Westside MamaMag September 2016

WESTSIDE

mamamag September 2016

WIN 1 of 1o 28 by sam wood fItness programs Ditch the device Optimism and health Kids healthy start The king of wine Love food hate waste

free Local fun for the Westside mum

28 by Sam Wood is Australia’s number one online fitness program for Mums Work out with Sam for 28 minutes each day Amazing weekly eating plans with recipes and shopping list Real time support every step of the way All at the touch of your smart phone $55 payment per month (no commitment) New program starting on the first Monday of every month

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healthy & happy Getting and staying fit and eating healthy are so fleeting as a mum of young children. Even when you think you’ve nailed it these basic elements of wellness slip through your fingers again. And what about the children? My six year old seems to live on toast and fresh air defying my every attempt at healthy living. So I’m loving this issue – jam packed with articles on active and healthy kids. For my own wellbeing I loved the read on optimism and health – I think I’m pretty optimistic, but if you tend towards the melancholy there’s some tips there for you too.

This issue we’ve got two amazing recipes from 28 by Sam Wood. The choc chickpea biscuits have been getting rave reviews in the 28 Facebook group.

For our street review this month we headed to Sunshine where a sparkling new library just opened.

This month’s Mama of the Month is Jody from Sensory Oasis for Kids whose three autistic sons inspired her business selling sensory products. She’s recently opened a shop at the Bay Children’s Clinic where you can try products and get her expert advice on what might work for your family. Speaking of amazing mamas, our very own Editor in Chief Sarah Cavalier just scored the bronze AusMumpreneur Rising Star award.

Always a star to all her staff, it’s fabulous to see her take home some bling.

We are hosting our first MamaMag event this month with an Opening Night screening of Bridget Jones’s Baby, all the while raising money for Cancer Council so we’d love to see you all there on September 15th at Village Jam Factory.

This month brought my family no snow (whoops, I’m in so much trouble with the kids), Book Week (with my 10 year old making her own costume for the first time!!) and yet another Pancake Parlour special to celebrate a Student of the Week. It’s so important to create family traditions and memories! Enjoy yours this coming month.

@localmamamag

WIN

Contents Ditch the device

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Tech savvy sedentary children

Parklife 8 A. B. Shaw Reserve Altona Meadows

Optimism and health

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Think about how you think

Mama can cook

14

Healthy goodness from Sam Wood

Give your kids a healthy start

16

Eating and playing tips

The king of wine

18

Exploring the King Valley

Active kids are happy kids

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So get them moving!

Mama of the month

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Jody Mehlhopt, Sensory Oasis for Kids

Lovely Locals

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Out in Central Sunshine

Bridget Jones’s Baby

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We meet the lovely Libby Trickett

Love food, hate waste

30

What are we really losing?

Father figure

32

Dads and how times have changed

Empower your kids

34

Empowering them through sport

Worm farming with kids

36

The secrets to success

Springtime festival fun

40

In the Maribyrnong City Council

Breaking bad habits

42

Easier than you think

Colour & WIN WIN Play-Doh party cake sets

MamaMag September 2016

Let Sam guide you through 28 days of health and fitness. PLUS 1 lucky reader will win a 1-on-1 session with Sam at The Woodshed.

Visit our Facebook page to enter

www.facebook.com/localmamamag Entries are open to Victorian residents only. Competition starts September 1st 12.01am and closes September 30th 2016 at 11.59pm. Each prize valued at $55 (10 to be won) is a 28 day subscription to Sam’s online program at www.28bysamwood.com starting Monday October 3rd 2016. Visit www.mamamag.com.au for full terms and conditions.

www.28bysamwood.com

Join MamaMag on opening night

Getting tricky

1 of 1o 28 by sam wood oNLINE fItness programs

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MamaMag is published monthly for the mums of Melbourne’s West by Grizzle Design Pty Ltd. ABN: 26 042 138 550. PO Box 8018 Brighton East 3187 Phone: 1300 771 446 Email: info@mamamag.com.au www.mamamag.com.au

10,000 copies monthly in Maribyrnong, Brimbank, Hobsons Bay and Wyndham areas.

Editor in Chief: Sarah Cavalier Westside Editor: Rebecca Gelsi National Key Account Manager: Justine Whatmore Westside Advertising Sales: Maree Sortino Like to contribute an article submission or products for Facebook giveaways? submissions@mamamag.com.au For advertising enquiries: download our media kit from www.mamamag.com.au or email info@mamamag.com.au The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publishing staff. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without permission of the publishers.

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

Ditch the device A new generation of tech savvy sedentary children Movement is a must for living a healthy life, but there’s been an alarming decrease in children’s physical activity due to kids’ increased technology usage.

An hour of physical play a day 60 minutes of physical activity is recommended minimum for children every day, unless they have a medical condition. A small portion of this happens at kindy or school, but activity levels tend to drop at home after school and on the weekend when more time is spent on technology; watching TV and playing computer games.

Why movement matters Movement doesn’t just benefit kids physically, it has lots of psychological benefits that lay the foundations for healthy behaviours later in life.

Movement also benefits children’s development in many ways including: - development of physical coordination and control

- aggressive behaviour - social, emotional and attention problems - disturbed sleep - bad posture - eye problems and neck strains – ‘text neck’ - increased exposure to ‘brain-washing’ ads - eating mindlessly - a higher rate of cyber bullying - increased risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease The average Australian child spends more than 2 hours per day in front of a screen, which is well over the recommend amount of 60 minutes per day, putting them at increased risk of the negative impacts of too much screen time. In case you were wondering the recommended time screen time for kids is...

- 0-2 years old no screen time

- development of a healthy heart and lungs

- 2-5 years old 1 hour per day

- development of strong muscles, bones and joints

- >5 years old 1-2 hours per day

- development of social skills and integration

Creating healthy technology habits

- improved academic performance - healthy weight management - building self-confidence and self-expression - better control of anxiety and depression

The dangers of too much screen time Alarmingly, studies show that too much media consumption is causing structural changes in children’s brains – specifically in the areas responsible for reading social cues and feeling empathy for others.

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Other frightening signs of too much screen time include:

We can’t demonize something that’s fantastic when used appropriately. Instead we should focus on helping children form healthy technology habits from an early age, so screen time doesn’t take over other activities that are good for their minds and bodies.

We all know technology is an addictive habit that’s hard to break. Try some of these suggestions to better manage media use in your family home: Media free days – The whole family turns off their technology and does something fun together. Try it once a month or once a week.

Technology time limits – Consciously decide in advance how long you’ll let your child use any form of media for each day. Keep tabs on the total time and once that time’s up make sure everything is off and stays off.

Phone fishbowl – Everyone puts their phones in the fish bowl when it’s dinnertime, family time, or when the daily tech time limit is up.

No phones or iPads in bed rule – A good bed time routine is vitally important to ensure sleep is restful and restorative. Screens and mental stimulation really disrupt sleep so start a strict routine of a bath then a book before bed.

Time coupons – Start a coupon system for older kids that gives them a coupon for half an hour of media use after they’ve done two hours of physical activity or reading a book.

Fun screen-free activities The kids won’t be bored and reach for screens if they’re having fun: - Getting creative with arts and crafts - Helping with the gardening

– herbs are a great start!

