Westside MamaMag Aug/Sept 2020

WESTSIDE

mamamAg Aug/Sep 2020

WIN A 5 NIGHT STAY AT PARADISE RESORT GOLD COAST Getting the dirt Trippin’ with kids My shadow is pink Is that app safe?

50 years of Sesame Street

free Local fun for the Westside mum 1

QUALITY EARLY EDUCATION

GROWTH THROUGH EDUCATION AND CARE LET YOUR CHILD’S EARLY LEARNING STORY BEGIN WITH US

• Nutritious meals • Individualised

learning programs

• Qualified and

experienced educators

• Tailored learning and KEILOR DOWNS 7 Copernicus Way Keilor Downs VIC 3038 Ph 03 9366 4380 keilordowns@shel.edu.au

TARNEIT 414 Derrimut Road Tarneit VIC 3029 Ph 03 9749 6300 tarneit@shel.edu.au

1300 786 794 www.shel.edu.au

curriculum for each age

• Indoor and outdoor

play based experiences

• Safe and fun learning environments

home sweet home Well, well, well, what have we got here? Another term of remote learning at home it seems! As if the fact I don’t fit into any of my jeans anymore wasn’t bad enough!

It’s a sad time to be a Victorian. So many silly people not doing the right thing and spoiling it for the rest of us. But working from home feels perfectly normal now and I question the need to keeping the MamaMag office moving forward. This pandemic is changing the way we operate our lives in so many ways. Thankfully, with this lockdown, the feelings of stress and anxiety that plagued me first the time round have subsided. Contradictory since our numbers are much worse now but I guess I’ve just had more time to process the whole thing.

There are so many things that I miss right now, like creating a printed magazine for one. I’m so thankful to our wonderful readers who have adopted the digital format of MamaMag with open arms. I also miss hanging out with friends and going out for dinner, oh and going on dates. My Tinder game is totally on hold right now! But there are also so many things that I am thankful for. The gorgeous sunshine this Winter is bringing, living 2km from the beach so I can still take my gorgeous puppy (who turns 1 this month) for runs at her favourite dog beach. I love waking each morning and scrolling the ‘gram’ to discover a new bunch of funny Covid-19 memes. If a funny meme can’t set you up for the day with a smile then what can?

I’ve compiled all my favourites for you on page 52! This >> choc-chip one, while not Covid related, made me giggle!

Speaking of Instagram, are you following us there? We’ve got heaps of stuff going on over on our socials, so make sure you stay tuned in there. Besides our incredible Paradise Resort giveaway we’ve always got more prizes and fun on Facebook too.

But the last thing to come out of this crazy Corona shit-show was been the opportunity to expand MamaMag. If you haven’t heard already, we’ve just launch MamaMag in Sydney. Squeal! I’ve wanted to do Sydney for such a long time but distributing a magazine free to over 2,000 locations is no easy feat. It’s expensive and a logistical nightmare. But now we are digital, it’s party time!! Make sure you tell your friends in Sydney to get on the MamaMag train!

Sarah Cavalier Editor - MamaMag @thecavaliermama

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

WIN

Contents Getting the dirt on Frankie Layton

6

Trippin’ with kids

8

Hand health help

10

When your shadow is pink

12

Dani Venn is getting saucy

14

Take your family to paradise

16

Best and worst laundry detergents

18

Worth

$2490

Common questions during pregnancy 20 Is that app safe?

22

10 things about your toothbrush

26

Time to clean - top hacks

28

Family, friends and breast cancer

30

Colour to WIN with Moonlit Sanctuary 32 Budgets don’t work

34

Subscribe to MamaMag

37

How to help your fussy eater

38

Surviving a pandemic

41`

Chats with Elmo and Cookie Monster 42 Mama can cook with Sam Wood

44

Hiking with kids

48

What do you meme?

50

A healthy mindset

52

How to camp with dogs

54

Super eco-mum Julie Mathers

56

Turn the page - top book picks

58

Hush little baby

60

WIN a 5 night family escape at Australia’s favourite family resort, Paradise Resort Gold Coast.

Entries are open to VIC & NSW residents only. 5 nights for 2 Adults and up to 2 Children (0-12years) in a Superior Resort Room plus continental breakfast daily.

Valid for travel until 16 December 2021 and excludes travel in high and peak periods Flights not included. Competition starts Aug 1st 12.01am and closes Sep 30th 2020 at 11.59pm. Visit www.mamamag.com.au/competitions for full terms and conditions.

Enter at www.mamamag.com.au/paradise MamaMag is designed and published free for mums and families by Grizzle Design Pty Ltd. ABN: 26 042 138 550. PO Box 8018 Brighton East VIC 3187 Phone: 1300 771 446 Email: info@mamamag.com.au www.mamamag.com.au | www.grizzledesign.com.au

Westside MamaMag is bi-monthly mag for Melbourne’s West. You can read all our issues online: Bayside • Eastside • Northside • Westside.

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

Click to Subscribe and get MamaMag straight to your inbox The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publishing staff.

Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without permission of the publishers.

MamaMag Aug/Sept 2020

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

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GETTING THE DIRT ON FRANKIE LAYTON

By Sarah Cavalier

Meet Frankie Layton, the clever Melbourne mama behind The Dirt Company. All grown up and juggling motherhood with a growing business now, but the idea for The Dirt Company, an eco-friendly laundry detergent company, started when she was just 18. We chatted to Frankie about how it all started...

I grew up in Melbourne’s inner eastern suburbs.

At 18, when I finished high school, I spent a gap year working as a stewardess on super yachts in Europe, crossing the Atlantic Ocean from the South of France to the Caribbean. This was an incredible experience because I loved the sea. I’m an ocean baby at heart. But it was also here that I first developed an itch to create a business focussed on sustainability.

One day, whist at sea, I walked to the back of the boat and saw our deckhand throwing bags of rubbish overboard. Shocked, I asked him what he was doing and he explained that this is where all trash at sea goes. To my horror it was completely normal. This was 2007.

There would be schools of dolphins at the front of the boat and they’d just be chucking trash over the back. Even when we were so far from shore that even helicopter rescue was not possible, you’d see trash in the sea. At the time it was perfectly normal to dump whatever you wanted, so long as you were 12 nautical miles or more offshore, however this law was amended in 2013 and it’s now illegal to dump certain waste, including plastic, but still not everything.

It got me thinking very hard about rubbish and waste. Until then, in my mind trash had always just “gone away” but now I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

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But at that time I also couldn’t stop thinking about a lot of things. I wanted a degree. I needed a job. I needed to eat and pay rent.

Searching for the fastest way to get a degree, I ended up completing a Bachelor of Arts from Monash University then after I wound up in advertising. Here I was surrounded by great people, but I was doing work where I often felt a job well done, was a poor result for the things that made me happy. I’d lost the connection to who I was and I had no idea how to find my way back. I cared about the ocean. I was plagued by consumerism and trash.

I was when I moved in with my best friend that I was standing in the supermarket aisle one day stumped about which laundry detergent to buy. My best friend was easily irritated by detergent and I wanted a buy a product that washed well but was sensitive to her skin and the environment. This was an impossible brief.

I was also noticing other faults like excessive packaging, high cost per wash, hidden ingredients that were not good for you. The list went on. I realised that sustainability, whilst big in other areas, had clearly not yet hit the laundry aisle and it was time for me to step in and to try and do better.

10 years after my time at sea, realising I needed to do something more for the planet and for myself, my product was launched. It took two years to develop Dirt, getting the formulation just right and the packaging and website ready.

Dirt is a liquid laundry concentrate jam-packed with natural and organic goodies. It’s most impressive feature is the sustainable, userfriendly, beautiful packaging. The glass dispenser bottle, with silicon bumpers, pumps out your exact dosage with one hand, and zero spills and to reduce plastic packaging further you can fill your empty bottle with their recycled ocean plastic refill packs which can also be sent back to be reused again and again.

Beyond conquering the laundry detergent aisle, Frankie is now conquering motherhood! Frankie and her partner welcomed their first child in February, called August, or Augie for short! Whilst she admits she still hasn’t quite worked out what all his different cries mean, he seems to be a very happy baby for the most part. Frankie had planned to take time off from work until the end of May, but her maternity leave replacement was from Yorkshire in England and chose to return home due to Coronavirus before they got stuck here long-term. This was 5 weeks after she had Augie.

Frankie’s partner has been taking a day a week paternity leave to mind Augie and her mum has him another day so she can work two full days. She’s very mindful that she doesn’t do too much work on the days they are home together but unfortunately when it’s your own business, the issues don’t only fall on those two days.

When asked how Coronavirus has affected the business, she laughs about how they ran out of detergent at the start of the pandemic. Turns out laundry detergent is like toilet paper and everyone was stocking up for the unknown! While this pandemic is such a tough thing and has hit so many people, Frankie thanks her blessings that it was a cleaning product they started three years ago, something that everyone still needs to buy.

Of course when she started out in 2017 she still had her advertising day-job and they were only selling 1 or 2 products a day. She recalls flying from Sydney to Melbourne one day and looking at all the houses and thinking “I just need one house in every street to buy my product. That house, and that house, and I’ll be ok.”

Without the funds the business never had a proper launch and they rely heavily on the power of social media for promotion. In fact their actual launch was accidentally leaving the website live while working on it and making a sale. So they just left it live and the rest is history!

You can find The Dirt Company at thedirtcompany.com.au

There would be schools of dolphins at the front of the boat and they’d just be chucking trash over the back.

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TRIPPIN’ WITH KIDS

While travel might not be on the cards for everyone right now, and a trip to the supermarket is possibly the only epic adventure you’re getting these days, it doesn’t mean we can’t still dream or plan our next holiday, does it? Funny man Peter Helliar and his gorgeous wife Bridget have spent years travelling around Australia (and the world) with their three boys, and now they want to teach us how to have fun on family holidays - just like you did before you had kids - with their new book ‘Trippin’ with Kids’.

Firstly, quickly tell us a bit about your family.

BRIJ: Our pride and joys Liam 17, Aidan 15 and Oscar 11. They are keen travellers who don’t complain about visiting museums with us and have learnt over the years that we eat when we eat whether it’s snails in Villefranche-sur-Mer or Ramen in Kyoto.

The book was initially Bridget’s idea. Tell us how it came about?

PETE: Brij pitched the idea to me when we first went to France with the kids in 2010. I just didn’t see it to be honest. More recently after lots of family holidays and more experiences with our kids at different ages, and in a variety of destinations, it began to make a lot more sense to me. I could see it and we also noted that there was no other book quite like it. So, yes it took me a decade to realise my wife is a genius!

Travel like you did before kids… sounds like a dream. What can we expect from the book?

BRIJ: It’s definitely not a play gym tour of the world. We want to encourage parents of young kids to not wait until the kids are older so there is a heap of practical advice, destination suggestions, funny anecdotes from our experiences. We want to inspire parents to create holidays that work for both parents and kids.

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What are your top three travel destinations in Australia with kids?

BRIJ: Port Douglas and surrounds offers a rich cultural learning experience, snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef and the most perfect weather to lay poolside enjoying time away from the busy life back home.

The Victorian and New South Wales Alps are a great place to visit in winter for kids. Even if you aren’t a skier a few days at the snow are enough to tire even the most energetic of kids.

Most resorts have ski school, the kids can get a chance at either skiing or snowboarding, ride a lift and ski the big mountain.

Kangaroo Island, along with many Australian regional towns, has been affected by the summer bushfires. The island has incredible wildlife and is a beautiful scenic place to explore. Picnic on the beach, visit Seal Bay Conservation Park and sand board down the sand dunes.

Funniest travel mishap to happen to your family? Surely you of all people have a hilarious story!

BRIJ: Driving 4 ½ hours in the wrong direction on day one of our first big family adventure in France probably tops the list. We didn’t get the sat-nav as planned with the hire car so when

Pete drove out of Charles de Gaulle heading to Honfleur in the north but saw a road sign above that read ‘PARIS’ he immediately panicked and swerved right to the exit.

