PakMag Australia – June 2017 Issue 22

ISSUE: June 2017

22

AUSTRALIA

FREE www.pakmag.com.au | June 2017 1

CONTENTS PAGE 5

The Thing Is...

Wow, what can I say?

With Bree James

6

Feature: PakMag Says

Thank You!

9

Parenting: Are You A

This month PakMag turns 10. Over the past ten years we’ve done so much and I want to say a huge THANK YOU to our readers, clients, event attendees, PakMag staff (past and present), sponsors, suppliers and everyone who has had an involvement with making PakMag so amazing over the past 10 years. From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate every last one of you, we really wouldn’t be where we are without you.

Hyper-Parent?

13 Education: How You Can

Help Your Child’s School

14 Education: Learning Styles 17 Health 19 Sarah’s Story 20 Bump, Bub And Beyond 23 Party Snacks 24 Celebrate: When In Doubt,

As you know, we’re all about providing our community with great entertainment, exciting content and resources to empower parents to raise incredible kids. So, for our birthday, we’re upping the ante and throwing a spectacular birthday weekend to combine all that we stand for, so make sure you don’t miss it. We’d love to see you there on 24th and 25th June! Check out www.pakevents.com.au to book tickets for our Parenting Conference and Prom, and get more information about our Expo and Family FunDay. We often get emails and messages from our readers to tell us how PakMag has impacted them and we are truly humbled by your stories and messages of support. We’d love to hear from you if you love PakMag – as part of our 10 year celebration we are making a video dedicated to our readers, so if you’d like to be part of this, please email us on admin@grandpublishing.com.au and tell us your story. Looking forward to seeing you all at our Birthday Weekend!

Add More Sparkle

27 Taj Pabari: Teenage

Tech Entrepreneur

28 Craft: Dress Up Your

Dresser With Decoupage

30 Home with Caro & Kingi:

Kid’s Play Room

Grand Publishing Founder and Editor-in-cheif Bree James Operations Manager Rose Foster Graphic Designers Clare Winter Lise Mardon-Smith

Bree James Grand Publishing Founder and Editor-in-chief On the cover PakMag Staff Photography Blueclick Photography e veronica@blueclickphotography.com Cover Concept & Composition Clare Winter Contact Us: p 4053 3331 f 4053 3350 e admin@grandpublishing.com.au a Po box 7433 Cairns Qld 4870 fb facebook.com/pakmagaustralia t #pakmag

Marketing to Families Experts Lisa Gillman Steph Bartram Jenifer Spiro Office / Production Manager Janelle May

Supply & Distribution Manager Gleisy Meireles Accounts Trent Stievano Media Intern Monique Saggers

Sub-Editor Kate Moloney

Disclaimer: No part of this magazine, including the advertisements within it may be reproduced, in part or in whole without the expressed permission of the editor. Whilst the greatest of care is taken to ensure that the information in the magazine is correct at the time of going to press, readers are advised to check details before visiting. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for errors, inaccuracies or omissions. The expressions expressed within PakMag are not necessarily the views of the publishers, but those of individual writers.

Net Distribution Per Issue 10,000 CAB Publisher Statement Period ending 30th July 2016

www.pakmag.com.au | June 2017 3

The THING THE THING IS...

IS...

STORY Bree James

It’s June. We are officially halfway through 2017, and most of us are having heart palpitations that the year will be done before we know it. This is a milestone month for us, ten years publishing PakMag, and I am so proud of our achievements to date. I’ve been reflecting a lot, and someone asked me what the biggest lesson is that I have learnt. I can tell you there are a lot. But the biggest lesson I have learnt is that we always need to be learning, or we are dying. Sounds pretty harsh, but it is true.

The thing is, we all have problems, we all make mistakes, we all have things happen to us that shouldn’t, and we all have learning opportunities around us every single day. But we have to choose whether we learn and become better people every single day. Sure there are things we learn that can drag us down, and we feel anger, self pity, resentment, regret and a heap of other emotions that make us not want to be in our own skin.

Not to mention no one else wants to be around us either unless they are feeling the same way. And, we can learn things that make us better people, more knowledgeable, wiser and proud to be in our skin. And you know what, more people want to be around people like that.

I am no saint, and like you I’ve had moments of feeling like I’ve had more kicks than a soccer ball. And you wonder why the hell you are on the field and beg that the next kick is going to push you into the direction you want to go and into the goals. But this is the wrong way to think. Yes, I am all about trying to get into the goals, and live a life that I am working hard to achieve, but learning to play the game rather than sitting on the sidelines is actually the most important thing of all.

that we aren’t even thinking about learning. People often ask me how I have achieved so much, and I can honestly tell you, it is from my commitment to learning. Learning about myself, learning about others, learning to be a better parent, learning to be a better cook, learning to be a better business owner, and learning to get back on the soccer field even when I don’t think I can win. These are a few of the things I push myself to consciously learn every single day. I look for learning all day and I am obsessed with learning whether it be through reading books, listening to experts on a TED talk or watching my two boys discover their world. So many of us do not make learning a conscious part of our every day, and it’s really easy to fix. Ask yourself many times a day, “What did I just learn?”.

My commitment to this magazine is to help you as a parent learn more, that is why we exist and we have a lot of exciting plans for the future. We will continue to bring our readers things like our publication, our blogs, our events and our very first conference to town so that regionally as a community we have access to knowledge to prepare our kids for the competitive future ahead.

And I hope you continue to support us so that we can continue to support you. We want to learn from you, we want to get to know you better, and we want to empower you to raise incredible kids.

