Casey Cardinia Kids Spring 2017

THINGS TO DO & PLACES TO GO FOR FAMILIES

the

birds bees and the

birth photography :

the new

frontier

spring into

sport SPRING 2017

A Star News Group Publication

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2 SPRING 2017

www.caseycardiniakids.com.au

about us . . .

a

spring IN OUR STEP

HOW amazing is spring? Winter seems to drag on forever and then all of a sudden the sun is out, the birds are chirping and the bees are buzzing.

If you’ve been contemplating how to approach the other ‘birds and the bees’ with your child, check out our feature on pages 8-9 - we’ve got expert advice to help you navigate the tricky transition from childhood to adolescence.

If you are looking to shake off winter and get the kids active again, we’ve got plenty of ideas to get the blood pumping. Learn all about Pakenham Tae Kwon Do on page 12, the importance of swimming lessons on page 13 and get expert advice and tuition at Cranbourne Indoor Sports Centre - see page 14.

Would you be brave enough to have a photographer accompany you in to

the birthing suite? Lia Spencer was, and the results are amazing. Read her story on pages 6-7.

We’ve got plenty of real-life reads about local parents. Kerryn and Clive welcomed three babies in one year, with a serious post-birth complication to contend with as well - read their amazing story on pages 28-29. You can read about birth from a dad’s perspective, with CCK team member Christopher Rossetti sharing his experience on pages 26-27. We also catch-up with inspiring local mum Shauna Cahill, who has endured a complicated surgery to remove the transvaginal mesh that left her in debilitating pain, on page 10.

and calling Triple Zero in a crisis. Read our tips on calling triple-zero so your child knows what to do in the event of an emergency.

If you are starting to think about Christmas gifts, check out the gift ideas from Hugs for Kids on pages 38-39 and the latest fashions from Billy Lidz on pages 34-37 - now’s the time to lock in your Christmas lay-buys.

Don’t forget to keep in touch with us on Facebook - we’ve always got exciting giveaways, local news and family friendly events to share.

This edition marks two years of Casey Cardinia Kids, and I think it’s fair to say we are entering the terrific twos.

Enjoy!

We celebrate the amazing feats of local kids on Page 11, with children as young as seven recognised as ‘Triple Zero Heroes’ after keeping cool heads

First-time mums, we need to talk...

Pages 4-5 Looking back on a magic moment Pages 6-7 Patience in time of turmoil Pages 8-9

Kids use their blocks in robo challenge Page 19

Feast of favourites Page 30

It’s the karate kid Page 20

Entertainment

Craft

Full steam ahead for Christmas Page 31 Make meals a family affair Page 32

Surgery delivers Shauna Page 10

Party Time

Cool in a crisis Page 11

Little chefs cooking up a storm Page 22

Gear up for an island adventure Page 33

Training makes a big impact Page 12

Spring sprouts for a healthy glow Page 22

Skills for safe water recreation Page 13

It’s what’s on top that counts Page 23

Games and Gadgets

Nurturing talent, building confidence Page 14

Collective gift makes sense Page 23

Presence of mind Page 38-39

Health

Reality Bites

Books

Allergies on the rise Page 15

Frozen surprise greets couple Page 24

Libraries on the frontline of learning Page 41

Balanced view of growing pains Page 16

Little Lucy a good fit for mum’s active life Page 25

Calendar

Education Activities abound at Panda care Page 18

Casey Cardinia Kids Cnr Princes Hwy and Army Road, Pakenham, 3810 PO Box 9, Pakenham, Victoria 3810 Phone: 5945 0666 Fax: 5945 0777 Editorial Jade Glen jade@caseycardiniakids.com.au Phone: 5945 0666 Photography Stewart Chambers Rob Carew Gary Sissons

Creative Creative Services Manager: Chris Beale

Creating space, stars and galaxy Page 21

Take out the fear factor Page 17

Casey Cardinia Kids will be published quarterly prior to each of the school holidays.

