PakMag Cairns - November 2018 Issue 137

ISSUE: NOV 2018

137

CAIRNS

HELPING KIDS FIND THEIR PASSION FARMING FAMILIES PICK UP YOUR COPY TO WIN!

AUSTRALIAN RURAL WOMAN OF THE YEAR OUTDOOR SUMMER LIVING UP THE HEAT BBQ RECIPES TURN

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CONTENTS 6 Entertainment: Check It Out 8 Feature: Farming Families 11 The Thing Is: Bree James 13 Jobs of the Future 17 Family Organisation

and Goal Setting 21 Principal’s Pen 25 Teacher Gifts 26 Christmas Gifts 29 Adjusting to Parenthood 31 Bump, Bub and Beyond:

Save My Sleep 32 Bump, Bub and Beyond: WIN 35 What’s On Guide 37 Mini Mag 45 Health 49 The PakMag Experts 53 Helping Kids Find

Their Passion 54 AFL Snapped 57 Exploring Play:

Fine Motor Skills 59 Supporting those with

Special Needs 60 Home with Caro

and Kingi: Outdoor

Summer Living 63 Local Gift Guide 64 Business 67 Local Lovin’ 68 BBQ Recipes 69 Adult Puzzle 71 Life’s a Beach at

King Reef Resort 72 Celebrate: End of

Year Parties 74 Born to be Wild

Grand Publishing Founder and Editor-in-Chief Bree James Content and Marketing Manager Naomi Porter Marketing to Families Manager Lisa Gillman Marketing to Families Experts Dan Kendrick Colleen DuBois

Hello and welcome to the November edition of PakMag! This edition, we hope to inspire you to buy local! We interviewed some amazing local farmers, including our very own Rural Woman of The Year Krista Watkins and her family. We also cover jobs of the future to help you prepare your children for the future of work, and give you some great tips on getting organised and goal setting so you can make 2019 your most successful year to date!

A big thank you to everyone who was lucky to win tickets to our exclusive preview of Goosebumps, and our amazing Halloween Party at Sugarworld.

It was fabulous to see you all and we truly hope you had a wonderful time.

Our Christmas PakClub is coming up soon, so keep an eye out for when we release information on that one. Mums, we have a special night planned for you! PakMag’s Mums’ Night Out on Wednesday the 28th of November is going to be so much fun. We have an exclusive advanced screening of Second Act starring Jennifer Lopez, it’s going to be great, so make sure you enter to win tickets on our website see page 12 for more information.

Until next time, I hope you have a fantastic month and thanks so much for your support.

Don’t forget to tell everyone, you read it in PakMag.

Bree James Grand Publishing Founder and Editor-in-Chief

On the cover Krista, Rob, Kate and Kira Watkins Cover Photography Blueclick Photography, blueclickphotography.com Contact Us: p 4053 3331 e admin@grandpublishing.com.au a PO Box 7433 Cairns Qld 4870 PakMag Cairns t #pakmag

Lead Graphic Designer Clare Winter

Journalist Jenna Galley

Graphic Designer Sara Williams

Videographer Monique Saggers

Marketing, Events and Administration Assistant Alyssa Marino

Content Creator Kalisha Fitsch

Accounts Trent Stievano

Podcast Producer Alana Scalici

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 ideas 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 31st March 2019

www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 5

Entertainment

CHECK IT OUT KUR-Cow Barnwell Farm When: From Thursday 1st November 8am-6pm daily Where: KUR-Cow Barnwell Farm More Info: reservations@kurcowfarm.com 1300 KUR COW Come along and entertain the family at KUR-Cow Barnwell Farm, Cairns’ newest attraction.

Packed with fun-filled activities and adventure! A day on the farm includes cattle shows, hayrides and opportunities for close encounters with farm favourites and exotic animals including the KUR-Cows, working dogs, cheeky alpacas, water buffalo, macaws and all the furry friends in our mini animal petting zoo. Take a stroll through the organic farm or for the more adventurous, ATV bike trails and horse riding is available.

When will Santa be arriving in Cairns?

Smithfield Shopping Centre Santa will be arriving on Saturday the 17th of November at 11.00am, with Santa photos commencing from midday until 3.00pm.

There will be a PJ Masks Meet & Greet, Roving Christmas carollers, free facepainting and free balloon twisting on the day. To celebrate Santa’s arrival, there will be...

The PakMag Parents Podcast When: Friday 2nd November More info: www.pakmag.com.au Let PakMag join you on the parenting journey through the brand-new PakMag Parenting Podcast! The PakMag Parents Podcast launches on the 2nd of November - Listen to it on iTunes, your favourite podcast app or the PakMag website.

Christmas Tree Light Switch On When: Friday 30th November, 5.30pm - 8.00pm Where: Cairns Esplanade More info: www.cairns.qld.gov.au Santa is coming to Cairns!

Be sure not to miss this family tradition and head on down to the Cairns Esplanade Lagoon for an evening of family entertainment, all in the lead up to the Christmas tree spectacularly lighting up and marking the start of the festive season.

6 November 2018 | www.pakmag.com.au

Cairns Central Be sure to keep up with Cairns Central’s Facebook page and website to see when Santa and his helpers will be arriving!

DFO Cairns Santa photos will commence at DFO from Saturday 1st December, starting 10.00am.

Mt Sheridan Plaza Santa will be arriving at Mt Sheridan Plaza on Saturday the 17th of November at 10.00am.

To celebrate his arrival, there will be a number of shows happening throughout the day!

9.00am - Christmas Pantomime-Cairns Junior Choral Society 9.30am - Elf show 10.00am - Peter Rabbit meet and greet 1 11.00am - Peter Rabbit stage show 1 11.30am - Cairns Taipans Mini Squad 12.00pm - Peter Rabbit meet and greet 2 12.30pm - The White Wizard magic show 1.00pm - Peter Rabbit stage show 2 Santa will be available for photos daily from 24th November until Christmas Eve. No bookings required - don’t forget your wish list and letter! Be sure to check Mt Sheridan Plaza’s website for a full list of packages and photo times, including a Sensitive Santa session.

McHappy Day When: Saturday 17th November Where: Your local McDonald’s Restaurant More info: www.rmhc.org.au/mchappyday The Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) provide homes for families of seriously ill kids to stay in while they receive treatment at a nearby hospital.

Throughout the years it has been their goal to keep families together through difficult times. This McHappy Day, head on over to your local McDonald’s to see how you can help families in need.

Girls Night Out - Our treat! PakMag Advanced Screening Movie - Second Act When: Wednesday 28th November How: Check the PakMag Cairns facebook page to WIN tickets More info: www.pakmag.com.au/win Do you need a girls night out? We want you to come to the movies with us! Head on over to our Facebook page and website for your chance to win a double pass. Advanced screening only open to ticket winners. Enter to win and be the first to see the exclusive PakMag screening of Second Act!

Save the date Stable on the Strand When: Tuesday 18th December - Saturday 22nd December, 5.30pm - 9.30pm Where: Strand Park, Townsville More info: www.stableonthestrand.com.au This family Christmas tradition is on again in 2018. Visit the traditional Town of Bethlehem and engage with the characters, see the Nativity Scene, enjoy entertainment and interactive activities for the kids, watch a film at the Christmas Film Festival, grab a bite to eat at the Food Fair, ride on the traditional carousel and much, much more.

Stable on the Strand is sure to ignite the Christmas magic in both the young and old.

Jessica Howard Photography

Feature

Farming FamilieS Juggling farm work and raising a family is no easy job. PakMag recently reached out to a few local farming families and asked them to share their story about raising kids on a farm, from the struggles to the happiest of times.

Jessica, Justin, Eva, Isabelle, Travis and James Greenwood – sugar cane farmers Mum Jessica and dad Justin, together with kids Eva, six, Isabelle, five, Travis, three, and James, two, are living the adventure on their sugar cane farm.

The family adores the land they live on. The kids are outside from sun up to sun down, climbing trees and creating their own fun with dirt and rocks.

Dad Justin is a hardworking cane farmer, and while he works long hours, he strives to spend time with his family. “Any chance he gets to have off, we take our boat out to nearby islands or take the kids fishing down the rivers and creeks,” Jessica told us. The family also loves to take the kids on the quad bike down to the Behana Creek for a swim or head out water-skiing at Tinaroo Dam.

“We had a ‘love at first sight’ relationship and married within two years of meeting!” Jessica told PakMag. “A year later we had our first baby and four years after that we’d rounded our family off with our fourth and final baby.”

When asked what her favourite thing about living on a farm is, six-year-old Eva told us that “It’s nice and peaceful and we get our whole yard to ourselves. We have lots of nature and room to play.”

8 November 2018 | www.pakmag.com.au

Krista, Rob, Kate and Kira Watkins – green banana flour farmers Krista and Rob, together with their girls Kate, six, and Kira, two, operate a banana farm on the Tablelands. As well as growing the delicious yellow fruit, Krista and Rob have come up with a way to put over 450 tonnes of otherwise wasted green bananas to good use through the invention of green banana flour.

Cyclones have proven themselves to be a challenge for the family's farm, having destroyed their banana crops multiple times over the years. "We needed to have a backup plan," Dad Rob said, "and that's easier said than done." This led to the beginning of Natural Evolution Foods in 2010, when Rob produced his first batch of gluten-free flour from green bananas. Today, the family owns a banana flour processing facility, producing tonnes of versatile banana flour every week!

Kate and Kira love helping their parents out on the farm wherever they can and have been doing so from a very young age. They also enjoy helping out in the kitchen, creating all sorts of yummy goodies with the banana flour, including pancakes, bread and waffles.

Lauren Channells Photography

Blueclick Photography

Feature

Juana, Alex, Eli, Scarlett EMILY, HANNAH Scarlett, and Victoria Adoberg – Christmas tree farmers Juana and Alex, together with kids Eli, nine, Scarlett, seven, Victoria, five, Emily, two, and Hannah, four months, play a huge role in bringing the Christmas spirit to the Far North every year with their Christmas tree farm!

As a family of seven living on a farm, life is certainly busy but never dull. “Eli has special needs and attends a local school in Atherton, and the girls are homeschooled,” Juana told PakMag. “We are home a lot, just enjoying our family life together, and either schooling or working on our family farm.”

"We love what we do! We are farmers, we are guardians of our patch of dirt, we are focused on making the world a better place than we found it," Krista said. "Real food and love grows here."

Most of the work on the farm is flexible, with harvesting time being during the Christmas season. “This allows us much flexibility to spend time with our children,” Juana told us. “We love swimming in local waterholes, bushwalking, bike riding around Tinaroo and picnicking in local natural areas. We also enjoy spending time with friends and extended family.” The family loves being able to supply Far North Queensland families with joy at Christmas time with beautifully real farm-grown trees.

PakMag would like to send out a huge congratulations to Krista for winning the 2018 AgriFutures Rural Woman of the Year Award.

When asked what they love the most about living on a farm, seven-year-old Scarlett said “the animals that you can’t have in the city like my pet cows and chickens. And also, lots of land to play on.” Five-year-old Victoria said she loves seeing the neighbour’s horses.

The drought isn’t over, so don’t forget to support our farmers. The drought affects each farm differently, and is a cause for uncertainty, anxiety and worry for many farmers. Donate to trusted charities such as Buy a Bale, Drought Angels or look for local restaurants participating in Parma for a Farmer.

www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 9

The Thing Is

The Thing Is...

STORY Bree James

I am not sure about you, but there are two words my husband says that make me want to stab him in the eye with a hot fork.

For. You. These two words - “for you” - drive me nuts.

If I hear them at the wrong time; when I am tired, hangry, grumpy, stretched, or I’ve just completed my millionth task for the day - the two words “for you” are heard as if they are hot chilli in an open wound. It takes all of my strength and self-control not to lose it and snap.

I mentioned my fury of these two words in the office and my whole team agreed, we all got pretty fired up about these two little words.

The Thing Is… this statement “for you” insinuates that it’s our job or we’ve been done a favour: I looked after the kids (for you) I cooked dinner (for you) I folded the washing (for you) I cleaned the car (for you) I picked up my clothes (for you) I washed the dishes (for you) I picked up the kids (for you) To even, I had a shave (for you). What the!?

I can feel your blood boiling as you read this. I can see your head nodding so much it’s going to fall off.