So thanks for reading, and I truly hope you join me on my addicted-to-learning journey and that I see you at the PakMag Conference and all our 10th Birthday Celebrations (not going to teach you much at the Prom though, except how to dance like its 1980, sorry!).

These days there are opportunities to learn everywhere, but so many of us are too busy getting through our day

www.pakmag.com.au | June 2017 5

PAKMAG SAYs THANK YOU! Can you believe it? PakMag turns 10 this month!

Whether you’ve been reading the magazine for 10 years, 10 months or 10 minutes, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping make the past decade possible! You may know what the magazine looks like now, but do you know how we started, or the epic journey we’ve been on? Let us tell you!

May 2007, The conception. Bree had a moment of frustration, no-one knew what was happening around Cairns for families. So one night she decided to start a What’s On Guide for families. By morning, ideas kept flowing and it became a 76 page plan for a magazine filled with loads of ideas for families.

June 2007, The birth. Despite Bree never having worked in sales, print, written a story, or had kids, PakMag came to life. Sleepless nights and two all nighters and the first magazine finally went to print. It was terribly designed and written, but it had heart and families loved it.

The most stressful moment for Bree was putting signage out on the highway at 2am on her own to promote the launch at Woree McDonalds, at 7am she went into town and to her devastation they had all been taken down!

Thankfully her partnership with Sea FM at the time meant the event got great coverage and loads of families turned up for the event and to grab the very first copy.

6 June 2017 | www.pakmag.com.au

June 2008. First Teddy Bears’ Picnic to celebrate PakMag turning one, and to raise money for Sea FM’s Give Me Five For Kids. Trent, Bree’s husband, joined the business to manage the accounts, IT and distribution.

2009. Bree had her first baby, Jordan, and hired an amazing lady called Elaine to help her with the business, and finally she had someone to work with, to take the magazine to the next level.

First Easter Egg Hunt on the Esplanade.

2010. Angelina and Trina joined the team and the business started to feel like it was going places!

August 2010. We decided to move down the coast and launch PakMag Townsville November 2010. We launched in Townsville after Bree spent many weeks driving to and from Cairns. Then Bree found out she was pregnant with baby number two… it was going to be fun raising two magazines and two kids.

Feature

2011. Bree and the team did monthly magazines and monthly events in Cairns and Townsville during this time, the highlight was doing two Easter events simultaneously. One in Cairns and one in Townsville.

Halloween and Christmas were also two highlights for both cities.

Baby number two, Sean, arrived, and thankfully he was a good baby. Many long road trips with pulling over to breastfeed and let a toddler run around were tough times.

The lovely Janelle then joined the team to help us get more organised!

2012. We did the “12 Elves of Christmas” promotion and had many of you looking high and low for elves that we had hidden around Cairns and Townsville in the middle of the night!

2013. After many, many emails begging us to start in Mackay, we bit the bullet and decided to do it. With a two year old, and a four year old, the boys came on the road sometimes, but Bree often drove down and back in a week on her own visiting Townsville on the way.

We launched in Mackay in November 2013.

2014. We held 36 events, and printed 36 magazines this year. It was a big year to say the least.

2015. We launched PakMag Australia, a digital magazine for families around the country. Our wonderful designer, Clare, joined our growing team.

2016. Bree did her first ever public speaking engagements, and did over 20 in her first year as a public speaker.

2017. We launched the NQ Family Travel Guide, and The NQ Baby and Toddler Guide. The PakMag Conference, and LOADS more to come!

The team has seen some incredible people come through our doors and shape PakMag to what it has become. Now, our team is the biggest it’s ever been with Bree, Rose, Janelle, Clare, Lisa, Trent, Lise, Gleisy, Monique, Alyssa, Kate, Steph and Jen all working from our new office on Anderson Street. Not to mention, the amazing people who help get the magazine to our readers on a monthly basis. So, a huge thank you to PakMag staff past and present for helping us reach this incredible milestone.

In the past 10 years we have...

Printed more than 2.6 million magazines.

Donated more than $1 million in advertising to a host of local events and not for profit organisations.

Published over 266 magazines across 3 cities.

Donated well over $150,000 to local charities.

Run over 400 free family events attended by over 300,000 local families.

Given away more than $500,000 in prizes to families ranging from movie tickets to family holidays.

Created the PakMag Mobile Parents Room (the first of its kind in Australia).

Contributed millions of dollars into the local economy.

Achieved millions of page views of our content.

Helped over 1,000 Small Businesses to grow their share of the family market.

Published 25,000 articles all written and published to help families.

Continued to employ locally, with a current team of 22 people.

www.pakmag.com.au | June 2017 7

Parenting

ARE YOU ARE YOU A A HYPER-PARENT? HYPER-PARENT? STORY Raquel Sheridan

e arat “Hyper-parenting� is a term used by Alvin Rosenfeld and Nicole Wise in their popular and well-regarded book The Over-Scheduled Child: Avoiding the Hyper-Parenting Trap.

The term is used to describe a style of child rearing, pushed by the media that has quickly infiltrated the way we raise children throughout the world today. This involves overscheduling families with children with a multitude of activities in order to guarantee a successful future for survival in a competitive world.

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Parenting

Dr Rosenfeld and Nicole Wise reason that technology and globalisation have propelled our generation to compete with the entire world by placing incredible pressure on parents and children. With feelings of insecurity and uncertainty, we end up living a frantic life.

Parents are urged to give their children a competitive edge over the competition - this might give them an extra advantage and a good start in the game of life.

