PakMag Australia – February 2017 Issue 19

ISSUE: FEB 2017

19

AUSTRALIA

Sharing, Valentine's Day CRAFT

Sports PARTY

SOLVING & SIBLINGS

lunch box IDEAS

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FEBRUARY 2016 www.pakmag.com.au

CONTENTS

HELLO

ISSUE NO.19 FEB 2017 Hello and welcome to our February edition of PakMag. As you may know, I love to travel so I’m delighted that this month we’re featuring some international lunch-box ideas to help make school lunches more fun. I’d love to see some of your creations so check out our ‘school lunches from around the world’ feature on page 4, get cooking and post your pictures on our Facebook page, we’d love to see your creations!

Teaching kids to share can sometimes be a bit of a challenge. Our tips on ‘Sharing, Solving and Siblings’ (page 9) are great for helping you equip your child with the skills they need to resolve issues, either amongst their siblings or other children.

Ever experienced parental guilt? Me too! I discuss my experiences with this feeling, one that every parent has had at some point, and how I deal with it in this month’s ‘The Thing Is…’ on page 7.

Until next time, have a great month and don’t forget to tell everyone, you read it in PakMag.

Bree\

04 Lunch Box Ideas

From Around The World

07 The Thing Is... With Bree James 09 Parenting: Sharing, Solving

and Siblings

13 Baby: Immunisations 14 Bump and Bub: WIN 17 Health 18 Craft: Valentine's Craft 20 Celebrate: Sports Party 22 Home with Caro & Kingi:

BREE JAMES / PAKMAG PUBLISHER

Masterful Bedrooms

24 Healthy Snacks

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The expressions expressed within PakMag are not necessarily the views of the publishers, but those of individual writers.

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Savvy Sales Sandra

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Lunch Box Ideas From AROUND

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Japan: Onigirazu (Sushi Sandwich)

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Sushi is a much-loved favourite amongst both adults and children the world over, but it isn’t something many of us think of making from home. But it doesn’t have to be difficult. These Onigirazu, or sushi sandwiches, are easy to make and are a perfect way to put an exciting twist on the classic sandwich. Assembly is super simple. Grab your favourite sushi fillings (pictured onigirazu includes katsu tofu, sweet potato and picked cabbage) and simply layer them between sushi rice and wrap in seaweed!

For the full recipe visit www.lazycatkitchen.com

GREECE: Grilled Lemon Chicken Wraps

Why not add a taste of the Mediterranean in your kid’s lunchbox with these delicious grilled lemon chicken wraps? This is a great option for school lunches but also for dinner. Our suggestion is to grill up some chicken for your evening meal to enjoy this recipe hot, then allow to cool and assemble as a lunch-time leftover!

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Check out the full recipe at www.thecozyapron.com and let the kids get their hands dirty coating the chicken in beautiful spices!

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MEXICO: Walking Tacos

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Tacos are a kid-friendly option when it comes to Mexican food. But they’re often not lunch-box friendly. These walking tacos are a lunchtime game changer!

Simply pop all the elements (beef, lettuce, chopped tomatoes or salsa, cheese, sour cream) in little containers inside your child’s lunchbox along with a snack-size bag of Doritos (crush them slightly) and a spork. At lunch time, all they have to do is open the chips, add all the elements to the bag and voila, an easy to eat taco alternative!

AUSTRALIA: Cheese and Vegemite Scrolls

Ah vegemite! Any excuse to get this Aussie staple into lunchboxes is alright by us! Take a break from breaky vegemite on toast (or do both!) and try your hand at these tasty cheese and vegemite scrolls. With all the elements of a sandwich but in a fun little roll.

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Vegemite’s official Cheese and Vegemite Scroll recipe can be found at www.vegemite.com.au and shows you how to sift, spread and sprinkle your way to prefect lunchbox snacks in 25 minutes.

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THE WORLD

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AMERICA: Mac and Cheese Muffins

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Kids love “Mac and Cheese” so these easy-to-make Mac and Cheese muffins are sure to make your little one light up when they open their lunchbox!