Well…. I don’t know.

It’s not just our partners. Other people in our lives say it too: It’s so great your partner is so hands-on with the kids “for you”.

Maybe we need to say nothing. Maybe we need to keep our volcano emotions simmering a little longer.

Or maybe, we need to do what we do with our kids when they mispronounce a word, and say “yes, you looked after the kids - for our family”, “yes, you folded the washing - for our family” and replace “for you” with “for our family” and maybe they will get the subtle hint….

OK, it may not be subtle.

So instead of getting mad, and doing it back (let’s face it if we started saying “for you” we’d say that more than “No”) let’s try and reframe and see if that works.

I don’t know. But right now, if someone says “for you” to me and it’s not really “for me” then you may all be hearing from me from a deserted island. So, people reading this who have the tendency to put “for you” at the end of a job, make sure it’s really true. In my world, unless it’s, I prepared this bath “for you” or I booked a surprise massage “for you” and it’s really something for me then no more saying “for you” OK? No more for you.

Feel free to leave this article open somewhere obvious “for you” to read. You’re welcome.

So, what are we going to do about this annoying “for you” statement?

www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 11

Education

Jobs of the Future STORY Meg O’Donnell (B.Ed, SAHM) Every parent wants to help their children develop into independent, functioning and successful adults of society. But with technology advancing at such a rapid rate, how can we ensure that we are truly helping prepare them for the future?

Gone are the days of simply being able to ask our children what they want to be when they grow up.

Dell Technologies and Institute for the Future estimates that 85 per cent of children today will end up in careers that don’t exist yet. Let that sink in for a moment. Our world is developing and advancing at such a rapid rate that not only are many of the age-old professions becoming obsolete, but these replacement professions haven’t even been created yet!

How do we prepare for the jobs of the future?

Well, for starters, try not to panic. The good news is that children are so immersed in new technologies and ways of learning that they are conditioned to be adaptable to change. So while it may seem daunting to us, for them it’s just the norm.

Next, we need to look at expanding our own minds.

Enrolling in short courses, embracing this new technology, and trying to advance our own knowledge

are all steps we can take to learn how to prepare our children. The more WE know, the more we can help our children.

Things that once didn’t seem a feasible employment opportunity to us are now very real possibilities for our children. Back when I was a child if I had told my parents I wanted to play with toys for a living, I would have been given a harsh dose of reality. Today people are earning entire wages by uploading videos online of themselves (or their children) opening and building toys. And with such a large percentage (85 per cent remember!) of our children’s future career choices not even thought of yet, who are we to say that our children don’t have a future in toys? Or video games? We just don’t know.

Skills of the future Experts agree that it is critical that students “learn how to learn.” That means they need to be able to acquire new information and then evaluate it on their own with a combination of critical thinking skills and higher levels of emotional intelligence. The future generation need to be resilient, adaptable and willing to re-skill and retrain, according to consulting firm, 6 Degrees Consulting.

Other skills to focus on? Complex problem solving, creativity and collaboration.

www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 13

Education

How do we prepare our children?

4. Monitor their learning

Parents can help by teaching our kids how to think outside the box, how to collaborate with others and how to analyse situations in various ways. Sounds complex, right? Here are some tips for helping our kids build these skills.

Keeping an eye on your child’s progress is always a good thing. These days it can be streamlined with the help of a digital portfolio. Creating an online space designed to hold scans of their artwork, stories from their class, videos of them discussing their lessons and notes from their teachers makes it easier to track their progress.

1. Embrace extracurricular activities Help your child make meaningful connections with people outside of their direct family by signing them up to extracurricular activities. These activities away from their family help to foster independence and confidence amongst their peers, both vital qualities for later in life.

2. Try intentional talk Too often we talk to our children with small talk, simply asking them how their day was. We need to try to be intentional with our talk. Ask open-ended questions.

Communicate with a purpose and direction. Ask for your child’s opinions. Discuss your family values and what they believe are most important to them and why.

Involve your children in the discussion as peers instead of as lesser participants. Help them to see their own value and develop their own worth.

3. Treat your child as an individual We often see our children as an extension of ourselves. Unfortunately, this can somewhat limit them. Treat your child as their own individual by figuring out what activities motivate them and using that to spark their curiosity.

5. Get connected Allow your child to work online at home (under supervision of course) on computers, tablets, or phones when they are of school age. You can guarantee they are going to be using similar technology at school, and so allowing them to also play and learn at home will reinforce that learning can happen in any setting. It is not just limited to instructional learning at school.

6. Consider a new set of career questions Lastly, instead of asking our children, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” we could rephrase it. “What problem do you want to solve? What subjects interest you?

What do you want to contribute to the world? “ Malcolm X was quoted saying, “Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.” This is just as true now as it was back then. We need to encourage our children to prepare by applying and developing skills that will build their confidence, their adaptability and their resilience. As parents, we need to keep our eyes and our minds open to the million possible ways they can succeed.

2030: How the Job Industry Will Look According to Dell Technologies and Institute for the Future: •• 85 per cent of jobs haven’t been invented yet •• We can expect massive spikes in the video game, emotional intelligence and drone industries, especially related to coding, robotics, drone insurance and racing •• Future workers will spend twice as much time problem-solving, 77 per cent more time using science and maths skills, 41 per cent more time on critical thinking, 30 per cent more time on job training and 17 per cent more time using communication and interpersonal skills •• Workers will have 17 different employers by the time they retire at 75 •• A majority of workers will juggle two or more careers at the same time •• The traditional 9-5, Monday to Friday will be replaced with flexible work hours, shorter working weeks and three-day weekends

14 November 2018 | www.pakmag.com.au

Parenting

Family Organisation and Goal Setting STORY Jenna Galley Somehow (and I’m still not sure how it happened), but we’re only two short months away from farewelling 2018 and welcoming yet another year.

Like many parents out there, I vowed that 2018 would be THE YEAR to get organised and get stuff done. We were going to set some serious goals, regain some structure in our chaotic routine, tick off all those things on our todo lists and enjoy a productive future.

Then we blinked and the first ten months of the year disappeared. It’s suddenly November and, well, our best laid plans are still just lying there. Probably covered in a decent layer of dust.

But never fear. We still have two more glorious months left to get our lives together and ensure 2019 is our most successful year to date. Not just for us, but for our kids too!

So where do we begin?

The Fine Art of Family Organisation Family organisation is an important way to ensure order in all aspects of your home life. It involves setting goals, tackling tasks and celebrating minor victories as a family. Rather than you taking on all the responsibility (and eventually losing the plot when things come crashing down), the mission of family organisation is that everyone does it together.

Every family member has his or her own tasks to stay on top of and goals to work towards but everyone works collaboratively to all achieve these goals together. This is a great way to teach children about responsibility, promote the importance of teamwork and help them stay motivated and on track.

Setting Goals as a Family You first step on your road to family organisation is identifying everyone’s goals. Sit down as a family and go through a list of things you want to accomplish as a family and as individuals.

What kind of tasks and goals can you work towards?

For parents, this could be large scale financial or personal goals such as saving $500 a month, losing 5kg, running a 10km or setting some time aside every weekend to read a book. It could also be family-oriented and relationship goals such as going on a family holiday or planning a date night once a month. You will probably also need to set tasks to help achieve your goals. For example, you may want to set up a monthly budget, plan your weekly meals or start an exercise routine. This is where the family organisation comes into play – in order to keep the household ticking along smoothly and everything on track for the future, we need to be on top of things.

www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 17

Parenting

For kids, daily tasks and goals will probably be slightly different. Your children may want to get to a certain level in reading or maths, learn a new skill or win an award in sport. You may want them to take on more household responsibility each day (such as making their bed or unpacking their bags after school) which contribute to the organisation at home.

The pathway to complete these tasks and reach these goals remains the same - make a plan and stick to it.

Make up a homework schedule. Start an extra-curricular calendar (and keep it updated). Break down the daily jobs with a chores chart.

Invest in Tracking Tools You will want to keep track of these goals and weekly tasks somehow. Many parents love spreadsheets or even vision boards but this is entirely up to what works for you.

There are a number of different tools you can use to track these goals – printable charts, diaries and journals and apps such as Trello, to name a few.

Consider the Individual

Set up Motivational Meetings You don’t have to call them ‘Motivational Meetings’ though. I can see my son rolling his eyes at me if I tried.

Instead, just casually set up a time to talk about your progress, such as during your Friday evening dinners.

This keeps it stress-free but ensures you stay on top of how everyone is going. It also lets you praise the kids if they are keeping on track or gently remind them what they need to do. Ask them questions about how it’s going and help them with any problems they might have.

Be Flexible Rules are made to be broken. Goals are made to change. If you notice your little one is having trouble, losing confidence or feeling anxious, then switch it up.

For example, let’s say your child made a goal to get to a level 30 in reading. Halfway through you may realise that his progress isn’t quite as quick as anticipated.

Rather than accepting failure, modify the goal to something more realistic. This ensures he remains motivated and confident that yes, he can do it.

Indulge in Rewards (as a Family)

We’re all different. While a goal of running 10km seems IMPOSSIBLE to me, it would be a walk in the park for my partner. This is the same with our kids.

We all need a bit of a push to keep going. Call it what you will, rewards, incentive, bribery, but hey it works.

And we’re all for it! It’s entirely up to you what you use as bribery, I mean, rewards. Toys. Treats. Money. Time.

For some children, the task of keeping their room clean is a no-brainer but for others, it is seemingly impossible.

Many kids actually enjoy having a bit of organised chaos surrounding them. It’s what makes them comfortable.

Help them pick realistic goals and tasks that are catered to their individual personalities, keeping their strengths and weaknesses in mind.

To keep with the theme of family goal setting, look into rewards you can enjoy together - dinner or ice cream out, a night away in a hotel, a family trip to the reef, an afternoon at the movies. We all need incentives to keep going, especially when taking on those more mundane organisational tasks.

And remember to help set goals that they want to achieve and will be proud to accomplish, not just what you’d like to see them do.

Yes. It’s November. It’s nearly 2019. But it’s never too late to master the fine art of family organisation, kick some serious goals and work towards a successful 2019, together.

Tips to Try This Week •• Head online to find some printables to help you become an organised goddess. Check out www.pakmag.com.au for our favourite organisational charts and downloadables.

•• Set some time to prepare and make your meal plan, homework routine, chores chart and extracurricular calendar.

•• Prepare for the morning routine the night before – have lunch boxes, sports bags, work clothes, and school uniforms out and ready.

•• Set up a school organisation station to keep track and store school bags, books, homework folders, shoes, sports gear, etc.

•• Set up a time for your ‘motivational meeting’.

18 November 2018 | www.pakmag.com.au

Principal’s Pen

PRINCIPAL’S PEN St Thomas’ SCHOOL, Mareeba

St John’s SCHOOL, Silkwood

Rita Petersen

Peta Bryan

At St Thomas’ School, we believe that learning and teaching is inclusive, supportive, collaborative, purposeful and meaningful. We want our students to have the ability to "create and collaborate" to solve real life problems and better prepare for the future.

At St John’s we strive to prepare our students for a life of worth, not merely a life of work. Through a faith and values-based learning environment we provide a holistic education – academic, spiritual, social, emotional and physical development.

Students at St John’s are often described as “happy.”

Our students learn coding using devices such as spheros, dots and dashes, blue bots and the EV3 Robotics. Classes focus on technical and social skills, and the ability to problem solve using coding applications. Many students enjoy STE(A)M Club at lunch times and/or after school.

Some senior and junior students also participate in RoboCup competitions in Cairns.

St John’s places great focus on social and emotional wellbeing in order to enable students to strive and achieve their very best. We recognise that success of any kind – learning or in life – is founded on the wellbeing of individuals; personally and in relationship with others.

We encourage teamwork - one of the biggest things students need to succeed in the future is the ability to work as a team and communicate, collaborate, create and think critically.

To equip students with strong academic skills to be successful in their chosen career or occupation we have a strong focus on literacy and numeracy, one-to-one device policy, specialist programs, commitment to social justice projects, gifted and talented program and high-quality intervention programs.

The talents and interests of our students are catered for by our rich extra-curricular offerings. St Thomas’ is a place where opportunities abound.