There is a ‘feeling in the air’ that ‘average’ is just not good enough! It is now considered undesirable. You can’t be the best at one thing, you must be the best at everything! This is clearly an impossible achievement as we all have strengths and weaknesses. Einstein once said, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” And in an effort to adhere to the mindset of high achievementism, mums and dads - with the best of intentions - end up over-scheduling the kids with all sorts of learning activities and experiences.

As parents searching for our children’s success (and terrified by the word ‘failure’), we are willing to make sacrifices to provide the best we can. We are an educated generation, exposed to unlimited information and just want to do right by our children. A mother might look into new philosophies and approaches as to how she can make her baby smarter! Another might panic because an eight-month-old daughter is not developing at the same pace as a younger child that already crawls.

A seven-year-old might have a schedule as busy as a CEO! Piano lessons at 7:30am, school, gymnastics, religious school, choir practice, ballet and horseback riding all in one day, let alone a week. These are some of the real life examples provided in Dr Rosenfeld and Nicole Wise’s book. The essence of Hyper-parenting is that we want to do a terrific job!

So with the fear of making child-rearing mistakes that might trigger the turning of a sweet perfect child down a wrong future path, we feel overworked, overwhelmed and unappreciated. We try to prepare our children for the world by having them do extra activities. Good parenting morphed into to-do lists. We treat our homes like an extension of the office, when it is meant to be that cosy place where we can relax and revive.

Dr Rosenfeld and Nicole Wise question, “Are we pushing our children to their limits?” We act like we can program life, we have a back-up plan for the back-up plan, and we have the naïve perception that our persistent and continuous efforts insure us against bad outcomes.

However, they don’t! Life is messy, unpredictable, full of uncertainties and contains unpreventable events. You are going to have awkward moments with your children and commit mistakes that have been committed in the past because we are not perfect and neither are our children. This fact does not make us bad parents; it just makes us human.

to identify if we are acting like hyper-parents? Seeking a bright and happy future for our children, not forgetting they also need to enjoy the present, their own childhood or early teenage years that goes by so fast. After all, we adults have already had our turn, maybe it’s time to let our children have theirs? Let them grow. Let them have their good and not-so-good experiences. Let them have free time to actually figure out what they like to do and who they are. We don’t need to micro-manage every detail of our child’s lives. Dr Rosenfeld and Nicole Wise remark, “It may be well intentioned but it may also cause unwanted negative effects”.

Some Warning Signs of Over-scheduling •• Children are tired all the time •• Irritable, grouchy, grumpy children •• Falling sleep out of exhaustion or difficult to sleep •• Reducing interest in a once loved activity •• Grades slipping Effects of Over-scheduling •• Anxiety •• Depression •• Decreased creativity •• No longer know what to do with free time •• Less ability to take initiative Tips for Effective Scheduling •• There is no single right way to raise a child. Try to find the balance and what works for your family.

•• Limit activities for the best outcome for your family.

All children are different, for one child a few extra activities might work well and for another only one or maybe none. Let your child guide you.

•• Give yourself a break and don’t rush yourself.

Remember we are not machines! Learn from your mistakes.

•• Character counts, if you are stressed out and anxious you are teaching that to your child. Allocate time for yourself. Find pleasure in your life and relationships.

Children always do better when parents are happy with themselves and their lives.

•• Unstructured time and play encourages creativity and imagination and can also lead to better social skills.

Self – Examination

Childhood is a preparation, not a performance. Children are, by definition, immature so they should not be expected to act as adults, neither in their behaviour nor schedule. No parent ever gets it all right and most children turn out just right. You just need to find out what works for your child. After all, we all want them to grow into well-adjusted, emotionally healthy and happy adults. Relax, don’t take life too seriously, joke and laugh, “carpe diem” too, and trust in your instincts as parents.

An honest, free-of-guilt self-examination is a good start

Be sure, there is no better parent for your child but you!

10 June 2017 | www.pakmag.com.au

Education

HOW YOU HOW YOU CAN CAN HELP YOUR HELP YOUR CHILD’S CHILD’S SCHOOL SCHOOL STORY Meg O’Donnell, B.Ed

As much as we want to be, no one is Super-Mum or Super-Dad when it comes to helping out at our children’s schools. Everyone starts with the best intentions, but as time goes on, life gets busier and spare time becomes a rarity. Thankfully, there are many ways a busy parent can help out at their child’s school, without taking up all of their free time and still making a valuable contribution to the community.

Attend School Events

Communicate With The Teacher

Share Your Talents

Teachers are spending more time with our children than we do some weeks and, for the most part, they are flying blind. Sending a quick email occasionally to update them on any important issues (or successes) your child may be dealing with at home helps keep the teacher up to date and serves to provide a more caring environment for all.

Every family has their own unique set of skills and talents that they can contribute and all are welcome; from a local chef visiting to discuss recipes on healthy eating, to a published children’s author speaking to a class about storylines. While the family might be tired of listening to Dad play the guitar, to a class of young children it could make their day.

Volunteer Your Time

Join The P&C Association

Whether it’s reading groups or a class excursion, visiting your child’s classroom can be a huge help. An extra set of adult hands are always welcome in the classroom and it helps you as a parent to stay up to date with your child’s learning. This is also a great chance to get to know your child’s classmates and provide another positive adult role model for them. As an added bonus, children who have parents volunteer at school have a greater respect for learning and show pride in their parent taking such a keen interest.

The P&C (Parents & Citizens) Association is a great way to take an active role in your child’s school. Meetings are generally held once a month throughout the school year and as a member you contribute to a range of areas, including learning and teaching, ICT (Information Communication and Technology) and grounds maintenance. The P&C also run the school’s tuckshop, so if meetings aren’t possible, being able to volunteer an hour or two towards preparing meals for the students would be greatly appreciated.