- Cooking in the kitchen – kids love

making mini pizzas as an example - Going for a walk – lead by example - Playing card games and puzzles - Going to your local library and falling

in love with books - Using their imaginations to build cubby

houses, perform shows or invent - Going on family excursions and

exploring your own city At the end of the day people don’t realise how important their health is until they lose it. A big part of being a healthy adult is leading a healthy lifestyle as a child. It’s not enough to just eat healthy food, there are many pieces that make up the health and wellbeing puzzle.

By Katie Joubert. Katie is a nutritionist and wellness coach at Treehaus Williamstown. www.treehauswilliamstown.com.au

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Parklife

Brought to you by:

a. b. shaw reserve, altona meadows Hall Avenue, Altona Meadows What a great play space! This ‘old plus new’ playground has some great features including Hobsons Bay’s first double flying fox, a giant bird’s nest swing, a half netball-basketball court a water play ‘creek’ with a hand-operated water pump, a wooden play jetty and boating accessories including a fishing rod! Love the forest dell too it’s perfect for a secret shady picnic and the original old merry go ‘round is endless fun. There is heaps to explore here, the kids will love the new additions, no doubt AB Shaw Reserve will become a regular playground to visit.

Mamma’s special mentions: you are not far from Altona Meadows Library - It’s a big bright and beautiful library so make a morning of your visit here and borrow a book or two too!

The nitty gritty: BBQ - water fountain - shelter - sports oval - fee parking - toilets.

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optimism & health If you think the way you think doesn’t count for much, then think again.

Optimism is a way of seeing the world in a positive light. Optimistic people focus on the good parts of a situation and expect that good things will happen in the future.

Although the link between optimism and good health is quite strong, so far the research does not tell us what the link actually is, or exactly which factors are at play.

Whether you are a ‘glass half-full’ kind of person can also say a lot about your health and your life choices as well. Don’t believe it? This is what some of the research says:

Some researchers believe that good health is due to the behaviour and actions that comes from optimism, rather than the thoughts themselves. Jean Hailes psychologist Dr Mandy Deeks says, “It is likely to be a combination of your thoughts, feelings, and how you react.

Noticing your thoughts and feelings, challenging negative thoughts and changing how you act helps you to make better health choices.

Reflecting on how it felt to act in an optimistic way is important, so if you say to yourself ‘I know how good it feels when I come back from a walk’, the positive result is likely to spur you on next time when it is raining!”

• A large study of men and women in Finland found that those who were more optimistic exercised more regularly and ate a healthier diet with more fruits and vegetables, and were less likely to be smokers and bingedrinkers.

• Another study of more than 100,000 postmenopausal women found that the optimists in the group were less likely to die from heart disease.

• Various other studies have found that optimistic people, on average, have lower blood pressure, cope better with stress, are more likely to have positive body image, show better recovery from cancer and heart surgery, and are less likely to become depressed.

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How can you build your levels of optimism?

“One of the best ways to boost your optimism is by getting out there and getting moving!”, says Dr Deeks. A study of young and midlife women has found that exercise helps to increase levels of optimism.

The researchers believe that exercise boosts your belief in yourself, as well as what you can achieve, and through this, your general belief in success and positivity grows. Dr Deeks supports this.

“Exercise can also provide an extra boost to your self-esteem, confidence, and feelings of self-worth – and all these factors are related to optimism,” says Dr Deeks. “What’s more, exercise can increase endorphins and decrease stress, depression and anxiety – exercise is often social and outdoors, and this can also help to build your levels of optimism.”

Dr Deeks also suggests: • Try to be mindful and live in the present moment. Focus on what is good about the moment, rather than constantly thinking about what you should have said or should be doing.

• Surround yourself with positive people.

People who are negative and draining can drain your energy and leave you feeling negative and sad.

• See things that go wrong as a challenge to learn from. This can be difficult, says Dr Deeks, “and I have struggled with this, but when I got through some very testing situations I realised I had learnt so much about myself”.

• At the end of your day, think of three things that went well during the day and focus on these, instead of the things that may not have gone so well.

Keeping optimism top of mind Although life will always bring its ups and downs, whenever you can, try to find the silver lining in each situation. Being optimistic doesn’t just improve the present moment, but could reap benefits for your health and longevity for years to come.

Published with the permission of Jean Hailes for Women’s Health. jeanhailes.org.au 1800 JEAN HAILES (532 642)

• Some people like to have a positive saying that helps them to refocus and reminds them that although things have been tough in the past they got through it – it might be something like ‘I have faced difficult times and I got through – I am okay’.

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mama can Cook!

Alex’s Pan-fried Salmon with Sweet Corn & Avo Salsa Ingredients:

Method:

2 x 200g salmon fillets 1 tsp olive oil salt & pepper, to taste

Place all salad ingredients in a bowl and toss gently. Set aside while you cook the salmon.

Sweet Corn & Avocado Salad: 400g tin corn kernels 250g cherry tomatoes, halved 1 avocado, diced 1/4 cup red onion, diced 1/4 cup fresh coriander, chopped 1 tbs olive oil 2 tsp red wine vinegar salt & pepper, to season 2 lemon wedges, to serve

Heat a fry pan to medium-high heat. Coat the salmon in oil and season both sides with salt and pepper.

Cook salmon skin side down for 2-4 minutes depending on thickness. Turn and cook other side for a few minutes or until cooked. It should flake easily with a fork and still be a little pink in the centre.

Serve salmon with salad and a wedge of lemon.

Serves 2 Prep 5mins Cook 10mins

These awesome recipes are straight from the 28 by Sam Wood program (Alex is Sam’s brother!)

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You heard right!

Sam says we can snack on chop chip cookies!

Choc full of protein!

Choc Chickpea Biscuits Ingredients:

Method:

400g of canned chickpea, drained, rinsed and patted dry with paper towel

Preheat oven to 180C. Line and lightly grease a baking sheet with baking paper.

1/4 cup peanut butter

Place all ingredients except choc chips into a blender and pulse for 45 seconds-1 minute, or until all ingredients are blended together and the mixture is a doughy consistency.

2 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 cup rice malt syrup 2 tbs coconut oil, melted 1 tsp baking powder 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips Makes 10 Prep 5mins Cook 15mins

Place dough into a large mixing bowl and fold through the choc chips.

Scoop out spoonfuls of dough and roll them into balls, it is easiest to do this with wet hands as the mixture will be sticky.

Place the balls onto the baking sheet and flatten them using the back of a spoon or fork.

Place into the oven and bake for 12-13 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from oven and cool on rack. These can be kept in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

This recipe was skillfully contributed by 28 Create competition runner-up, Rebecca McCracken! Photo by Lexi Klaebe.

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give your kids a healthy start Every parent wants a healthy child and the key is getting healthy eating and active play right from the start.

The Infant Program, developed by the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Deakin University, supports parents to develop knowledge and skills to get children involved in active play and eating healthily.

It is all about getting good habits set up from the start, which is much easier than trying to change habits once they’ve developed, so the earlier parents can start, the better.

In their early years infants and toddlers are hard-wiring their brains about foods they’ll enjoy and physical skills they’ll maintain across their life. It is also a time when parents need support and are after some basic day to day strategies that help them make healthy choices for their children.

Children learn their food habits and preferences early in life making this a very important time for parents to get great advice and support.

Feeding is one area that confuses a lot of parents but help is at hand.

Healthy eating tips: • Babies are ready to eat foods at around six months of age.

• It is important to try and relax and embrace the challenges of first foods and the mess!

• Don’t give up trying to offer your children foods they don’t like – it typically takes 10 attempts before children will accept a new food.

• Children model their behaviour on their parents so enjoy mealtimes together as

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often as you can and remember that if you show you don’t like broccoli they probably won’t like it either!