PETE: I had a vision of me driving around the Arc de Triumphe roundabout like the Griswalds. I got to the first toll booth and I couldn’t work out how to open the car window. Bloody European cars!

BRIJ: We eventually arrived in the darkening hours, in the rain in a dreary looking town.

We had no booking because we had no plan to be there. We tried to check into a Hotel De Ville, which incidentally is a Town Hall in France. Yep we were from out of town.

PETE: We eventually found a one room hotel but woke up and found we were in a town with a beautiful cobblestone main street, gothic churches, great café’s and street performers.

It was Rouen, Normandy’s capital and a great place to accidentally visit.

You’ve tackled backpacking with the kids in Europe. Tell us about that experience.

BRIJ : Firstly, don’t let your 5 year old buy a string puppet, particularly as he insisted on walking through the cobblestoned alleyways of Krakow without allowing Rocky [the puppet] to step on the cracks. The rest was a fantastic adventure to take. The kids loved the novelty of the overnight trains, exploring the culture of different cities and towns and taking part in local life. Backpacking with kids can be a more affordable way to travel and it forces you to pack less.

What’s your fave thing about sharing travel adventures as a family?

We feel blessed to have so many memories with the kids. From an Indigenous guided walk in Mossman George in Queensland, the Salt Mines of Poland, standing on the Celtics famed parquet court in Boston to Legoland in Denmark, these memories we will have forever. Through travel we have seen them grow to be respectful, caring young men who acknowledge that all cultures should be embraced.

Peter, you’re also well known for your popular Frankie Fish kids’ novels. Can we expect more books for our kids anytime soon?

Of course. There will be a Frankie Fish book in September, The Tomb of Tomfoolery. It’s a mini adventure before the final book in the series The Knights Of Kerfuffle comes out in April which I have just finished writing and was way more emotional than I anticipated. Both the content and the process. Can’t wait for Frankie fans to read it.

Finally, where can we find your new book, Trippin’ with Kids?

Trippin’ with Kids - How to have fun on family holidays - just like you did before you had kids

By Peter Helliar and Bridget Helliar is available 5th August 2020 and is published by Hardie Grant Travel.

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HAND HEALTH HELP Constant hand washing and hand sanitiser have become a way of life this year, and rightly so. We have to all do our bit to ensure we don’t spread Coronavirus.

How does soap and hand sanitiser work?

Human skin is an ideal surface for a virus to enjoy a marvellous feast of the rich proteins and fatty acids contained within our surface dead skin cells.

As per the doctor’s recommendation, hand washing and sanitising is our best defence at killing unwanted *nasties* that might have hitch hiked their way home with you on your latest grocery run.

Soap does this by disrupting and breaking down the protective layering around the virus cell called the lipid bi-layer. The weak velcrolike bonds of the internal structures within that make the cell start to fall apart, thankfully rendering the virus unable to cause more trouble.

Alcohol based sanitisers work in a similar fashion, however you require a healthy amount to saturate the skin, hence experts recommend hand washing is superior to sanitising where possible.

But is this OK for our skin?

Whilst we’re totally on board with the agenda, as a skincare enthusiast my mind couldn’t help but dwell on how excessive washing and sanitising affects our skin.

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If you think the ease with which your dishwashing liquid strips away the grease off your plate, you can imagine the same action working on your hands. To simplify this, our skin maintains a delicate balance of oil and water. The constant stripping away of these natural oils wreaks havoc, deteriorating our skin barrier.

A compromised skin barrier is a concern for many reasons. For one, our skin is no longer effective at holding moisture in, leading to dryness, flaking, and in some extreme cases microtears that appear as cracks on the surface. When dry, our skin is less resilient to the invasion of harmful pathogens, and due to the disruption of normal bacterial flora (the good germs that live on your skin and actually work to protect you, now lathered and flushed away) we’re effectively making ourselves more susceptible. Yikes, I don’t want to use clichés, but even in this case, too much of a good thing could be a bad thing.

The hydrating products that work wonders for your face are perfect for your hands before bed each night to supercharge your hands’ hydration. Just make sure you apply cotton gloves after your skincare so it can properly absorb. Herbs and Heart have taken this one step further by creating their very own After Sanitiser Overnight Hand Mask, perfect for overnight hand replenishment.

By Jumana Shakeer founder of Herbs & Heart and advocate for ethical and sustainable living.

Manufactured in Australia with locally sourced ingredients, the natural and cruelty-free AfterSanitiser Overnight Hand Mask retails for $24RRP. www.herbsandheart.com

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WHEN YOUR SHADOW Meet Scott Stuart and his gorgeous son Colin.

Like so many kids today, Colin LOVES Frozen, in particular Queen Elsa. Having come into the world about the same time as Frozen was released, by age three he was completely obsessed, even before he saw the actual movie. While he still loved other superheroes like Spiderman, the concept of being able to freeze things won him over. He wanted every available toy and costume, a Frozen lunch box and books. But his is most prized possession was his Elsa doll which he took absolutely everywhere and proudly showed to anyone and everyone. Frozen has brought so much joy to his life. Today Colin is seven, so as Scott laughs, it’s been four years of Elsa!

But in today’s society, not everyone seems to understand why a ‘boy’ would love Queen Elsa.

When Colin came home completely distraught from childcare one day Scott scrambled for answers. Turns out Colin had taken his favourite Elsa doll along with him and another child had told him that Elsa was “for girls” and “not for boys”. That day Scott resolved to always support his son and the things he loves, even if they challenge his - or society’s expectations.

“You’re n ot going t o the movie s dressed as Elsa... a lone.”

With his son so upset Scott looked for something in the media or in kid’s books to support his son. Something that was reflective of Colin, a boy who just happens to like things that are outside of his gender stereotype. At the time there was very little available and what he did actually find, suitable for Colin’s age, wasn’t particularly positive. So that night, wanting Colin to see a positive representation of who he was and what he loved, he sat down and started writing a book to celebrate his son; aptly named ‘My Shadow is Pink’.

It’s taken four years to get this book to come to light. The first 12 months were spent writing it and getting it to a point where he thought it was truly empowering and really saying the things he wanted it to say, followed by hours of illustrations to make it just perfect. He was originally going to self publish, so held onto it a bit longer, but realising that Colin only had so long left that he would actually enjoy a picture book, he thought he better get moving. He had been in conversation with Larrikin House about another project and when he mentioned this story they jumped on board, loving the idea.

Scott is not new to book writing, having written several children’s books already, which he also illustrates himself. A graphic designer by trade, his creative flair and love for story writing are a beautiful combination.

Beyond the book Scott is making noise for gender equality on TikTok. His now-viral video of his son wanting to wear an Elsa dress to the movies, where he said you’re not wearing that... alone, before accompanying his son in a matching Elsa costume, has been viewed by over 21 million people and this and many other videos have amassed Scott almost 250,000 followers!

IS PINK

“I really wanted Colin to see a positive representation of who he was and what he loved”.

When asked if he is actually forcing his son to wear a dress, he laughs... “Have you actually tried to get a kid to wear something they don’t want? Kids won’t even wear normal clothes they don’t like, let alone a dress”! Scott didn’t want to put his family up online without a good reason and has done it because he wanted to show other kids that they can love something that is a bit out of the ordinary.

Scott hopes by sharing their story, in both the book and online, kids will be encouraged to accept and love their true selves, and help break down some gender stereotypes along the way. My Shadow is Pink is a beautifully written rhyming story of love and selfacceptance that touches on the subjects of gender identity, equality and diversity.

My Shadow is Pink is published by Larrikin House, out 1st August 2020, RRP $24.99.

You can find Scott on TikTok at Scott.Creates 13

DANI IS GETTING SAUCY! Dani Venn is all smiles... She’s loving motherhood with her two children, daughter Harlow, five, and son Oscar, two, and says she is currently focusing on things that make her happy like listening to songs from musicals and dancing around the lounge with the kids being silly!

But this clever Melbourne mama, who rose to fame coming fourth on MasterChef back in 2011, is doing much more than being silly.

Asked to return on this year’s MasterChef: Back To Win, which saw the best of the best MC alumni return, Dani nailed the opening episode by winning the only immunity pin of the season with her pineapple curry which was voted the best dish of the day by none other than chef-superstar Gordon Ramsay.

And Ramsay wasn’t the only one taking notice.

When Coles Product Developer David Robins saw Dani’s ‘A Taste of Sri Lanka’ dish win the coveted immunity pin, he knew they had to work together to bring her special Sri Lankan recipe to Coles customers so they can enjoy what the judges tasted. And so now Dani’s Pineapple Curry simmer sauce has just launched in Coles nationally for everyone to enjoy.

Dani’s love of food and cooking came from watching her mum work the wok to create delicious meals for the family. Chinese food has influenced Dani’s style of cooking, as her mum’s ancestors were some of the first Chinese settlers in Australia. Several trips to Sri Lanka, including this time last year when she took a small group to Sri Lanka for a wellness retreat, no doubt further influenced her Asian style.

For Dani, the most important part about cooking and life is to embrace it with a whole open heart, know that you are doing your best and you are nourishing yourself and your family along the way no matter what the result. Getting the kids involved in the preparation of meals can also be really rewarding, a little messy even, but it teaches them the foundations of cooking and where food comes from and that my friend will be a treasured skill for life!

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“It was a pinch me moment w judges an hen the d Gordon loved my of Sri Lan Taste ka so mu ch a special place to m . Sri Lanka is e, I and learn t so much experienced there. It r is an incr eally edible cuis ine and I all the Sr thank i Lankan people I h over the y ave m ears who have shar et their kno wledge an ed d love of with me! spice When all this is ove go and vis r, please it Sri Lan ka, eat th experien e food, ce the inc redible w of the peo a rmth ple there , it is a stu country a n ning nd I can n ot wait to return on e day.”

Dani’s Chicken & Pineapple Curry Serves 4 | Prep 5 min | Cook 15 min

I am not really sure this warrants a recipe because it is so darn easy, but sometimes that is exactly what you need in life. Simple, fuss free cooking that you know the kids will eat.

When creating the recipe for my Sri Lankan style Pineapple Curry I really had kids and families at the forefront of my mind as I wanted to create a curry product that kids will eat and adults will love too but still retains that unique flavour of Sri Lanka that keeps it interesting and finds you going back for seconds!

I have made sure that it still has the things you look for in a curry, fragrant spices, creamy coconut, a hint of lemongrass and a very mild level of spice which is balanced with the sweetness of the pineapple. Of course you can amp up the flavour with some extra chilli flakes or freshly chopped chilli or a little squeeze of lime if you’re feeling fancy.

I love serving this with some crispy papadums, steamed rice and some fresh coriander too.

Of course you can be creative and take my Pineapple Curry and make it your own.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons full flavoured coconut oil 800g free range chicken breast or thighs, diced 1 jar Dani Venn Sri Lankan Style Pineapple Curry Serve with rice, papadums and coriander (optional)

Method Place large saucepan over high heat, add coconut oil. When hot and melted, add chicken and brown on each side until a light golden colour is achieved. Add jar of pineapple curry and stir to combine. Turn heat down to medium and simmer until sauce has thickened for about 5 - 10 minutes. Remove from heat and serve with your choice of steamed rice, papadums and fresh coriander.

Tip: To make the curry hotter add extra dried chilli flakes. I love to serve this curry with some toasted cashew nuts too.

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take your famIly to pa WHEN THE RESTRICTIONS ARE LIFTED GRAB YOUR SUITCASE AND HEAD TO PARADISE RESORT GOLD COAST FOR A WELL OVERDUE FAMILY HOLIDAY. For the ultimate in family fun Paradise Resort Gold Coast has it all and then some more!