Whether it be swimming or sporting carnivals, excursions or special visits from outside organisations to the school, parents are not only welcome but also very appreciated. Not every parent can get time off work, so if you are one of the lucky ones able to attend, do the others a favour and cheer for the other kids too!

www.pakmag.com.au | June 2017 13

Education

LEARNING STYLES LEARNING STYLES STORY Meg O’Donnell, B.Ed

“Every student can learn, just not on the same day or the same way.” George Evans might have been trying to make a joke when he said that, but he isn’t entirely wrong. Just like every person in the world has different thoughts, emotions and perspectives, every child learns in different ways. The good news is that almost all students can be categorised into four main learner groups. These groups are Visual, Auditory, Read & Write and Kinaesthetic. Knowing which group your child fits into can make all of the difference in their learning.

Visual Learners These students learn best when they can actually see the material. Visual learners are usually fast talking, can sometimes become impatient and have a tendency to interrupt. They prefer to see the information and visualise the relationships between ideas.

Strategies include creating visual aids such as flash cards, charts, diagrams and pictures which can show the links between concepts. YouTube videos that explain the topic can also help.

Auditory Learners These are the learners who take in information best when it is communicated verbally. Auditory learners speak slowly and tend to be natural listeners. They prefer things to be explained verbally rather than having to read information and they learn best by listening and verbalising. These types of learners like to recite information out loud to remember it.

Strategies include having one-on-one or group discussions about the topic, word association activities and listening to recordings about the topics. A simple strategy for these learners is to recite information on a topic and then ask them questions that they can answer by repeating the information back to you in response.

14 June 2017 | www.pakmag.com.au

Read & Write Learners These students learn best through reading and writing about the material they are covering. They prefer for their information to be displayed in written format, such as lists. Read & Write Learners enjoy reading and writing in all forms and have a preference for multiple choice tests.

Strategies include re-writing their notes, group study sessions where they are able to read other’s work as well as collaborate, reading their task sheets (and writing a summary) for clarification and turning diagrams and charts into words to show an understanding.

Kinaesthetic (Physical) Learners These students learn best by actually doing. Kinaesthetic Learners tend to be the slowest talkers of all and they can also be slow to make decisions. They use all of their senses to engage in their learning and they learn best by doing and solving real-life problems. These learners love the hands-on approach and embrace trial and error.

Strategies include acting out concepts or topics, studying in shorter blocks of time and/or with others and excursions or simply adding a physical aspect to the study session (e.g. reciting times tables while kicking a ball back and forth).

Lastly, it is important to remember that no child (or human for that matter) will ever fit entirely and solely into one type of learning style; least of all young children. Trying a variety of different techniques from various learning styles with your child will not only help them complete that school assignment or excel in that test, but it will also show them a larger set of different learning tools that they will eventually be able to use on their own, becoming lifelong learners.

Health

health Take the first step to healthy feet

Sleep Issues

STORY My FootDr

Problems with sleep is a common reason for people to visit their GP. In a survey by The Sleep Foundation up to 20 per cent of people felt daytime sleepiness affected their daily activities. Even more concerning is that eight per cent reported falling asleep at work and 19 per cent made errors at work because of their sleepiness.

Feet are an incredibly important and very complex component of our anatomy, comprised of many small bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons and other structures. They not only bear the weight of our body, but they also allow us to be mobile.

Despite their significant role in our overall health and lifestyle, Australians have a lot to answer for when it comes to looking after their feet. Genetics, occupation, age, footwear choices and exercise all impact our feet yet many Australians are not taking the right steps from an early age to care for their feet.

When it comes to foot pain, there might be some hidden reasons behind why you are experiencing pain when you walk - and it all depends on your individual make-up and lifestyle.

High-impact exercise, arthritis, ill-fitting shoes, diabetes, pregnancy, high arches or being flat-footed are some of the common reasons why people feel discomfort or pain when walking.

Foot, arch or heel pain isn’t something that disappears overnight. You may be waking up with one of the most common causes of foot and heel pain in adults – plantar fasciitis.

The good news is that you don’t have to suffer with foot pain. Take the first steps to better foot health and visit your local podiatry centre today.

Podiatry is the only allied health profession entirely devoted to the study, diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle and lower extremity.

Podiatry Facts: •• You do not need a doctor’s referral to visit a podiatrist.

•• Podiatry is covered under most health insurance policies.

•• Podiatrists are all university qualified and must maintain regular professional development.

STORY Dr Liam O’Regan

Sleep can be affected by some medications, such as strong painkillers, anti-depressants and some heart medications. Alcohol and stimulants such as nicotine also affect sleep quality.

A variety of medical conditions can affect sleep including: Insomnia - a problem of sleep quantity, most commonly, difficulty getting to sleep or early waking. This can be due to jet lag, shift work or can be a sign of anxiety, stress or depression. Good “sleep hygiene” practices are the first line treatment for insomnia. Sleeping tablets are not routinely recommended.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) - a condition where there is an uncomfortable sensation in the legs with an irresistible urge to move the legs to relieve the discomfort. If severe this can be treated with a medication prescribed by your GP. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) - a condition where the throat collapses during sleep and breathing is ineffective. This results in snoring, apnoeas (stopping breathing) followed by gasps or choking. This often requires a mask to be worn at night to help keep the airway open.

Narcolepsy - a rarer condition which results in “sleep attacks”, an irresistible urge to sleep during the day, often coming on very suddenly. This is usually treated by specialists with medication.

