ever to win Choice’s Best Overall Mattress 3 years in a row, so they must be doing something right!! Not just foam this beauty features real steel springs for proper back and body support.

Choose from medium or firm, but don’t worry, you’ll be able to change the firmness via foams swaps for 100 nights for free to get it perfect.

Happy Sleep - RRP $999 100 Night Trial - 10 year warranty Free same day delivery Born and bred in Melbourne, there are no gimmicky fancy named foams here. Their latex is a tried and tested comfort layer material that is durable and responds actively to body pressure. The tencel top layer is cooler, smoother to touch and more breathable than cotton and the top flippable layer allows you to go from medium-firm to firm.

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Do the right thing – always check in

More information www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19 © NSW Health November 2020.

Sydney goes GREEN Under a new plan released in March, the City of Sydney will plant 700 new street trees a year and aim to cover 40% of the city in greenery by 2050.

We have developed this strategy to re-affirm and extend our commitment to providing a greener, cooler, calmer and more resilient City.

We have set ambitious targets and will work to ensure 40% of the City’s footprint is covered with greenery by 2050.

Greening Sydney 2030 sets the directions, targets and actions for all aspects of greening, including ambitious canopy targets and innovative plans to increase green roofs and walls and streetscape gardening.

We will plant more trees, plants and shrubbery, and we will make sure they are species that are hardy and resilient to our changing climate.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the plan builds on the achievements of the City’s first greening strategy, Greening Sydney 2012, which made the City one of the only Councils in the country to increase its canopy cover over the past decade.

“We’re in the middle of a climate crisis and we are already experiencing its impacts. Dangerous heat waves are arriving earlier, are hotter and last longer. Our city must adapt to the changing climate and increase its resilience to the likely impacts,” Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.

Trees and other urban greenery are as essential as roads and broadband internet. Effective and extensive canopy cover can help reduce temperatures on the ground by up to 10 degrees.

Mark Metcalfe, City of Sydney

We will use innovation and design to create more green roofs and walls, and we will push ourselves harder to find creative ways to green our network of largely concrete laneways and narrow streets.

Over the past ten years, we have been one of the few Councils in Australia to increase our canopy cover. To take those gains even further, we will create planning instruments to ensure greater provision of greenery in private development, and we will prioritise efforts in areas of the City that need it most.

Trees remove thousands of tonnes of pollution from our air, store carbon and help mitigate extreme weather, while also relieving stress, depression and anxiety. It is critical that we value everything our broad urban forest and greenery can do for us, and invest heavily in it.

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TALKING LONELINESS We need to talk about loneliness.

Feeling lonely is a sign you need to reconnect, and maybe do some things a bit differently.

We spoke to some experts about ways you can do this.

Long before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, loneliness had become an epidemic in this country. The virus just made it worse.

One in two people in Australia now say they feel lonely, according to a recent survey by Swinburne University. Those who said they were lonelier because of COVID-19 also reported more mental health concerns.

What’s going on?

The findings are not surprising. Since the arrival of the virus, we have been urged to stay physically distant from one another – the opposite of what comes naturally to us as humans. We know there are health risks associated with loneliness. It can increase your risk of dying prematurely by 30%, making it as lethal as smoking 15 cigarettes a day and more dangerous than obesity, according to Brigham Young University in the US. If there is any silver lining in this era of physical distancing, it is that we really are all in this together. Many of us have been touched

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to some degree by loneliness during these troubled times and that may make us kinder moving forward.

“It is too early to say whether we are going to be more empathetic in the way we think and act in the future,” says Dr Michelle Lim, a clinical psychologist and one of the authors of the Swinburne survey. “But the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly highlighted social fractures in our community and our social networks.

The human cost of modern communication Jean Hailes psychologist Gillian Needleman says many people are now discovering that our modern ways of communication – emails, texts and other online media – have come at a cost.

The pandemic has laid that bare because it has us made us aware of missing the sound of the human voice and the human touch.

Many of us, she says, are lonely for our structures and routines. We are isolated from our work colleagues, from our gym buddies, and from the activities that made up our daily lives. However, the pandemic has also given us time to sit and think, to explore the possibility of finding something meaningful in our lives.

Change the mindset

The upside

While Ms Needleman concedes there is no quick-fix solution to loneliness, there are things we can do to improve our lives. Consider the power of mindfulness. “Try to optimise the moments of possibilities, try to enrich the moments you have,” she suggests. “I don’t have exact answers, but it’s important to think about how you stay engaged with hope, and to remember that this will not last forever.”