• Provide a healthy range of foods and let your child decide if to eat them and how much to eat.

• The more you fuss about food, the more they will fuss so try not to make a fuss at mealtimes!

• Snacks are really mini-meals so give your child an opportunity to eat from a variety of foods such as vegetables, fruit, grains and dairy.

• Colour every meal with fruit and vegetables and give your child the best chance of learning to love a wide range of health promoting fruits and vegies.

• Fresh, frozen or canned fruits and vegetables are all great choices.

• Offer water regularly and ensure it is always readily available – take that water bottle with you wherever you go.

• Avoid offering fruit juice, cordial, soft drink and other sweetened drinks.

When it comes to active play, it’s easy to assume young children are naturally active enough. They certainly tire their parents out!

Yet it is all too easy for children to learn to prefer screens like television and playing on mum or dad’s phone. Often parents find it hard to know what or how to play with their baby or toddler.

Great active play tips: • Babies learn about the world by playing • As your baby starts to crawl, challenge them with different surfaces and obstacles to crawl over. Do the same when they start to walk.

• Find some time for active play with your child each day. Playing with your child helps develop their brain and body and is great for bonding.

• Children model their behaviour on their parents so try to limit your own screen time .

• Provide a range of active play opportunities and let your child decide which activities to engage in.

• Active play for toddlers is very important for their physical, mental and social development. It helps them learn how to interact and share with others, improves communication skills and builds self confidence.

• Have toys accessible that encourage movement like balls, toys on wheels (trucks, pull along toys).

• Music is a great way to encourage children to have fun and move around.

• Television and other screens (computers, iPads, mum and dad’s phone) are not recommended at all for children under two years of age.

• When the TV is off, your child has more opportunity to be off and running!

For more great tips and information on healthy eating and active play for children aged 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 15 months, 18 months, toddlers (and even for grown-ups!) visit www.infantprogram.org Associate Professor Karen Campbell and Associate Professor Kylie Hesketh from the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN) at Deakin University developed the Infant Program.

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the kIng of wIne Venture to the King Valley, in Victoria’s High Country (a 3 hour drive from Melbourne) and you could be forgiven for thinking you’d been transported to the hills of northern Italy.

Inspired by a childhood growing up in the town of Valdobbiadene, the birthplace of prosecco, Otto Dal Zotto planted the first prosecco vines in the King Valley in 1999. Its fresh, crisp, palate proved instantly popular with those seeking a relaxed yet stylish, celebratory drink.

Lovers of the sparkling Italian white are well rewarded in the King Valley, however there are many other Italian varietals the area is famed for - pinot grigio, arneis, nebbiolo and sangiovese. All wine styles that are designed to be enjoyed with food, as the Italians do. Today the King Valley plays host to 10 fabulous wineries including the original Brown Brothers who began making wine here in the 1880’s.

The King Valley area is ideally suited to viticulture, especially these Mediterranean varietals. They enjoy warm days and cool evenings, protected by the gentle slopes of the Australian Alps. Rich red soil and clear water of the King River runs the length of the valley.

The landscape is marked with distinctive corrugated iron kilns - a legacy of the days when tobacco was farmed extensively here.

Many of the kilns have been converted into innovative accommodation and cellar door facilities, a reminder of the past and present.

In the early days Brown Brothers worked with waves of migrant farmers to produce excellent quality grapes and wine, learning from each other’s experience and culture. This is what has created their unique expertise in Italian wine styles. It is authentic, true to the recipes of the past, yet innovative.

Dining in the region includes cosy cafes and country pubs, such as the Moyhu Hotel, which also serves as cellar door for young wine brand Merkel Wines. Meals in the region’s restaurants

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might feature Nonna’s gnocchi, local beef, lamb or goat, handmade butter and cheese or local honey, nuts and berries.

At Sam Miranda King Valley, regional and seasonal cuisine is expertly prepared and matched with a fine range of wines.

A range of options is available at Brown Brothers, from the Epi.Curious wine bar to the acclaimed Patricia’s Table restaurant experience.

You might like to join in a King Valley Ballooning experience early one morning at Brown Brothers, floating over the valley in a hot air balloon, followed by a prosecco brunch.

At the other end of the valley, Chrismont have just opened a spectacular cellar door, restaurant and larder which takes in expansive views and serves regional specialties from the family’s heritage spanning the north and south of Italy.

Pizzini and Politini Wines both offer cooking classes to teach you the secrets of their family recipes for salami, minestrone or cannoli, among other treats.

Children can enjoy swimming in the clean, cool Lake William Hovell, try their hand at native trout fishing, kayaking or horse-riding. Cycling fanatics take advantage of the quiet roads and challenging mountain trails; a flat, easy Pedal to Produce ride between cellar doors, farm gates and gourmet food stores in Milawa offers a less challenging cycling experience, and perhaps a more rewarding one!

Accommodation options include large houses to share between families, smaller B & B’s, gourmet retreats, a boutique hotel, caravan sites, cabins and camping grounds. The valley hosts two major wine and food festivals a year.

Weekend Fit for a King in June and La Dolce Vita coming up on November 18 and 19.

For more details visit www.winesofthekingvalley.com.au

Prosecco

Originating in the cool alpine climate of Veneto in north-east Italy, prosecco is a light and lively sparkling wine with a dry finish and a fresh fruit flavour through the mid palate. King Valley is the first region to produce an Australian-made premium prosecco. Its refreshing flavour makes prosecco an uplifting aperitivo with olives or cured meats or perfect partner to Asian dishes or seafood starters.

Sangiovese

Sangiovese is the main grape of the great Chianti Classicos of Tuscany. The King Valley now leads the way as Australia’s premier region for this red wine, a reputation that grows with every vintage, reflecting the great passion for creating wines to enjoy with good friends and food. The wine shows savoury, dark cherry flavours and earthy characters with fine tannins and cleansing acidity.

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Niño ELA Point Cook where your child’s adventures are set to begin.

OPENING SOON SECURE YOU SPOT Email: pointcook@niñoELA.com.au Phone: 9421 6755

Niño Early Learning Adventures ‘3 and 4 year old kindergarten programs are led by our Bachelor qualified teachers daily. Niño ELA’s teachers and educators are focused, engaged and involved in each child’s unique adventure.

ENQUIRE AND SECURE YOUR SPOT TODAY

Our emergent curriculum provides opportunities that each child is naturally drawn to balancing with interests and a wealth of educational variety. Our kinder environments are aesthetically pleasing, exciting and rich with key learning environments to assist children’s focus and expand on their interests.

Please email your interest in our upcoming kindergarten information evening coming soon. pointcook@niñoELA.com.au

60-62 Florey Avenue Point Cook. Ph 9421 6755.

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Celebrate ‘the sweet life’ in Australia’s home of Italian style wines

Wine and food festival 19 + 20 November 2016

Book now winesofthekingvalley.com.au

active kids are happy As a parent and someone who has always played sports, becoming a pre-school soccer coach has been the perfect fit! I love the imagination and enthusiasm of this age group and also can draw on my own experiences coming up with fun games to play in class.

My own parenting philosophy definitely includes making sure my son is tired and hungry by dinner time so he will eat well and sleep even better! There are lots of other benefits to physical activity including gross motor skill development, muscle and bone growth, improved confidence, learning social skills (like taking turns and being part of a team) and encouraging independence. But, I believe, the most important reason to encourage some sort of physical activity for your child is that is gives them a fun, positive introduction to sport which will set the foundation for a healthy future.