Sleep disorders can also increase the risk of heart attacks or strokes as well as contributing to poor mental health.

•• Podiatrists treat people of all ages.

To diagnose a sleep disorder your GP will often use a sleep diary as well as a questionnaire to determine the severity, such as the “Epworth Sleepiness Scale”.

•• Prescription custom-made orthotics are the gold standard in care for most foot related conditions.

If you suffer from daytime sleepiness you should see your regular GP.

www.pakmag.com.au | June 2017 17

Bump, Bub and Beyond

Sarah’s Story Sarah’s Story I am sharing my experience of child loss from SIDS, not to create fear, but as a way to raise more awareness and understanding of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). It’s a story written from my heart.

That second you discover you are pregnant, WOW, the big high of excitement, then there comes a big low of fearing you could lose this tiny miracle growing inside of you... remember those memories and feelings? I do so very well.

When motherhood finally begins, it is a big ‘hello’ to a whole new chapter of worries. When my second child Johnny was born, I didn’t have the great fears of a first time mum, as his sister was 19 months old.

On Johnny’s six month milestone we celebrated with chocolate cupcakes. That night I put him to bed and I am so glad in my rush to get my toddler off to bed too, I managed to say the words, "I love you son, sweet dreams".

The next day I thought our son had slept through for the first time, but as soon as I opened the door and looked at my son, I instantly knew. It was the beginning of the end of our lives as we knew it.

it SIDS? Did I do something wrong? Will my other child die? So many questions and no answers.

How did I get through it? A part of me still doesn't know, but I do remember contacting a Red Nose Counsellor and getting my own private Psychologist and Psychiatrist and a Marriage Counsellor. (My marriage did end but we remain good friends.)

Accepting I was not the same person I was before Johnny passed away was a very hard and long process.

A couple of years later I needed in-patient treatment to learn to deal with it properly. The thing I have learnt is that there is no wrong or right way to deal with the loss of a child, hence why there are just no words to describe it.

I finally chose to live my life and I knew a great burden of loss, heartache and sadness came with that. I found my new love and married him and had a Rainbow Baby through IVF’s, she is Johnny's miracle. Although I have found my way and the wound of my heart started to heal, I also realised the horrific scar will always remain.

Something I learn to accept a little more every day.

It was surreal. I blamed and hated myself, a maternal guilt that consumed me. I honestly wanted to die. I wanted to be with him. I was so angry and confused that he had left me.

Its been six and a half years since Johnny passed away from SIDS. But our Johnny is eternal, he is the little boy who lives on the moon. His legacy lives on in all of us, especially his big sister. He is our son, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend forever, no matter what. I will always speak of him and I love when people talk to me about him.

The wait for the autopsy report felt like its own form of torture. Was it an accidental death? Was he sick? Or was

They are never ever forgotten, Love, Sarah

Sarah’s Words of Wisdom:

•• I wish I’d known about Angel Gowns. They provide parents with a specially crafted outfit for their loved one’s final journey. I have since donated both my wedding gowns to them.

•• Contact Red Nose and always follow all the advice you get from them about safe sleeping and cot safety (accident prevention).

•• Each October SANDS hold The Walk to Remember on the Esplanade. It is a beautiful way to honour our babies who have passed away, something some parents need to help keep their spirit alive.

•• Consider having local artists, like Hayley Gillespie (pictured above) or Melanie from Beyond the Willow Tree, paint a beautiful picture or make jewellery from ashes and hair. These priceless art memories really helped me when I was hurting and needed love and support to heal.

SIDS is the unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old.

Red Nose (formerly Sids and Kids) each year raises money to fund continued research, educational kits for new parents and counselling sessions for people affected by sudden and unexpected death of a baby or child. Red Nose Day is on Friday 30th June.

Visit www.rednose.com.au SANDS provides support, information and education to anyone affected by the death of a baby before, during or shortly after birth. Visit www.sandsqld.org.au

www.pakmag.com.au | June 2017 19

Bump, Bub and Beyond

BUMP, BUB BUMP, BUB AND AND BEYOND BEYOND Featured products, reviews and prizes. Visit www.pakmag.com.au for your chance to win!

WIN

Bare + Boho ECO MAMA Pack (Includes: 1 x Bamboo-Glass Water Bottle + 1 x 5-Pack Reusable Produce Bags) RRP $42, www.bareandboho.com.au These beautiful bamboo and glass drink bottle to compliments a conscious plastic-free lifestyle and to encourages hydration without the dangers of chemicals found in plastic bottles. Featuring a soft insulation case used to maintain desired water temperature and protect glass. Bare and Boho also boasts a range of reusable and washable 100% cotton mesh produce bags, to be used as replacements for single-use plastic bags when buying fruit and veggies and bulk foods.

365 Sleep Bag 2.0 by The Sleepy Company RRP $149.95, www.sleepycompany.com

Baby Milestone Cards RRP $30, www.hellofern.com.au Place these cards next to baby and take a photo with your phone or camera to capture your babies growth. These beauties make an amazing unique gift for expecting mummies who have everything! Each card is printed on high quality, sturdy 310gsm card stock.

The cards cover the first year of bubs life including birth, one week, one to eleven months and first birthday.

20 June 2017 | www.pakmag.com.au

The 365 Sleep Bag 2.0 by The Sleepy Baby Company is a configurable baby sleeping bag made of luxurious organic cotton that adjusts to all four seasons and temperature changes, eliminating the need for blankets and multiple tog bags. Simply combine the Summer and Spring/Autumn bags to create your winter warmer, offering maximum usage of each bag. The 365 Sleep Bag features X-Tend system, an Australian first sleep solution that grows with your child, simply extend the sleeves to the next size up. With the 365 Sleep Bag 2.0, your baby sleeps in complete comfort and safety 365 days a year.