Voted Best Family Resort in Australia for the past 9 years, it is often described as a mini theme park or a cruise ship on land and during the recent COVID-19 shutdown it went from BEST Family Resort to even BETTER! The team at Paradise Resort managed to turn a terrible situation in to something positive by pushing forward with a much needed and long overdue makeover. Instead of standing down their staff, Resort General Manager David Brook engaged the team with an opportunity to be repurposed throughout the resort, with chefs on paintbrushes, housekeepers working in gardens and kids club attendants cleaning out the waterpark, all pitching in to work on everything from maintenance and cleaning, to engaging with local trades to commence larger renovation projects.

‘Our team are as proud of their resort as I am, and we cannot wait to welcome you and your family back soon to show you in person what we’ve been up to! We still have a lot of work left to do but we will re-open September 1, one month later than planned, but I can assure you it will be worth the wait’! Said Mr Brook.

The Resort offers a range of accommodation options throughout its 360 guest rooms, with family comfort top of mind, including themed King and Junior Bunkhouse rooms and larger rooms that can cater for families of up to 8. The first stage of room renovations has commenced with 66 rooms being renovated from top to bottom with new bathrooms, carpet, paint, flooring, beds, furniture and more and due to re-open in time for Christmas. Mr Brook has confirmed stage two is due to commence in 2021 with all rooms set for completion in 2022.

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The waterpark has also had a facelift and is one of the highlight attractions at Paradise Resort. The central resort area is a giant water playground featuring a refreshing lagoon pool, large heated spa and two enormous waterpark attractions. Both the 0-5 year and 5-12 year water parks feature a myriad of slides, water cannons and jets to entertain and engage the whole family, topped off with a giant bucket that fills with 600 litres of water before dumping on the kids below in one enormous splash!

And in what can only be described as the ultimate family holiday amenity, the Resort’s iconic Kids Club is designed just for kids as a place to make new friends and create memories with fun and engaging activities.

There are pyjama parties, disco nights, arts and crafts, carnival activities and loads more adventures waiting to be had. Unlike any other kids club in Australia, when you book direct with the resort you will receive up to 4 hours of supervised care for all kids 0-12years each day, which allows parents time to escape the daily routine and indulge in some holiday sightseeing or precious down time. Just one of their many ‘book direct perks’.

Family holidays should be fun for everyone and in keeping true to their tagline ‘Heaven for Kids…Paradise for Parents’ parents will soon be able to relax and take a ‘guilt free’ break in the BRAND NEW Lounge Bar and Pool Deck exclusive for grown-ups. Opening this Christmas, the Zone 4 Adults area is for over 18s only and will feature a new swimming pool, lounge bar and area for mums and dads to relax and unwind child free while the kids are being looked after in the Kids Club.

Paradise Resort Gold Coast also has its own iceskating rink, a range of dining outlets to choose from, indoor and outdoor playgrounds, daily resort activities and entertainment program, cardio gym, mini supermarket and much more.

aradIse PARADISE RESORT IS SET TO RE-OPEN 1 SEPTEMBER‌ but whether you are planning to get away this year or next you can experience more fun for less with this amazing FAMILY STAYCATION. Start planning your next family getaway now and enjoy breakfast daily, $50 Resort Credit, complimentary car-parking, a bottle of wine on arrival, complimentary Wifi, FREE Kids Club, unlimited use of the water park and much more when you book 3 nights at the newly renovated Paradise Resort.

Packages start from $499 for 3 nights for a family of 4 with travel on selected dates until December 2021.

Offer available for a limited time. Conditions apply, visit www.paradiseresort.com.au for full details.

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The best and worst laundry detergents Whether you’re a fastidious separator of whites and colours, or a chuck-everythingin-together type, your laundry routine is only as good as the laundry detergent you use.

And since detergent accounts for at least half the running cost of your washing machine, it’s worth spending your money on a product that’ll give you the best results.

To help you get the whitest whites and the brightest brights, CHOICE laundry experts have tested 92 of the most popular laundry detergents – liquid and powder, for both top and front loaders – so you know which ones to look out for.

Best and worst laundry detergents for front loaders

Two Omo products scored 79%, followed by Aldi’s Trimat Advanced Concentrate Laundry Powder, which scored 78%. However, the Aldi powder costs a bit more per wash than the liquid at 27 cents, so our money is on the liquid if you’re after bang for your buck.

Best detergents for front loaders These are the products you want on your shopping list: • Dynamo Professional 7 Actions in 1 Wash (82%) • Dynamo Professional Oxi Plus (82%)

Dynamo took out the three top spots in our front loader washing tests.

• Dynamo Professional Deep Clean Odour Eliminating (81%)

“We normally find that powders outperform liquid detergents, but we’re pleased to see that Dynamo has brought their A-game to the table this year and raised the bar for what we can expect from liquid detergents,” says CHOICE laundry expert Ashley Iredale.

• Aldi Trimat Advanced Concentrate Laundry Liquid (80%)

Costing just 16 cents a wash, Aldi’s Trimat Advanced Concentrate Laundry Liquid came in fourth, outshining products that cost more than three times the price. This liquid detergent aces 18

stains such as grass, mud, makeup, chocolate ice cream and baby food, and has a CHOICE Expert Rating of 80% – just two percentage points behind Dynamo’s top scorer, but costing 40 cents less per wash.

• Omo With a Touch of Comfort Inspired Freshness (79%) • Omo Ultimate Whitens and Brightens (79%) • Aldi Trimat Advanced Concentrate Laundry Powder (78%)

Worst detergents for front loaders If you want a woeful wash, these products certainly deliver: • Woolworths Essentials Laundry Powder (55%) • Woolworths Essentials Laundry Liquid Clean Wash Apple Fragrance (55%) • Plain water only (55%) • Omo Sensitive (59%) • Aldi Laundrite Laundry Powder (59%) • Surf Tropical Tiger Lily powder (60%) • Surf Tropical Tiger Lily liquid (61%)

Dud detergents wash the same as water A dishonourable mention has to go to two Woolworths products – Essentials Laundry Powder and Essentials Laundry Liquid Clean Wash Apple Fragrance. They got CHOICE Expert Ratings of just 55% in our front loader test – the same result as washing with plain water!

Best and worst laundry detergents for top loaders You may notice that the CHOICE Expert Ratings for top loader detergents are much lower than those for front loaders. That’s because our testing has found top loader washing machines don’t perform as well as front loaders.

“Aldi Trimat’s performance in our tests goes to show that you can get a great wash for a fraction of the cost of the leading brands.”

If you’re the top loading type, the brands to go for are Aldi and Omo – but be careful which product you buy, as some Omo and Aldi products didn’t perform well in our tests.

Best detergents for top loaders These are the products you want on your shopping list: • Aldi Trimat Advanced Concentrate Laundry Powder (66%) • Omo Ultimate Whitens and Brightens (63%) • Omo with a Touch of Comfort Inspired Freshness (61%) • Aldi Almat Laundry Powder Concentrate Arctic Breeze (59%) • Cussons Radiant Brilliant Whites Sharper Colours (58%)

Worst detergents for top loaders You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to the worst performers for top loaders. None were worse than plain water, but there were plenty that weren’t much better. Considering that all these products scored less than 50%, buying them is just about on par with throwing your money straight down the drain.

“Given that top loaders tend not to wash anywhere near as well as front loaders, choosing a top-performing detergent is even more important for top loader devotees,” says Ashley.

• Fab Intense Fresh liquid (47%)

The surprise winner in this category is budget brand Aldi. Not only did it wash the best, but at 27 cents a wash, it’s also great value for money.

• Fab Perfume Indulgence Sublime Velvet liquid (48%)

“You may think that paying a premium for detergent means your clothes will be cleaner, but time and time again we find that price isn’t necessarily an indication of performance,” says Ashley.

• Biozet Attack 3DCleanAction liquid (47%) • Woolworths Essentials Laundry Liquid Clean Wash Apple Fragrance (48%) • Surf Tropical Tiger Lily liquid (48%)

• Fab Essential Oils Malaysian Orchid & Sandalwood liquid (48%) • ecostore Eucalyptus Laundry Liquid (48%) • Cold Power Pure Clean Sensitive liquid (48%) See the full list of CHOICE tested detergents.

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COMMON QUESTIONS DURING PREGNANCY As an obstetrician at St Vincent’s Private Hospital for over 23 years, Dr Peter England has answered a lot of questions during his time. He shares some of the most common questions he gets asked from women preparing during their pregnancy.

Can I lie on my back when I sleep?

In the first half of pregnancy when your uterus is still relatively small there is no issue with sleeping on your back. After 20 weeks gestation, your uterus becomes noticeably larger each week and lying flat on your back may not be comfortable. Your blood pressure may drop a bit and make you feel faint and or nauseated as the big blood vessels in your body are compressed a little by the enlarged uterus. It’s recommended from 30 weeks that you are best to sleep on your side. Of course, you will toss and turn during the night, and if you wake on your back just reposition yourself to your side.

Can I use hair dye during my pregnancy?

Yes you can. Hair is dead keratinised material that is grown outward from the scalp. Thus, there is no absorption of hair dye into your circulation. It is uncommon to see a woman who does not colour her hair during pregnancy and this has been the case for a long time.

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Can I wax, have laser hair removal or get a spray tan during pregnancy?

You can continue with your usual waxing or hair removal choices. Personally, I prefer patients not to use spray tan in general as it covers the whole body and there is absorption of the product through the skin to some degree.

It is not known to be harmful but probably best avoided, especially in the first trimester.

May I visit the dentist?

Dental care is very important in pregnancy and I encourage you to have a check-up with your dentist. Should you need a filling during your pregnancy it is safe to do so, and so is local anaesthetic used by dentists. Dental cavities deteriorate more quickly in pregnancy so don’t ignore your dentist’s advice.

Can I fly when I am pregnant?

You may fly interstate until 36 weeks gestation in an uncomplicated pregnancy. For overseas travel most carriers will not allow you to fly after 34 weeks gestation.

Airlines will usually require you to carry a letter from the doctor saying you are fit to fly, especially once your bump is visible. Feel free to discuss your travel plans with me as sometimes the advice will vary depending on your individual medical history.

The Christys, a St Vincent’s Private Baby Family.

Photo taken by Kelly Jordan Photography

There’s a new baby on the block Follow @StVincentsPrivateBaby on Facebook and Instagram today.

St Vincent’s Private Baby is much more than a social media platform.

Sharing real experiences and unpacking the tricky topics, St Vincent’s Private Baby is a community.

St Vincent’s Private Baby is an initiative of St Vincent’s Private Hospital’s in Fitzroy and Werribee. For information on both sites maternity facilities visit: Werribee or Fitzroy.

St Vincent’s Private

Just b Apps f Play

is that app safe?

The dangers of allowing your kids to play with Apps: what every parent should know Keeping your children safe online is a key priority for every parent across the country.

With children growing up in front of tablets and screens, the dangers of allowing your kids to play with Apps has never been greater.

Just because you downloaded the Apps from the App Store or Google Play doesn’t mean they are safe. These platforms publish thousands of new Apps every day and they put developers through hoops as part of the approval process, but they don’t control who uses the Apps or the inherent risks to kids. Ultimately this comes down to the user and in the case of kids, 22

parents and guardians.

Every parent needs to know the following dangers of allowing kids to play with Apps and strategies to minimise the risk.

The dangers of Apps The dangers associated with allowing your children to play with Apps are unparalleled in today’s society. Some of the key dangers of Apps include: • Minimum age requirement. While Google Play and the App Store do require every App to set a minimum age requirement, there is no real way to validate the age of someone downloading an App. Due to this your children can easily accidentally, or intentionally, find themselves on platforms that are inappropriate for their age.

• Privacy settings. By default most Apps set all accounts on their platforms to public.

This means your child can be contacted by anyone on the platform, and children can unintentionally share sensitive information such as your address or the name of the school they attend.

• Inappropriate content. Video streaming Apps often do not monitor or restrict the content shared on their platform. As a result, inappropriate content, such as nudity and swearing, can be sliced between all-ages and children’s content.

because you downloaded the from the App Store or Google doesn’t mean they are safe.