Advertising Andy Jukes andy.jukes@starnewsgroup.com.au Phone: 5945 0666

contents It’s Your Life

Casey Cardinia Kids magazine is a Star News Group publication.

Sticking with the plan ... nearly Pages 26-27 Two parents and three under one it’s a full house Pages 28-29

Fashion

Design Mark Dinnie Virginia Hester Published by Star News Group Pty Ltd ACN 005 848 108.

Publisher/Managing Director, Paul Thomas.

All material is copyright to Star News Group Pty Ltd. All significant errors will be corrected as soon as possible.

Cover

Our models show off the latest Superga shoes, available at Billy Lidz. For more see pages 34-37.

Looking good for spring Pages 34-37 THINGS TO DO & PLACES TO GO FOR FAMILIES

the

birds bees and the

Spring has sprung Page 41

birth photography :

the new

frontier

spring into

sport SPRING 2017

AS Star tar N News Ne ws G Group Gro p Publication Public P bl cati atio on

It’s

your life

first-time

mums we need to talk...

Ani Tuna wants to help new parents navigate early parenthood.

Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS

For me, expectations were a big thi ng ...

I was really just not at all prepared for what i t was going to be li ke...

4 SPRING 2017

www.caseycardiniakids.com.au

By Jade Glen

no-nonsense, evidence-based advice to new parents.

THE impending first birthday of her daughter, Delilah, led City of Casey mum Ani Tuna to reflect on her first year of motherhood.

Under the MumLife umbrella she has started BeyondBirth, an antenatal class that focuses on newborn care.

“Just before her first birthday, my husband and I were sitting in her room and were about to put her to bed. I said to my husband, the fog has cleared, we are nearly there - but this was just so hard. There were so many struggles, particularly in the first six months,” Ani said.

“I realised there was so much support that had been missing. Like most expectant parents we did all the birth classes, and we went to them thinking they would actually prepare us for parenthood, but really all they did was talk about birth and labour and breastfeeding to some degree.

“It seemed like it was just about getting your baby safely out, and then leaving you to work out the rest by yourself.

“The problem was that when the time came to work out the rest for ourselves, we were so exhausted, as you are as a new parent. We were so overwhelmed that all these things that people say like trust your instincts - we couldn’t do that.

“We had all these questions, and we weren’t getting any answers.”

Ani decided to do something about it, and a couple of weeks later her brainchild MumLife Australia was born.

“I just spent months and months talking to people. There is this false belief that if you change a baby’s nappy, burp them and put them back down they’ll just stop crying. The reality is they cry for various reasons and sometimes no reason at all.

“The reality is most newborns can cry for up to three hours a day, and people were completely shocked when they brought them home and they didn’t just sleep all day.”

Ani also spent time speaking to new dads, and found they often felt that they weren’t adequately informed or prepared to help with newborn care.

The concerns of new parents were similar to her own worries in the early days, when she had difficulties establishing breastfeeding and found that Delilah was up all through the night and sleeping through the day.

“For me, expectations were a big thing. I was really just not at all prepared for what it was going to be like,” Ani said.

“These (breastfeeding and sleeping) are common challenges, but no one tells you that happens, and you don’t get tips to try and fix it.

“So I would stand in her room at three o’clock in the morning and just look out

To combat the glossy veneer of early parenthood, Ani includes a panel of new parents in every BeyondBirth course.

Parents talk about their experiences of parenthood so far and all its challenges.

“Parents talk about the strain on their marriage, how you might have to do things differently to keep the communication open, and the loneliness a lot of mums feel sitting at home. Parents talk honestly and openly so that the women and men in the room have realistic expectations.”

Not long after coming up with MumLife, Ani discovered that she was pregnant again - her second daughter, Frankie, is now one.

“About a month later I found out I was unexpectedly pregnant with Frankie. And I was absolutely terrified.

I thought I’ve had such a difficult experience with my first one; the second is going to be the same.