At St John’s, we develop students’ capabilities to have a positive and hope-filled view of life so they will succeed in making a positive and life-giving contribution to society.

secretary.mareeba@cns.catholic.edu.au www.stthomasmareeba.qld.edu.au

principal.silkwood@cns.catholic.edu.au www.stjohnssilkwood.qld.edu.au

St Teresa’s SCHOOL, SCHOol, Ravenshoe Catherine McKechnie An important set of life skills to which our students are exposed are resilience, persistence organisation and the ability to foster positive relationships. Students have the opportunity to hone and practise these skills through the Second Steps programme which addresses Social and Emotional Learning.

Effective communication skills are essential and our staff works hard to enhance the oral and written communication skills of students. These skills are relevant to all subject areas and of course are assessed and feedback given to the students.

Technology and Design are obvious in this consideration. Our students have the opportunity to engage with all manner of devices, both in classroom time and lunchtime Brainiac and STEAM clubs. Coding is taught across all classes.

Additionally, there are subjects such as Business, Civics and Citizenship which provide basic skills and understanding.

Finally, we encourage our students to have a balance in their lives; to pursue academic, creative and sporting pursuits.

As for the type of jobs are students may have… one would need a crystal ball. principal.ravenshoe@cns.catholic.edu.au www.stteresas.qld.edu.au

www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 21

Principal’s Pen

PRINCIPAL’S PEN Good Counsel Primary School, Innisfail

St Rita’s SCHOOL, Babinda

Liam Kenny

This term we are excited to commence our ‘Prepped for Prep’ program for those children who are enrolled in Prep next year. All children starting Prep in 2019, at any school in the district, along with families, have been invited to attend the St Rita’s Transition to Prep Program. We believe that every child can, and should, enjoy a positive start to school!

And a positive start to school is the first step in preparing students for tomorrow's world.

Knowing that today’s school children will be working in jobs which haven’t yet been conceived, places schools, curriculum designers and classroom teachers in a challenging situation. Educating primary school children who for some will not graduate from secondary education until 2031 poses many questions for us.

Giving children opportunities in core subjects such as; English, mathematics, history, religion, science and geography are very important but GCPS has placed a greater emphasis on the areas of coding, technology, computer science, engineering, circuits and robotics. For our students to be successful in gaining employment in the next 10 – 15 years they need to be ‘tech savvy’, adaptable and critical thinkers who wonder, create, persist, communicate and reflect.

What is important is not the exact employment students will attain but that they have the skill set to succeed in any future employment environment.

Most importantly students need to enjoy their future employment, whether it be in trade or service industries, agriculture, engineering, technology, design or education and training. principal@gcps.qld.edu.au www.gcps.qld.edu.au

Judy Billiau

What does the research say about starting school?

A positive start to primary school is associated with longterm learning and wellbeing outcomes for young children.

Having the best start possible helps a child to value school, cope with change and have positive expectations of his or her ability to learn. The program will also assist families in building a stronger connection to school.

Our Transition to Prep Program is beneficial to parents also, as parents are invited to attend weekly sessions with guest presenters sharing valuable information on a range of topics; such as, starting school (Vocational Partnerships Group), early literacy and numeracy (Catholic Education Services Education Officer), specialised learning (specialist teachers), and supporting all learners (Speech Language Pathologist and Occupational Therapist).

To find out more information about the Transition to Prep Program at St Rita’s, please contact the school on 4067 1647. principal.babinda@cns.catholic.edu.au www.stritasbabinda.qld.edu.au

Mackillop Catholic College, Mount Peter Luke Reed 21st century skills.

My Nana loved to sing like Doris Day. One of her favourite songs was ‘Que será, será’. Responding to the child’s wondering about what she might be when all grown up, she sings with wisdom: “Whatever will be, will be / The future's not ours to see / Que será, será”. Such a sweet song – but oh so not true.

Our future is not fate or luck or chance. Our future is not inherited either; it is something we can create. And to create a future of worth and meaning, we need the right set of skills.

That’s why at MacKillop we form our students to collaborate with trust, communicate with clarity, think with a critical mind, reach out with a compassionate heart, create with imagination – and use all these dispositions with an ethical hopefulness.

With these 21st century skills, our students are bringing faith and learning to life. office.mountpeter@cns.catholic.edu.au www.mackillopcatholiccollege.qld.edu.au

22 November 2018 | www.pakmag.com.au

DIY Gifts

TEACHER GIFTS Gifts that show those special teachers the appreciation they so deserve.

www.southernrevivals.com

www.hellobee.com

With the end of the school year in sight, get the kids together and assemble something crafty to show appreciation to the teachers that have guided them through this school year.

Pencil Desk Organiser Supplies

Snazzy Succulents Supplies 1 Clay pot 1 Foam brush Roll of painter's tape White acrylic paint Acrylic paint in colours of your choice Wooden skewers Coloured paper of choice Black marker Potting mix Succulent of choice

Acrylic paints in pink, silver metallic, light yellow and black 45cm 2x4 wood Saw Drill 25mm drill bit Sand paper Painter’s tape Light wood stain Method 1. Work out the size of your pencil tip. From there, draw out the angles on the wood plank.

Method

2. Using the saw, cut away the triangles along the lines drawn on the wood to form the tip of the pencil.

1. Tape off the lower section of your pot by sticking painter's tape around it. Use several short pieces of tape to get all the way around the pot to create an even divide.

3. Using the 25mm drill bit, drill out the holes on top of the pencil for holding stationery. Drill them 2.5cm apart and approximately 8cm deep.

2. Apply a layer of white paint below the painter's tape, all around the pot including the bottom. This base coat will help the colour of the next layer stand out more.

3. Once the white layer has fully dried, apply several layers of your coloured paint of choice. Neon shades of pink, yellow and orange look spectacular!

4. When the paint is completely dry, gently peel off the painter's tape. Carefully pot the plants into their new home.

5. Cut a small flag-shape out of a sheet of coloured paper, then fold this over around a wooden skewer and glue shut to form a flag. Write a note of appreciation to the teacher and stick the flag into the soil.

4. Roughly sand the pencil. Pay attention to the rubber end and ensure you achieve the rounded look you're going for.

5. Use a light stain on your wood to mimic the look of a real pencil.

6. Using painter's tape, tape off the rubber, tip, lead and main sections.

7. Paint the lead with black paint, main section with light yellow paint and rubber with pink paint.

Carefully remove the painter's tape and paint the section underneath the rubber a metallic silver colour.

PakMag tip: Write the teacher's name or a thank-you message on the side of the pencil organiser.

www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 25

DIY Gifts

CHRISTMAS GIFTS Show your loved ones you care with a home made Christmas gift.

www.celebrate-creativity.com

www.alisaburke.blogspot.com

Nothing is quite as heartwarming as a handmade Christmas gift for the loved ones in your life. Gather the kids around the crafting table and let them help you assemble these adorable gifts from the heart.

Cookie mix sack Supplies

Crayon dots Supplies 10 crayons of various colours 1 muffin tray Method 1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Remove paper wrapping from individual crayons. Break each crayon into pieces.

2. Line the bottom of the muffin tray with pieces of broken crayon. Use whatever mixture of colours you would like, but be careful not to mix too many colours in one as this may turn the crayon to a muddy colour.

3. Transfer the tray to the oven and leave it in there for approximately five minutes, or until the crayons are fully melted.

4. Remove from oven and let the wax dry. Once completely dry, pop your brand-new crayons out of the tray. Because of their new shape, these little crayons don't break easily and thus are perfect for toddler hands!

PakMag tip: Use a moulded pan to create crayons in the shapes of hearts, stars, and much more.

26 November 2018 | www.pakmag.com.au

2 strips of burlap measuring 16 x 63cm 1 small twig 1 artificial flower 15cm rope Cookie mix of choice Cardboard gift tag Wooden spoon Stamps (optional) Needle and thread Method 1. Put the two burlap strips together. Stitch a 1cm seam allowance around three sides, leaving one of the shorter edges open. Turn the sack inside out.

2. Stitch the open edge closed, then push it down inside.

This creates a fully-lined sack.

3. Fold the top of the sack over about 5cm to create a cuff.

4. Open up the cookie mix box and transfer the plastic packet of cookie mix to the burlap sack. Make sure to write a little note with baking instructions, and include this in the sack.

5. Using a piece of rope, tie the top of the sack shut.

Incorporate a twig, artificial flower and wooden spoon in the knot as decoration.

6. Tie a gift tag around the sack. Optionally, stamp the name of the recipe onto the tag, or a heartfelt message to the person who will be receiving the gift.

Wood Spoon - RRP $6.95 - The Source Bulk Foods, Main Street Arcade, 10/85 Lake St, Cairns

Advertorial

Adjusting to parenthood Written by: Terri Curcio, Midwife, Lactation Consultant, Cairns Private Hospital

Parenting is one of the most rewarding and important, yet difficult things you can do. The birth of a baby will bring about many changes and challenges in the lives of new parents. It does take time to adjust to these new roles.

Your unsettled infant The period of PURPLE crying is a way to help parents understand this time in your baby’s life. PURPLE is an acronym for the common characteristics of this phase. All babies go through the period of PURPLE crying – some will cry a lot and some far less. It typically begins at about two weeks of age and continues until about three - four months of age. When babies are going through this period they seem to resist soothing (Dr Barr et al, 2009).

Peak of Crying – Baby may cry more each week, peaking in month two, then less in months three - five Unexpected – Crying can come and go and you don’t know why Resists Soothing – Your baby may not stop crying no matter what you try Pain like face – Your crying baby may look like they are in pain, even when they are not

If you are concerned about your baby’s crying and it doesn’t feel right see your GP, paediatrician or child health nurse.

Cairns Private Hospital Early Parenting Centre Cairns Private Hospital Early Parenting Centre invites parents and your baby to come for a four-day, five-night stay. Our staff will make you feel at home, supported and cared for.

We offer personalised residential programs designed to support parents and infants experiencing sleep and settling issues, unsettled/ irritable infants, feeding concerns, parental exhaustion, anxiety or sleep deprivation. You will be fully supported by our experienced team of paediatricians, lactation consultants, nurses, midwives and child health nurses, who are here to help and guide you.

We will give you strategies, support, practical and theoretical education tailored to your individual needs. Our aim is to help parents achieve their goals, build greater confidence and be empowered on their parenting journey.

Long lasting – Crying can last as much as five hours a day or more

The Cairns Private Hospital Early Parenting Centre offers a place of safe haven and support while you adjust to parenthood.

Evening – Your baby may cry more in the later afternoon or evening

For more information please contact our Early Parenting Centre Manager on 4052 8077.

www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 29

Bump, Bub and Beyond

Save my sleep STORY Rebekah Barrie, Mater Health Services, North Queensland I remember the early days - everyone tells you about the sleep deprivation, and how hard it will be.

But they were my favourite times…sleep, eat, nappy change, repeat. Sure, there were 3am tears and even times I wished the newborn stage away, but then I had a toddler!

Even though babies only sleep for few hours at a time… sometimes minutes... on average they need about 16 hours every day in the first three months. This is their time to do lots of growing and get those big cheeks and gorgeous leg rolls that only a newborn can pull off.

I loved my babies night time routines. It helped so much as they got older. Bath time, a dark room and some white noise. They learnt to associate this with sleep.

It all sounds so easy right? You feel like you have finally got this parenting thing down pat and then they start to teeth, or have a growth spurt and all your routines go up in flames.

Letting them learn to self soothe is what really saved my sleep, it won’t hurt them to cry. If you know they’re fed and changed, go to them and place a hand on them until they’re soothed and leave the room again. Eventually they’ll learn to settle themselves.

A baby’s sleep is so much more important than ours… and they definitely let us know that in the early stages.

Our sleep and even our sanity come second best to our beautiful mini humans. Meeting their sleep needs supports their learning, growth and development.

Sleep plays such an important role in their everyday lives and influences their lifelong development and health.

Of course, these needs become less and less as they get older. The naps get shorter, then they skip a nap and they fight sleep like it’s the worst thing in the world.

Babies show us when they're tired, some days their needs are more than others – it’s all about knowing what to look for. Just like a newborn has feeding cues, our babies and toddlers have sleeping cues. Cues I noticed were eye rubbing, yawning and an increasing need for cuddles.