• Paedophilia and grooming. On private message or live-streaming platforms, your vulnerable children can be specifically targeted by, or randomly paired with, an adult with poor intentions. Multiple Apps have been connected to tragic and disgusting misuse of certain platforms by paedophiles.

• Cyber bulling. Apps can be the cruel dwelling for devastating online bullying. Some Apps even contain anonymous platforms for cruel comments to posted without any ‘face-toface’ consequences.

• Addiction. Apps are designed specifically to encourage users to spend significant periods of time on their platforms. Without realising, many children can find themselves addicted to Apps with out-of-control sedentary screen time deteriorating their mental and physical health.

• In-App Purchases. Too many parents have found themselves forking out hundreds to thousands of dollars after their children have used their credit cards to make In-App purchases. In many cases, children do not know they are spending real money within game-style Apps.

By Anushka Bandara, co founder and chief executive officer of Elegant Media, a full service mobile App development and software solutions provider for businesses, government and entrepreneurs. www.elegantmedia.com.au

What parents need to do • Set up age limits on your child’s device.

Due to the App Store and Google Play’s age restriction protocol being incredibly weak, take control through device settings. Whether your child has a phone, tablet or other electronic device, most should have age limits in their settings. Restricting your child’s access to Apps beyond the age rating is an easy first step.

• Set up some general rules with your children. As opposed to hovering over your child’s device or downloading every App they use, sit down together and develop a list of general rules to keep them safe when playing with Apps.

• Create trust. It is important that you tell your children to let you know if someone is hurting them or making them feel uncomfortable on an App. By creating a calm two-way stream of conversation, children will feel safe and be more likely to come to you if anything goes wrong.

• Check before downloading anything. An easy rule to introduce with your children is that they must ask for permission before downloading any App (even free ones!).

Also, advise your children not to share their password with anyone outside of your home.

• Educating your children. Educating is far more effective than reacting. Educating your children is a long term preventative strategy to protect them if they’re being victimised on an App. Knowing there will always be more bad Apps for children is the first step – so don’t waste time waiting for the next to pop up.

• Get on an App. It is very difficult to monitor your child’s behaviour on Apps if you do not know how they work. Participating in a range of social networking, gaming and private messaging platforms will give you a glimpse for how inappropriate people or behaviours could arise, and what to look out for.

• Check out these great resources to continue learning https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents https://austparents.edu.au/information-andadvice/digital-parenting/

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SUPPORTING WOMEN’S MENTA

Liptember is a camp dedicated to raising fun awareness for women's health, harnessing the potential of the collec encouraging and inspiring to listen, share, and learn raised during the mon donated to the Centr Women’s Mental Health, Batyr, The Jean Hailes Fou and The Pretty Foundati more information or to head to https://www.liptember.c

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#PopYourLips

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AL HEALTH

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During these times of uncertainty, one of the only things we are sure of right now is that we are all in this together; and it’s more important than ever for women to feel comfortable leaning on their communities for support.

2020 Liptember Ambassador Melina Bagnato is reminding her community to #PopYourLips! Popping on a bright lipstick does wonders to help lift your mood, and it is a small act of kindness to yourself that can carry you through when the days get a bit monotonous.

However, wearing a bright lipstick is more than just a fashion statement, the #PopYourLips campaign is designed to highlight the need for open and honest dialogue around women's mental health issues; and spark actions that create change, support and awareness within the female community.

If you follow Melina and her business Style Me Over on social media you will know that she is a fierce advocate for women- her entire business principle is about women feeling beautiful, empowered and confident, and she helps them to achieve this through her fashion and styling services.

Additionally, Melina has created a signature #PopYourLips t-shirt and face mask range in an effort to go one step further. When you wear a #PopYourLips tee or mask, you are showing up for the cause and are standing in solidarity with women affected by mental health issues - $5 from every t-shirt and $2 from every mask sold goes directly to supporting Liptember and their incredible mental health research, programs and services. So not only will you look and feel fab, you are also helping another woman to feel the same‌ Together we can unite and bring a pop of colour to the lives of many!

FOLLOW @stylemeover @liptember

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1o THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT YOUR TOOTHBRUSH It’s Dental Health Week (August 3-9) and this year the Australian Dental Association (ADA) is shining the spotlight on the harm sugar and poor oral health habits do to your teeth.

With around 48% of Australian adults* consuming too much sugar according to the ADA Oral Health Tracker ** statistics, your toothbrush (along with your diet) is possibly your most important weapon in the fight against tooth decay.

Here are ten little-known toothbrush facts to ponder on as you stand at the bathroom sink giving your pearly whites a good clean.

1. The humble toothbrush is 5,000 years old.

In various forms, that is. Ancient civilizations used a chew stick - a thin twig with a frayed end, to remove food from their teeth. Over time, toothbrushes evolved and were made from bone, wood or ivory handles and stiff bristles from hogs, boars or other animals.

Today’s nylon-bristled toothbrush was invented in 1938.

2. The first mass-produced toothbrush was invented in prison.

In 1770, an Englishman named William Addis was jailed for inciting a riot. He saw fellow prisoners using a rag covered in soot or salt to clean their teeth. Addis saved an animal bone from dinner and received bristles from a guard. Accounts state he bored tiny holes into the bone, inserted the bristles and sealed them with glue. After his release, he modified his prototype, started a company and manufactured his toothbrush. That company, 26

Wisdom Toothbrushes, still exists in the UK today.

3. Manual or powered? Your teeth don’t care.

In the manual and powered toothbrush debate, it’s a wash; just be sure to brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste. (If your toothpaste has the ADA Seal, you’ll know it has fluoride.) Both types of toothbrush can effectively and thoroughly clean your teeth. People who find it difficult to use a manual toothbrush may find a powered one more comfortable. Talk to your dentist about which is best for you.

4. There’s no “correct” order for brushing and flossing.

Brushing before flossing, flossing before brushing—it doesn’t matter to your teeth. As long as you do both, your teeth will thank you.

5. Toothbrushes like to be left out in the open.

Cleaning your toothbrush is easy: rinse it with tap water to remove any remaining toothpaste and debris. Store it upright and allow it to air dry. If you store your toothbrush with other toothbrushes, make sure they’re separated to prevent cross contamination. And don’t cover toothbrushes or store them in closed containers. A moist environment such as a closed container is more conducive to the growth of unwanted bacteria than the open air.

6. They have a 3 month lifespan Make sure you replace your toothbrush around every three months, or sooner if the bristles are splayed. A worn toothbrush won’t do a good job of cleaning your teeth. If you replace your brush before the three-month mark, it could indicate you’re applying too much pressure

when brushing. Studies show a new toothbrush is 95% more effective in removing culprit plaque than a 3-month-old one.

7. When it comes to choosing a brush, go soft.

No matter the type of brush you choose, choose a soft-bristled brush. Firm or even medium-strength bristles may cause damage to your gums and enamel. When brushing your teeth, don’t scrub vigorously—it’s not about how hard you brush, it is all in the technique.

Your fluoride toothpaste will do the rest of the work and only ever used a pea-sized amount as the rest is a waste.

8. It only takes 2 minutes, twice a day.

Four minutes a day goes a long way to maintaining optimum oral health. Put the time in each day to keep your smile healthy and keep up this twice-a-day habit.

9. Sharing is caring, but not for toothbrushes.

Sharing a toothbrush can mean you’re also sharing germs and bacteria, not a good idea when there are over 800 kinds of bacteria in your mouth. This could be a particular concern if you have a cold or flu to spread, or you have a condition that leaves your immune system compromised.

10. Becoming sustainable is easy.

Worldwide we throw away around five billion toothbrushes a year – now some toothbrush manufacturers are producing ones made of sustainable materials including biodegradable bamboo handles. Meanwhile recycling company TerraCycle has partnered with Colgate to recycle toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes and caps, floss containers and their packaging. Go to www.terracycle.com to find out more.

For more info on Dental Health Week visit www.ada.org.au/Dental-Health-Week-2020/Home

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tIme to clean Pressed for time? Quick cleaning hacks you can use today If you’re like many people today, time is always at a premium. Between kids, work, and other responsibilities, it can be tough to keep your place tidy. Here are eight cleaning hacks you can put to use straight away to help you reclaim a little precious free time.

1. Clean where company goes If you have limited time for house cleaning, be strategic: Prioritise cleaning the parts of the home that company sees, such as the bath and the living spaces. Leave your bedrooms and closets for when you have more time.

2. Use candles and scented products liberally After you run around cleaning your most public spaces, light a few candles or use an essential oil spray or diffuser to make the house smell fresh.

3. Make your bed Before leaving for work, make your bed, even if it means getting up five minutes early. It sets the tone for the day, makes your bedroom look acceptable should anyone else have to enter, and creates a good example for children. At the end of the day, it makes your room feel more serene.

4. Use a laundry basket Only have 15 minutes to tidy up? Whip through the house with a laundry basket. Fill it with loose shoes, kids’ toys, and other junk.

If company is coming, toss the basket in a closet or spare room. If your problem is family members who don’t pick up after themselves, make them fish their stuff from the basket, instead of you putting it away.

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5. Create a “drop zone” A drop zone is a place where anyone can drop their stuff when they enter the home (and find it again later). An entryway closet, a bench, or a set of cubbies can function to hold kids’ school bags, sports gear, outdoor clothing, and pet leashes.

6. Do five things before bed The end of the day can spell exhaustion for time-squeezed mums and dads. Before heading off to bed, do five quick things to tidy up or check off your to-do list, such as wiping a counter in the bath, sweeping the kitchen, or dusting a table. If you do that every night, your weekend chore list will be considerably shorter.

7. Create a clutter-free zone Designate one area of your home, even if it’s just a corner, as a clutter-free zone. Keep it devoid of children’s toys, pet chews, and life’s usual detritus. Whether you have company drop by or simply want to sit with your tea or wine, you’ll have one spot where your eyes can rest on clean, uncluttered surfaces.

8. Hire a home cleaner Sometimes it’s just impossible to keep the home clean with a busy schedule or other limitations. That’s what professional cleaners are for! At Inner West Domestics, we offer a variety of cleaning services for Melbourne area residents. Schedule a regular cleaning to keep the home tidy on an ongoing basis, or choose a one-time or deep cleaning to get some momentum going for your own cleaning efforts. Reach out today and put your cleaning worries behind you!

Chat to the team at Inner West Domestics. innerwestdomestics.com.au

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29

FAMILY, FRIENDS AND BREAST CANCER How to support a loved one during a breast cancer diagnosis Having somebody close to you diagnosed with breast cancer can be traumatic and difficult. It can be hard to know what to do or say to help support that person after they have received their diagnosis or when they go through treatment. It is also common to feel overwhelmed when someone close to you has received a diagnosis.

We know from the research literature that the rates of distress for the loved ones of people with cancer are actually just as high, if not higher, than the patients themselves. I’ve often said to my patients when I’m working with them, that I treat cancer as a family illness. It might be housed in one person’s body, but it affects everyone under the roof.

It is important for you to look out for your loved one who is experiencing the illness but also to keep an eye on your own mental health. The metaphor we often use is two people leaning on each other is actually much stronger than each person trying to stand in isolation. So, leaning on each other and de-briefing with each other as you go through is a really great thing to be doing during treatment.

The important thing to note is that you do not go silent. It can be difficult to know what ‘the right thing to say’ is, but the only ‘wrong thing’ to say is to say nothing at all. That is probably the most hurtful thing that people will tell me and it does often come out of that fear of ‘I don’t want to say the wrong thing’ that they end up finding that they lose support because people are so fearful of saying the wrong thing that they say nothing and back away.

So, I am sure that most people would agree with me that they would have much preferred people to be coming and approaching them 30

and risking saying the wrong thing that could be gently corrected rather than saying nothing at all and not being present.

If finding the right thing to say is difficult, actions can often speak louder than words.