Make your macaroni and cheese and combine 2 cups of your mac and cheese with ¼ cup of breadcrumbs, 1 cup of chopped ham and 2 beaten eggs, pop the mixture into muffin trays and bake at 180 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Allow the muffins to cool before you pack them in lunchboxes. Easy!

ENGLAND: Mini Toad-in-the-Hole

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Toad in the Hole is a classic British favourite. Essentially, it’s Yorkshire pudding with sausages in it! Although it’s generally a dinner time dish, these mini Toad in the Holes are great for lunch boxes. Perfect hot or cold, dipped in tomato sauce or gravy, or just on their own, your little ones will love these savoury treats. These mini versions only take 30 minutes to make and have six ingredients so even the busiest of mums can find time to make them.

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For the full recipe visit www.charlotteslivelykitchen.com

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FIVE Tips for Waste Free Lunchboxes It’s estimated that the average school student’s lunchbox generates 30 kilos of rubbish each year.

Packing a waste free lunchbox for your kids will not only reduce your impact on the environment, it will also save you money and help your kids eat healthier by avoiding packaged and processed foods.

Here are five simple steps for waste free lunchboxes:

1. To give up the plastic wrap.

The right lunchbox or containers are essential. Go for an all-inone lunchbox with separate compartments for different foods.

2. Ditch the packaged food. It’s

easy to be tempted to buy plastic or foil-wrapped biscuits or muesli bars, but these foods are heavily processed, expensive and overpackaged. Swap packaged snacks for healthier home-made versions packed straight into a lunchbox.

3. Buying in bulk = less waste

5. Find out if your school has

4. Buy a reusable drink bottle and

The Source Bulk Foods stocks a great range of products to help keep your children’s lunches as waste free as possible.

and better value for money. Instead of plastic-wrapped cheese sticks, buy a block of cheese and cut it yourself. Swap squeezy yoghurts for a large tub of plain yoghurt that can portioned into small containers. fill it with water. A good quality bottle will see your child through many years of schooling, and you’ll be avoiding drinks and juices that are high in sugar, low in nutrition and create excess waste.

a composting program, and if not suggest that they start one.

Composting food scraps saves a huge amount of waste going to landfill.

www.pakmag.com.au FEBRUARY 2017

5

The Thing Is...

STORY Bree James

The kids are back at school, some normality is starting to take shape. It’s time to put ourselves first a little, look after our health, have some “me time”, get a routine and put some of those goals (or if you read my article last month, some standards) into play. It feels good to be getting back on track. But the thing is… are we really putting ourselves first?

Because if you are like me, that dreaded feeling sets in... Parental guilt.

The little voice in your head that says, “I want to go for a walk, but I really should get that load of washing done”, “I really love the look of that mango, but it’s (insert someone else in the family’s name) favourite, so I better not eat it” and the constant list goes on.

my parent’s life and I am now living my own and I am just fine for it. This little statement made me feel less guilty as a parent myself now.

I counted one day, how many times I put myself last and put others first. It was over a dozen times. Am I a martyr for being like this? Maybe a little, but mostly I do it because I want those in my life to have the best, and I have been happy to take a backseat. But eventually it comes at a cost.

Less guilty for having a weekend to do as I please, to give me time to re-energise.

As parents, society tells us to put our kids first. I see so many parents working so damn hard, and going to extremes to give their children the absolute best they possibly can have. But are we creating a monster here? A generation of self-centered kids who expect to be put first all the time? I honestly think so. Last year, I interviewed Janine Allis, Founder of Boost Juice, and I asked her how she balances such a massive company with over 160 stores globally and raising three kids. She said something to me that has made me feel a little better, which was, “my kids are living my life now. When they leave me as adults, they will be off living their life”. And it’s so true. I’m not sure about you, but my parents cared for me, sure. But did they put my needs first above their own? Very rarely. I grew up living

The thing is, we can’t be amazing parents if we aren’t amazing people. To be an amazing person, we need to do things that make us amazing. Which is, do the work that we love, do the things that we love, eat the foods that we love, and have some time that is just for us to do with as we please.

Less guilty for putting my work first to provide for my family as I am the primary income earner.