Bump, Bub and Beyond

Australia’s C-Section Epidemic

Encouraging the skills of sharing

STORY Rose Foster

STORY Troy Dunn, Goodstart Early Learning National Inclusive Practices Consultant

As parents, planning for labour is something we’ve all done. We plan home births, water births, hospital births, caesareans, with anaesthetic, without anaesthetic and a whole host of other stipulations that would make for the perfect labour and birth.

However, sometimes our plans and our unborn bub’s plans are misaligned, meaning last minute changes to the plan we’ve had for 9 months or more. However, with the number of births

by C-section in Australia at 32 per cent (compared to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommendation of 10-15 per cent), it begs the question, have we normalised this major surgery?

Research shows that countries with obstetrician-led maternity wards have higher rates of intervention than those with programs led by midwives. Many European countries are midwife-led and have C-section rates in line with WHO’s recommendation. In contrast, Australia is obstetrician-led.

Whilst women should absolutely have the right to choose how they want to birth their baby, concerns have been raised over the past few years by various health organisations that Australian women are becoming increasingly desensitised to the undertaking of a C-section, and are sometimes planning this way without considering or properly understanding the consequences.

And it’s not just choice. Australia’s obstetrician-led maternity wards could be another reason behind emergency C-sections too; whereas midwifery care views birth as a normal life event, obstetrics can treat birth as a medical procedure. Obstetricians have argued that the number of C-sections has risen in correlation to rising age and weight of mothers but researchers have claimed that where women live and whether she is covered by private health insurance are the greatest factors.

Obviously, C-sections are necessary for some women, whether emergency or planned, yet there is a still a raging debate surrounding caesareans for births with no medical reason for the procedure. Midwife, Hannah Dahlen told SBS, “You can find a medical reason for anything. Whether or not it’s a good medical reason is the question, and a lot of pseudo reasons are being used to argue women into C-sections.” Conversely, Obstetrician, Dr Michael Permazel argues, “I just can’t see that there’s any reason why an obstetrician would prefer C-sections for their patients. The C-section is about advising on the safest mode for her and her baby.”

Learning to share, wait and take turns are important skills for young children to learn.

But for children under the age of three, not wanting or being able to share, wait or taking turns is a normal part of their development. Young children can develop attachments to both people and things, which can make it difficult for them to share them.

Adults also have possessions and items which are valued and important to them and they may not feel comfortable with sharing.

For example, imagine someone asking to borrow your engagement ring for a while – while they don’t want to keep it, they just want to share it with you. This is how children can feel when someone comes up and tries to take their special toys or possessions. A child’s toys or possessions are equally important to them and often they will not feel safe and secure if their important things are being handled by someone else.

We also often confuse sharing with giving up an item when another child wants it which can send mixed messages. We can insist our children share when another child demands a toy, worrying our child might become selfish or other parents will think badly of us if we don’t. While this is a natural phase children progress through, there are ways for parents to start to encourage the skills of sharing, waiting and turn-taking. The best way to approach sharing and turn taking is to allow children to finish their play, and then encourage them to surrender it.

Example: James is playing with his toy car and his friend Susan comes over and tries to take it. A possible approach could be, “Susan, James is playing with that toy at the moment, but as soon as he is done you can have a turn.”

www.pakmag.com.au | June 2017 21

Healthy Recipes

PARTY SNACKS PARTY SNACKS

Carrot energy balls

Healthy Cornflake Crackles

Makes 20 balls.

Balls keep up to 2-3 weeks refrigerated.

Dairy free and egg free.

Makes 50 mini muffins pans or 24 large muffins.

Keep for up to 1 week in the fridge in an airtight container.

Gluten free, egg free and dairy free choices.

The ingredients

The ingredients

¼ cup roasted walnuts 1 ½ cup oats ½ cup peanut butter (or any nut butter will work) ¼ cup honey (use a mild type) ½ tsp vanilla extract ½ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp nutmeg Pinch cloves 1 cup grated carrot ½ cup currants 2 tbsp sesame seeds

1 ½ cup gluten free cornflakes ½ cup dry roasted roughly chopped almonds ¼ cup shredded coconut ¼ tsp ground rock salt ¼ tsp cinnamon 7 tbsp maple syrup 1 tbsp natural peanut butter or almond butter or pepitas butter 1 tsp milk of your choice 4 tsp cacao powder

Method

Preheat oven to 175°C (fan forced). Place cornflakes, almonds, coconut, cinnamon and salt into bowl – stir through with a spoon to mix thoroughly. Place all wet ingredients into a stick blender cup and mix to combine.

Add cacao powder and mix to smooth. Pour wet mix over dry ingredients and mix until well coated.

Method

Place walnuts in food processor – blitz. Add oats and pulse for a few seconds. Add nut butter, honey, vanilla, spices and carrot – mix until smooth and well combined (careful not to overmix and loose textures).

Add currants and sesame seeds for the last pulse.

Using tablespoon measure, create balls – can be rolled in toasted oats or toasted sesame seeds.

Nourishing secrets We use roasted nuts as it gives a richer nut flavour – raw nuts can be used here just as well

Use tablespoon as measure to scoop into paper pans in muffin tray. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes or until lightly toasted. Be careful not to overbake or cacao may become bitter.

Allow to cool completely before storing in the fridge in an airtight container. These will remain crispy outside however will last longer in the fridge.