No two babies are ever going to be the same.

You go back for baby number two thinking you have some idea what you're doing and they throw a spanner in the works. They might have different sleeping cues, or sleep associations. There’s not one “how-to” book on parenting that is going to work for everyone, and that’s okay. Every parent does what works for them and there’s no judgement in that. With social media everywhere we turn, showing us the “perfect” parenting styles; the clean house, the happy babies. When really, we just need to strive to be “good” parents; a fed, changed and loved baby is a happy one.

www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 31

Bump, Bub and Beyond

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

Bubba Organics Lavender & Chamomile Deluxe Nursery Gift Box www.bubbaorganics.com.au RRP $77.95

Dreambaby ‘Herbert’ the Turtle - Room and Bath Thermometer www.dreambaby.com.au RRP $19.95

Experience a little luxury with Bubba Organics pure and natural bath, body and nursery deluxe baby gift box. Featuring our soothing and calming Lavender & Chamomile premium baby skincare and the gently scented Lavender & Chamomile nursery spray to assist with a lovely sense of calm and relaxation.

Herbert, like his award-winning friends the Croc and Duck room and bath thermometers, is made from BPA free and phthalate safe durable waterproof material.

The temperature display is clearly visible on all these thermometers and gives fast and accurate temperature readings, whilst doubling as safe and fun toys for little ones!

They also make great stocking fillers.

Gift box contains:

Features:

•• Lavender & Chamomile Baby Hair & Bath Wash – 250ml

•• Helps prevent baby’s room from overheating, and scalding from hot water - eliminates temperature guess work

•• Lavender & Chamomile Baby Moisture Lotion – 250ml •• Lavender & Chamomile Baby Room Spray – 125ml

•• Large easy-to-read digital display •• Rechecks temperature every ten seconds

Lil Puppet Rufflebum

•• 30-minute auto shut-off

www.lilpuppet.com.au RRP $22.99 One of our most popular items, our rufflebums. These are a must have staple in every girls’ wardrobe.

Layers upon layers of the softest tulle to make every princess outfit complete.

Our elastic waistband is designed to provide comfort and a flexible sizing.

Super stretchy waist for comfort.

Multiple layers of the softest tulle.

Generous sizing. Also suitable for newborn photography as the beautiful tulle is delicate on soft skin.

32 November 2018 | www.pakmag.com.au

•• Water temperature warning indicator, flashes when too hot

Bump, Bub and Beyond

Baby Brain Strain STORY Jenna Galley Pregnant and feel like you’re losing the plot?

That’s probably because you are! Several studies have confirmed that baby brain is a genuine and measurable condition. And it can last up to TWO YEARS after having bubba.

Hello motherhood. Goodbye functioning brain cells What is baby brain? It’s a mental fog four out of five women experience during pregnancy (usually around the third trimester) which can continue to impact your cognitive functioning for two years after birth.

Symptoms include: •• Memory lapses and forgetfulness •• Problems planning and multi-tasking •• Issues with concentration For most women, the symptoms are mild and are not a cause for concern. But it can make for a rather interesting final trimester of pregnancy!

Blame Baby Blunders The good news for new and expecting mums is that you at least have a valid reason for forgetting your phone password. Or your partner’s name. Here are a few more signs that, yep, you’ve got baby brain!

Have you…

•• Lost your keys, only to find them in the refrigerator?

•• Accidentlly added juice to your morning coffee?

•• Called your baby by your pet’s name. Or vice versa?

•• Forgot where you’ve parked the car. And wandered around the carpark aimlessly for half an hour?

•• Washed the same load of clothing three times because you keep forgetting to take it out of the washing machine?

•• Unintentionally left the house without shoes on.

Or pants?

Hey, it happens. And you have baby brain to blame!

Keep (Baby) Calm and Carry On with Babywearing STORY Jenna Galley Every mum has certain must-have baby essentials.

A car seat comes to mind. A cot, most likely.

Probably a pram too. But for this mum-of-two (soon to be mum-of-three), my must-have go-to baby item is a baby carrier.

Babywearing is the easiest way to keep baby comfortable, content and close to you when out and about. It’s ideal when you’re running errands, attempting to do chores around the house or chasing after older kids. Like all baby items on the market these days, there are HEAPS of different carriers, wraps and slings out there. So which one do you choose? This all depends on what you’re looking for: Wraps are made up of long fabric that can be tied in a number of ways to make a comfortable carrier for bub. Considered the origami of baby wearing, wraps take some time to master but once you do, they offer a practical and pretty way to wear bub, especially sleepy newborns.

Our top picks: bobawrap, Bykay, hug a bub Slings are worn off the shoulder, often tied with a ring (aptly called Ring Slings) or a sash. These are much easier to work out than wraps, come in heaps of lightweight materials and offer a convenient way to transport newborns, infants, even toddlers.

Our favourite brands: Manduca, Beco Ring Sling and Chekoh Carriers: For more adventurous treks, soft structured and mesh carriers are the popular choice for parents.

They offer shoulder support, padded waistbands, multiple carrying options and pockets to hold small items like keys or dummies.

Our favourite brands: Ergobaby, BabyBjorn, Tula and Pognae

www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 33

WHAT’S ON NOV NOV FRIDAY 2 NOVEMBER Deep Dive into Marketing CQUniversity Cairns www.yepcairns.com 9.00am / Free / Adults Sugarworld Playtime Sugarworld Parklands 4044 3410 9.30am / Free / 0-5 yrs MyStylish Business & Bubbles Castleton Ent, Smithfield www.cbwc.org.au 5.30pm / Check Website / Adults SATURDAY 3 NOVEMBER Soul Song: Rockstar 2018 Tanks Arts Centre www.tanksartscentre.com 6.30pm / $29.40 Adult / Family Disney Villain Film Festival 101 Dalmatians Runs until 4 November Event Cinemas Smithfield www.eventcinemas.com.au 10.00am / $8 / Family Harry Potter Marathon Films 1-5 Runs until 4 November Event Cinemas Cairns Central www.eventcinemas.com.au 10.00am / $22.50 / Family Kids Art Club with Hayley Gillespie Cairns Art Gallery www.cairnsartgallery.com.au 10.00am / $30 / 8-12 yrs The Gallery Young Creatives Club Cairns Art Gallery www.cairnsartgallery.com.au 3.00pm / $50 / 13-17 yrs

With Triple M’s Mark

The Everly Brothers, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons Brothers Leagues Club www.brotherscairns.com.au 3.00pm / $57 / 7+

Cairns 'Save the Date' Wedding Expo Hilton Cairns www.savethedatecairns.com.au 10.00am / $5 / Adults

Malanda Bull Ride 2018 Malanda Showgrounds Malanda Bull Ride

Into the Jungle Event Cinemas Smithfield www.tenkile.com 3.00pm / $22.50 Adult / Family

Yarrabah Band Festival Jilara Football Oval www.qmf.org.au 1.00pm / Free / Family Planning for Now, Tomorrow and the Future Workshop Seville Mercy Conference Centre www.dlq.org.au 10.30am / Free / Adults Clean Up Day Lake Morris Road Cairns Lake Morris Road Studio A Health and Fitness 6.45am / Free / Family Goondi Scout Halloween Haunted House Disco Goondi Scout Group Goondi Scout Group 7.00pm / Check Facebook / Family Community Tree Planting and BBQ Street Party Russett Park, Kuranda Kuranda Yellow Crazy Ant Community Taskforce 4.00pm / Free / Family

WEDNESDAY 7 NOVEMBER Bringing Up Great Kids - Term Four Hambledon House Community Centre www.innatetherapies.com 5.30pm / Free / Adults THURSDAY 8 NOVEMBER Diamonds After Dark Runs until 10 November Cairns Dinner Theatre www.cairnsdinnertheatre.com Check Website / $45 / Family

TUESDAY 6 NOVEMBER Melbourne Cup Luncheon Cazalys Cazalys Cairns 10.00am / $59 / 18+

FRIDAY 9 NOVEMBER

Audi Centre Cairns Melbourne Cup Race Day Cannon Park Racecourse www.cairnsjockeyclub.com.au 11.00am / $10 GA / Family

Travelling Film Festival Cairns Event Cinemas Cairns Central www.sff.org.au 9.00am / Check Website / Family

Melbourne Cup Luncheon Pullman Reef Hotel Casino www.reefcasino.com.au 12.00pm / $130 / Adults

SATURDAY 10 NOVEMBER Disney Villain Film Festival - Peter Pan Runs until 11 November Event Cinemas Smithfield www.eventcinemas.com.au 10.00am / $8 / Family

Melbourne Cup Auditorium Gala Luncheon Brothers Leagues Club www.brotherscairns.com.au 10.00am / $49 / 18+

Voices of Remembrance Munro Martin Parklands www.cairns.qld.gov.au 7.00pm / Free / Family

SUNDAY 4 NOVEMBER

Melbourne Cup Woree Tavern www.woreetavern.com.au 7.00am / Check Website / Adults

Armistice Centenary Dinner Cairns RSL Club www.cairnsrslsubbranch.com.au 5.30pm / $30 / Adults

CVS Musical Theatre Vocal Showcase Elixir Bar Cairns Voice Studio 5.00pm / $17 / Adults

Melbourne Cup Lunch Cruise Spirit of Cairns www.spiritofcairns.com 12.00pm / $119 / Adults

Sacred Earth - Live in Concert Khacho Yulo Ling Buddhist Centre www.sacredearthmusic.com 7.30pm / $33.50 / Family

www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 35

WHAT’S ON NOV NOV SATURDAY 10 NOVEMBER Ash Grunwald The Jack www.oztix.com.au 8.00pm / $28.60 / 18+ 2018 Tablelands Relay For Life Davies Park www.relayforlife.org.au 2.00pm / Check Website / Family SUNDAY 11 NOVEMBER Cairns Remembrance Day Service and Victory Tea Cairns Esplanade www.cairns.qld.gov.au 10.30am / Free / Family Mirusia - From the Heart Brothers Leagues Club www.brotherscairns.com.au 2.00pm / $64 Adult / 7+ Japanese Film Festival Event Cinemas Smithfield Event Cinemas (Smithfield) 12.00pm / Free / Family Summer Plant Spectacular Atherton International Club Summer Plant Spectacular 8.00am / Free / Family Royal Opera House Live - Mayerling Event Cinemas Smithfield www.eventcinemas.com.au 1.00pm / $20 / Family TUESDAY 13 NOVEMBER CBWC November Breakfast Pullman Reef Hotel Casino www.cbwc.org.au 7.00am / Check Website / Adults

"Search for Solutions" Pre-Expedition Symposium The Clink Theatre Great Barrier Reef Legacy 6.00pm / $9.10 / Adults FRIDAY 16 NOVEMBER John Williamson Brothers Leagues Club www.brotherscairns.com.au 8.00pm / $51 Adults / 7+ The Three Seas Tanks Arts Centre www.tanksartscentre.com 6.30pm / $31.50 Adult / Family Killer Queen Experience BAR36 BAR36 8.00pm / Free / Adults SATURDAY 17 NOVEMBER The Superjesus - Sumo 20th Anniversary Tour Tanks Arts Centre www.tanksartscentre.com 7.30pm / $42 / 18+ Holy Cross Christmas Fair Holy Cross School RidesnSlides Townsville 4.00pm / Free / Family Makin' Whoopee Makers Market Edge Hill State School Makin' Whoopee Gift Shop 9.00am / Free / Family SUNDAY 18 NOVEMBER Monthly Music Gathering Tablelands Music Lovers the ORB www.tablelandsmusiclovers.org.au 3.00pm / Free / Family

36 November 2018 | www.pakmag.com.au

TUESDAY 20 NOVEMBER

TUESDAY 27 NOVEMBER

John Edward Pullman Reef Hotel Casino www1.ticketmaster.com.au 7.00pm / $105.95 / Adults

November Christmas Luncheon Riley, a Crystalbrook Collection Resort www.cairnschamber.com.au 11.30am / Check Website / Adults

WEDNESDAY 21 NOVEMBER 2001: A Space Oddyssey Cairns Botanic Gardens www.starrynightcinema.com.au 7.00pm / $15 Adult / Family THURSDAY 22 NOVEMBER Orientation Day for Year 7 2019 Students Good Counsel College, Innisfail www.gcc.qld.edu.au/enrol Check Website FRIDAY 23 NOVEMBER Tanks Unplugged November 2018 Tanks Arts Centre www.tanksartscentre.com 6.30pm / $12.60 Adult / Family The Black Sorrows Edge Hill Tavern www.oztix.com.au 8.00pm / $34.70 / 18+ Carlotta Runs until 24 November The Surf Club Palm Cove www.cairnstickets.com.au 7.00pm / $60 / Adults SATURDAY 24 NOVEMBER British India Tanks Arts Centre www.tanksartscentre.com 6.30pm / $36.75 / 18+ Christmas Party Race Day Cannon Park Racecourse www.cairnsjockeyclub.com.au 11.00am / $10 Adults / Family

WEDNESDAY 28 NOVEMBER Tanks Round Cinema: Her Sound, Her Story Tanks Arts Centre www.tanksartscentre.com 7.30pm / $17 Adult / 15+ Mum’s Night Out – PakMag Advanced Movie Screening – Second Act BCC Cinemas Earlville PakMag Cairns 6.30pm / Free / Adults THURSDAY 29 NOVEMBER Carols under the Stars St Therese's School www.stthereses.qld.edu.au 6.00pm / Free / Family Guilt Free Comedy Showcase Mitch Garling (MC) The Surf Club Palm Cove www.farnorthqldtickets.com.au 7.30pm / $25 / Adults FRIDAY 30 NOVEMBER Christmas Tree Light Switch On Cairns Esplanade www.cairns.qld.gov.au 5.30pm / Free / Family Wild Christmas: Annual VIP Shopping Night Eggplant & Poppy Eggplant & Poppy 5.00pm / Free / Family

Pull-out kids activity mag!

www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 37

One Grinch is feeling especially grumpy because he doesn't quite look like himself Can you spot that particularly grouchy Grinch?