Less guilty for eating that mango, because you know what, I love mangos too, dammit (especially in a daiquiri, but that is besides the point)!

So, get out there and be the person that makes you super proud to be you, and I am pretty confident your family will be proud of you too. And that makes a much happier family all round.

Bree www.pakmag.com.au FEBRUARY 2017

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PARENTING

pakmag

Sharing, Solving and Siblings STORY Jenna Galley

It’s only natural for siblings to fight. About EVERYTHING. But having more than one child provides you with the perfect opportunity to teach them the importance of sharing, of showing empathy and of working out ways to solve problems without your assistance (or need to referee).

SIBLING RIVALRY: WHY DO MY KIDS FIGHT SO MUCH? Regardless of the gender or even the age gap, fighting is a way for siblings to communicate, to sort out problems and to develop social strategies to help them in future situations.

Some siblings fight more than others and the reactions to these arguments will vary as well. This is often due to a child’s personality and temperament. Some children have trouble communicating their feelings and resort to physical aggression. Others well up with tears or hide away after arguing with a sibling.

There are many underlying reasons why your kids are constantly at each other’s throat. It is often due to one child feeling jealous or threatened by the other child. It could be an attention-seeking method or it could be because a child is hungry, bored or tired.

It could be due to the fact that they are tired, bored or hungry which can make them more aggressive, restless, moody and ready for a row.

My kids tend to get along wonderfully in the morning but their harmonious play time usually only lasts about an hour.

Track when the fights occur and try to predict when it’s time to give the kids a break before the fights begin.

Set up alone time.

While playing together is important, learning to play independently is equally as important and can also prevent fighting. When you think your children are close to the edge, split them up and suggest they play alone for a while.

Offer them personal attention.

Here are some tips that can help you reduce the rivalry and help you achieve some sense of sibling harmony.

Give each child your undivided attention as much as you can, even if it’s just for a few moments a day. Read them a book. Ask them about their day. Do a puzzle or make a craft. This one on one time is so valuable, regardless of how old your child is.

Don’t compare.

Play fair (not favourites).

Every child is an individual and often sibling rivalry comes from the fact that one child feels like they are not living up to the standards set by the other child. Reassure your children that there are no specific standards and that you are proud of each child for their individual talents and successes.

Children don’t necessarily need equal attention, but they need to feel equally loved and equally as important. A baby, for example, is going to require a lot more of your attention than an older sibling. This only becomes a problem if the older sibling feels like he is not getting fair attention, or any at all. There is a big difference between being fair and being equal.

Help them cooperate rather than compete.

Rather than racing each other, let the kids be on the same team in household chores and family activities.

This promotes teamwork rather than competition.

Monitor their fighting patterns.

Do most fights occur just before dinner? Or before bed?

To reduce the rivalry between your children, it’s important that you reach a family dynamic that everyone is happy with. When a child feels like he is a valued member of the family, that his individuality is respected and that his place in the family is not being threatened, then this sense of anger, aggression and resentment will subside. www.pakmag.com.au FEBRUARY 2017

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pakmag PARENTING

SUCCESSFUL SHARING It is ingrained in human nature not to share (especially in children). And thus, teaching a child to share can be a bit tricky. We went to one of the leading parenting experts to help guide us through the complex solutions to lack of sharing. Hopefully these tips from author, father and leading child physician, Dr. Sears, can help your children learn to share.

Lead by example.

Children learn by watching others, especially their parents. How can a child learn to share his toys when a parent refuses to share theirs? We’re not suggesting you give up your vehicle to the neighbour, but when you have a sharing moment (for example, lending a friend a cookbook), make a point to bring up the topic of sharing with your child.

Giving to charity and asking your children to help you with this can also help. As you collect clothing, food and brick-a-brack that you no longer need, ask your children to do the same with their toys. Let them come with you to donate the goods and see the value in giving.

Don’t expect too much from young children.

According to Dr. Sears, children have a hard time understanding and feeling empathy before the age of six. This makes sharing a bit tricky – when a child is not able to understand someone else’s feelings, it is hard to make him understand the motive behind sharing his prized possession with his sister.