The Department of Health’s Australian Guidelines recommend that pre-schoolers (1-5 year olds) get 3 hours of physical activity a day, which they have defined as any activity that gets your body moving. This doesn’t have to be an organised sport or even a structured activity so I wanted to share some ideas for getting them moving.

Obstacle course Set up some obstacles around your home or backyard and challenge your children to complete the course. For very young kids obstacles can be as simple as crawling over bean bags, weaving around chairs or toy blocks, jumping on the spot, reaching up high to grab something, running to touch the back wall etc. You can make it harder for older kids by adding in

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more complex movements – hopping, balancing on one foot, rolling along a rug, stomping on a squishy ball, sitting on a balloon, doing a somersault. To make it fun add in some silly ones like – balancing something on your head, knocking over a tower of blocks, throwing a ball in the washing basket etc.

Ball skills Use beach balls, balloons or ping pong balls for games in the house. Similar to obstacle courses you can try egg and spoon races with a ping pong ball – try to walk all around the house while not letting the ping pong ball drop, add in extra challenges like going up stairs.

Use balloons or beach balls to play over the couch volleyball or for smaller kids just tapping the ball up so it doesn’t hit the ground.

Apart from being fun these activities focus on a couple of benefits: gross motor skills, fine motor skills and coordination. Running, jumping, crawling are all examples of gross motor skills that are essential for kids development, they are also great for building muscles and keeping us fit.

Playing with different sized balls is great for hand-eye coordination and concentration. Do you know that sitting still and listening actually requires a combination of well-developed gross and fine motor skills? So these activities will also help your kids at school and kindergarten!

Try some of these activities at home with your children and see what works, maybe they can get the whole family moving!

By Lisa Strain, Little Kickers Metro South www.littlekickers.com.au

D:Events Presents

Warrnambool Friday 11th Nov

Essendon Friday 25th Nov

Bendigo Wednesday 16th Nov

Berwick Wednesday 30th Nov

Ballarat Thursday 17th Nov

Abbotsford Friday 2nd Dec

Geelong Thursday 24th Nov

For more details head to our website

Warrnambool Bowls Club

Strathdale Community Centre Buninyong Town Hall

South Barwon Civic Centre

Ukrainian House

Akoonah Park Centre Abbotsford Convent

www.themikmaks.com.au

MAMA of the month Westside mum Jody Mehlhopt is owner of Sensory Oasis for Kids – a store full of sensory products for kids. We love seeing women bring a business to life from an overflow of their personal story and we think you’ll find her story super inspiring.

My friends and family would probably tell you I am a bit of a goof, can’t sing to save my life and can sometimes be embarrassing with my big mouth but am lots of silly fun.

I have built. I was so very lucky to be given the opportunity to open my store at a local children’s clinic which is buzzing with activity and happy kids every day. I’m open during school hours so please feel free to come and visit or check out our online store.

Tell us a bit about Sensory Oasis for Kids – why did you start up your business?

How does running a business fit in with your busy life as a mum-of-three?

Being a mum of three autistic kids makes it hard to work in a normal 9 to 5 job as I often need to be there for them at unexpected times for therapy appointments, intervention, advocating and for general difficulties with day to day life.

I decided that if I could work for myself then I could be there for my kids whenever they need me and not have to regularly let down an employer.

To be honest, it can be really hard. I work all day at the shop, plus every evening and all weekend to keep on top of things as well as do the school runs, the kids’ extracurricular activities, cooking, cleaning, shopping etc. But being able to one day contribute to providing a financially secure life for our family is my motivation to suck it up and keep going.

Tell us about yourself! What makes you tick?

Is there anything special about the name you chose for your store?

Sitting around a friend’s kitchen table a year and a half ago the business idea started to come to life. One of my dear friends suggested SOK after my three kids Sebastian, Oliver and Kobe and I loved the idea. I toyed around with the initials in my head for a while, came up with Sensory Oasis for Kids and my new venture was on its way!

Your rise from online store to bricks-andmortar operation has been rapid! How did things build to where you are now?

After only being an online business for the first year I am so excited to now be in my own little store. I have put in untold unpaid hours, seven days a week for nearly a year and a half now and I am so proud of the business that

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Do you have a favourite product or range that you and your family love to use?

At the moment we are in love with the Forever Fidgets Range (made by an Aussie mum) which are super cool and great for older kids and adults. We also absolutely love the Hog Wild Squeeze Poppers with the sticky targets and the Bilibos which are so much fun and a great way to get the kids excited and up and moving.

What do you love most about your business?

My favourite part about my business is getting to meet so many wonderful families. Chatting to other parents about their ups and downs and helping them out with suitable products and advice is such a rewarding experience. But of course my favourite thing is making kids happy; when they come in and get to test and try everything out it is so much fun! I admit that

some days I don’t get much work done as I am too busy acting like a kid myself and having a ball hanging out with awesome kids and playing with all of my cool stuff.

What is your biggest inspiration?

My three amazing sons are the reason I get up every day (usually way too early due to them waking me up!) and do what I do. They inspire me with all of the challenges they overcome, the struggles they get through and the goals they achieve despite their disabilities. I’m a super proud mum!

How do your three lovely boys feel about their mum being a business tycoon?

I don’t know about tycoon but they love what I do and are pretty chuffed at having the store named after them. They help me out with jobs like checking off stock and they did a fabulous job helping me to set up the shop. They are also my Chief Product Testers and all of my new things are tried and approved by them. I love that I am teaching them skills and setting a good example by working hard and letting them watch as the business is progressing.

What’s next for SOK? Any big plans for the future?

Hopefully things will keep growing and evolving as well as they are now and I can continue to source and bring awesome products to families. I am also looking at doing some Sensory Workshops for parents with my colleagues from The Bay Children’s Clinic where I am based which will be super fun. I hope to be able to eventually support more organisations like the RCH (look out for their donation box on my counter), Amaze and the ICAN Network and I am really enjoying seeing the progress of the All Abilities AusKick Group that I sponsor too. Watch this space for more exciting things to come!

Where can we find you?

Sensory Oasis for Kids is at: The Bay Children’s Clinic, 3/216 Blackshaws Road, Altona North www.sensoryoasisforkids.com.au

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lovely locals

CENTRAL SUNSHINE 1.

1. Books and a play - Sunshine Library This newly opened library was our inspiration for heading to Sunshine this month. A lot of thought has gone into the library’s youngest visitors, with an outdoor play area with a slide and toys to borrow. Like the other branches of the Brimbank Libraries there are baby, toddler, and preschooler story times. There’s also school and school holiday activities for school aged children. And it’s open until 8pm weekdays.

301 Hampshire Road www.brimbanklibraries.vic.gov.au

2.

2. Great baking - Ka Pies This pie shop is legendary, with their pies being stocked by cafes near and far. Lucky for us their bakehouse is in Sunshine. You’ll find the usual varieties and a lot more, including the New Zealand inspired Hangi with smoked rolled pork, potato and kumara.

3.

250 Hampshire Road www.kapies.com.au 3. Give me coffee - The Granary Cafe Come for the heritage building, stay for the cakes! The menu covers the usual café suspects but it’s all done well and they make some of the best coffee in the area. The staff put a lot of effort into creating a welcoming atmosphere and this totally includes your smalls.

2 Devonshire Road www.thegranary.com.au 4. Burger joint - Found 401 Known for its burgers, this central café also does a good line of egg-based breakfast until 3pm. Found 401 is open all day and evening which makes it a great destination for an after school milkshake or frappe stop! If you have older kids (or can escape them altogether) there’s also board games.