Some people like to do up lists of practicalities that can be helped, in terms of going and doing grocery shopping or picking up kids from schools or coming in and doing some of the actual housework or people chipping in and paying for a cleaner.

This kind of support was invaluable to Newcastle mum Heidi Routley, who was diagnosed when she was 42. She was encouraged to get mammograms early by a friend who was diagnosed in her early 40s.

“I was standing in Coles buying a birthday cake for my mum for dinner that night and my phone rang. It was my surgeon. He rang to tell me that it was breast cancer.”

“The first thing I did was I went and sat outside of Coles and I rang my university lecturer because I was just finishing my masters and I had my final assignment due on the Sunday and that was the Wednesday. I rang her straight away and I said I just don’t know how I’m going to get this assignment done and told her what was going on.”

“She said ‘it does not matter Heidi. It is a piece of paper. We will get that done. You look after yourself.’”

By Dr Lisa Beatty, clinical psychologist and a member of the Breast Cancer Trials Scientific Advisory Committee. Learn more at www.3coursechallenge.com.au

Feeling overwhelmed by her diagnosis at a time of re-invention in her life, she said she had to swallow her pride and accept the support being offered to her.

“I’ve got my amazing family and friends and they’ve organised a food train, so we’ve got meals coming on chemo weeks so that it’s not so much pressure on my husband to sort dinner out for us. Everyone has come together and have been amazing helping me through it.”

Heidi said her advice is to accept the help and support offered.

“It’s really hard to say ‘yes, I need help’, but people want to help you. If people say, ‘what can we do for you,’ they genuinely mean it.”

It is important to know that it is OK to not feel OK when someone close to you has been diagnosed.

Breast Cancer Trials is one of the world’s leading breast cancer research organisations, dedicated to finding new and better treatments and prevention strategies for every person affected by breast cancer.

You can help support their life-saving clinical trials by participating in the 3 Course Challenge this August. This challenge invites you to cook a three-course French menu and host a dinner party with a difference, supported virtually by top chef Manu Feildel.

Whether it’s your GP, whether it’s a friend, go and speak to someone.

Quite often the services that are available to the patient are also available to the loved ones.

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33

BUDGETS DON’T WORK Too often I talk to people who feel out of control financially.

They’re not certain if they’re doing enough, if they have enough, if they are enough. They’re frustrated by their lack of knowledge, time and self-control and their unwillingness or inability to do something about it. They’re desperate for a seven-step standardised financial plan and often just want someone to tell them what to do.

The truth is, for many of us, a homogeneous, one-size-fits-all financial approach just isn’t right. Instead, when it comes to our finances, most of us are missing the vital first step that all the financial knowledge in the world can’t replace: understanding who we are and why we behave the way we do.

I know that by understanding your unique Financial Phenotype— the combination of your Money Type (how you intrinsically behave with money, or your money personality) and your Money Story (the influence of your 34

environmental factors and life experience)— and, by curating a bespoke suite of financial habits that are right for you, you’ll have taken a giant leap towards fulfilling your financial potential.

I want to offer you hope in knowing that you’re not broken, the system is. And once you figure out who you are, you can create a financial environment that will mean you won’t simply be financially adulting—you’ll be financially well.

How many books have you bought on money, business and finance?

One, four, ten, twenty? Or maybe you’ve lost count?

Now, be honest. How many of those books did you read cover to cover? More importantly, how many of those books caused you to make radical, lasting money changes? That’s what I thought.

The truth is many of us are enamoured by the idea of sorting ourselves out financially.

In the same way we might get excited about becoming fit, running a marathon, finding a partner, losing 5 kilos or giving up sugar.

Starting the process can seem easy and even a little exciting.

Maybe you signed up to gym classes, hired a personal trainer, made an appointment with a financial planner or accountant, signed up to RSVP or set up online bank accounts to start seriously saving. But it’s the second week of 6 a.m. sessions with your personal trainer when you’re not on holidays where it starts becoming difficult. Or dealing with sugar cravings at 4 p.m. every day, trying desperately to resist the call of a Tim Tam. Or finding yourself on three dud dates in a row, wondering what the point of that RSVP subscription was. Or saying no to a day of shopping with girlfriends because you know your willpower won’t hold out and now you’re sitting at home, miserable, wishing you were there.

That’s when sorting yourself out starts to kind of suck. So, you stop. Not permanently, mind you. Just for a little while. After all, it’s been a hard week and you want to give yourself a break. Or it’s the silly season/summer/birthday month and starting any kind of diet or budget is just madness right now. A week turns into a month, which turns into a year, and next thing you know you’re making another New Year’s resolution to do something about it. And you’re beating yourself up a little more because you can’t seem to make any of it stick. Besides, let’s be honest, this whole adulting thing, particularly financially adulting, isn’t much fun.

So, you stop. Because life’s too short.

But what if it didn’t have to be that hard?

don’t love the idea of denying ourselves. Just look at the mantra we’re fed constantly by both the media and social media: we’re encouraged to seize the day, to enjoy the moment. Is it any wonder we’re doing just that?

But what if I told you that financially adulting isn’t about constant deprivation? That the reason you’re financially stumbling or even financially sabotaging has nothing to do with your inability to cope with spreadsheets? What if I told you that budgeting doesn’t work for the majority of us in the same way that diets don’t work, and that budgeting can be harmful to your finances if it doesn’t fit with your Money Type? And that the reason there’s so much tension about money in your romantic relationship has nothing to do with one of you being a spender and one being a saver and everything to do with your Money Stories?

Now do I have your attention?

I thought so. I believe that until you understand something I call your ‘Financial Phenotype’, you’ll never find flow with your finances. Money will always be something you battle with and you’ll struggle to achieve your financial potential.

This is an edited excerpt from Melissa Browne’s new book Budgets Don’t Work (but this does), published by Allen & Unwin. Melissa is an author, financial educator, accountant, speaker and entrepreneur. Her book is dedicated to anyone who has ever felt frustrated at their inability to sort out their finances, to financially succeed or even to financially adult, if you will.

What if it didn’t have to be so prescriptive? What if you didn’t have to feel like you were walking uphill through inches of thick mud in really bad shoes?

Imagine if you could find a system that was tailor-made for you? My bet is when you think about sorting yourself out financially, you think of budgets. And spreadsheets. And restrictions.

Most of us don’t love a budget and we really

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How to help your Problem eater. Fussy eater.

Sensory eater.

Whatever you choose to call it the one constant is the distress that selective eating issues serve up to families on a daily basis.

Rajes says food and mealtimes have always been a struggle for her 11-year-old son, Raam, who is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

But the Truganina mum says while there is no single solution, trial and error and acceptance have helped her family better manage the challenges.

With Raam first showing signs of selective eating as a toddler, the family has tried ‘everything available’ - from food play groups and therapy to paediatricians and dieticians and found patience to be the key.

‘There is no definite solution for it. I just have to do what makes me sane and what makes Raam happy.’

Together with patience and persistence, parents can support their children to approach food in a more positive way through thoughtfully selected strategies.

Why won’t my child eat?

Whether or not your child has a specific diagnosis, it can be tricky to pinpoint a single reason for a child’s selective eating.

Contributing factors could include: • Oral motor development delays making it difficult for them to deal with different food consistencies, • Intense special interests distracting a child from eating what’s in front of them,

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• Resistance to transitioning from a favoured activity to mealtimes, • A child not recognising mealtimes as a social activity, or feeling overwhelmed by the social expectations • Sensory processing differences leading them to avoid certain smells and textures, or seek certain visual features and tastes over others.

What to avoid While the right strategies can help build a positive relationship with food, there are some approaches that can push a child in the opposite direction.

Things like force feeding your child, making separate meals for them or ignoring their eating concerns can make things worse.

Avoid distractions, such as the TV or an iPad, that can prevent your child engaging in the mealtime experience.

Things to try If you have concerns about your child’s eating you should first see your GP to rule out any specific medical concerns, such as malabsorption, allergies, constipation or even swallowing difficulties.

Creating positive, calm mealtimes is a great place to start. Reduce pressure on the child to eat and shift the focus to yourself by modelling good mealtime behaviours.

Use verbal praise or a reward chart to acknowledge successes such as staying seated at the table, watching a sibling eat or touching a new food.

Smaller, regular meals may help. Rajes says she puts a sandwich alongside five or six different snacks into Raam’s lunchbox so he has a choice of foods.

fussy eater Rajes says through therapy and experience, they have learnt what works and what doesn’t for Raam.

‘He is still a fussy eater. There is still not a solution. But we just know okay if he isn’t hungry, not to get stressed about it. We have come to an acceptance, that if he’s not eating, I’m not going to force him. ‘ Jennah Andrusiak is a Speech Pathologist with Gateways Support Services, a quality accredited, NDIS registered specialist in supporting people with autism, intellectual disabilities and complex behaviours and their families. Find out more at https://www. gateways.com.au/ services or phone 9396 1111

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SURVIVING A PANDEMIC It’s called a pandemic and it’s not normal.

So we should not and will not expect you as a mum or dad to be able to parent the way you normally would. Did I tell you that this is not normal?

Your children’s routines have been unravelled, your routine has changed. Life has changed and it may not return to the normal we know.

We don’t know how long this sudden change in lifestyle will last and when our routines will return to somewhat normality.

You may have lost your job, you’re worried about what the future will be like and yet we are expected to continue parenting, as if this is normal. It’s not normal.

More than anything we need each other, and it’s ok to put things aside and focus on just that.

Restrictions the second time round may present more challenges than before. My 4.5 year old daughter told me early on that she’ll miss her friend’s this time. It’s tough on them as it is tough on us.

So how can we still meet the needs of our children while we try to look after our own emotional needs?

Here are some ways that might help:

PRIORITISE - what is important and

what needs to be done? Is there anything that can wait? Can I plan sometime during the day where I am focused on just my child and what they want to do? As well as time for myself, whether it’s going for a walk or reading that chapter of my book.

PREPARE - can I organise snacks,

lunches and dinners the night before or on the weekend? So I don’t need to think about it during the day/week. Write a list of all the activities your child can do independently (can include screen time), this will help give you some quick ideas when you need some time to yourself. If you wanted to be super organised, you could set up some toys the night before so your child has something to do first thing!

PLAN - write yourself a To Do List and break the list up to smaller achievable goals. Prioritise those goals.

PLAY - allow opportunities in the day to play, turn off the phone and just be in the moment.

Put music on, dance like there is no tomorrow, sing with your child or go jump in some puddles. Create some time to have fun, work and cleaning can wait! Sometimes scheduling in playful opportunities, allows you to be present and available to your child. And you’ll be surprised you will not only be filling your child’s emotional needs, but you will be filling up your cup too.

CONNECT - and most importantly make

time to connect with friends and family on a regular basis. Schedule in zoom or phone calls weekly or organise a group together and schedule in a trivia night. There are some good free online trivia programs such as Kahoot that are easy to use and lots of fun with friends and family.

And remember, we will get through this together. We are in some very challenging times, and we need to do what we can just to survive. We might have days where the TV is on more, we may have more work to do than play, and remember that that is ok.

If you find that things are challenging please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or for specific support in Perinatal and Infant mental health contact PANDA or COPE. The Early Parenting Village can help with support around behaviour strategies, ideas to create play spaces or brainstorm some new and exciting activities that may engage your child.

And remember you’ve got this mum & dad!

By Zoe Guthrie, Founder of The Early Parenting Village. www.earlyparentingvillage.com.au

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chats wIth elmo a It was only 7am, but the Wilson kids, Poppy and Monty, (AKA @kidzofoz) were more than happy to get up early for a phone chat with Elmo and the Cookie Monster to celebrate the launch of the 50th season of Sesame Street.

The kids prepped their questions, Elmo grabbed his snacks, and here’s how it went!

Monty: What’s the best thing about living on Sesame Street?

Cookie Monster: Me love singing songs with Elmo, going to Hooper’s Store with Big Bird, gardening with Abby, and baking in the Foodie Truck with Gonger.

Elmo: Elmo loves living on Sesame Street.