Dr. Sears suggests that children under the age of two are, simply put, unable to easily accept sharing. They care about themselves and their possessions and, although they are happy to play alongside a child (known as parallel play), they really cannot grasp the idea that a child would want the same toy as them.

Use a timer.

To help your children learn to share, they may need some guidelines. A timer is a great device to ensure both kids are getting an equal amount of time with a certain toy or device.

Offer plenty of praise.

When your child does agree to share something special with a sibling or someone else, make a big deal out of it. Children are hesitant to give up something they love but this can be made a lot easier when they are rewarded for the behaviour. Bribing them or offering a tangible reward is not necessary – use your words to encourage them to continue to share.

SOLVING PROBLEMS IN THREE SIMPLE STEPS It’s important to pay attention to your children’s conflicts, especially if they get violent or out of control. However, it is also important that you are teaching children the right way to solve these problems and how to, eventually, conquer these conflicts without your assistance.

Step One: Teach them how to calm down.

Before any problem can be solved, your child needs to be in a calm state. Taking deep breaths, going for a quick walk or closing his eyes for ten seconds can help him release the anger or anxiety so he is ready to communicate effectively.

Step Two: Talk it out.

Communication is key to finding viable solutions to any problem. First of all, help your child understand his emotions and why he is feeling how he is. Next, talk about the problem and discuss possible solutions. Then you can put these solutions into place.

Step Three: Step Aside.

It will take several arguments, several meltdowns and several fights for your child to start putting these two steps into place. But once he does, it will arm him with the tools he needs to solve problems at home, at school and anywhere else, effectively.

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FEBRUARY 2016 www.pakmag.com.au

BABY

Immunisations:

pakmag

Why, When and Where

STORY Rose Foster

Protecting our children from harm is one of our main priorities as parents. Immunising them against deadly diseases is an important step in ensuring our little ones remain healthy.

It is estimated that vaccinations save six million children from dying from preventable illnesses every year.

And, although the debate rages on about whether or not to vaccinate, the general consensus amongst Australians is that immunisation is essential to give our children the best start in life, shown by 92 per cent of two-year-olds being fully up to date with their vaccinations.

Under the National Immunisation Program, vaccinations outlined in the National Immunisation Program Schedule (outlined below) are free.

Your GP or local health care provider will generally provide an immunisation service (or will be able to advise you of where you can go if they don’t).

So, why is immunisation so important?

PROTECTION We never want to see our little ones in pain or under the weather. By not immunising our children, diseases such as whooping cough, hepatitis B and meningitis can be contracted easily, and we run the risk of unnecessarily putting our children in harm’s way.

With systematic immunisation programs, some of these diseases may become a thing of the past.

Smallpox is one such disease that has been wiped out thanks to immunisation efforts.

EXCLUSION

ELIMINATION

If you do not vaccinate your child, you may limit your options with regards to childcare. Your childcare provider can refuse enrolments, cancel enrolment or attendance, or conditionally accept enrolment or attendance if your child does not have an up to date vaccination record.

Immunisation is considered one of the biggest health successes of the modern world. While many diseases can be treated with medicine, some cannot and the only way to control them is through immunisation.

Further to that, you could miss out on childcare payments. The Child Care Benefit, Child Care Rebate and Family Tax Benefit will all be refused if your child is not fully vaccinated at each key milestone.

By vaccinating we can avoid these illnesses and protect our children from becoming seriously ill, spending time in hospital or dying as a result.

The Australian Government has made it easy for new parents to understand which injections our children should have and when.