4.

Cnr Hampshire & Foundry Road. www.facebook.com/Found401 5. Health & fitness - Sunshine Leisure Centre

5.

There’s two indoor pools here and one is just for fun! Beach entry makes it suitable for all ages. During the warmer months there’s even more on offer with an outdoor pool and a fabulous splash park. There’s also a crèche if you’re looking to do some exercise yourself.

5 Kennedy Street www.brimbank.vic.gov.au 6. Family celebration - Gold Leaf The inner West’s go to for yum cha, Gold Leaf is always bustling. If you haven’t headed to yum cha with your children then give it a go – it’s great for slipping them new foods as the novelty of the trolley wows them.

Plus, it’s already noisy so no one will notice a little child-restlessness!

491 Ballarat Road

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6.

The new fling!

The mama!

Join MamaMag on Opening Night of Bridget Jones’s Baby Thurs 15th September, 6.30pm at Village Jam Factory.

The old flame!

Tickets

$50 Ticket incl. movie, popcorn, water or soft drink & a fabulous goody bag.

There are great door prizes to be won PLUS you’ll be helping beat women’s cancers.

Tickets available at www.trybooking.com/MSLL Get your favourite ladies together and raise money to help beat women’s cancers.

GIRLSNIGHTIN.COM.AU

getting tricky Little BIG DASH is coming to Melbourne this September and Mama can’t wait. Billed as the tough mudder event for families, kids and their parents can get together at Calder Park Thunderdome and tackle 10 colourful obstacles and a 3km run together.

MamaMag was lucky to chat to the Brisbane Event ambassador (they had their fun in July) and Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer, Libby Trickett. Libby has been involved in the event for a number of years, so who better to get the low-down from!

This is the first year Little BIG DASH has come to Melbourne and we have lots of excited families down here anticipating the big day.

As an ambassador for the Brisbane event, tell us what we can expect on Melbourne’s big day.

It is always such a fabulous experience for all the families involved! To have everyone getting outside, getting active, dressing up and having fun - it’s definitely fun for the whole family!

Organised by the team behind the renowned Sanitarium Weet-Bix TRYathlon, Little BIG DASH is designed to bring families together in activity. Was your family a big influence on your fitness commitment growing up?

Definitely! I grew up in North Queensland and we spent all our time outside being active plus I had to learn to swim at a very young age because we were always around the pool.

Participants are encouraged to dress up together as a family in costumes, which we think is totally awesome! Have there been any stand-out costumes that have stuck in your mind?

Minions and superheroes are always a favourite for these events. I love seeing bright colours, tutu’s and sparkles are my personal favourite!

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With 10 exciting obstacles to tackle on the day, is there one you think we’ll really love?

I love the bubbles! It is so much fun to play in!

I also love the blow up tackle men!

Besides the amazing obstacle track, what other fun can families expect on the day?

There’s always so much to see and do.

Lots of food stalls, great coffee (for the adults of course!), plenty of freebies and giveaways as well!

Not only are you a four-time gold medal Olympian, you can now add the title of “Mother” to your resume. Would you describe this as your greatest achievement to date?

Without a doubt. Great achievement and probably one of the most challenging years of my life. She is gorgeous and hilarious but is also stubborn and incredibly active so she’s definitely a handful!

Your daughter, Poppy Frances, has just celebrated her first birthday. Has your first year of motherhood lived up to all your expectations?

It’s been amazing but also not what I expected.

I thought I would adjuste more easily than I did but at every turn Poppy has challenged and surprised me!

Do you have any funny parenting stories you’d like to share to give us a giggle?

Yes! That time I changed Poppy’s nappy after a particularly massive poo and realised almost two hours later that I had somehow smeared some poo onto my tshirt and also found remnant on my sneaker!! That was a very levelling moment. You realise that it doesn’t matter who you were before kids, even an Olympian can still walk around for 2hrs with poo on their shirt!

You put on a lot more weight during pregnancy than you expected and it took you 10 months to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight. Do you have any words of advice to other mums feeling the pressure to lose the baby-bulge?

My biggest thing was to love my body at every stage. It’s really a miracle to create a little human being and it’s important to acknowledge that. Don’t worry about the number on the scales! That doesn’t define you. Does your body do everything that you like it to? Be patient and loving to yourself and eventually you will be happy and healthy!

You describe yourself as a massive big kid at heart. Do you think this will rub off on little Poppy?

I hope so! She’s a nutcase and she’s definitely got some cheekiness. I just hope she laughs a lot and has lots of lighthearted joy in her life.

To join in the Little BIG DASH action on September 25th at Calder Park, visit www.littlebigdash.com.au

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love food Have you ever put leftovers in the fridge only to rediscover them a week later with some fuzz growing on them?

Bought some fresh fruit only to see it passed over until it’s shrivelled and unappetizing?

Made dinner for everyone only to find plans have changed and only half gets eaten?

These are the everyday stories of food waste that have probably happened in every house at some point.

• We don’t know how to use leftovers.

We’re simply not using our food as wisely as we could be. And it costs households money and impacts the environment, including contributing to climate change.

But there are steps everyone can take to reduce their household’s food waste.

Do I really waste that much money on food?

Yes! here’s how much it’s costing: • The average Victorian household throws out $2,200 worth of food each year – that’s $42 per week!

Most of the time, it’s not intentional. No one likes to see good food go to waste. We buy delicious food to feed ourselves and our families and then life gets in the way.

• One fifth or 20% of the yearly grocery budget is wasted on average. That’s like throwing out 1 in every 5 bags of food you buy!

Unfortunately that all adds up to some pretty shocking numbers...

• Victorians collectively throw out $4 billion worth of food each year – that’s enough to feed 367,000 families for a year, based on a weekly spend of $207.

Each year in Victoria, households throw out 250,000 tonnes worth of food – enough wasted food to fill Melbourne’s Eureka Tower.

The average Victorian household throws out approximately $2,200 worth of food each year.

Why do we throw away so much food?

There are some common reasons why we waste food. Most food is thrown out because:

• Victorians throw away $700 million worth of leftovers per year – that’s enough to buy laptops for 580,000 school children So while nobody wants to waste food, it certainly does happen. And it is potentially costing your family money as well as wasting precious resources.

The good news?

• We don’t check the cupboard or fridge before going shopping.

Wasting food is something that we can easily change by just doing a few things differently like shopping with a list and checking if we’re storing items correctly.

• We’re not planning our meals and menus as much as we could.

You’ll save on your grocery bill and help the environment!

• We forget about food we have in the fridge or freezer.

• We don’t get to use our food before the use-by or best before dates.

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• We buy or cook more than we need.

hate waste Food waste and kids

Sick of seeing lunch boxes come back from school full of food?

Bringing the kids along on the path to less waste can seem like a challenge but there are ways to make saving food, money and the environment kid-friendly, starting with Lunchbox Leftovers.

Summer Table cookbook author and Melbourne mum, Jodie Blight, has some great tips and recipe ideas on how to spice up your kids lunch box to save you some money, reduce food waste and make sure those lunchboxes return empty.

Noodle boxes – cook vermicelli or Pad Thai rice noodles and toss with leftover salad or vegies (lettuce, cabbage, carrots, capsicum, cucumber, snow peas, bean shoos etc.) and a sprinkle of sesame oil. Serve in a noodle box for a bit of fun (you can pick these up at the $2 shop).