There are so many fun things to do, but Elmo’s FAVOURITE thing to do is sing songs with Elmo’s friends. On Sesame Street we sing songs about letters, numbers, fruits, vegetables and even Snuffleupagus’.

Poppy- Who has been the funniest celebrity you have met?

Cookie Monster: The funniest? Oh boy, so many famous people coming to Sesame Street lately! Not sure who the funniest but they all fun. We had Joseph Gordon-Levitt Chrissy Teigen, Charlie Puth, Meghan Trainor, Misty Copeland, Elvis Costello, and Dave Grohl… yeah, they all came for a nice visit.

Me played new game with Chrissy Teigen called “Name that Fruit,” where Chrissy had to guess the fruit’s first names. Like Abe Apple or Breanna Banana. It pretty fun.

Poppy – Did you like Australia when you came here to visit?

Elmo: Elmo loves visiting Australia, especially the beaches to put his furry toes in the sand.

Elmo swam with a dolphin when Elmo was last in Australia. That was so cool. Next time Elmo visits Australia, Elmo wants to learn how to surf!

Elmo wants to try “catching a wave” and “hang ten,” baby!

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Cookie Monster: Me did a foodie truck tour of Sydney–that was definitely a highlight! We tried a toastie, pizza, tacos, and finally a chocolate mint cookie for a delicious dessert! Me have fond memories of the sights, sounds, smells and cookies of Australia. You call them biscuits, right? Oh, me getting hungry.

Monty: What have you been doing to keep busy while staying at home on Sesame Street?

Elmo: Elmo’s Daddy set up video chat so Elmo can have virtual playdates and sing-a-longs with his friends. Elmo has also been doing Grovercise with Grover– that’s when Grover teaches you exercises. He falls down a lot. And Elmo’s also been learning mindfulness activities.

Yeah, like belly breathing and how to calm down before bedtime.

Cookie Monster: Me organising snack chats with me friends, making healthy snacks and trying new foods like hummus.

All me friends on Sesame Street been giving me recipes. Big Bird shared his Granny Bird’s sunflower seed cookie recipe, Chef Gonger gave me banana bread recipe, and Oscar gave me recipe for grouch goulash…. me not sure me gonna try that one Monty -If you had one wish what would it be?

Cookie Monster: Dat an easy one. Me wish for a delicious cookie to share with all of me friends on Sesame Street.

Elmo: Elmo really likes the virtual playdates with Elmo’s friends on Sesame Street but Elmo can’t wait to go back outside to visit Hooper’s Store with Elmo’s Mommy, play with Abby and Rosita, and have a dance party with Big Bird and Snuffy. They make the whole street shake.

Poppy – Can you please give a shout out to all the kids who may be feeling sad or disappointed while they’re staying home.

Cookie Monster: There lot going on right now.

Me talk to me mommy about how me feeling and she gives a nice warm hug. And sometimes you just need moment for self. Listen to your favourite song, or watch a favourite show.

Elmo: You can do a lot of fun things at home.

and the cookIe monster Elmo loves building pillow forts, making obstacle courses, and going on a scavenger hunt with Elmo’s Mommy and Daddy. Elmo is sending you a big hello and hopes Elmo can see all of you very soon.

This 50th season is available now via ABC Kids, ABC iview and the ABC Kids app.

You can follow more adventures with Poppy, Monty and their mum Olivia at thewilsonsofoz.com

in numbers • Reaches over 150 million kids in 150 countries

• 2 Star Wars droids have visited Sesame Street

• Is available in 70 different languages

• There are over 500 licensees who create Sesame Street products around the world.

• 80% of parents watch it with their child • They’ve had 650 celebrity guests on the show • 86 million adults watched Sesame Street as a kid • It has 24 million friends on social media • It has 4.2 million YouTube subscribers • Big Bird has approximately 4,000 feathers • Bert has over 368 bottle caps in his collection • Bert and Ernie have 1 eyebrow between them

• In a 17-month period (Fall 2017 + FY 2018), Hasbro sold 1,602,385 units of Tickle Me Elmo • Sesame Workshop has received two $100m grants in the past 2 years! With $100m grant from the MacArthur Foundation and $100m grant from the LEGO Foundation, Sesame is undertaking the largest early childhood intervention in the history of humanitarian response to help refugee children and families.

• Sesame Street has aired over 4,500 episodes

Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organisation behind Sesame Street. The show started out as a means of reaching poor, inner-city kids, but its mix of comic bits, songs and lessons caught on with children of all backgrounds. In the 60’s, Jim Henson, artist and puppeteer, created the Sesame Street muppets, including Cookie Monster and Elmo.

Today, Sesame Workshop is an innovative force for change, with a mission to help kids everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. We’re active in more than 150 countries, serving vulnerable children through a wide range of media, formal education, and philanthropically-funded social impact programs, each grounded in rigorous research and tailored to the needs and cultures of the communities we serve.

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mama can Cook!

Spanakopita rustic pie Ingredients

350 g baby spinach 1 shallots stalk, finely chopped 360 g ricotta cheese 6 sprig(s) spring onion(s) chopped 1 clove garlic crushed 2 free range egg(s) lightly beaten 1 sprig mint (fresh) sprig, leaves picked 2 tablespoons dill (fresh) 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 150 g Dodoni feta cheese 1 tablespoon coconut oil melted 3 sheets filo pastry INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD 1 cucumber(s) chopped 2 tomato(es) chopped 1 bunch parsley (fresh) leaves picked 1 tablespoon lemon(s) juiced

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Makes 4 | Prep 8 min | Cook 25 min

Method Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced.

Heat a large fry pan over high heat, add spinach and shallot and toss until spinach is wilted.

Squeeze out any excess water and roughly chop.

Gently combine ricotta, spring onions, garlic, eggs, herbs and nutmeg together. Stir through wilted spinach and shallot.

Brush a round oven proof fry pan with a little coconut oil. Lay filo pastry in fry pan, covering all the bottom and sides and leaving edges overhanging. Pour ricotta-spinach mixture into pan and crumble over feta. Roughly fold over edges of pastry and brush with remaining coconut oil.

Cook over low-medium heat on stove top for 5 minutes (be careful not to burn the bottom). Then transfer to oven for 25 minutes, until golden and crisp and cooked through.

Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine.

Remove pie from oven, and rest for 5 minutes before serving with salad.

Greek lamb with carrot tzatziki Makes 6 | Prep 20 min | Cook 5 hour

Ingredients

1.6 kg lamb shoulder (boneless) 4 cloves garlic 1 lemon(s) 1 tablespoon oregano 2 tablespoons olive oil (extra virgin)

Greek salad

1 tomato(es) 1 cucumber(s) 1/2 onion (red) finely sliced 50 g olives (kalamata) pips removed 1 capsicum (green) 50 g Dodoni feta cheese 1/2 tablespoon oregano (dried) 1 teaspoon olive oil (extra virgin)

Carrot tzatziki

80 g yoghurt (Greek) 1 carrot(s) grated 1 lemon(s) juice and zest 1 pinch smoked paprika

Method Preheat oven to 160°C. Place the lamb shoulder into a roasting dish and cover with garlic, lemon, oregano and olive oil.

Massage the ingredients into the lamb shoulder (if you have time, cover and allow to marinate for 2 hours, or overnight for best flavour).

Cover roasting dish in foil and place into the oven.

Cook for 5 hours.

In the last 20–30 minutes of cooking time, prepare your Greek Salad and Carrot Tzatziki.

For the Greek Salad, combine tomato, cucumber, onion, olives, capsicum and feta. Toss over oregano and a drizzle of olive oil.

For Carrot Tzatziki, combine all ingredients into a small container. Set aside for serving.

Once the lamb has cooked, remove from the oven and shred apart using a fork. Separate meat into six serves and divide up the salad and tzatziki.

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Recipes from 28 by Sam Wood, Australia’s number one health and fitness program at home.

Choc chickpea biscuits Ingredients

1 can chickpeas drained, rinsed and patted dry with paper towel 1/4 cup peanut butter (crunchy) 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/4 cup rice malt syrup 2 tablespoons coconut oil (extra virgin) 1 teaspoon baking powder (or gluten free baking powder) 100g 85% dark chocolate chopped into small chunks 2 tablespoons coconut flour This recipe was skillfully contributed by 28 Create competition runner-up, Rebecca McCracken!

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Makes 10 Prep 5 min Cook 15 min

Method Preheat oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

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

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

Scoop out spoonfuls of dough and roll them into 10 balls.

It is easiest 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.

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.

Keep your community safe.

Download the COVIDSafe app today.

Visit health.gov.au Download the COVIDSafe app today to keep yourself and your community safe by helping our health workers to notify you quickly if you’ve come in contact with someone who has Coronavirus.

Download the COVIDSafe app

With your privacy protected by law, COVIDSafe keeps a secure note of other users you’ve been near if you have to go out. So, if they test positive for Coronavirus, you’ll be notified. It’ll help us stop the spread sooner, so we can all get back to the things we love.

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HIKING WITH KIDS Even with the impending arrival of our first baby hiking was never off the cards.

Rather than googling lightweight, compact prams I was researching baby carrying hike packs. Luckily for me, with a seven and four year old, hiking has become deeply embedded in my family’s repertoire. And I’m not talking Bear Grylls style, just simply being surrounded by trees rather than the suburban sprawl.

Family hiking isn’t about the distance covered or the pace. It’s about connection; connecting with ourselves, each other and the broader world around us. We don’t rush our hikes but allow time for therapeutic outdoor free play. The bush awakens and rejuvenates our minds and engages all the senses at the same time. Playing in nature my children are free to explore and free to jump and shout. We let them scramble up river banks (watching the vegetation of course). They collect fallen giant fern leaves and climb trees. They get bumps, bruises, scrapped knees and very dirty.

On one of our recent hikes the kids’ most memorable moment was trying to traverse down a very steep, muddy embankment where we all fell over. The four of us walked the rest of the 3km hike with muddy bums, a hilarious sight for anyone coming up behind us!

Here are some of the simple strategies we have implemented to ensure successful hiking over the past seven years:

Waterproof everything!

This is my number one tip – get waterproof shoes or boots. Once kids have cold, wet feet it puts a huge dampener on the hike and they are unlikely to want to go on! Our kids also have light-weight waterproof jackets and pants so we can continue regardless of any changes in the weather.

It’s not about the distance covered We walk at ‘kiddie pace’ to encourage ‘kiddie enjoyment’. Hiking doesn’t have to be about getting from point A to point B quickly. Going 48

slowly allows my four year old to pick up all the yellow leaves she can hold in her little hands, and allows my seven year old son to find the best climbing trees.

Give the kids responsibility From 2 years old our children have carried a backpack. To begin with they simply carried an apple and then as they got older this increased to carrying their drink bottles, more food and their waterproof jackets. Tip: we have also added whistles to each backpack in case we become separated. This in itself is a learning opportunity – do not blow the whistle if you are not lost!

Make a halfway moment When you are halfway through your hike make a big deal out of it! For us, this is done with food! We generally carry a Trangia and tiny 200g propane fuel canister to cook up some noodles for the kids, followed by hot chocolate.

The kids find a safe, flat surface to use the stove and remove all leaves close by, help pour in the water and connect the Trangia together. They love this responsibility, but love the hot noodles even more!

Take snacks!

We take muesli bars or popcorn, fruit and always a block of chocolate divided between the backpacks. Chocolate is energy dense, which means it is high in calories for a small portion size. A little can keep you going for a long time if you become lost (my parents used this with me when hiking as a kid; if you don’t get lost you can eat the chocolate in the car on the way home!).

Location control Let the kids decide where you go; ‘Will it be a river walk or the mountain walk?’ Plan the hike together, and discuss what you might see in advance to help build excitement. Our eldest is often assigned to map reading and our younger child is called the ‘marker lookout person’. She watches for the trial markers along the track).