BIRTH

• Hepatitis B TWO, FOUR AND SIX MONTHS (3 ROUNDS)

• Hepititis B, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, haemophilus influenza type b and polio (all-inone vaccination) • Pneumococcal disease • Rotavirus 12 MONTHS

• haemophilus influenza type b and meningococcal C (all-in-one vaccination) • Measles, mumps and rubella (allin-one vaccination)

18 MONTHS • Measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox (all-in-one vaccination) • Diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (all-in-one vaccination) 4 YEARS • Diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio (all-in-one vaccination) 7 YEARS (AVAILABLE THROUGH SCHOOL IMMUNISATION PROGRAM) • Human papillomavirus • Diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (all-in-one vaccination)

NOTE: Medically at risk children should have additional vaccinations for pneumococcal disease at 12 months and four years.

www.pakmag.com.au FEBRUARY 2017

13

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MURPHY & DAUGHTERS TRAVEL CANDLES WEB www.murphyanddaughters.com.au RRP $19.00 Murphy and Daughters Travel Candles are the perfect companion on your next getaway or impromptu weekend away. Encased in a handy tin caddy for easy stowing, these hand-poured candles are made in Australia with pure vegetable soy wax and a cotton wick. Burning up to 20 hours, each scent inspires warmth and relaxation in any environment.

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FEBRUARY 2016 www.pakmag.com.au

BABY INKLESS PRINT KIT

BY BABY MADE WEB www.babymade.com.au RRP $24.95 AVAILABLE Myer Stores / Baby Bunting Stores The Baby Inkless Print Kit is a remarkable DIY baby keepsake product that creates detailed handprints and footprints safely with no ink, no paint and no mess.

Using miraculous inkless print technology, this product enables parents to take four sets of hand or footprints at one time. In just three easy steps – Wipe the child’s hands or feet with the inkless wipe,press onto the specially treated Baby Made paper and within seconds baby’s print magically appears before your eyes, while the child’s hands and feet stay clean and dry. Baby’s prints can be applied to a wide range of gift merchandise.

Let your child explore, create and discover through messy play STORY Goodstart Early Learning – Kylie Warren-Wright, National Safe Work & Wellbeing Manager Children are naturally active learners and can learn so much through play. Messy and sensory play can be an especially valuable learning experience for babies and children because it stimulates many senses at the same time.

They can feel, see, smell and sometimes taste their messy creation, depending on the activity.

Messy play experiences like water play, mud play, jelly, slime, goo, foam and scented or edible play dough can all stimulate your child’s senses while they develop their hand eye coordination and fine motor skills.

As a parent, it can be hard to embrace ‘mess’, but the good news is there are lots of ways you can set up opportunities for messy play at home and in the natural world that won’t take too much effort to set up, or clean up!

Ideas for messy and sensory play: • Bath time – playing with water by using plastic cups or washed up yoghurt pots to pour, splash and empty water.

• Meal times / food – let your child savour the taste, smell and texture of different foods (pasta, cereals, jelly, mashed potato and even baked beans all provide interesting sensory experiences).

• Finger painting – on paper or let your child experiment by painting parts of their own body or other surfaces (hint: you may prefer to use edible paint for this by making a batch of instant vanilla pudding and mix with food colouring).

• Play dough – let them squish, squeeze, splat and squelch to their hearts’ content.

• Bubbles – who doesn’t love bubbles? Use bubble mixture, frothy washing up liquid bubbles in a container, or experiment by mixing shaving foam with paint.

• Natural world – whether you find some sand to play with, puddles to jump in, leaves to gather, or mud to play in, there are endless outside play ideas.

Remember, as with all play there are always safety considerations to keep in mind. This is particularly true with water-based activities or choking hazards.

Parents shouldn’t be afraid to let things get messy.

Roll up your sleeves and have some fun engaging in messy play with your child. Remember, what might look like a mess on the surface is giving your child a truly unique learning experience.

www.pakmag.com.au FEBRUARY 2017

15

HEALTH

pakmag

+ HEALTH Oral Health: From First Tooth to Wisdom Teeth We all know that good oral health is important. Brushing and flossing twice daily is the advice of dentists the world over, to give our teeth the best chance of a long life.

Away from our regular dentist checkups, it’s our job, as parents, to ensure our children have a good regime for dental hygiene. Knowing what developmental milestones to expect helps keep an eye on things at home and allows you to take the right steps if something looks awry.

BABY TEETH AND FIRST DENTAL VISIT Your child's first trip to the dentist should be within six months of the eruption of the first baby tooth and by the age of two years at the latest.

Brushing baby teeth should start as soon as the first tooth has emerged.