Recipes bought to you by: The Source Bulk Foods. You can pick up quality, fresh ingredients for these recipes from The Source Bulk Foods. Check them out on facebook: /TheSourceBulkFoods Recipes created by: Simple Nourishment. Check them out online: www.simplenourishment.com.au, on Instagram: simple.nourishment or on facebook: /simplenourishment

www.pakmag.com.au | June 2017 23

Celebrate

WHEN IN DOUBT, ADD MORE SPARKLE What’s more fun than throwing a birthday party for your little one? A party that’s full of everything sparkly and magical of course! Whether you are three or 33, this majestic unicorn and princess filled party will have you jumping off your feet with excitement.

Sprinkle Station Set up a cupcake sprinkle station where your guests can express their inner sparkle, decorating their very own cupcake with sprinkles and editable glitter.

What you’ll need: •• Several bowls of sprinkles, edible glitter and other decorative edible treats

Glitter Galore Balloons To add that extra sparkle create these awesome glitter balloons!

•• Pre-made cupcakes, already iced •• Table space to set up your sparkle station

What you’ll need:

Let the magic begin:

•• Craft glue

•• Display the pre-iced cupcakes on an easy to reach tray, so all party guests big and small can reach.

•• Bowl/s of glitter •• Balloons

•• We suggest placing a disposable party cloth over the table to capture the sprinkles and glittery spills.

Magical steps:

•• Let your party guests’ imaginations run wild as they create their very own sparkling masterpieces that they also get to eat.

•• Blow up balloons to your desired size.

•• Dip each balloon into a bowl of craft glue, making sure that the top half of the balloon is evenly covered.

•• While still wet, dip the balloon into a bowl of glitter, rotating it to evenly spread the glitter over the glue area.

•• Leave to dry completely before hanging up on display.

Princess Gift bags Thank each guest for coming with their very own gift bag fit for a princess or prince. To complete their magical party experience fill these bags with a set of stylish bracelets, desired treats and their very own crown, all of course, sprinkled with an abundance of fairy dust.

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24 June 2017 | www.pakmag.com.au

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1. Twinkle Little Star Party - www.suzannecarey.com 2. Icingbits Golden Unicorn Bits Set - RRP $16.00 - www.icingbits.com 3. Unicorn Cake - Instagram: cintia_costa 4. Miann & Co - Emily Unicorn - RRP $71.00 - www.korufurnitureandhomewares.com.au 5. Classic MJ Lurex Gold - RRP $29.95 - www.hellomisspoppyseed.com 6. Princess Pearl by Nana Huchy - RRP $49.95 - www.hellomisspoppyseed.com 7. Gold Heart Earrings by Holiday - RRP $14.95 - www.prettylittlesomething.com.au 8. Dreamer Bracelet by Blue Scarab - RRP $35.00 - www.prettylittlesomething.com.au 9. Salome Crown - RRP $32.00 - www.earthtoys.net 10. Salome Wand - RRP $26.00 www.earthtoys.net 11. Peche Royale Cedarwick by Sohum - RRP $35.00 www.prettylittlesomething.com.au 12. Down to the Woods 10m Gold String Lights RRP $73.00 - www.korufurnitureandhomewares.com.au

Taj Pabari: Teenage Tech Entrepreneur “I knew I wanted to change the world… so I did what any kid would do, and I googled “how to change the world” what I found was the word entrepreneur.”

This was 3 years ago, and to say that Taj Pabari is on the right path to change the world could be an understatement. His company, Fiftysix Creations is a tech company described as the LEGO for the 21st century. His build-it-yourself tablet kits allow children to make their own device from individual parts with instructions on how to program it using code.

“It is really fulfilling for me to see kids as young as eight turn from passive consumers of technology, to active users and creators.” In sessions that Fiftysix Creations facilitate, children learn about entrepreneurship, goal setting, problem solving, technology and digital literacy.

“For the next generation, digital literacy is not just about using digital technology, it is about understanding computer science, programming and development.”

With the profits from online sales, school programs and corporate or Government funded workshops, Fiftysix Creations gives back by running opportunity workshops in developing countries and rural and remote Australia.

In the past year, his team has worked with communities in North Queensland such as Yarrabah and Aurukun.

Taj’s business success and social impact has been rewarded with awards such as The Young Australian of the Year (QLD), and one of Westpac’s top 20 businesses of tomorrow. When you meet him you’d never know. He is as humble as he is smart, an attribute that is obviously working for him.

Taj believes that young people are at an advantage when it comes to entrepreneurship “young people don’t see the roadblocks. They see opportunities rather than barriers.”

While Taj was in Cairns recently, on a trip supported by the Young Entrepreneurs Project and the Entrepreneurship Facilitators initiative from the Australian Government, he and his team inspired the next generation of entrepreneurs in sessions for school students, startup communities, teachers and parents.

Enterpreneurship Facilitator, Tara Diversi was impressed by the message that Taj and his team shared. “The Fiftysix Creations team shared their story, knowledge and experiences in sessions. However, I was most impressed by how generous they were with their time and how well they demonstrated that if you really wanted to change the world, age didn’t need to be a barrier”.

Taj is passionate about parents, teachers and mentors encouraging entrepreneurship in young people. A sentiment shared by the Queensland Chief Entrepreneur, Mark Sowerby. “In my generation, parents dreamed that their kids would represent Australia at the Olympics.

Now, there is no reason why parents shouldn’t be encouraging their children into entrepreneurship and self-employment. One day, their child could play business for Australia.”

For young entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs, Taj provides some sage advice “you have the power to change the world, and even if school isn’t for you, the world is changing”.