A

B Enter for your chance to win a family pass to see The Grinch

C D

For your chance to WIN: Spot the particulary grouchy Grinch for your chance to win a family pass to The Grinch.

Enter at www.pakmag.com.au/minimag Win a Family Pass to The Grinch.

Competition closes 30/11/2018 © 2018 Universal Studios; Based on Dr. Seuss characters TM & © 1957 Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P.

E

For your chance to win tickets to the Disney Villains Film Festival, keep an eye on the PakMag Facebook page

Spot The Differences for your Chance to WIN!

A FUNKITA PENGOO PARADE TODDLER GIRLS ONE PIECE!

Tell us the four differences for your chance to WIN a Funkita Pengoo Parade Toddler Girls One Piece!

Enter at www.pakmag.com.au/minimag. Competition closes 30/11/2018 Funkita Pengoo Parade Toddler Girls One Piece - RRP $34.95 - www.funkita.com Known for playful, colourful designs, the new Funkita swimwear collection makes a big splash with stand out prints and new designs all made from chlorine resistant, durable fabric that offers 50+ UV protection. The Pengoo Parade one piece is available in sizes 1-7. With full back coverage and a racer strap finish, this simple style is easy to put on and take off, perfect for your little water baby. Made from superior Italian fabrics, this high quality swimwear will keep its shape and colour long after the summer sun goes down.

Proudly brought to you by NukZu Muay Thai

40 November 2018 | www.pakmag.com.au

What's On

WHAT’S ON SAVE THE DATE

SAVE THE DATE

SAVE THE DATE

SUNDAY 9 DECEMBER

SUNDAY 9 DECEMBER

MONDAY 31 DECEMBER

PakMag Christmas Party TBA www.pakmag.com.au TBA / Free / Family

Carols by Candlelight Fogarty Park www.cairns.qld.gov.au 5.00pm / Free / Family

Crystalbrook Collection New Year's Eve Fogarty Park www.cairns.qld.gov.au 5.30pm / Free / Family

REGULAR MARKETS

Palm Cove Markets Date: 1st Sunday of the month April to December (not September) Time: 8.00am – 2.00pm Location: Foreshore at Palm Cove

Mount Sheridan Plaza Markets Date: 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month Time: From 9.00am - 3.00pm Location: Mount Sheridan Plaza

Malanda Markets Date: 3rd Saturday of the month Time: From 7.30am - 12.30pm Location: Malanda Showgrounds (opposite Jack May Park)

Ravenshoe Markets Date: 4th Sunday of the month Time: 8.00am - 12 noon Location: Tumoulin Railway Station

Esplanade Markets Date: Every Saturday Time: From 8.00am - 4.00pm Location: Lagoon, Cairns Herberton Markets Date: 3rd Sunday of the month Time: From 7.00am - 12 noon Location: Wondecla Sports Ground Night Markets Date: Daily Time: 5.00pm - 11.00pm Location: 71 - 75 The Esplanade Port Douglas Markets Date: Every Sunday Time: From 8.00am - 2.00pm Location: Anzac Park

Mossman Community Markets Date: Every Saturday Time: 7.00am - 12 noon Location: St David’s Anglican Church, under the Raintrees

Rusty's Markets Date: Every Friday and Saturday Time: 5.00am - 6.00pm Date: Every Sunday Time: 5.00am - 3.00pm Location: 57 - 89 Grafton St, City

Holloways Beach Markets Date: 2nd Sunday of the month Time: From 8.00am - 1.00pm Location: Syd and Jane Granville Park

Atherton Lions Club Indoor Markets Date: Every 2nd Sunday Time: From 7.00am - 12 noon Location: Merriland Hall (Robert St)

Tanks Art Centre Markets Date: Last Sunday of the month (Apr to Nov excluding Aug) Time: From 9.00am - 2.00pm Location: Tanks Art Centre, Collins Avenue, Edge Hill Tolga Markets Date: 1st Sunday of the month Time: 7.00am - 12 noon Location: Morrow Park Racecourse Yungaburra Markets Date: 4th Saturday of the month Time: From 7.30am - 12.30pm Location: Bruce Jones Park Gordonvale Cottage Markets Date: 1st Saturday of the month Time: 7.30am - 12 noon Location: Norman Park, Gordonvale

www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 41

REGULAR EVENTS CAIRNS INDOOR SPORTS In2soccer Days: Mondays (during school term) Time/Cost: 4.30pm, rego: $15, term from $65. (6+ years) Days: Wednesdays (during school term) Time/Cost: 4.30pm, from $65 (10 wks) (3 - 6 years) Milo In2cricket Days: Fridays (during school term) Time/Cost: 4.30pm, from $45 INFLATABLE KINGDOM Days: Daily Times: 9.00am - 12.00pm Tiny Tots during school term.

9.00am - 4.00pm all inflatable on weekends, public holidays and school holidays.

Location: Cairns Indoor Sports, 164 Mayers St, Manunda LIBRARIES Storytime Location: Babinda Library Days: 3rd Monday of the month Times: 10.30am - 11.30am Location: City Library Days: Wednesdays Times: 10.30am - 11.30am Location: Earlville Library Days: Thursdays Times: 10.30am - 11.30am Location: Edmonton Library Days: 1st Thursday of the month Times: 10.30am - 11.30am Location: Gordonvale Library Days: 1st Tuesday of the month Times: 10.30am - 11.30am Location: Manunda Library Days: 1st Wednesday of the month Times: 10.30am - 11.30am

Location: Smithfield Library Days: Tuesdays Times: 10.30am - 11.30am Location: Stratford Library Days: 2nd Tuesday of the month Times: 10.30am - 11.30am

Hartbeeps Toddlers Parents and toddlers aged 1 - 5 years.

Bookings required.

Baby Rhyme Times

Storytime Parents and pre-schoolers aged 3 - 5 years.

No bookings required.

Location: City Library Days: 4th Thursday of the month Times: 10.30am - 11.00am

More info: www.first5forever.org.au www.cairns.qld.gov.au/library, or email f5f@cairns.qld.gov.au

Location: Earlville Library Days: 1st Tuesday of the month Times: 10.30am - 11.00am

EDMONTON SCOUT HALL

Location: Manunda Library Days: 4th Tuesday of the month Times: 10.30am - 11.00am Location: Smithfield Library Days: 2nd Thursday of the month Times: 10.30am - 11.00am Location: Stratford Library Days: 3rd Thursday of the month Times: 10.30am - 11.00am Free first5forever Program Splash and Sing Parents and Bubs aged 6 - 12 months.

Bookings required Splash and Sing Parents and Toddlers aged 1 - 5 years.

Bookings required Messy Play Parents and Toddlers aged 1 - 5 years.

Bookings required Hartbeeps Babies Parents and bubs aged 6 weeks - 12 months.

Bookings required.

42 November 2018 | www.pakmag.com.au

Fun, Free Outdoor Group Fitness Days: Mondays and Wednesdays Time: 5.30pm Location: Edmonton Scout Hall Edmonton Club Scouts Days: Thursdays (Ages 8 -10) Days: Tuesdays (Ages 10 -15) Time: 6.30pm - 8.30pm Location: Edmonton Scout Hall FREE FITNESS ON THE ESPLANADE

Active Living Aqua Zumba Days: Wednesdays Time: 5.30pm - 6.30pm Location: The Lagoon Active Living Boxfit Days: Thursdays Time: 6.30am - 7.30am Location: Fogarty Park Sahaja Yoga Meditation Days: Saturdays Time: 7.30am - 8.30am Location: Western Event Lawn Active Living H.I.I.T Days: Saturdays Time: 8.00am - 9.00am Location: Aqua Café by the Lagoon Active Living Aqua Aerobics Days: Saturdays Time: 9.00am - 10.00am Location: Cairns Esplanade Lagoon PARADISE PALMS

Active Living Fitness Playground

Drive 50

Days: Mondays Time: 5.30pm - 6.30pm Location: Aqua Café by the Lagoon

A family friendly golf event with a hole every 50m

Active Living Pilates Days: Tuesdays Time: 6.30am - 7.30am Location: Lagoon Deck

Days: Every Sunday Time: 3.00pm Location: Paradise Palms, Kewarra Beach CHOI KWANG-DO

Active Living Beach Volleyball

MARTIAL ART CENTRE

Days: Tuesdays Time: 5.30pm - 6.30pm Location: Volleyball courts

General Classes

Active Living Zumba Fitness

Days: Monday to Thursday 1st Class Time: 5.30pm – 6.15pm 2nd Class Time: 6.30pm – 7.30pm

Days: Tuesdays Time: 5.30pm - 6.30pm Location: Lagoon Deck

Day: Saturday 1st Class Time: 9.00am – 9.45am 2nd Class Time: 10.00am – 11.00am

Health

HEALTH Set the Scene for Sunscreen Success

CHILDHOOD OBESITY

Nothing beats days spent in the sun. The family all together. The kid splashing in the water. The hubby relaxing. Even the dogs are happily chilling out.

Children become obese due to a range of factors involving food beliefs, emotions, body image and lack of food knowledge.

And then there’s you, yelling at your children to PUT ON THEIR BLOODY HATS and chasing them down the beach trying to reapply their sunscreen.

Dear Dorothy, If I tell my child they’re obese will they end up with an eating disorder?

Yes. Summer is coming. And so is the essential need to keep their skin safe, even if it means constantly reminding them about sun safety. Reduce the risk of melanoma and sunburns with these tips to getting sunscreen on your kids: Apply in the car – This gives the sunscreen time to work.

Plus, it’s a lot easier to do when they are strapped in!

You’ll still need to fill in the gaps and spots you couldn’t reach, but it’s a good start.

Make it a family affair – Lather up together. If mummy does it, then it can’t be that bad, right?

Set a timer – If you’re out in the sun all day, set a timer to go off so you know when to reapply.

Consider spray – A bit more expensive, but a lot easier to use, especially when the kids are keen to run off.

Try spotmyuv stickers – Stick one on your child’s skin. The detection sticker turns purple when the skin isn’t protected, letting you know it’s time to reapply!

For more information check out www.spotmyuv.com.au

STORY Dorothy Richmond, Dorothy Dietitian

Discussion of weight with a child is a difficult subject.

Rather than focusing on weight, the discussion should centre around eating preferences and behaviour.

The whole family have a role in avoiding energy dense foods, controlling food portions and increasing physical activity.

Parents should encourage a positive view of food, involvement in healthy cooking methods at home and minimising the frequency of meals or food purchased outside of the home.