Souvlaki – on a wholemeal pita (or in the pocket if you prefer), lay sliced leftover lamb, cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, a handful of baby spinach leaves and top with a mint yoghurt dressing. Wrap in foil and it looks just like a bought one. Ideas for filling – capsicum, avocado, carrot, cucumber, leftover cooked chicken/ pork/ beef /prawns, bean shoots, the list goes on. Even leftover coleslaw works.

The best part of this is the kids can choose their own fillings.

Roast Chicken legs – wrap the leg of leftover cooked chicken legs in baking paper or foil as they can get a bit messy. Maybe throw in a napkin as well. Finger lickin’ good!

Pasta – revive last night’s leftover pasta with some freshly chopped cherry tomatoes and basil. Mix together one part balsamic vinegar with 3 parts olive oil and toss through pasta and tomatoes. Don’t forget to pop a fork into their lunchbox.

Rice paper rolls – prepare the noodles and chop the vegies the night before (all except the avocado). All you have to do in the morning is soak the rice paper.

Frittata – use any leftover veg, cheese, chopped ham, spring onions, herbs (literally anything you have in the fridge). Mix 10 eggs with ½ cup milk, add salt and pepper and other ingredients, then pour into muffin cups and cook at 200C for 15 minutes or until cooked.

You can prepare and cook this the night before and freeze any extras for another day.

Love Food Hate Waste is brought to you by The Victorian Government and delivered by Sustainability Victoria. www.lovefoodhatewaste.vic.gov.au www.hellotable.com.au

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father figure There are many kinds of families but today I am addressing fathers and one or two things that may be important to them. I’m writing about this because I have noticed that sometimes fathers are confused about their role in a new family.

In the past, a “good father’ has been defined as a successful breadwinner. And that was their role, as well as being the tough guy that kept the kids in line: “You wait till your dad gets home.” Everybody missed out then, with only that skeletal expectation to go by.

Times have changed. Mostly. It is the ‘new’ kind of father that I am writing about today. And I am inviting you to think about the fathering role holistically.

Imagine three concentric circles...

In the centre is the baby, the new being. There is a special holding going on here and it is the task of the mother whose body still sustains the baby, not necessarily with breastmilk because sometimes that doesn’t work out, but with her focus and with the intimate connection that was formed at conception, and continues. She is the first enclosing circle around the babe.

Many fathers begin to be a part of that sustaining now, as we have discovered they can do this with their bodies too, gentling and calming with closeness, embodying safety for the little one.

Researcher Susan Guibert, reporting on some of the research about these things, writes: “When men become fathers, testosterone decreases, sometimes dramatically, and those who spend the most time in hands-on-care… have lower testosterone levels.” She goes on to say this suggests “that active fatherhood has a deep history in the human species and our ancestors.”

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But I think the father’s role is even bigger than the one many are now recognising and taking up. I think the father is the outer circle that surrounds the other two. His job is to encircle and sustain with his strength, his mate and their child. Of course many recognise and live this notion, but I think it bears thinking about because when a man thinks of his role in this way, it becomes very clear that his is a unique task, one that only he can carry out.

Donald Winnicott, paediatrician and psychoanalyst, said that the prerequisite for healthy development is “the continuation of reliable holding in terms of the ever-widening circle of family and school and social life.”

The father is the first external relationship.

As the babe becomes aware of this safe male bigness, this awareness, fuelled by curiosity about this important other, instigates the first tiny steps beyond the dyad, the entwining of mother and babe.

But even more than this great and vital task, it is the job of the father to enable the dyadic relationship while it is so essential for the two who have made such a great physical journey together. When a mother is well held by her mate (and I mean holding in the wholistic sense: to bear, sustain or support) she is able to carry out her own vital tasks. Good fathering makes this possible, easy even. The task of the dad is to say, in many ways, whenever it is needed “Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out,” or “Don’t worry, leave it to me,” or “What do you need? I’ll sort it,” or “You’re doing so well. I love how you mother our babe.”

Sounds simple but sometimes it’s hard to do, for a host of reasons. That’s probably why dads are strong, I think.

By Barbara Churcher Barbara Churcher Psychotherapy www.barbarachurcher.com.au

Incinerator Gallery School Holiday Workshops Thursday, 22 September to Thursday 29 September Let your children’s creativity run wild in these fun and friendly workshops • • •

Ceramic Pot Plant Critters Face Paint by Children Polymer Clay Jewellery

For more information, and to book, visit incineratorgallery.com.au or call 8325 1750

FREE School Holiday Activities at Brimbank Shopping Centre!

Wednesday 21st – Friday 23rd September 11am-2pm

CRAYOLA CREATIVE CENTRE

Use iPads, Digi tools and special chalk to create amazing 3D works of art!

Wednesday 27th – Friday 30th September 11am-2pm

DINOSAUR DISCOVERY

One for the budding dinosaur hunters! Work in teams to dig for dinosaur bones to take home! PLUS keep an eye out for Baby T Rex – our 2m tall and 4m long baby dinosaur who’ll be roaming the Centre with his trainer!

Live Local - Shop Local - and don’t forget to mention MamaMag!

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empower your kids Empowering Kids Through Sport Without a doubt everybody knows how important it is to make sure your child is active.

The development of key gross motor skills and the health benefits are widely acknowledged by parents and early learning educators. Sport also holds the key in developing your child’s personality traits and learning important values that will last a lifetime.

Leadership - The world’s leading Presidents, Prime Ministers and CEO’s all have one trait in common, leadership. Effective leadership starts at a young age with team sports topping the list for those that nurture its development. Soccer, rugby and netball place your child in an environment in which they will learn through play to take control of a situation and help those around them improve. Peer to peer learning ultimately creates leaders.

Respect and Integrity - Winning and losing are a vital part of any sport and a reality of life. Encouraging your child to accept both graciously, will only have a positive effect as they become adults. The highs and lows of taking part in sport allow an understanding of respect and integrity to develop. Whilst they may not know the definitions of these words you will see that sport has instilled them into your child’s personality.

Team Work and Commitment -

Individual pursuits such as golf and tennis reinforce the need for commitment. A level of personal commitment is central to all of life’s pursuits and an early introduction to sport can set your child on the correct path.

The dedication and concentration required to perfect a putt shot or a backhand return

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develops the skills that will be reflected in the classroom and beyond. Commitment to team sports works on life-long traits such as camaraderie, cooperation and self-discipline.

All these skills are vital to their future and building successful relationships with friends and colleagues.

Honesty - Through sport children learn

to acknowledge the difference between right and wrong. The desire to win that is instilled in children at an early age is also tempered by professional coaching with an understanding of honesty and fairness. Sportsmanship can be a substantial building block in developing the right attitude in a growing child.

Adherence to Rules - Rules and laws

dictate much of how we live our lives, the ability to understand and adhere to them begins in childhood. Sport provides the opportunity for children to learn to play within the confines of set guidelines. By playing within the rules of the game children are actively tested both mentally and physically whilst having fun.

The holistic nature of sport means that numerous key values are learnt through action and interaction. As children play and learn together they ultimately develop these values subconsciously all whilst having fun.

By involving your child in sport at an early age you set in motion the development of skills that will create good human beings and stay with them for life.

Written by Christopher Duffy, Operations Manager & Head Coach (Rugby), Sport Star Academy. www.sportsstaracademy.com.au

Sport Star Academy provides children aged 1-16 years the platform to realise their sporting potential.