“But you know what to expect, you know where to get help. So I thought how can I give first-time parents this benefit that second-time parents have.

You don’t have that same self-doubt, and that’s because you go in with realistic expectations, and skills and knowledge.

“I feel if we have these conversations out in the open, this will help women and men feel confident, both with their skills and resources and also with the realities of parenthood. I think doing that will start this culture of people being more honest and upfront about the challenges of parenthood, which is the change I’m really trying to make.”

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With goals of creating a national parent-led online resource encompassing babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers, Ani has recruited a tribe of experts in various fields to provide

“I spoke to as many new parents as I could, to work out whether my experience was unique, or whether this was something that everybody was experiencing. The response I received was overwhelming,” Ani said.

the window thinking is there anyone else actually awake doing what I’m doing right now. I just felt I couldn’t possibly be the only one experiencing this but I had no idea what to do, so we put up with it. We put up with it for so long.”

Ani’s turning point came when she discovered a girlfriend was feeling the same way.

“For a really long time I was struggling. People would ask and I would say yeah it’s going really well, I’m doing OK, but I was actually crumbling.

“And one day a girlfriend came over and sat on the couch with me and she started to cry, we both ended up crying and I thought wow you’re actually feeling this way too.

“From that moment on I decided I wasn’t going to do it anymore. I wasn’t going to pretend it was like it is on instagram, and when people asked me how I was doing and how motherhood was, I was going to be honest. If they asked me, I would say I love my children but I don’t always love being a mum.

“I guess it’s that whole village thing you know back in the day you might have lived really close to your parents and seen people bringing up children and that information might have been passed down, and now it’s not passed down. Now we live in this vacuum of social media - not only do we not have support of the village, we don’t even have that perspective of what parenthood actually looks like because all we ever see on our phone is these beautiful photos of babies sleeping, beautiful breastfeeding photos. So we go in to parenthood thinking that’s the reality.”

www.caseycardiniakids.com.au

SPRING 2017 5

It’s

your life Having a photographer in the birthing suite ensures you can capture all the little moments of the big day.

Looking back on a

magic moment

By Lia Spencer

I’ve always had a keen interest in birth stories as each one is so different yet equally amazing.

DELIVERY rooms aren’t pretty.

When a full-term pregnant woman checks into the hospital, her dignity checks out. Clothes come off, a game-face comes on and words are said which would make kids cry and the devil blush.

After the swearing, the moaning, the pushing, and ultimately the arrival of the baby, motherhood brings a whole new wave of emotions.

I am in awe of what women’s bodies are capable of - from how they grow, to the pain they bear, to the child they produce.

Yet when many women discuss their labours they often talk about how long it was, how painful it was and all the other dirty, nitty-gritty details. They often overlook the power and beauty of it all.

So why would any expectant woman in her right frame of mind invite relatives and friends into the delivery room to witness all the blood, sweat and tears?

I trusted Mel could capture the positives of childbirth through her craft. Not only is she a brilliant photographer, but she has a unique ability to tell a story through image and video.

That’s the question I kept asking myself when I invited my sister-in-law Melanie, a photographer by trade, to capture the birth of my second baby in May.

She’s also down-to-earth, openminded, has a heart of gold and she was someone I trusted wholeheartedly to be in the room with me at such a vulnerable time.

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On 9 May I went into the hospital to be induced. At 2am, 10 hours after I was given the first lot of gels, I began having contractions. I called Mel to the hospital, but unfortunately when she arrived the contractions stopped. Mel sat patiently in the room and watched television while my husband Michael and I went back to sleep.

a six-hour labour into a five-minute video. Tears streamed down my face as I viewed the labour from another perspective. She had cut out all yucky details and compromising angles to create a video which so beautifully articulated the love between Michael and I and our children.