Choose an interest-led destination If you are new to kiddie hiking think about starting off with a walk in an area your children will naturally be interested in. For example, the loop to the old Noojee Trestle Train Bridge is a great one for train obsessed kids or a visit to the bottom of a waterfall to look for fairies.

Mix it up and listen: Our hikes range from 500m walks to a waterfall, to 5km hikes complete with rock scrambling, right up to 8kms hikes through valleys and along mountain ridges. Listen to what the kids say they enjoy the most or what interests them and focus on this for the next hike.

Leave no trace: This is a big one for me and while it’s not specifically kid related, it’s never too early to teach them about the leave no trace principle and to show they how to minimize their impact on the outdoors by taking all rubbish with you.

Hiking with kids can be incredibly rewarding.

It’s a great way to view the world through their eyes. Give it go! You might just find your new family hobby!

Five ‘Kiddie Hikes’ not-too-far hikes from Melbourne!

Olinda Falls, Mount Dandenong: This is a great kiddie hike to start with if you feel a little nervous about how the kids will go. It is only 500m to the base of the falls from the carpark, the track is wide and there are numerous things for the kids to discover by the edge of the track before having a picnic back up near the carpark (distance: 500 metres).

Pound Bend, Warrandyte State Park: This is an easy riverside bushwalking track complete with plenty of kookaburras and kangaroos to see at dusk (distance: various).

Maroondah Dam, Healesville: Once the kids have stood at the bottom of the 41 metre high dam wall and heard their loud echo, walking across the top of the dam wall will unearth a eucalyptus forest which gently winds through the reservoir (the kids can learn about Melbourne’s water supply). The walk loops back to the carpark via a great playground, which would be a great well-earned treat (distance: 3 km).

Hanging Rock, Newham: If your kids love volcanos, then a hike up this 105 metre summit is great (it was formed by an upheaval of lava millions of years ago). There is a small amount of gentle rock scrambling which kids tend to love (distance: 2km).

Redwood Forest, East Warburton: Many people have heard (or seen photos) of this beautiful California Redwood plantation, however most visitors only wander around the plantation. If you wandering down through the plantation, at the bottom of the hill you will find yourself surrounded by giant ferns and next to the quiet Cement Creek walking track (distance: various, 1-3km).

Written by Kellie Floyd, a self-proclaimed outdoorsy mama who works as a marketing and communications consultant, under her brand illumify Communications.

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WHAT DO YOU MEME? If I could name one of the top things getting me through this pandemic, scrolling through Facebook and Insta each mornng in bed and giggling at all the funny memes has got to be up there. If a funny square on social media that takes the piss our of a pandemic can’t bring a smile to your face, then what can?

Meme making seems to have taken on a whole new level lately as people try to brighten up the world and lighten up the topic of Covid-19. Here some of our top picks for a giggle.

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a healthy mIndset 7 ways to keep a healthy mindset as a new parent Happy Melon’s Meditation Lead, Sacha Stewart, supported by Corporate Wellness Lead and mama of three Sally Murchie share seven tips for a healthy mindset as a new parent. Use these practical tools to stay uplifted and to tap into your positive potential to move with confidence through the newness of parenthood and to continue mindfully parenting with a sense of peace and ease for years to come.

Keep a good routine Kick start your day with some good habits that will set you up for success. Setting a regular wake up time, starting with a refreshing shower (baby in the bouncer or bassinet watching is fine!) and getting dressed (yes, out of your PJ’s!) should be your AM routine go to’s. Throughout the day, make sure you get lots of fresh air (walks are your new best friend!) and then be sure to wind down and go to bed at the same time each night.

The most important thing during this time is to be kind to yourself and constantly remember that you are doing your best in every moment.

Perhaps after a ‘bad’ night, the best thing for you is that extra hour of sleep while bub sleeps!

It’s all okay.

To keep yourself on track, write down 1-3 intentions for your day. These can be anything at all that you would like to commit to that day.

In this way, you can look back on your day and see that it has some structure which will give you a sense of fulfilment. Not only have you cared, nurtured and unconditionally loved your beautiful little bub, but you have also walked around the block, taken a bath, nourished your body with good food, or in some other small way been kind to yourself!

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Breathe With so much going on in your world and the long list of adjustments you’ve had to make in welcoming your little one into your life; with the severe lack of sleep and the rollercoaster of hormones, it’s understandable that stress and anxiety can, and almost undoubtedly will arise.

One of the best tools you have to keep calm is your breath.

Simple breathing exercises to try: - Breathe into your belly for a count of 4, and out for a count of 6. When you exhale for longer than you inhale you bring yourself out of ‘fight-flight-freeze’ and activate your calmer, more rational neurological response. You’re signalling to your mind and body that you are safe and everything is okay.

Another great tool is to simply S.T.O.P - Stop (in the moment, whatever you’re doing) - Take a breath (long inhale for 4, longer gentle exhale for 6) - Observe (ask yourself ‘how and what am I feeling?’)

- Proceed (a little calmer, perhaps a little more in control, with gentle, compassionate selfawareness)

Be in the moment We’ve never needed meditation and mindfulness more than we do now. The more you can be in the present moment, the more you will feel a bit more at peace and a bit more at ease in your life. Now could be the perfect time to give meditation a go if you’ve never tried it before, or commit to making it a part of your regular routine. Happy Melon offer 25min Meditation classes throughout the week that can help you to develop your practice. Our Monday 8.45am class is complimentary each week if you want to dip your toe in to see how it feels.

Get outside

Practice gratitude

Taking a walk not only moves the body, but gets you out into the daylight, which raises your serotonin levels, the neurotransmitter that increases feelings of positivity, boosts your memory, and helps to regulate your mood.

When we’re grateful we feel more resilient, it boosts our immunity and helps increase positive emotions and feelings of happiness.

A brisk walk to get a coffee or simply around the block will have you feeling revitalised, will get the endorphins flowing and help you feel a sense of accomplishment in your day. Even in the midst of Winter the warmth of the sun on your back or the fresh wind on your cheeks can be the gentle reminder you need to feel into the nourishing power of nature and the benefits of being in the present moment.

Get your body moving With sleep deprivation and life pretty much completely turned upside down, it can be easy to park exercise well and truly at the bottom of the to-do list; but movement might just be the one thing you need to feel alive again. It can be hard to know where to start, especially when life revolves around the baby’s schedule.

Happy Melon offers live online fitness, yoga and mat pilates and meditation classes via HM Live, plus our on-demand platform means you can do a recorded class whenever works for you.

The incredible teaching team are equipped to offer modifications for whatever stage of postpartum you are at and not only will you be guaranteed to break a sweat but you’ll have fun with the team while doing so!

Stay connected – It takes a village

Even in the most fragile of moments, try to remember all the good in your life and what is still going well. You might even like to make writing down three things you’re grateful for part of your morning or evening routine. Include your partner in this practice by asking them to do the same, or check in with something that went well for them today.

While right now you may be struggling to adjust to your new normal, know that in a blink this time will pass, and you might look back on it fondly. It is a time to create new potentials, cultivate more calm, and embrace confidence.

It is a time to build fantastic new practices and routines that you can carry with you throughout your parenthood journey.

Most importantly right now, be kind to yourself, acknowledge and welcome all emotions and feel good knowing that you are doing your best during a challenging time. Trust that what you’re doing is right. Be ok with making mistakes or making it up on the fly, or simply making do.

Celebrate the amazing being you are and what an incredible job you are doing on this rollercoaster of a ride called parenting. happymelon.com.au

While you might think you’ve got this or you’re “fine”, now more than ever is the time to stay connected with friends and family, to accept help when it is offered and ask for it when you need it. Vulnerability in this time strengthens the bond of your village, helps you maintain calm in the moments when you need it the most, and often helps support the people around you too. Your friends and family will be chuffed they’ve been able to help – trust me!

Staying connected doesn’t just have to be with family and friends. Exchange a smile or hello with a stranger, or stop to ask your grocer how their day has been. Kindness is contagious and the world and your babe can never have too much love!

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how to camp wIth ‘all’ the famIly Love to camp and want to take your four legged friend with you?

Melbourne pet parents are itching to get back to the great outdoors and enjoy some welldeserved fresh air with their dog. To get the most from your camping adventure and ensure a safe and enjoyable trip for everyone, we recommend following the below safety tips and checklist.

Getting lost, ticks and open fires all pose risks to pets when camping. To ensure your pet can be quickly returned if they wander to another campsite, include your mobile number on their collar ID tag.

If your pet manages to escape and get themselves extra lost or there is no mobile reception, a microchip with up-to-date contact details will be crucial to their safe return.

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Snakes and ticks are common in Australia and can make your pet dangerously ill. Always be on the lookout for snakes and ensure your dog has had the correct flea and tick protection before leaving and remain vigilant while away.

There are two common species of ticks seen in Australia, the most notable the paralysis tick, found in bushy coastal areas along the eastern seaboard of Australia from north Queensland to Eastern Victoria.

Symptoms of tick poisoning include changes to bark, lethargy, vomiting and muscular paralysis, usually starting in the hind legs.

If you suspect your dog may have tick poisoning or if you find a tick on your pet, seek veterinary attention immediately.

Pets, like humans, can become injured and ill while exploring the great outdoors, and may need immediate assistance.

Make sure you pack a first-aid kit for the trip, prioritising a water bottle to prevent dehydration, and a towel, which can be very useful as a bandage, sling or even stretcher.

You should also include bandages and dressings to cover wounds, iodine based antiseptic cream, gloves, scissors, and tweezers to remove splinters, grass seeds or ticks. Saline should be packed in case you need to wash your pet’s eyes, shampoo for a general wash and pet sunscreen to protect hairless areas like around the nose and on the belly.

Finally, while there’s nothing like cuddling up in front of a fire, you must ensure your dog is far enough from the flames to avoid burns and sparks and is not in the direct line of smoke.

Even once extinguished, keep dogs away as the firepit may retain heat and can contain unsafe debris like food and foil wrap.

In short, being prepared and knowing what to look out for is the key to having a safe and enjoyable canine camping trip.

By Dr Marjorie Au, vet at PETstock petstock.com.au

Travel Checklist Pre-trip • V isit to vet for check-up and ensure vaccinations are up to date • E nsure pet is covered by the correct tick and flea protection • Microchip and ID tag details are up to date • Purchase or renew pet insurance To take on trip • Travel crate, harness or booster seat • Portable water bowl and bottle (and water!)

• Food bowl, food and treats • Collar and lead • Poop bags • Toys • B rush and shampoo (in case your dog rolls in something particularly nasty!)

• Warm/waterproof jacket • Bed and blanket • Towels • First aid kit and any medications • Pet sunscreen • Dog lifejacket (if planning water activities) • Cooling or heating mat (pending weather)

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SUPER ECO-MUM JULIE Aussie mum Julie Mathers is about as close as you can come to being Superwoman in real life. She is mum to 16-month-old Woody, who lives with Down Syndrome, and welcomed her second bub Alfie into the world in May. But it’s not her two boys that keep her up at night, it’s her third baby, online eco-store ‘Flora & Fauna’!

Julie is extremely passionate about businesses ‘doing better for our planet’ which is why she launched Flora & Fauna, an online hub for everything ethical, sustainable, eco and cruelty-free. The business is entirely Australian owned and operated and stocks a range of ethical Aussie brands from skincare to beauty to homewares and fashion.

We love you because you’re a mum juggling babes and biz. Tell us about your family.

Firstly I have an absolute amazing partner, Tom, both in F&F and at home. We are such a good team when it comes to everything. Then we have the beautiful Woody and Alfie, two little boys I didn’t think I’d ever have. I’m now 44 and only fell pregnant with Woody when I was 42. And then Alfie came along very quickly afterwards. The old wives tales about being fertile are true!

What were you up to before you started Flora and Fauna?

I’ve worked in retail for close to 30 years now and I’ve worked in the UK, Europe, Japan and Australia, in retail, consultancy and private equity – all retail focused. I’ve worked across supermarkets, toy stores, garden centres, fashion and lots more. Retail is in my bones and I love it.