Good oral health is important from a young age as baby teeth hold space in the jaw for adult teeth. Early loss of baby teeth can give way to permanent teeth drifting underneath the gums, leading to crooked teeth once they emerge.

Once baby teeth appear, oral monitoring should begin. Supervised brushing, monitoring the effects of sucking (finger, thumb or dummy) and ensuring your child has a diet low in fructose sugars are all important steps at this stage.

TEENAGE YEARS

MIXED DENTITION

Their life choices, including their oral health habits and effects of their diet, should still be monitored by you and them to prevent cavities and gum disease. The emergence of wisdom teeth should also be observed.

The transition period between losing baby teeth and gaining all 32 adult teeth is referred to as mixed dentition.

At around five or six years, children will gain their first permanent molar.

At this stage, and until the loss of the last tooth at around 11 or 12 years, your child may show signs of teeth crowding. Your dentist will be able to help you identify this and will refer your child to an orthodontic specialist if necessary.

It is also important to contact your dentist during this stage if your child begins playing sport as a sports mouthguard may be required.

As your child gets older, it’s time to get them to understand the importance of oral health. A good dental health routine in their early years should set them up for a life of brushing, flossing and rinsing.

For many of us, wisdom teeth will not comfortably fit in our mouths and, if they emerge, they may need to be removed in order to prevent future pain or infection.

At whatever stage of their oral development, daily brushing, flossing and general monitoring, combined with regular dental visits, will help you give your children the best chance of having a winning smile well into their adult lives.

Tooth Fairy Traditions from Around the World The Tooth Fairy is a long-loved figure by children in Australia and many other countries throughout the world. But not all countries have the same practices. Here are five interesting traditions from around the world.

1. SOUTH AFRICA

Just like in Australia, if you leave a tooth for the South African Tooth Fairy, you’ll receive money. However, instead of leaving the tooth under a pillow, they put it in their slippers!

2. INDIA

In India and some other Asian countries, children toss their teeth from their lower jaw on the roof and put the teeth from their upper jaw on, or even under, the floor. The idea being the new tooth will grow towards the old tooth.

3. MONGOLIA In Mongolia and Central Asia, children put their lost teeth in fat and feed it to a dog because they want the new tooth to be as strong as a dog’s! And for those with no dog, the tooth is buried by a tree so the new tooth has strong roots.

4. FRANCE Instead of the Tooth Fairy, French children’s lost teeth are collected by

“La Bonne Petit Souris” (The Good Little Mouse). The tiny mouse will retrieve the tooth from under the child’s pillow and replace it with lollies. Not sure the dentist would approve, Little Mouse!

5. IRAQ In Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries, children toss their lost teeth into the air. This tradition is thought to go back to the 13th century and is thought to be a pre-Islamic offering.

www.pakmag.com.au FEBRUARY 2017

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Valentine’s Day is all about celebrating the love you have for those you care about the most. Sure, it’s nice to enjoy a date night with your spouse, but Valentine’s Day also provides a perfect opportunity to get crafty with the kids and make something cute and memorable.

While Valentine’s Day may not be as monumental as it was pre-kids, you can still mark the occasion and celebrate the love you have, not only for your partner, but also for the special little ones in your life that have made your family complete.

Craft Tips: 1. Cleaning up from craft time can be a huge pain. The easiest way to enjoy craft time (even with glitter) is to have an old

tablecloth, sheet or piece of plastic underneath the area. That way you can simply remove the matting after you have finished.

2. Have all the materials out and ready to go first. This will keep the kids more involved in the craft and also provide you with an easier clean-up.

3. To eliminate fights and keep everyone happily helping out, decide what the kids can ‘help’ you do and try to give them both similar tasks to avoid fighting over who gets to glue what.

VALENTINE's GLITTER VOTIVES Glitter may be every parent’s worst nightmare, but sometimes vacuuming glitter off the carpets for weeks is worth it when the craft is cute enough. And these mason jar candles certainly are! A perfect craft for little ones (especially ones who love glitter), they make a great gift from the kids, whether giving them to a grandparent, teacher, friend or simply letting them light up the table during your romantic Valentine’s Day family dinner. The combination of pink and white add an extra element of love to celebrate this special occasion.