I watched a patient man hold my hand and run his hands over my forehead and through my hair, desperate to take the pain away from me. I saw the professionalism of the hospital staff, who coached me through the last chaotic moments. I saw the care and support of our family who visited shortly after and congratulated us through skype. And, above all, I got to see the incredibly precious moment Michael and I met our son Louis. A moment which would have only been felt and heard until Mel captured it on video.

At 8am the obstetrician broke my waters and the contractions began again. At first, I adjusted my long tunic to cover my body as I walked around the room, moved into comfortable positions on the bed, or waddled to the toilet to pee. But as the labour progressed, and the pain worsened, I forgot Mel was in the room and was wholly invested in the labour. I concentrated on what I had to do to deliver my baby quickly and safely.

Mel retreated to the back corner of the delivery room but was still able to take photos and video while Michael and the midwife stayed by my side.

At one point, when Michael was trying to do several things at once, Mel replaced her ‘photographer hat’ with her ‘sister hat’ and helped him rub my back, put cool towels on my head and offer words of encouragement.

At 1.45pm I gave birth to Louis Michael Spencer. My eyes were closed as my husband shouted with surprise, ‘It’s a boy.’ I felt as though I had just

finished a marathon. My head was in a fog as the midwife laid my son on my chest. At that moment, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace. I was blessed with two children. I immediately swore to myself that I wouldn’t put myself through that pain again. I also vowed to never look at the photographs or video Mel took of the labour. So, I cringed when Mel sent a link to the photographs and video the next day.

It was too soon, too raw. I had cried, swore, vomited, among other things in that delivery room and there was no need to watch myself in that state.

But Michael had a sneak peak and persuaded me to watch it with him.

He promised it was tasteful and felt I would appreciate it. With one eye shut, I agreed. Within moments, both eyes were glue on the screen.

Mel had managed to condense

Like the birth of my daughter Isla, the birth of Louis will forever be etched in my mind. It will be a memory which I hope will never fade, but thanks to Mel, it will be a treasured moment I can watch at any time and share with my loved ones. I will never be able to thank Mel for the gift she has given me. And if I never see the images from the birth that made the cutting room floor, I MAY even consider having just one more baby ... watch this space!

Lia’s birth photographer captured her first moments with baby Louis.

Pictures: MELANIE LEIGHTON

HILLC

PLUS....

A great opportunity QUALITY & CARE are the hallmarks of a Hillcrest education. We consider that the very best environment for quality outcomes is one based upon and permeated by Christian faith and values. Additional opportunities include: 1.

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Wide variety of VCE subjects & pathways Regular, ongoing feedback on learning via the College online portal Passionate & dedicated Christian staf Christian leadership & personal development

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SPRING 2017 7

It’s

your life

By Jade Glen PUBERTY is a challenging time - and hopefully it’s now a distant, if slightly unpleasant memory for you - but if you are reading this, chances are you will be soon reliving your puberty blues as you help your child navigate this transition from childhood to adolescence.

There’s a lot going on during puberty, with children experiencing a range of physical, emotional, sexual and social changes. Everything is changing, including the relationship between you and your child.

Alexandra Barbas, senior clinician at Relationships Australia Victoria, said some children managed these changes with ease while others struggled and

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some experienced significant turmoil.

Top ti ps for

The key to supporting your child through this turmoil was emotional acceptance, Ms Barbas said.

“One of the best ways to support a child during puberty is to provide them with reassurance and support that the changes they are experiencing are normal. It is important that parents stay involved and available if their child wants to talk.”

Ms Barbas said puberty was a time when parents became consultants to, rather than managers of their children.

“This does not mean that a parent’s role becomes defunct. Children still need to know that their parents are available to talk and offer support.

“Forming their own identity is a key developmental milestone for teens.

As part of that process, teens start to strongly value other relationship outside of their immediate family, and practice being assertive and autonomous. This does not mean that they still don’t need a good or close relationship with their parents. It is important that parents manage any feelings of rejection and hurt that might arise as a result of their teens developing strong relationships with others. It is also important that parents keep the door open and remain accepting of their teen.”