Professional sports programs: • to suit all children • for all ability levels • qualified team of coaches Visit www.sportstaracademy.com.au to select your sport option.

Call 1300 372 300

ENJOY A FREE* 2-WEEK TRIAL SPORT OPTIONS INCLUDE: FOOTBALL, NETBALL, FOOTY, GOLF & RUGBY. Enter code trialmama2 at checkout to redeem your offer. *Up to the value of $55. One transaction per customer, per sport. Not redeemable for cash

www.sportstaracademy.com.au

Did you know 1 in 2 households in the West already grow some food at home?

Join a local movement of Smart Gardeners producing

healthy, free, delicious and sustainable food from their back yards, front yards, balconies, containers and pots!

Register and see upcoming free events at www.mysmartgarden.org.au

“It has been an absolutely wonderful initiative and all for free. There is very little these days you can participate in, and gain from that is free of charge.”

“Really informative, well run sessions, run by friendly extremely knowledgeable people who are passionate about their subject. Thanks so much.”

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9932 1212

INTERPRETER SERVICE FOR ALL LANGUAGES

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35Live Local - Shop Local - and don’t forget to mention MamaMag!

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worm farming with kids “How many pets do you have?” “About 10,000!”

Worms that wriggle make children giggle!

Kids and worm farms are a great combination, with plenty of hands-on opportunities for early lessons in science, biology, ecology and sustainability. It’s also a pathway to teach children about responsibility and caring for animals. Together you can decorate their worm farm, count worms, baby worms and eggs, discover what foods they like most - just don’t try to name them all!

There’s some evidence that contact with soil might be critical to building a strong immune system*, and worm farming contributes to the future health of our planet too by reducing household waste and preventing the release of methane in landfill, a greenhouse gas 25 times more damaging than carbon dioxide.

A well-managed worm farm will not smell or attract flies! Here are my top tips for success.

1) Start slow and be patient!

Worms will eat roughly their weight in a week, but starting out you’ll usually have only 1000 (250g) compost worms – and if you added coconut fibre, paper or cardboard as bedding they’ll be eating that too! So start by feeding only a small handful of food scraps, and wait until these are mostly gone before adding more. Too much food will create smells and attract flies. Well-managed worms will double their population every few months, but if you want a faster start just top up your population from a friend’s established worm farm.

You can buy worm farms at nurseries, but it’s easy, just as effective and much cheaper to make your own at home from recycled materials. They’re a great choice for balconies, small courtyards and renters, and in return you get a free, rich plant food for growing the most delicious and nutritious vegies.

2) Add carbon and oxygen

What’s on the menu?

It also helps to aerate your worm farm occasionally by gently fluffing up the bedding with gloved hands or a garden fork. Oxygen helps the food scraps to break down quickly.

Compost worms will eat most fruit and vegetable scraps, as well as tea bags (not containing plastic!) and coffee grounds. They will only cope with small amounts of bread, rice, pasta, onion and citrus. Avoid dairy, meat and fats. Small pieces of food will be broken down faster than large pieces.

.

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Secrets to success..

Worms need a balanced diet too! As well as food scraps, adding some carbon-rich materials (paper, cardboard, autumn leaves) will prevent flies and smells. Keep them damp or it’s like asking your worms to eat a dry Weetbix!

3) Keep ‘em cool and moist over summer Summer is a busy time for many of us but it’s important to remember that compost worms will die if their bedding gets hotter than 35˚C so they must be in a cool, shaded position in hot weather. During heatwaves, a frozen container of water placed on the surface will keep them safe. Worm farms that are large (eg. converted bathtubs), insulated or buried in the ground are also more resilient in heat. Or you could take them to the cinema!

It’s also important to make sure they don’t dry out – you should see a couple of drips of liquid when you squeeze a handful of their bedding. A woollen blanket, hessian or newspaper laid on the surface of the worm farm will also help to keep them happy.

.. So you can grow the best vegies!

After a few months you will start to see a buildup of chocolate-coloured residue. This is worm poo (aka castings, vermicompost) - one of the very best foods for plants! You can either dig it into the soil, or put a couple of handfuls in a watering can and dilute for a liquid plant tonic.

It’s a great step towards healthy soil that will grow healthy vegies and healthy kids!

By Kat Lavers, My Smart Garden My Smart Garden is running a free worm farming workshop for kids (and adults too!) in South Kingsville on 24 September. We’ll learn all about our wriggly friends and how to care of them, and you’ll get to make and take home a simple DIY worm farm. Get in quick to book your place! www.mysmartgarden.org.au *Lowry et al. 2016. “Immunization with a heatkilled preparation of the environmental bacterium Mycobacterium vaccae promotes stress resilience in mice”, PNAS, Vol 113 No.22, available online at www.pnas.org

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Live Local - Shop Local - and don’t forget to mention MamaMag!

Holistic healthcare for children and adults 57 Charles Street Seddon. Ph 9687 3040 At Growing Bones, we understand that everybody is unique. Each person, infant, child or adult needs to be looked at with fresh eyes and assessed as an individual. This allows for the best treatment and return to health at any age.

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Come and party with us!

Our newly refurbished party rooms and play centre are colourful, fresh and fun!

Three packages to choose from - Tumbles party, Playhouse party and our Disco party!

The inner west's best party venue, play centre & family cafe!

2-for-1 General Entry - Must present voucher to redeem - For use in the September school holidays only - Not valid for special events

1/197 Champion Road Williamstown 9397 0811 www.tumblesplayhouse.com.au Live Local - Shop Local - and don’t forget to mention MamaMag!

Opening hours: Mon to Fri: 9:30am - 4:30pm Sat & Sun: 9:30am - 5:00pm

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Springtime Festival Fun in maribyrnong Get read for a busy social season in the inner west this Spring! A fabulous array of festivals including community events and celebrations, cultural festivals and cutting edge arts festivals are coming your way:

Ethiopian New Year Festival Saturday 3 September, 11am – 5pm, Maddern Square, Footscray Now in its 9th year, this family-friendly affair will see Maddern Square come alive with a day of cultural demonstrations including music, poetry, Ethiopian coffee ceremonies, a fashion parade, singing and dancing.

Fringe Out West 15 September – 2 October, Various venues Melbourne’s annual three week explosion of independent art returns to the West with a multi-art form program of adventurous and accessible art. Featuring 16 shows staged across six venues, this will be the biggest Fringe Out West program yet.

8 October, 3 – 10pm, RecWest, Braybrook This colourful festival of flowers is the biggest community event for the Telugu Telangana Indian community in Melbourne. The Festival will feature Indian games, songs celebrating life and community, traditional dance and a children’s entertainment program.

Edgewater Festival: 19 November, 10am – 5pm, Harbour Park, Maribyrnong Now in its second year, the Edgewater Fusion Festival is a fun and exciting community festival which includes a fusion of art, history, music, culture, food and crafts for the entire family to enjoy.

For more info about these events and to view the full Festival City program for 2016/2017 visit festivalcity.com.au

Lantern Festival

And whilst you’re here, make sure you download the free ‘I Maribyrnong’ app to discover the best places to eat, shop and relax.

17 September, 12 – 8pm, Leeds Street, Footscray

More fun in Maribyrnong this Spring:

The 2016 Vietnamese Children’s Lantern Festival will bring vibrant colour and culture to Footscray in the 41st year of Vietnamese settlement in Australia. Featuring traditional dancing, lantern making, musical performances cultural games and rides, leading to a spectacular evening parade of colourful, glowing lanterns.

As a lovely keepsake, each child receives a lantern to take home.