What you need:

How to make:

• 2 Mason jars

1. Start by sticking the heart sticker into the middle of the mason jar. If you don’t

• Foam heart sticker or template • White and pink paint • White and pink glitter • White and pink ribbon • Mod podge • 2 small candles

have a heart sticker, you can cut a heart shape out of a piece of card and use Blu Tack or painter’s tape to stick it to the jar.

2. Paint all around the sticker with your white paint and let dry (overnight is preferable). Remove your sticker heart.

3. Paint the white section of the Mason jar with mod podge and use white glitter

to glisten it up. Add a pink ribbon to finish it off and place a candle at the bottom.

4. Repeat with the additional candle but using pink paint, pink glitter and a white ribbon at the top.

Thanks to www.masonjarcraftslove.com

KIDS VALENTINE'S CHOCOLATE HUGGERS These cuddle chocolate critters are another simple, cheap and adorable craft to try with the kids. Rather than sending out the traditional Valentine’s Day cards to the children in class, why not send them each an animal hug instead?

What you need: • Heavy craft paper

• Heart-shaped chocolates or candy

• Paper glue or a hot glue gun

• Scissors

How to make: 1. Download the templates through the website listed below or draw your animals on the card and cut out.

2. Draw on the eyes, nose,

mouth and extra facial features with a thin Sharpie pen if you’re not using the template.

3. Place a chocolate on the stomach of each animal and wrap their arms around it.

4. Add a dot of glue to hold everything in place.

Thanks to www.liagriffith.com

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Is your little superstar a sport fanatic? Why not give your biggest fan a sports-themed party that celebrates this passion? We’ve got a great selection of sweets, treats, games and decorations that will give the whole team something to cheer about.

FOODS OF FANATICS

DECORATIONS OF CHAMPIONS

In addition to the traditional game day meals (sausage rolls, party pies and mini hot dogs), give your little champions the energy they need with some of these simple and (somewhat) nutritional ideas:

When decorating for your child’s sports party, you will probably want to choose plates, tablecloths, crepe paper and balloons to represent your child’s favourite team colour(s). For example, if your little guy or gal is a Cowboys fan, then you will most likely stick to dark blue and yellow.

• Use edible black markers to transform a bowl of oranges into mini basketballs.

• Serve treats, like popcorn, pretzels or nuts, out of trophylike cups.

• Turn water bottles or juice pops into referees by adding a band of black and white paper around the base and topping each drink with a whistle.

• Serve up a veggie platter with plenty of greens to represent the pitch.

• Serve fairy bread using sprinkles of your child’s favourite team colours.

• Pick up a sheet of fake grass (from any hardware store) and cut it into placemats for the table setting.

• Transform paper lanterns into balls with a bit of paint (orange for basketballs and black and white for soccer balls).

FUN, GAMES AND LOLLY BAG IDEAS Keep the superstars happily sweating with some physical activity. Then send them on their way with a lolly bag.

• Set up a mini golf station in your backyard.

• Play cricket, baseball or footy at a nearby park.

www.sugarandcloth.com

• Make fruit sticks using fruits of the same colours as your child’s favourite team (watermelon for red, grapes for green, blueberries for blue and banana for yellow).

• Invite guests to the party by designing a ticket-themed birthday invitation.

DIY Party Favour www.ideas.evite.com

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Shannon Bond Cake Design

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www.ideas.evite.com

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Icingbits Edible Cake Toppers www.icingbits.com

Wooden Golf Set www.earthtoys.net (RRP $105.00ea)

Rubber Sponge Cricket Ball www.earthtoys.net (RRP $4.50ea) www.catchmyparty.com

www.afternooncrumbs.com

www.pakmag.com.au FEBRUARY 2017

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pakmag HOME

Masterful With The Block's Caro and Kingi Your bedroom is your sanctuary. It should not only be the place you go to rest your body, but where you feel relaxed and where you can recharge for the next day. So here are our top tips to achieving a blissful bedroom retreat.

Choose soft palette colours.