Hopefully you have already started the conversation about puberty and all its associated changes before the event unfolds - Ms Barbas said discussions about sex and bodies should be ongoing.

“Answer any questions teens may have about their bodies directly without overloading them with information. It is

Puberty is a time wh en chi ldren compare thei r body to th ose of thei r fri ends and may feel em barrassed or worri ed about the i r development... best to choose a time to talk where there are no distractions. Parents could start by asking their child whether they have been taught about puberty at school.

Their child may not want to share everything with their parents and may prefer to talk to someone else, like another family member, GP or a counsellor.

“When talking about their bodies and body parts, it is best to use the correct terms for body parts so that a child can feel comfortable when talking about their body. If parents hear their child start to tell jokes about sex, that is a good time to ask questions such as “Are you noticing any changes in your body?” Providing children with books about puberty written for children may also be helpful.

“Puberty is a time when children compare their body to those of their

friends and may feel embarrassed or worried about their development (uneven testes, menstruation, acne etc).

Parents can role model body acceptance and discuss with their children that bodies come in all shapes and sizes and that everyone develops at their own pace. If a child continues to be concerned about their development, then it may be helpful to make an appointment to talk to a GP.” Ms Barbas said parents should also be accepting of their child’s need for privacy and get in to the habit of knocking before entering their room.

parents: ■ Acknowledge and praise your child for any achievements, efforts or positive behaviours.

■ You may benefit by educating yourself about parenting through puberty.

■ Choose your battles - if your teen wants to dye their hair, paint their fingernails etc, it is best to save their objections for issues like alcohol, drugs, smoking or permanent changes to their appearance (tattoos, piercings).

■ Look out for signs that your teen may be really struggling (skipping school, failing grades, talking or joking about suicide, substance use).

■ Set limits on the amount of time your teen spends online or in front of the television. Access to technology should be in public and limited after certain hours.

If you are looking for more advice to help relate your child or teenager, Relationships Australia Victoria (RAV) can help. For more information, call 1300 364 277 or visit www.rav.org.au.

RAV also has a website dedicated to supporting young people - visit www. connectedspace.com.au

Years 5 and 6

Due to demand, we are excited to now offer three classes of Year 5 and Year 6 for 2018.

Many of our region’s families are now choosing to move their child to St Paul’s in Years 5 and 6 as they recognise that the latter years of primary school are critical in establishing the conidence, learning habits and resilience that set a child up for success in secondary school and beyond.

At St Paul’s our curriculum programs, pastoral care and activities are designed with this in mind.

Whether it be developing leadership capabilities through the Year 5 ‘Rock and Water’ program or Year 6 Leadership positions, experimenting and investigating in the new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)

Centre, being challenged to think and work as part of a team through Robotics, mastering a new language, inding a new interest through the Brass and Woodwind Program or discovering a passion for the Arts or Community Service, St Paul’s provides a place for your child to try new things and to be enriched and lourish.

St Paul’s also ofers the most comprehensive transition program in Gippsland from Year 6 to Year 7 to ensure that your child feels connected, safe and conident when they start Secondary School. stpaulsags.vic.edu.au

“The move to Year 5 at St Paul’s was seamless.

My son felt very welcome and he has embraced everything about school life including his instrument of choice the ‘trumpet’! His irst two terms have been illed with a love for the STEM Program, his irst swimming carnival and a new language to learn amongst many other opportunities and wonderful new friendships!”

– Parent of new Year 5 student in 2017.

We welcome you to come and see Years 5 and 6 classes in action where you can discover what it is that sets St Paul’s apart from other schools by contacting our Head of Admissions on 03 5623 5833 or admissions@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au 12361082-EPJ36-17

www.caseycardiniakids.com.au

SPRING 2017 9

It’s

your life

Surgery

delivers Shauna

By Bonny Burrows

for the material to be removed from Ms Cahill’s body.