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MTF Bathukamma Festival of Flowers

Maidstone Community Centre Yoga for Preschoolers or School age kids Introduce your kids to yoga and creative movement in a simple, fun and effective program that promotes healthy and happy young minds and bodies. Held at Braybrook Community Hub, the classes centre around themes and activities which are age appropriate and value self expression and creativity. 3-5 year olds Wednesdays 11am – 12pm. School aged kids Tuesdays 4 – 5pm.

Library events

Maribyrnong Community Centre

Baby Rhyme Time: Yarraville Branch. Thurs 1, 8 and 15 September 10.30am

Kids Beats: An introductory class of dance and yoga designed specifically for boys and girls. Kids Beats provides a sensory environment which allows your child to explore body movement & develop their physical, social & emotional well-being. Suitable for children aged 2 – 5years. Parent / carer participation encouraged. Runs during the school term on Wednesday mornings at 10am.

Footscray Branch. Wed 7 September 2pm Maribyrnong Branch. Frid 9 September 10.30am Story Time: Yarraville Branch. Mon 5, 12 September 11am West Footscray Branch. Tue 6, 13 September 11am and Fri 9, 16 September 11am Braybrook Branch. Tue 6, 13 September 2pm Footscray Branch. Wed 7, 14 September 11am Maribyrnong Branch. Thur 1, 8, 15 September 11am Moon Festival Bilingual Story Times: During our regular Story Time sessions: Mandarin & English: Braybrook Branch Tuesday 13 September 2pm Vietnamese & English: Footscray Branch Wednesday 14 September 11am Maribyrnong Young Writers Competition: 12 September – 7 October Students in prep to grade 6 are invited by the Maribyrnong Library Service and the Rotary Club of Yarraville to submit an entry into this year’s writing competition.

September School Holiday Program: Looking for something to do during the holidays? Maribyrnong Library Service will have fun craft activities and performers at all branches.

Bookings are essential as numbers are limited.

Yoga = Happy kids: Yoga for children creates healthy and happy young bodies and minds.

Classes consist of yoga poses, breath work, relaxation techniques and games, in a fun, safe, interactive and educational environment. Suitable for 3 – 5 year olds. Runs during the school term on Monday mornings at 9.30am.

Indigo Movements Creative Dance: Creative dance allows young children the freedom, space and time to explore movement with other children to a wide variety of music and with many resources. Suitable for 3 – 5 year olds. Runs during the school term on Thursday mornings at 11am.

Central West Shopping Centre Running every Monday and Wednesday at 11am during school terms outside Coles Central West, Bilingual Story Time is available in English, Hindi, Bengali, Vietnamese and Mandarin.

It provides a chance to meet other families with young children and learn new ways to help your child to develop language skills.

For more information on Bilingual Story Time or Children’s Services phone the Maribyrnong Early Years Team on 9688 0200.

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Breaking Bad Habits When 94% of women say they have the knowhow to be healthy, and most often they even have the motivation, but still fail with their health goals, it becomes a worry. In fact these same women say they don’t fail because of know-how or even motivation, they fail because old habits creep back in.

Many women have a thirst for health knowledge believing knowledge is power. In my line of work, I no longer believe knowledge is power, knowledge is only potential, commitment is power, and building good habits is the only way to make your commitments last.

Tell me if this sounds familiar… It’s Sunday night.

Once again you’ve totally over-indulged, so you sit down, you plan your healthy eating plan. You select the most nourishing meals, you even map out the exercise you’ll do… fired up and full of conviction. Monday morning rolls around and you’re even a bit excited to start your new health plan… Only by Thursday night it’s 8pm and you realise you’re sitting on the couch with a bag of your favourite treats in your hand and you’re already half way through before you realise…

CRAP … I’ve done it again. Ok, so that is not just a random example, that’s my example, my story, my habit creeping back in. What I didn’t realise, was just how common the top 5 worst habits are that sabotage the best intentions.

The Top 5 Hab its that sabota ge your health go als...

1. Night time bin

ge eating.

2. Falling off the health wagon… and you keep going.. (eve r said “I’ve alrea dy broken my diet, I might as well keep going”?)

3. Overeating 4. Too much wi

ne 5. Lack of a stron g exercise habit

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Breaking bad habits is actually easier than you think, you just need the formula to do it.

1. Know your trigger Firstly, know what triggers your habit. It could be a thought, a feeling, or even a time of day. Once you know your trigger you can either remove it, change the habit, or indulge in your habit mindfully. Knowing your trigger buys you conscious choice either to move toward your health goal, or to move away from it. When you know what triggers your habit, you have the ability to consciously choose to either remove the trigger, or replace the habit.

2. Remove the trigger or change the habit If you can remove the trigger (like remove the chocolate bar from the fridge) do that. If your trigger is something you can’t remove (like a husband, a television, or your children) then you’ll need to change your habit. To change your habit really tune into what’s driving your habit. Are you really seeking some self care, or a reward for a good day’s work? Once you know what you’re really craving, then you can replace your bad habit with a better one, like yoga, a massage or even just some time out.

By Melitta Hardenberg.

For more information on how to break bad habits, jump onto www.breakingbadhabits.today and download your free 7 day kickstarter program.

WIN

1 of 2 Play-Doh Cake Party Sets

PLAY-DOH is turning 60, so it’s time to celebrate!

And what better way than with cake - Play-Doh cake!

Since its 1956 debut, the iconic PLAY-DOH yellow can has become synonymous with creative play as well as being a fun family favourite!

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

To win your own Play-Doh Cake Party Set, simply post us your best colouring in!

Post your entry by September 30th to: MamaMag, PO Box 8018 North Road LPO, Brighton East 3187.

Child’s name:

Age:

Parent’s name: Email: Address:

Postcode: 43

BER 8-9 OCTO ff Queenscli Station

TreeHaus is an Allied Health Clinic providing specialised therapies to individuals, couples, children and families.

© 2016 Gullane (Thomas) Limited © 2016 HIT Entertainment Limited

UPCOMING FAMILY SPECIALS Benito’s Pirate Train: 20 & 27 September Magic Show & Workshop: 22 & 29 September Halloween ‘Freaky Friday’ Train: 28 October Santa Train Specials: 10 & 17 December For further info visit website or call 5258 2069

www.bellarinerailway.com.au

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• • • • • • • •

Counselling & Psychotherapy Psychoanalysis Psychology Child Assessments Speech Pathology Occupational Therapy Nutrition & Dietetics Art & Music Therapy

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Don’t feel like you have to miss out on your fitness and health goals because you don’t have anyone to mind your children!

Fitness For Her offers a FREE child play area to their members so mums can come into the studio and enjoy a workout while their kids play in the child play area section of the studio, sit in a pram, read a book or catch up on some homework.

We also offer Kids School Holiday Fitness classes! *Conditions apply. Offer expires 31/09/16

SEPTEMBER PROMO MamaMag Readers Only

$90 FOR 90 DAYS*

Central Square, 1/1 Central Ave, Altona Meadows. Ph 9360 8000 www.fitnessforher.com.au

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SPRINGTIME FESTIVAL fun find your #myfestivalcity flavour at festivalcity.com.au

Free, family friendly festivals in the West this Spring 2016 3 Sept Ethiopian New Year Festival 15 Sept–2 Oct Melbourne Fringe Festival 17 Sept Lantern Festival 8 Oct Bathukamma Festival of Flowers 19 Nov Edgewater Festival maribyrnong.vic.gov.au