Soft colours, such as light blues, whites, lime greens and pinks are perfect for bedrooms as they can brighten it up and make the room feel light and airy. Adding a few cushions, a rug or curtains in a matching colour can also add a bit of harmony to your bedroom.

Play around with lighting.

Everyone is different when it comes to the right lighting for

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FEBRUARY 2016 www.pakmag.com.au

their specific needs. Some people prefer to keep a candle aglow as a mood setter before bed while others prefer a

night lamp or even LED lights to help bring in a bit of a glow.

Avoid using your bedroom as your charging station.

Having your mobile phone on your bedside comes with a

number of downfalls. Not only is it harder to fall asleep after playing around on your phone but it can be harmful to your relationship. While you recharge at night, let your phone,

iPad and other electrical devices recharge in the living room.

Add some plant life.

There are so many health benefits to having plants inside – they can purify your air, reduce carbon dioxide levels and remove toxins from the environment (including benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene).

Pony Rider - X Cushion korufurnitureandhomewares.com.au (RRP $95.00ea)

Plant Stand www.facebook.com/bespokedesignerliving

Declutter often.

For some reason the bedroom seems to accumulate stuff quickly – clothing that needs to be put away (or binned), books and artwork your kids bring home from school, electrical chargers and so much more. To achieve a better night’s sleep and simply go to bed feeling stress-free, keep your bedroom as clutter-free as possible.

Keep Resin Almost Black Round Pot + Stand korufurnitureandhomewares.com.au (RRP $275.00ea)

Coconut & White Peach Candle by Sohum www.prettylittlesomething.com.au (RRP $32.00ea)

Pony Rider Lover Linen Pillow Case korufurnitureandhomewares.com.au (RRP $59.00ea)

Heico Rabbit Night Light www.earthtoys.net (RRP $149.95ea)

Bedside Table www.facebook.com/bespokedesignerliving (RRP $400.00ea)

www.pakmag.com.au FEBRUARY 2017

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HEALTHY SNACKS

Macad a

T H 'S MON THIS ARE S CK ND SNA EE A N FR E T U GL AN! VEG

Prep time: 8 mins Cook time: 15 mins Makes: 15 bars

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 10 mins Makes: 16 cookies

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS

1 cup dates 1/4 cup sultanas 1/4 cup cranberries 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds 1/2 cup sunflower seeds 1/4 cup chia seeds 1/4 cup 100 per cent pure maple syrup 1 cup puffed rice (rice bubbles work fine also)

1 cup macadamia nuts 1 1/4 cups of dates 1/3 cup desiccated coconut 1 heaped tbs cacao powder 1 tsp ground ginger

HOW TO MAKE PREHEAT fan forced oven to 180°C (200°C conventional).

LINE a medium baking tin with greaseproof paper.

PLACE all ingredients in a food processor, except the puffed rice. Blend until mixed well.

ADD in the puffed rice and blend for another 30 seconds or so.

PRESS the mixture firmly into the lined baking tray and bake in the oven for approximately 15 minutes, turning the tray half way through cooking time to ensure even baking.

ALLOW to cool before slicing into pieces.

Using ordinary rice bubbles rather than plain puffed rice will make this recipe quite a bit sweeter. Keeps for up to a week in the fridge. These bars must be stored in the fridge.

RECIPES BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Get your ingredients from The Source Bulk Foods online.

Check them out on facebook: /TheSourceBulkFoods

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HOW TO MAKE PREHEAT fan forced oven to 180°C (200°C conventional).

LINE a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

PLACE all ingredients into a food processor and blend until the mixture is broken down and starts to stick together. If it’s not sticky enough, just add a dash of almond milk and blend again.

SHAPE the mixture into cookies by rolling them into balls and pushing them down gently using the back of a fork once on the baking tray.

BAKE for approximately 10 minutes.

ALLOW to cool slightly before transferring them to a cooling rack.

When they first come out of the oven they will be quite soft but will harden up once they’ve cooled. Cookies will keep for up to a week in the fridge.

RECIPES CREATED BY: Liz Richards of Simple Nourishment. Check them out online: www.simplenourishment.com.au on Instagram: simple.nourishment or on facebook: /simplenourishment