To find out more about Taj Pabari, his website is Tajpabari.com and Fiftysix creations is www.hellofiftysix. com. For future opportunities from the Young Entrepreneurs Project, checkout their Facebook page www.facebook/yepcairns

www.pakmag.com.au | June 2017 27

Craft

DRESS UP YOUR DRESSER WITH DECOUPAGE

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Do you have a piece of furniture that’s looking tired but you just don’t have the money to replace it? We have the answer, decoupage!

This awesome technique will transform your once frowned upon furniture into a masterpiece, that you’ll be proud to show off.

What you’ll need: •• Wallpaper or a laser printed image of your choice •• Adhesive wallpaper paste or Mod Podge, depending on the chosen paper being used •• Decoupage Finish •• Scissors or craft knife •• Small paint tray •• Paint brushes Optional extras: •• Sanding sponge •• Plastic squeegee (for flattening down paper) •• Varnish How to: •• Prepare the furniture by sanding/filling any uneven bumps, as your chosen furniture piece needs to be completely smooth before starting.

•• Measure with a ruler the section you wish to cover and cut the paper carefully to match this area.

•• Once you have all your pieces cut out, fill a small paint tray with adhesive and apply a thin layer to both the surface of the furniture and the back of the paper. Keep in mind that adhesive dries quickly, so apply the paper immediately.

•• Position the paper from the centre out and remove any bubbles with your fingers or with a plastic squeegee. If your paper is larger than expected, wait until it is completely dry before cutting away excess with a craft knife. Handy hint: Keep some old towels on hand as this step can get messy.

•• Repeat above steps for each section you wish to cover.

•• Apply a layer of Mod Podge over each section to ensure proper adhesion. Once completely dry, add 2-3 layers of Decoupage Finish. This provides a nice smooth finish as well as protection for your chosen furniture piece.

Create the product in Image 3 by following the steps below: •• Cut out your chosen images and arrange onto the furniture’s surface in your desired layout before starting.

•• Apply Decoupage Finish and varnish to the face of the picture.

Once coated, flip the image over and arrange into position onto the furniture’s surface.

•• Once dry, using damp fingers, rub away paper to reveal your images.

•• Lastly, apply another layer of decoupage finish to protect the images and create a smooth finish.

1. Project Restyle: Photo Decoupage - www.abeautifulmess.com 2. Decoupage Furniture Makeover - www.poppytalk.com 3. Floral Inspired Decoupages Image Transfer Dresser - www.hometalk.com

Home

KID’S PLAY KID’S PLAY ROOM ROOM With the Block’s Caro and Kingi Give your little one a place to let their imagination run wild in their very own play room! Creating a playroom that they can grow and change with is the perfect solution to stop the great migration of toys throughout the whole house.

Here are our top tips for creating the perfect playroom to suit your little ones needs.

Seating When designing your child’s playroom, it’s important that you choose the right furniture that will suit and support your child’s necessities. Try filling the space with light furniture that is easy to move about. We suggest using beanbags as they are perfect for laying on when reading a book or to stretch out on when watching a movie. *Quick tip - we recommend getting beanbags with washable covers to add ease for future spills.

Theme Don’t get caught up in themes for your child’s playroom.

Even though they may be obsessed with Peppa Pig right now, it doesn’t mean that next month or even tomorrow

they still will be. Instead of putting all your budget towards permanent themed decorations, why not create a feature wall with easy peel off wall stickers or why not use these fantastic chalk board hangers from Koru Furniture and Homewares? These can be used as both a decorative piece and a fun activity for the kids.

Storage A child’s playroom can become a clutter nightmare if not dealt with properly. When designing your child’s playroom make sure that you have plenty of storage and easy to reach cupboards that both you and your child can easily access. Reduce the mess even more by labelling each storage box so your child knows exactly where their toys belong.

Rugs If your playroom is a shared space, try placing a rug within the area to effectively separate the playroom from the rest of the house. A rug is also perfect for creating a comfy area to play. We suggest using an interactive or patterned rug so your little one can incorporate it within their imaginative play. Decorative and practical - Bonus!

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1. A Playspace At The Farm - www.laybabylay.com 2. Homely Creatures Knitted Cactus Cushion - RRP $75.00 - www.korufurnitureandhomewares.com.au 3. Handcrafted Timber Play Kitchen - RRP $460.00 - www.earthtoys.net 4. Wooden Stacking Pastel Rainbow - RRP $150.00 - www.earthtoys.net 5. Green Cathedral Mini Babanees Stool in Almost Aloe - RRP $175.00 - www.korufurnitureandhomewares.com.au 6. Cloud Wooden Shelf - RRP $32.00 - www.earthtoys.net 7. Miann & Co Pink Mushroom Hand Rattle - RRP $17.00 - www.korufurnitureandhomewares.com.au 8. Down To The Woods Shield Medium - RRP $15.50 - www.korufurnitureandhomewares.com.au 9. Down To The Woods Small Arrow Sign - RRP $31.50 - www.korufurnitureandhomewares.com.au 10. Armadillo & Co Flower Weave Rug in Daisy Sherbet, 80% Hemp 20% Wool - RRP $275.00 - www.korufurnitureandhomewares.com.au 11. Green Cathedral Mini Babanees Stool in Coral Blossom - RRP $175.00 - www.korufurnitureandhomewares.com.au 12. BigJigs Town & Country Train Set 101 pieces - RRP $220.00 - www.earthtoys.net 13. Heico Pineapple Nightlight - RRP $179.95 - www.earthtoys.net 14. Miann $ Co Amanda Panda RRP $71.00 - www.korufurnitureandhomewares.com.au