Taking active steps to connect with people is the number-one tool in dealing with loneliness says Nick Tebbey, National Executive Officer for Relationships Australia. He has been surprised by the creativity of many people in Australia forced by the virus into physically distancing from one another. “It has been so varied and adaptive,” he says. Hand-written letters, for example, are popular again. Neighbour Day, usually marked in March to celebrate community, has been extended to every day as a way of encouraging people to regularly check in on their community. It helps to build a sense of belonging.

Invest in your health It will not cure loneliness but, says Ms Needleman, physical activity will make you feel better about yourself. Walk, run, eat well, limit your consumption of alcohol, and get a good night’s sleep. “Improve the quality of your life incrementally,” she says.

Engage with the people in your life in a meaningful way. Have the courage to reveal your vulnerability. She says it’s totally okay to be not okay.

Feeling lonely is human Dr Lim says that to feel lonely is to be human.

“When we feel lonely, it is a signal for us to reconnect, to do something different to meet our ever-changing social needs.”

“We know that loneliness has always been there, but now people are beginning to talk about it,” he says. “We need a national conversation about it. We need to talk about how we can support everyone and help them to make connections.”

For more information about mental health and wellbeing, visit www.jeanhailes.org.au/healtha-z/mental-emotional-health Published with the permission of Jean Hailes for Women’s Health.

She says it’s important to be aware of how you feel about your relationships. If you feel lonely, reassess your current social connections and networks first. Determine if you need to modify these relationships to better meet your social needs. It might be that you need to consider putting in greater effort. Decide if you would like to build new networks and, if so, what would they look like. She says it’s critical to remember that there is no one size fits all.

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FABULOUS FOILIAGE There’s nothing like a trip away to relax, rejuvenate and refresh. But Covid seems to have other plans for us and a dash to the tropics is not as easy as it used to be. So, we’ve decided to help you bring the holiday into your home.

Much like a trip abroad, indoor plants have been shown to boost your mood, help alleviate stress and improve air quality. Not only that, but they add so much colour and life to a space.

So what are you waiting for?

We’ve come up with a few suggestions for house plants which are not only well suited to indoor life and easy to care for, but will add some major vacay vibes to your space.

Strelitzia Nicolai This white bird of paradise variety is the sibling of the orange-flowering type you see in outdoor gardens. The Nicolai has broader, larger leaves and the flowers are a lovely white and blue. This is a great statement plant as it will grow quite tall over time, but just make sure it has a sunny spot to live in.

Spathiphyllum Sensation The peace lily is no longer just the daggy plant your mum kept in the bathroom. This variety produces huge, soft, dark green foliage and can really transform a space. This guy will survive in lower light conditions but will really thrive in bright, indirect light.

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Parlour palm This variety of palm is great for indoors because of its compact size and fuss-free care requirements. Because it doesn’t grow as tall, it hasn’t got the huge, thick stem you see on most palms, which means you can focus more on that lovely, feathery foliage.

Alocasia / Elephant Ear Most varieties of Alocasia/Elephant Ear are great for indoors, as long as you have a nice, bright spot for them. They can grow into beautiful, big plants over time, but are a rewarding plant to grow at any size. They’re a tiny bit more complex than most other houseplants, but one of our personal favourites.

Monstera Deliciosa This has probably been the trendiest houseplant of the last few years, and with good reason. It’s immensely satisfying to watch those beautiful, fenestrated leaves unfurl, and they’re one of the easiest plants to care for.

Pop it in a bright spot, and watch it take over. We recommend staking this plant for support and to encourage it to grow upward as it matures.

Just remember that when shopping for plants, it’s important to familiarise yourself with each plant’s specific light and water needs, to ensure that you can provide the right conditions for each one.

Simple steps to help stop the spread.

Cough or sneeze into your arm

Bin the tissue

Use a tissue

Wash your hands

Together we can help stop the spread and stay healthy.

For more information about Coronavirus (COVID-19) visit health.gov.au Authorised by the Australian Government, Canberra

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The Great Dunny Hunt is on!

Enter now for your chance to WIN one of three $500 Eftpos vouchers How do I enter? Click on the QR code or go to https://toiletmap.gov.au/ and register a regional public toilet on the map between April 1st and June 20th, 2021

Participants will be selected randomly and notified via email.

For full terms and conditions please visit: https://competitionterms.com.au/tc/zswmv