“Dieting behaviour” should be avoided with an emphasis on preparing and planning meals as a family.

My doctor said my 12-year-old is overweight, but I think it is just puppy fat. What’s an OK amount of fat?

Adolescence is a critical period as there is a change in the quantity and location of body fat. During adolescence there is often a decrease in physical activity, decreased sports performance and increased consumption of food outside of the home.

Dorothy works closely with GPs to assist children at risk of adulthood obesity.

Check out Dorothy Dietitian’s full blog at www.pakmag.com.au

www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 45

Health

HEALTH Buzz off, Dengue Fever!

STORY Kalisha Fitsch Living in North Queensland, we've all heard about the dangers of dengue fever. It's spread to humans by infected mosquitoes and is similar to a serious case of the flu, but has the potential to lead to hospitalisation and serious complications.

Apart from spraying the exposed parts of your skin with mosquito repellent, what else can be done to prevent dengue fever?

Mosquito be-gone! - You probably know about citronella candles and mosquito coils, but did you know vanilla, lemongrass, and coffee grounds deter mosquitoes as well? It’s a good idea to surface spray under beds and behind curtains because the dengue mosquito (Aedes aegypti) actually prefer to live indoors. They can be identified by the black and white stripes on their body and legs.

Remove breeding grounds - Eliminate anything capable of holding still water from your yard. Remove old tyres and palm fronds, turn buckets and kids toys upside-down, and keep bird baths and plant pots thoroughly clean.

Long clothing - Wear long sleeves and long pants to cover your skin. Remember that dark colours are more prone to attract mosquitoes, so it's recommended to wear lighter colours.

While dengue fever often clears up within a week, if you or anyone in your family is experiencing nose bleeds, breathing difficulties, persistent vomiting or has cold, clammy skin, consult your GP.

Back to Basics - The History of Handwashing STORY Kalisha Fitsch Hand washing - we're all taught from a young age that it's important. It’s hard getting kids into the habit of it, and the daily before-meals hand washing struggle can become quite an ordeal.

Let’s get back to basics and understand how hand washing came to be.

Surprisingly, the link between handwashing and health was made less than two centuries ago! In 1846, Hungarian doctor Ignaz Semmelweis noticed that rates of death within the hospital he worked at fell dramatically when handwashing was introduced to medical staff on maternity wards.

Despite this, the handwashing habit was not widely adopted until 1980, when a string of infections led to the United States Centers for Disease Control identifying hand hygiene as an important and cost-effective way to keep viruses and ailments at bay. Other parts of the world soon followed, with handwashing now being a normal part of life.

Taking some time to thoroughly wash your hands can save you a trip to the doctor in the future, and is a proven way to prevent kids from getting sick. No matter how crazy life gets, don't underestimate the importance of hand washing!

Source: www.globalhandwashing.org

MAKE MORE MILK Alleviate those frustrating nights and days where bub isn’t getting enough milk for you both to sleep well. 100 per cent natural wheat, dairy, refined sugar and preservative free Feeding Cookies range will help you: •• make more milk naturally •• ensure optimal nutrition for both you AND your baby, and •• breastfeed with ease and confidence.

Available at Calanna Whole Health Pharmacy

46 November 2018 | www.pakmag.com.au

Expert Advice

THE PAKMAG EXPERTS COLLIER LAWYERS

CAIRNS VET

Dear Nardine,

Dear Jane,

I have booked to get my Will done, and my lawyer has asked me to think about who I want to be the executor of the Will. What do I need to think about with this decision?

I just got a puppy. How often will he need to visit the vet?

Choosing the executor of your Will is an important decision. This is the person who will be responsible for doing everything that needs to be done to ensure your beneficiaries receive their inheritance.

Sometimes the decision is easy – for example, if your Will provides for your estate to go to your partner, then he/she should also be the executor. Otherwise, you need to choose an executor who is someone you trust and who ideally, is about your age or younger.

The problem with choosing parents is that in the usual course of life events, you will outlive them. You also need to think about whether having joint executors is a good idea, and you should also choose an alternate executor regardless. There is a lot to think about so make sure you ask your lawyer to talk you through all of the possibilities.

Congratulations on your new fur baby. Puppies are a bundle of fun but they do come with a lot of responsibility. As a new pet parent there are many things you need to do to ensure they remain healthy and happy. In their first year, puppies need to visit the vet multiple times for healthcare advice, preventative health care, vaccinations and desexing. We love to see them for just cuddles too! We also strongly recommend you begin obedience and socialisation training as soon as you bring your pup home - the most important developmental period for dogs is from 8 - 18 weeks of age. Our puppy preschool is a great way to introduce them to early obedience training, and other dogs and people.

Please see my full letter, new puppy checklist and vlog at pakmag.com.au for more information about how to ensure your pup grows into a healthy and obedient dog.

TALK TIME SPEECH AND LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY Dear Teagan, My four year old seems to speak fine but doesn’t communicate with others well - is this problematic?

Some children can speak clearly, yet struggle to get their message across to others, or fully participate in conversations. This is an indicator of a language delay, and is often harder for parents to spot compared to a speech sound delay.

Difficulties using or understanding language can be problematic. It can appear a child is naughty or not listening, when they are in fact having trouble comprehending what they are hearing.

Language difficulties can impact relationships with other children if they are not able to understand instructions from other children, give instructions clearly, or understand the story line that is happening.

At four years of age children are generally easily understood and participate well in conversations and stories.

Many language delays are not picked up until children struggle at school, so it’s better to avoid this and get support earlier.

If you have any concerns about your child’s communication development, give Teagan and her team at Talk Time a call to see how they can help support your child.

www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 49

Expert Advice

THE PAKMAG EXPERTS SUNBIRD ORTHODONTICS

DR ELIZABETH JACKSON

5 Things you need to do to ensure your child has great adult teeth.

Dear Dr Liz,

1. Sugar causes decay. Teeth can cope with 2-3 sugary snacks per day. Any more than that, then you are inviting tooth decay. Tooth decay in baby teeth is the biggest predictor for tooth decay in adult teeth.

2. Plaque causes gum disease. This is the white sticky stuff that builds up around the gum line and causes red gums. Regular brushing and flossing drastically reduces your risk of gum disease - a major cause of tooth loss in adults.

3. Acid causes tooth erosion. We recommend you limit the main culprit - soft drinks and “sports� drinks. Acid pulls the minerals out of the enamel, weakening teeth, making them prone to erosion and accelerated wear.

4. Accidents happen. In kids, the most common reason for dental trauma is excessively prominent front teeth. We can help by making a mouthguard for sports, or correcting excessively prominent teeth at a young age, if necessary.

5. A visit to a Specialist Orthodontist at 9 years old will set your child up for a life time of great adult teeth.

My GP has told me to see a specialist as she thinks I have prolapse. What does this mean and how can I get it fixed?

Prolapse is when there is a loss of support of the walls of the vagina. It can cause a dragging feeling, interfere with voiding or opening bowels, or there may sometimes be a bulge noticed.

In the first instance, lifestyle measures such as avoiding heavy lifting or excessive straining when opening the bowels with an aperient is advised.

Next, pelvic floor re-training is recommended. A large number of people may not activate their pelvic floor muscles, so seeing a dedicated pelvic floor physiotherapist is important.

If symptoms persist, there are pessaries which can be placed in the vagina. A pessary is a low risk option which can provide almost immediate relief to prolapse symptoms. Pessaries are most commonly fitted by a gynaecology service. Finally, in some cases surgical options exist to relieve prolapse symptoms as well.

PROACTIVE PHYSIO Dear Emily, Sometimes I suffer from a weak bladder, do I need a vaginal weight to strengthen my pelvic floor muscles?

Vaginal weights are one of a number of devices which may be recommended by a pelvic health physiotherapist to assist pelvic floor muscle strengthening. They come in all shapes and the manufacturers often promise the world.

Unsupervised strengthening with a vaginal weight may not be the best option and may even be a bad option. Before trying a vaginal weight you should consider an assessment with a pelvic health physiotherapist who will work out what is wrong and where to start to improve your continence.

50 November 2018 | www.pakmag.com.au

After School Activities

Helping Kids Find Their Passion STORY Jenna Galley Mum, I’m bored. Dad, I’m bored!

It’s something we’ve all heard from time to time. Yes, children need a lot of social stimulation and plenty of parental playtime. But they also need to be able to entertain themselves and find something that ignites a spark within. Because, let’s face it, we can’t be responsible for entertaining them ALL the time.

Sorry, not happening kids.

Helping your children find something they love doing is a great way to build their confidence and develop a sense of pride. It also gives them a focus, a purpose, and something to do other than announce that they are bored. So how can you help your kids find this passion? Here are a few things to try: Give it a go with them Often kids don’t feel confident enough to try new things unless you

are by their side, at least for the first few tries. Yes, you might be way out of your comfort zone, but so are your little ones.

So get out there. Kick the footy at the park. Hit golf balls at the driving range. Go roller skating, even if you are awful at it. If mummy can do it, then so can they.

Have resources on hand You don’t have to buy the most expensive sporting equipment the moment your child kicks a ball.

But you can plant the seed by getting basic materials.

Buy some pens, paints and paper if your little one likes to draw, paint or write. Give them your old camera to take photos. Pick up some different balls, rackets, bats, etc. if they are showing an interest in sport.

Ask around What’s out there? You may be surprised! The best way to find out about these programs, sporting clubs and organisations, other than checking PakMag, of course, is to talk to other parents.

Go to free trial days Most clubs offer children a chance to try for free to see if they like it before signing up for the term or year.

Support them from the sidelines Doing something new is always scary. For the first little while, don’t do the drop and go. Instead, stay with them, watch them, wave to them, cheer for them. The best way to help them overcome their initial fear and find their passion is to be there to support them every step of the way.

ACTIVITIES TO TRY IN CAIRNS Art by Louise Broadbent Arts classes Art by Louise Broadbent

The Young Company Drama Classees www.theyoungcompany.com.au

Kindermusik with Nicole Music www.kmusikcairns.com

Abacus by Wallace Abacus skills www.abacusbywallis.com

Jump Mania Trampoline Park Dodge Ball League www.jumpmania.com.au

South Cairns Gymnastics Gymnastics www.gymsportsfnq.com.au

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SNAPPED

54 November 2018 | www.pakmag.com.au

AFL Cairns Snapped

www.aflcairns.com.au/juniors

www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 55

Exploring Play

FINE MOTOR SKILLS STORY Sharon Coles, Occupational Therapist, Tropics Occupational Therapy Fine motor skills are the activities we do with our hands such as writing, using scissors, opening packets, tying shoelaces or using a knife and fork. Dexterity and complexity of fine motor skills continue to increase up until about seven years of age. Activities that help develop fine motor skills include playing with blocks, threading beads, play dough, self feeding, using scissors and lots of painting and access to drawing materials.

If you have noticed that your preschool or school-aged child doesn’t know what hand they prefer, is not able to hold a pencil properly, can’t draw basic shapes or is not attempting to write their name then it is a good idea to see an Occupational Therapist to get a few pointers on how to help your child develop fine motor skills in readiness for Prep.

A lot of kids with poor fine motor skills avoid the activities they need to do to develop their skills so it’s very important to get advice before starting school.

TOYS FOR FINE MOTOR PLAY 1

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1. Globe Puzzle by Goki - RRP $16.00 - www.playmackay.com.au 2. Early Start Safety Scissors - RRP $6.00 - www.theplayprojects.com 3. Cubebot Small Wooden Robot Puzzle - RRP $29.99 - (Get $10 off when you spend $80 or more with Yellow Octopus! Use code PAKMAG389926) - www.yellowoctopus.com.au 4. 1001 Nights Puzzle by Goki - RRP $39.95 - www.playmackay.com.au 5. Crayon Rocks (8 Colours) - RRP $8.95 - www.theplayprojects.com

www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 57

Challenges

10 Ways We Can Support Those with Special Needs STORY Niki Naylor, ECEI Program Manager and Megan Ahern, Senior ECEI Coordinator, Mission Australia One in five Queenslanders have some form of disability, although the type and degree will vary immensely. Odds are, each and every one of us is close to someone with a disability. It may be a family member, a friend, a neighbour, a colleague or a child’s classmate.