How does one suddenly decide to start an online eco-store?

For me it wasn’t so sudden as I’d worked in retail for so long and was looking for a more purposeful business to work for for quite some time. I just couldn’t find a business that matched my values and somewhere where I 56

had free rein to what I needed to do. I wanted to create a better business, one that is more purposeful and uses their power to do good so I created Flora & Fauna, a platform for purpose.

Not only do you sell incredible eco-friendly products but your entire business ticks many eco-boxes, including plastic-free shipping and B-Certification.

Tell us about all of these.

We’re really proud to be able to do what we can and use our business for good. That’s what being a B Corp is all about, it’s being a force for good. We’ve saved over 30 tonnes of plastic heading to landfill by changing our shipping packaging to be totally plastic-free. We did this in 2016 and we’d love more businesses to do this. We also have a recycling scheme where customers can send their plastic beauty packaging to us and we get it recycled keeping it out of landfill. Plus customers earn $10 for recycling. We also carbon offset our business and all the orders we send out, plus we also work with the community and charities. Lastly we focus heavily on diversity and I am very passionate about that.

What are your must have everyday eco products. for beauty, for home?

For home I love compostable dishcloths, wire clothes pegs and my Urban Composter – it’s the perfect way to start composting your scraps in the kitchen. I’m slightly obsessed with mine. For me I can’t get past shampoo and conditioner bars – they are a fantastic way to save on plastic and work really well too.

I find I also need a really good oil every day to really nourish my skin so I love Retreatment Botanic’s Restore Serum and Edible Beauty’s Sleeping Beauty Purifying Mousse at night.

They are both gorgeous Aussie brands too!

Tell us about your favourite products for the kids that we might not know about.

Reusable nappies are my favourite! They are brilliant and they’ve come a long way from the terry towelling nappies we were in. These ones are beautiful and waterproof to avoid leaks and spills. Really love them. I can’t recommend them enough. My other favourite is sleep suits if you want a good nights sleep!

What’s it like juggling two small kids and a business?

We have to prioritise like a pro! Time is not our friend so we can only do this by being super flexible with how we work and by being a team.

I’ll go into work one day, then Tom the next and we do a lot of work at night. We’re really focused on doing everything we can for our boys and Woody also has speech therapy and physio so we need to be relatively organised although it never feels like that – we feel like we live in a constant state of flux!

Funniest parenting moment so far?

Because my babies are so small most of the funny episodes revolve around keeping food and liquid inside them in one way or another. We’re both figuring out how to be parents, as everyone does, and the shared moments, when we are totally clueless, are the funniest for us….and should probably always stay between us!

What can we expect next from Flora & Fauna?

Right now we’re getting through this pandemic and making sure our team, customers and community are as safe as can be. But beyond this we’ll keep coming out with amazing solutions to help us reduce waste and live life more sustainably, so keep watching!

Finally, where can we find you?

Find Flora & Fauna online at: www.floraandfauna.com.au Instagram: @floraandfaunaau Facebook: Floraandfaunaau 57

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turn the page

My Dad Used To Be So Cool by Keith Negley Just in time for Father’s Day! Did your dad used to be cool? Wondering what happened to his rock band playing, skateboarding days? This funny and relatable story shows children how their parents are still cool after all, even if it’s not in quite the same way!

Parents and children will both enjoy engaging with this book, presented in Negley’s unique style where words are minimal and the emotive illustrations really carry the story along.

Flying Eye Books RRP from $16.99 softcover

The boy who burped by Felicity McVay Meet Barnaby, a little boy from Bondi who loves to burp. Barnaby can burp on demand and even entertain his friends by burping the alphabet. But when Barnaby tries to stop burping, he can’t! Barnaby tries everything from changing his diet to standing upside down and walking backwards.

This debut book by Sydney based Felicity McVay will be a delightful addition to your child’s bookshelf. You’ll laugh out loud as you read the rhyming text and travel along with Barnaby Published by NEW HOLLAND RRP $17.99

Little Lon by Andrew Kelly Little Lon is the story of community in early Melbourne, revealing the city’s rich multicultural history. It is a joyous story of growing up in an area that others thought of as a slum, but that locals adored, with the area’s rich multiculturalism already in abundance back in the 19th and early 20th century.

Marie recalls all the people from different countries who lived, worked and operated shops in the area, the street food, the hawkers, fairy floss from Queen Victoria Market, playing in the street, her school, and her family’s weekend activities.

Published by Wild Dog Books RRP $24.95

How Do You Make a Baby? by Anna Fiske A funny, forthright non-fiction picture book book about how babies are made and different ways to be a family. In How Do You Make a Baby? Anna Fiske answers the questions all children are curious about: How does a baby get into the mother’s stomach? Who can make a baby, and how is it actually done?

With comic illustrations and a playful tone, this is a funny and factual book about an eternally relevant topic, giving parents and children a starting point for discussion. Informational, funny and warm, How Do You Make a Baby? is suitable for children aged 4 and up.

Published by Gecko Press RRP $29.99 58

ad ul ts Flawsome by Georgia Murch We’re so damn hard on ourselves, no wonder mental health problems are at all-time highs. Georgia Murch’s answer is to accept our imperfections and learn to be ourselves - flaws and all.

You are not called an accountant, or a speaker, or a writer. You are called by a name - your name. You are you. To know what that means and who you are requires work. Just like growing into a new pair of sneakers, you need to grow into who you really are. To do this, you have to accept your flaws. In this fascinating book, author and feedback expert, Georgia Murch, teaches you that being flawsome is not just about accepting your flaws, your inadequacies, the things you hide - it’s understanding where they come from and rewriting how you see yourself, so you can live as you are.

Major Street Publishing, RRP $29.95

Everyday creative Upend your personal status quo and reclaim your natural creativity in every single action you take.

Everyone claims to value creativity, and businesses are clamouring for disruptive thinking and innovation. Yet we often feel creatively stifled at work, because business processes seem to leave no room for real originality. In this climate, it takes a heroic effort to reclaim our status as independent thinkers, to bring meaning and joy to our work lives and to make lasting changes that will bring value to everyone around us. In Everyday Creative, culture and creative leadership expert Mykel Dixon reveals what’s holding us back from our full creative potential and explains how we can reclaim our original, vibrant selves.

Published by Wiley RRP $29.95

Thriving Mind by Dr Jenny Brockis We all feel it sometimes—all of us, we really do. Tired, hopeless, stretched too thin, a little scared about the future, a sense that something important is missing. Modern life is unbelievably stressful, and it comes at us from all sides. But there’s also an upside to the modern world: in our age of better information, technology, nutrition, and healthcare, we’re using our smarts to develop a science that can help us feel happier and more connected to our lives—and it really does work.

In Thriving Mind, Dr. Jenny Brockis draws on deep research and 30+ years of helping people solve persistent and serious problems to provide science-based strategies for overcoming them—as well as the habits to help avoid them in the future. Walking you through common issues such as loneliness, stress, relationship breakdown, loss of social connection, and mental health issues, Dr. Brockis shows that there are practical ways to alleviate or even banish these difficulties—and to reclaim a sense of meaning and vitality you might not have felt in years.

Published by Wiley RRP $27.95 59

HUSH LITTLE BABY We know the pain that comes with a baby or toddler who just won’t sleep. If you haven’t experienced it yourself (lucky duck!) then there’s a very good chance that you know somebody who has struggled night after night with a little one that won’t sleep, most of the time suffering in silence while they battle through dreaded sleep deprivation.

Unfortunately we were that somebody…

Marissa: When my youngest (Atticus) was

born I knew immediately he was going to be a bad sleeper. He screamed the full five nights I was in hospital and did-not sleep! The next three months were a blur. He just wouldn’t sleep- twenty minutes max during the day (unless he was rocked or fed to sleep) and two-hour (max) blocks overnight. I remember having this overwhelming feeling that there was actually something wrong with him. The other two were great sleepers and Atticus is my third, so surely, I should’ve had this baby sleep thing down pat? Wrong.

Amelia: When Alfie was three months old,

my dream sleeper did a U-turn and I could not get him back on the right track – no matter what advice I took or book, website, routine I read. Catnapping was the new norm and I can’t even tell you the amount of night wakings that were occurring. I tried everything! I co-slept (and he HATED it), I fed him to sleep (then he began using me as a dummy and ended up resenting the breast come night time), I walked and drove for hours on end to no avail, and I almost broke my back from hours of rocking, shooshing, swaying, patting and nursing. You name it.

After both experiencing and overcoming sleep and settling issues with our own little ones we decided to come together to launch Baby Sleep School.

If you’ve come this far, there’s a good chance you are struggling with your baby’s sleep and desperate for some advice from an experienced

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sleep consultant. Well, you can breathe a sigh of relief because we have compiled our top 10 sleep tips to help you and your bubs finally get on the road to a well-deserved sleep!

1. Routine Easier said than done, we’re well aware of this, but babies are creatures of habit and if you do the same thing at the same time each day, your baby will soon be using this as their sleepy cues. For example, wake up from nap, feed and then play, then back to sleep. After a few days your bub will know that after playtime comes bedtime and there will be much less resistance come nap time!

2. Relax This one’s for you, Mumma. Our little ones feed off of our temperament and anxiety, so if you approach sleepy time with a nonchalant approach, we guarantee your bub will go down MUCH easier. Next time you put your baby down for a nap, take a super relaxed approach and think to yourself - ‘what is the worst thing that can happen if my baby doesn’t sleep?’

3. Sleepy Blinds A dark room decreases the chances of your bub becoming distracted by anything on the wall or surroundings. Something as small as a shadow or a print on the wall is enough to keep your baby awake and overstimulate them.

Our Sleepy Blind is a great way to ensure this doesn’t become any issue!

4. White Noise/Lullabies Rumour has it that lullabies can cause a baby to become more stimulated at bedtime, but we disagree. White noise is great for many babies, but we personally believe gentle lullabies are far more relaxing than the sound of a vacuum or hairdryer in your ear. Every bub is different though, so it’s best to see what works best for your little one.

5. Tired Cues This is a big one! Our children are our greatest educators, so we need to listen to them. If your baby is showing any tired signs, pop them to bed. Even if it isn’t bedtime according to their schedule, your baby is telling you what they want in this instance, so follow their lead.

6. Consistency You need to stay consistent to be fair to your baby. Stick with the same routine and settling techniques for a few days before you try a new one. Chopping and changing will lead to a disastrous sleep and an overwhelmed bub.

7. Patience This really is key. Without patience, sleep will not be achievable. This is when you need to go back to tip number two - just relax.

8. Nap Resistance If your little one is refusing sleepy time, take a short break. Regroup, calm baby and try again in 15-20 minutes. Nap resistance can be a sign of both an overtired or under tired baby. Find the sweet spot by tweaking nap times over a few days if your bub continues resisting.

9. Wind Down Routine This is CRITICAL in setting the scene for a full night’s sleep ahead. It can be as simple as cutting all technology (TV, iPad etc.) which we recommend a few hours prior to bed. Keep your dinner, bath, feed and bedtime routine consistent.

10. Let Them Be Little This could not be more true! Whilst sleep is so important for your baby’s overall health and development, sometimes they just want and need you. Embrace it and enjoy those snuggly, sleepy cuddles while you can.

By Amelia Lamont (aka The Midwife Mumma and mum to Alfie & Essie) and Marissa Wallis, (mum to William, Rafferty, Atticus & Bowie). Amelia and Marissa founded Baby Sleep School. Designed with real-life experiences at the forefront, their PDF sleep guides cater to all stages of little ones’ sleep and are instantly downloadable online at https://sleepschool.co/

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Let’s make Australia smile this

!

Put on those dancing shoes and get ready for the Little Rockers Red Nose Disco, Friday 14 August.

You can host a disco at your childcare, early learning centre, day-care, playgroup or your own home!

Sign up or learn more at rednoseday.org.au/get-involved