This is why it’s so crucial that we all understand how to support the members in our community who may have special needs.

The little things make a big difference and this is especially the case when showing our support. Below are a few things we all could be incorporating into our day to day lives to help make the world a more inclusive, more accepting place, especially for our next generation.

this condition. If you are planning a party, make sure you consider everyone’s dietary requirements. Don’t be afraid to ask the parents so that you can ensure you’ve got foods that everyone can enjoy together.

8. Consider their wants Children and adults with disabilities want the same thing we all want – to be included, to be invited, to be accepted, to be valued, to be welcomed, to be supported and to be cared for, to be needed and to be loved.

If you keep these basic wants in mind when meeting people of all abilities, then you are helping more than you may realise.

1. Don’t shy away

9. Don’t pity

Say hello. Smile. Be warm and welcoming to everyone.

Don’t treat children or families with disabilities any differently than others in the community. This can be isolating for the family and individual.

Yes, living with special needs can be different. But there are so many positives. Some days are harder than others and if you do notice a friend or even a stranger, struggling, don’t offer pity. Instead, offer your support and assistance. Offer to listen, to buy them a coffee, to be a shoulder to cry on if they need.

2. Be aware and considerate of all abilities Remember, not all disabilities are visible. Many people struggle on the inside, with mental disabilities, learning disabilities and communication disorders. So before you judge, take a step back and consider that there may be more than meets the eye.

3. Look beyond words There are many ways to communicate including sign language, gestures, body language, language boards, writing and much more.

4. Consider a quick lesson in sign language This isn’t just beneficial to those who may use sign language, but you as well. Learning another language, even if it’s just a few simple phrases, can be incredibly rewarding. You’re never too old to learn something new.

5. Leave those disabled parking spots alone Don’t assume that no one will need it or that you’ll only be a few minutes.

6. Practise patience We’re programmed to go, go go. But we need to be aware that it can take those with special needs a little longer when it comes to communication and moveability.

7. Be considerate of all disabilities, including allergies Having severe allergies can be debilitating for the family.

Often children with allergies will feel left out due to

10. Be open with your children It is our responsibility to teach our kids how to act appropriately in all situations. Talk to your kids about how we all learn and act differently and how this is okay. Be honest about special needs and make an effort to teach your children about different disabilities. The more they know, the more they are aware and the more comfortable they will feel.

Advice from our PakMag mums: Townsville mum, Jess Balestrin, shares some beautiful words for us to remember. Jess is mum to Ava, 4, who has Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE), a type of brain injury. She tells PakMag, “Please remember that our kids are just like yours. They want to play and be seen. When you tell your child not to stare at the supermarket, or not to touch at the park, I know you mean well, I do, but it breaks my heart. This is a wonderful opportunity to talk to your child about disability, and to make mine feel 'seen'. When your kiddo is staring, tell them to wave and say hello!”

Mackay mum, Lori Punzell, whose little girl Lexi has Down Syndrome adds, “We never knew quite what to say when we met kids with a disability before we had Lexi. Now we do. Don’t be scared, be kind. Smile, let your kids say hello. You could end up making a child’s day.”

www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 59

Home

OUTDOOR SUMMER LIVING With The Block’s Caro and Kingi Summer is right around the corner - well, OK, it’s here, but the calendar insists it is just around the corner!

Take the fun outside this summer.

Modifying your outdoor living space can turn your regular backyard into a tropical oasis and create a wonderful space for the kids to play, explore and create.

Take your usual family activities outside. Install an outdoor kitchen and prepare meals on the patio. If that is not an option, a BBQ will do the trick. Play boardgames on the deck. Spoil yourself with some comfy lounge chairs and a good book.

Add a cubbyhouse: the kids can use it or you can turn it into a relaxing, shady haven for all the family.

Extending your living space outdoors is a fabulous option for North Queenslanders.

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1. Wooden Picnic Table with Parasol - RRP $149.95 - www.playmackay.com.au 2. Sunnylife Inflatable Moby Dick Whale Sprinkler - RRP $49.99 $29.99 - www.yellowoctopus.com.au 3. Giant Wooden Dominoes 28pc - RRP $59.99 (Get $10 off when you spend $80 or more with Yellow Octopus! Use code PAKMAG389926) www.yellowoctopus.com.au 4. Customisable Daybed House - www.grandgazebos.com.au 5. Design Copper Dip Medium Pot - RRP $210.00 www.korufurnitureandhomewares.com.au 6. Lightly Salad Servers Brass - RRP $66.00 www.korufurnitureandhomewares.com.au 7.

Bonnie and Neil Napkin Evergreen Set of Six - RRP $135.00 - www.korufurnitureandhomewares.com.au 8. Tara Dennis Azores Placemat 35cm Natural - RRP $29.95 - www.korufurnitureandhomewares.com.au 9. Uniqwa Cape Town Natural Occasional Chair - RRP $950.00 - www.korufurnitureandhomewares.com.au

60 November 2018 | www.pakmag.com.au

Home

HOME HELPERS DIRECTORY Ross Weber Plumbing Ross and his team are your maintenance specialists providing a prompt, reliable and friendly service. p 0419 676 064 www.rossweberplumbing.com.au

360 Maintenance Solutions A local property maintenance business, providing all aspects of residential and commercial property maintenance. p 0419 026 842 360 Maintenance Solutions

Grand Gazebos and Cubbies Turn your backyard from bland to grand! Cubbies, decks, fences, daybeds, gazebos, playgrounds and more. p 0407 631 660 www.grandgazebos.com.au

www.stylecurator.com.au

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Yellow Octopus Yellow Octopus scours the globe for all the latest gadgets, toys, gifts and games.

Get $10 off your order when you spend $80 or more! Use code PAKMAG389926. www.yellowoctopus.com.au

April & Oak 7

Fascinating and stylish products for the home from around the world.

Get $40 off your order when you spend $150 or more. Use code PAKMAG11. www.aprilandoak.com.au

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Koru Furniture and Homewares 9

Koru is a boutique homewares store and Interior Design & Style studio located in Tropical North Queensland. p 4053 3152 www.korufurnitureandhomewares.com.au

Be seen here!

Do you help with home improvement or maintenance? You need to be seen here! e admin@grandpublishing.com.au p 4053 3331 www.pakmag.com.au www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 61

Local Gifts

Local Gift Guide The Pier

The Source Bulk Foods

Looking for something unique? Pay a visit to The Pier and have a browse at one of the numerous quirky locally owned and run boutiques and stores. You’re bound to find something extraordinary for the loved ones in your life.

Looking for a gift that doesn’t cost the earth? Head on in to The Source Bulk Foods and discover a range of confectionery on the healthier side, such as chocolatecovered pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate bananas and yoghurt-covered almonds. There’s also a range of all-natural soaps, shampoos and conditioners. Can’t decide? You can purchase a gift card, too – with your own specified amount.

4052 7749 www.thepiercairns.com.au Cairns Night Markets Choose from gorgeous handmade homewares, natural beauty products, stunning jewellery and a range of tropical clothing. If you're looking to think outside the box when it comes to Christmas gifts, you'll find something unique at the Cairns Night Markets.

4051 7666 www.nightmarkets.com.au Gift of the Gab If you’re ever stuck for gifts ideas, food is always a fantastic go-to gift. Choose from a range of Christmas hampers at Gift of the Gab, including yummy goodies such as chocolate, fudge, pudding, and many more festive treats.

4038 3939 www.giftbasketcairns.com.au Mount Sheridan Plaza Get down to Mt Sheridan Plaza and discover a range of gift options for young and old. From fashion to flowers and everything in between, you’re sure to find thoughtful gifts for your teachers, friends and family.

4036 3150 www.mtsheridanplaza.com.au Jump Mania Do the kids need to burn off their energy? Is there ever a time where they don’t? The answer lies in a gift voucher to Jump Mania, a 1000 square metres wall-towall trampoline park! Gift cards are available in amounts of $20, $50 or $100 – it’s the perfect way to keep active in the most fun way you can imagine.

4031 5698 www.thesourcebulkfoods.com.au Calanna Whole Health Pharmacy With multiple locations around Cairns, you won’t need to travel far to browse their range of locallysourced skin care products, natural therapies, organic ingredients, vitamins, gorgeous candles, and beauty products. Are you shopping for someone who’s looking to learn more about their body? A MyDNA test will help them learn about how diet, exercise, and medicine affect their body. www.calannapharmacy.com.au Smithfield Shopping Centre Head over to Smithfield Shopping Centre and find gifts for all ages and interests. You’ll find home decor, video games, fashion, beauty, crafts, music, and much more.

If you just can’t decide on a present, the Smithfield Gift Card can be used at any participating retailer.

4038 1006 www.smithfieldcentre.com.au Cairns Local Markets Visit your local market if you’re on the lookout for something interesting, homemade or special. From toys to clothes, snacks to homewares and everything in between, you’ll discover a huge range of goodies at one of the various markets around Cairns. Be sure to check PakMag’s Regular Markets section to see what local markets are happening in your area. www.cairns.qld.gov.au

4212 4066 www.jumpmania.com.au

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Business

BUSINESS NEWS Get personal

Where Kids Shine

Amanda, the owner of local online business Z and Tee, lives in Cairns with her husband Glenn, a FIFO Machinery Operator, and children, Zane (4) and Tasmyn (22 months).

Sunshine Day Care Centre is a family owned and family-oriented centre. This means input from our families is valued. We strive to provide a stimulating, nurturing and enriching environment for the children in our care. Our dedicated educators remain constant, working at our centre for a number of years and building strong relationships with the children and their families.

Children experience a variety of educational experiences plus incursions, yoga and Zoo to You. The children learn about sustainable practices, caring for the garden and taking care of the centre’s guinea pigs, chickens and fish. Older children also have the opportunity to attend swimming lessons.

The birth of Z and Tee coincided with Zane’s first birthday. “We wanted a construction theme party but couldn’t find a little personalised hi-vis work shirt for Zane.”

Amanda now supplies high quality personalised items for the whole family, specialising in embroidery and heat seal/vinyl. Many of Z and Tee’s products are inspired by the family's love of the outdoors and camping.

Go shopping online for their range of kids and adults’ polos, hivis wear, fishing shirts, hats, towels, insulated drinkware and Christmas gift ideas. www.zandtee.com

Giving families flexibility is important so we open from 6.30am to 6.00pm. Sunshine Day Care Centre provides care for children from 6 weeks to 6 years. In preparation for school, children in our pre-prep room participate in the Kindergarten program.

BUSINESS INDEX Garden Sparkle

Nikki the Clown

Fairy gardening gift shop.

Miniatures, kits, gifts & workshops. a 54 Shields street, Cairns City. p 0420 234 776 www.gardensparkle.com.au

Facepainting, puppets, balloons, games, music, fun party entertainment by established, professional performer. p 0408 183 032 www.entertainmentcairns.com/nikkitheclown

The Nappy Bucket

Luxe Affair Boutique

Offering a gorgeous selection of reusable, eco-friendly cloth nappies and baby accessories. p 0417 314 554 www.nappybucket.com.au

Providing all Cairns women with affordable, online hiring of beautiful designer garments. p 0408 969 285 www.luxeaffair.com.au

Pupstars Daycare and Grooming

Atherton Juniors - Local Baby Store

Doggy daycare, pet grooming and dog training. Two locations Portsmith and Marlin Coast. p 4041 6096 or 4057 8218 m 0431 213 971

Cots, bassinettes, prams, car seats, capsules, manchester, clothing, and more!

Online Store Launching Soon! a 40 Main St Atherton Atherton Juniors

64 November 2018 | www.pakmag.com.au

Business

PRODUCT FAVES 2

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1. Sea Sparkle Cottage (17cm high) - RRP $55.99 - www.gardensparkle.com.au 2. Imse Vimse Swim Nappy - RRP $25.95ea - www.nappybucket.net.au 3. Personalised Insulated 500ml Water Bottle - RRP $21.95ea - www.zandtee.com 4. Seedling Baby Seven Pack Pocket Nappy Bundle - RRP $219.95 www.nappybucket.net.au 5. Pink Mermaid on Swing - RRP $16.00 - www.gardensparkle.com.au

BUSINESS INDEX Abacus by Wallis

Caffin8 Café

Skills for mental calculation. Sums, multiplication and division through abacus skills. 5 year olds + p 0437 600 229 abacusbywallis.com

Family friendly café, stocked with a range of fresh, delicious, tasty treats. a 46 Norman Street, Gordonvale. p 0488 972 789 Caffin8 café

SleepyTime Baby Sleep Consultant

ZandTee

Local qualified sleep consultant using gentle techniques. Call for your complimentary 15 min consultation. p 0451 004 690 SleepyTime Baby Sleep Consultant

High quality personalised items for the whole family, perfect for the Queensland lifestyle.

ZandTee www.zandtee.com

Grand Entertainment & Events

Swim Like a Mermaid

Your entertainment solution.

Kids parties, karaoke, "3's a Crowd" (solo/duo/band) and more! p 0407 631 660 www.grandee.com.au

SSI scuba dive courses, mermaid courses/birthday parties for ages 6+, BnB accommodation. p 0411 612 442 www.divecareercentre.com.au www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 65

Local Businesses Love Local Families

LOCAL LOVIN' STORY Jenna Galley One look around the Cairns region is all it takes to see that we’re living in a pretty amazing place.

There’s natural beauty in every direction, excellent schools and facilities in every suburb and friendly faces in every neighbourhood.

Yes, we certainly are lucky to call Far North Queensland home. But part of what makes our city so charming is the local vibe. There are heaps of local professionals, farmers, artists, vendors and companies that we often overlook. It’s quite easy for our local businesses to miss out when the big guys keep coming and expanding.

So before you head to the big guns for your shopping and service needs, consider the locals! Here are a few reasons why: You’re keeping the money in Cairns Buying from a local family may mean you are helping a local family enrol their kids in school, rather than helping to buy an unknown CEO another holiday home in the Maldives.

You’re getting more than just a product We all know how big a difference love can make. Local companies do what they do because they want to. They are proud of their goods and services and they are passionate about their business. This passion shines through in the quality and service delivered.

You’re helping to stop the unjust labour laws overseas By supporting local businesses that produce, grow, make and manufacturer their goods in Australia, you can be sure that it’s not just the quality of the goods that are up to standard, but also the quality of the workplace where the goods are made.

You’re supporting local growth It’s the ripple effect. When you buy from a local company, you are growing their business, allowing them to afford to expand, to create more jobs, to employ more people, to keep Cairns thriving.

You’re helping the environment Every time a product is shipped, it’s impacting our environment. Shopping locally means less carbon miles which is always a good thing for the earth. Plus, shopping for food locally means the product isn’t being shipped from halfway across the world, travelling for days and losing that fresh flavour and goodness. The less travel, the better!

You’re buying cool, unique stuff Not mass-produced meaningless items. Every item you buy locally has a story, whether it’s a handmade outfit, a birthday cake, a cubby house or a punnet of berries.

This is what makes shopping local so worthwhile – you are getting so much more than just a product or service.

Not sure where to go? We’ve got you covered. Check out the PakMag Business Index, Home Helpers Directory and other amazing local businesses throughout the magazine.

www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 67

Recipes

TURN UP THE HEAT BBQ recipes to enjoy on these hot summer nights Summer is right on our doorstep, which means longer days, afternoons spent by the pool or at the beach, and scrumptious BBQs with friends and family. Next time you’re hosting a meal, be sure to WOW your guests with one of these deliciously tropical dishes.

Tropical Kebabs Serves 4 (2 kebabs each) Ingredients

Avocado and Prawn Salad Serves 4 Ingredients

For the dressing

400g prawns ¼ of a red cabbage 2 avocados 2 cups rocket leaves 2 cups spinach leaves 1 lime

½ garlic clove ½ cup olive oil 1 tbsp soy sauce 2 tsp rice vinegar (unseasoned) ½ tsp sesame oil Pinch of salt and pepper

Method Finely crush the garlic clove. Whisk crushed garlic, rice vinegar and soy sauce in a small bowl, gradually adding olive oil then sesame oil. When the dressing has thickened, season it with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Shell the prawns and let them marinade in your homemade dressing for an hour.

Heat up the BBQ to medium-high. Lightly oil the surface and transfer your prawns to the BBQ to cook for approximately 2-3 minutes per side or until they change colour.

Shred the red cabbage and cut up the avocados into thin slices.

Mix your salad leaves, cabbage and avocado in a bowl.

Squeeze a bit of lemon juice on top and serve with fresh crusty bread.

68 November 2018 | www.pakmag.com.au

2 chicken breasts 4 rashers of bacon 8 cherry tomatoes 1 red onion 1 zucchini 1 cup white button mushrooms 1 yellow capsicum 8 wooden skewers, soaked

For the marinade 2 tsp rosemary 2 tsp thyme 2 tsp parsley 1 tsp sage 1 lemon ¼ cup olive oil

Method To prepare your marinade, in a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, squeezed lemon juice, rosemary, thyme, parsley and sage. If you can prepare this dish early, marinating the chicken overnight or for a few hours is preferable.

Chop the yellow capsicum, zucchini and red onion into chunks. Keep the cherry tomatoes whole (or cut in half if you don’t want them squirting you when you skewer them).

Slice chicken into 4cm cubes and slice bacon into strips and roll up to ensure they snugly fit on the skewer.

Either remove your marinated chicken from the fridge and assemble all ingredients onto the soaked skewers.

Or marinate the kebabs once assembled. Distribute the bite-sized foods evenly along the skewers to allow a taste of everything!

Heat up the BBQ to medium-high heat.

Lightly oil the surface of the BBQ and cook, turning occasionally for ten minutes. You can cut open a piece of chicken to ensure it’s fully cooked. Serve with a refreshing salad.

Puzzle

YOUR TIME TO PLAY To complete the Sudoku puzzle, fill in all the squares in the grid so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 to 9. Each number can only appear once in a row, column or box.

www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 69

Advertorial

Life’s a Beach at King Reef Resort

You need a break; but you don’t want to be spending a fortune. You need some time to relax; but you have kids. You need a change of scenery to re-energise; but you don’t want to travel too far. You need King Reef Resort in beautiful Kurrimine Beach.

As soon as you arrive the kids will be off exploring.

It’s the kind of place you feel comfortable not being a helicopter parent and letting your kids have a bit of freedom.

Our 2-bedroom beach shacks are located, you guessed it, right on the beach with ocean views. They’re a home away from home, with a large fridge, full kitchen, lounge room, bunk beds for the kids, and two cabins even have a spa bath. The other three cabins have a shower.

The pool is cool, refreshing, relaxing and shady. If the kids have had enough of the water they can ride their bikes, or you can hire one of our family pedal bikes and take the family for a ride around Kurrimine Beach!

Even though there are BBQ facilities, and the cabins have a kitchen, to truly relax it’s wonderful not to have to cook every meal. King Reef Resort has a great pub attached to it, with yummy meals, cold beers, and live entertainment some nights too. There is also a BYO café across the road that is open from 8am EVERY DAY offering breakfast, lunch and dinner with menu items like pizza, fish and chips, burgers and loads more. They make a great coffee and their milkshakes are pretty great too!

Bree James recalls her family’s visit…

“Before we had even unpacked the car my kids were off playing with children they had met five minutes prior. We got to have uninterrupted adult conversation without nagging children or anyone double dipping their chips. The kids were too occupied to even notice and this set the tone for our entire weekend.”

Kids (and adults) love playing on the beach and exploring the low tide looking for starfish. At certain times of year you can walk out to King Reef and see all sorts of amazing sea life. If you have a boat, then this is a great place to go fishing. Or simply fish from the beach.

WATCH THE REVIEW IN THE ONLINE MAG Check out Bree's video here to see the fun time she had or head to Parents & Kids of North Queensland on Youtube to see the video review.

www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 71

Celebrate

END OF YEAR PARTIES As we approach the end of another year, it’s time to take stock and celebrate your achievements, no matter how big or small! Host an end of school year celebration, have some drinks with work mates, or tuck into a BBQ with family and friends and share some of your significant 2018 moments.

If the thought of organising and hosting your own party sends shivers down your busy, busy spine, there are some fabulous local party venues and suppliers around Cairns. They can take over the hard work. But for those of you who love to party at home or host your own celebrations, we’ve got some ideas to add a bit of pizazz to your next event.

Garden gala Make use of the space in your backyard by lighting some citronella torches and placing them around the garden to create a cosy atmosphere.

Set up a table outside and decorate it with an array of flowers, leaves and branches to create a cheerful summery vibe.

Once the sun goes down, your citronella torches will not only add a gorgeous ambience but will also help keep the mozzies at bay.

Pass the Platter Go wild. Think of all the yummy finger food you and your guests love, and create a colourful platter, or two. A refreshing, healthy plate full of tropical fruit kebabs is always a hit with the little and big kids (adults) at any party.

Fire up the BBQ. Check out our BBQ recipe ideas on page 68 to get your started.

Fun in the Sun Why should the kids have all the fun? Turn on the sprinkler and get everyone running through it.

If you’ve got a pool, get the kids to lead some games. Of course, if your idea of fun is to sit back and watch, all you need is a comfy chair and a refreshing bevvy.

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1. Amalfi Carrie Table Runner - RRP $89.00 - www.korufurnitureandhomewares.com.au 2. Kip & Co Cheese Knife RRP $25.00 - www.korufurnitureandhomewares.com.au 3. KW Ceramics Vintage Lace Serving Board - RRP $63.50 www.korufurnitureandhomewares.com.au 4. Coconut Shell Bowl - RRP $12.95 - The Source Bulk Foods, Main Street Arcade, 10/85 Lake St, Cairns

72 November 2018 | www.pakmag.com.au

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www.pakmag.com.au | November 2018 73

Advertorial

Born to be wild Remember when you were young and spent your days outdoors, playing in the sandpit, digging in the garden, feeding farm animals and splashing around in a make-shift water park? While those activities aren’t daily occurrences for many children today, they are at the Smithfield Village Early Learning Centre.

The innovative and one-of-a-kind Cairns’ early learning centre is designed to give young children the opportunity to experience and learn from the great outdoors while, at the same time, grow in an innovative environment led by passionate, caring educators.

Opened in 2014 by John Wall, who has built over 400 childcare centres in Australia, the centre has become a huge hit with parents and children. So much so, that all 126 placements are full, and the waiting list keeps growing.

“I believe kids want their ‘wildhoods’ back,” John said.

“They want to play for real and want to get dirty. They haven’t learned how to entertain themselves, but are so used to being entertained, whether it’s on screen or in a program. Their imagination suffers, and they miss out on one of the simple joys of life – just regular play.”

The centre’s outdoor environment is unique to Cairns in many ways. It has four sand pits, two large bike tracks, a waterpark, a large grassy area for children to run around in, a Barnyard, which is home to goats, chickens, ducks, guinea pigs, reptiles and a wide range of bird species. There’s even a Garden World where children learn how to plant, tend to, and eat a variety of herbs and vegetables.

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It’s about your child being excited to go to day care.

“Our head chef has also implemented a Mini Master Chef Program every day,” centre director Kim Dunbar said. “He teaches children about the ingredients in food and shows them that good food doesn’t come out of packages.”

The centre’s indoor learning areas are equipped with state-of-the-art resources for all development stages of children and includes furniture such as tables, chairs and book shelves made from natural materials, not plastic.

Having 20 years’ experience in the industry has given John the insight to understand what children, mums and dads want in a childcare centre.

“It’s about the child being excited to go to day care,” he said. “The centres we are building and developing are unique, managing and understanding a balance between education, care, play and ‘wildhood’. This is the type of environment I would wish all children to be part of.”

The children also delight in meals that are cooked daily by five-star culinary chefs who provide a mixture of gourmet and home-style cooking.

If you have missed out on a place at our Smithfield Village Early Learning Centre, we are now open for 2019 “Expressions of Interest” for Bluewater Village Early Learning Centre. Please contact Bluewater Village ELC, details are below.

Smithfield Village Early Learning Corner of O’Brien Road and Smithfield Village Drive Ph: 4057 8479 www.smithfieldvillageelc.com.au

Bluewater Village Early Learning Centre 1 Maritime Way, Bluewater Estate, Trinity Park Ph: 4229 9007 www.bluewatervillageelc.com.au

74 November 2018 | www.pakmag.com.au

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