AFTER years of debilitating pain, Officer mother Shauna Cahill is now free of the toxic mesh which was once killing her.

To the family’s relief, the five-hour surgery on 19 July was successful; however it hasn’t come without further challenges.

The 35-year-old mother-of-two last month underwent surgery to remove the mesh, which had left her with constant excruciating groin, vaginal and pelvic pain.

The surgery, the fifth attempt to remove the toxic material which is banned in Scotland due to its sideeffects and is now the subject of an Australian Federal Court class action, was successful.

The mesh was inserted in 2015 as part of a simple surgery to treat her pelvic organ prolapse (POP) - a common condition affecting one in three women post-childbirth, defined by bladder incontinence.

The procedure, which involves a hysterectomy, bowel and bladder prolapse repair and sling insertion, was supposed to stop the incontinence but instead, due to the insertion of the transvaginal mesh, almost cost Ms Cahill her life.

Speaking post-procedure on 10 August, Ms Cahill said the operation took twice as long as expected due to the difficulty of removing the mesh.

“The surgeon’s words were there’s hard, there’s difficult, there’s extremely difficult, there’s extremely extremely difficult and then there was you,” Ms Cahill said.

Ms Cahill said post-op, her battle was far from over.

She is fighting an infection which has intensified the pain, and may have some irreversible nerve damage in her groin.

incontinence has worsened to the point she can “stand and be wet through and I won’t have even realised”.

Instead, she is documenting her journey on the Facebook page Shauna’s Best Chance.

“Living with mesh is difficult to explain and even now that I’ve had removal my life has been forever changed,” Ms Cahill said.

Ms Cahill told the Gazette in May that if one person was spared the pain of such surgery, then in a way, her battle was OK.

“However, I’m thankful that the mesh is completely gone and can no longer leach toxins into my body or cause any further damage inside of me,” Ms Cahill said.

“It’s s*** right now but everything happens for a reason,” Ms Cahill said.

“Too exhausted” to fight the legal system, Ms Cahill is not a part of the class action against pharmaceutical giant and mesh supplier Johnson and Johnson.

The young mum is also still wheelchair-bound when heading outside the house and her

The material began to slowly erode away her organs - a side-effect medical professionals allegedly know of but “keep quiet” she says - and Ms Cahill was left in excruciating daily pain which she described as a seven or eight out of 10 on a good day.

“This has happened to me, but it does not need to happen to anyone else.”

Shine Lawyers, the firm behind the lawsuit which commenced in July, believe as many as 8000 Australian women have been impacted by life-altering symptoms after surgery’s similar to Ms Cahill’s, with at least 700 having used Johnson and Johnson mesh products.

Despite her strength during the difficult time, Ms Cahill acknowledged she wouldn’t have made it through without the support of her friends and family.

“To those of my friends who have been here for me, supported me and continued to make an effort even though some days I’m not much company, I will be forever grateful,” Ms Cahill said.

Ms Cahill’s Facebook page, documenting her journey, can be found at: www.facebook.com/ gofundmeShaunasbestchance Hearings on the Johnson and Johnson lawsuit are expected to run for about six months.

It took two years and five surgeries, during which Ms Cahill, her partner, and their two children Mak and Suni suffered emotionally and physically,

Officer mother of two Shauna Cahill, pictured with children Mak and Suni, has undergone surgery which has rid her body of the toxic transvaginal mesh once killing her.

We have a due date!

Our new hospital will be delivered on January 18th, 2018.

Visit our website for information session times and dates

10 SPRING 2017

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For more information on having your baby in our brand new hospital visit www.sjog.org.au/berwickmaternity

www.caseycardiniakids.com.au

Cool in a crisis

Calling triple-zero: A guide for kids An emergency is when ...

■ Someone is badly injured or very unwell.

■ Your life or somebody else’s life is in danger.

■ There is a serious accident or crime taking place.

If there is an emergency, look around to see if there is a helper, such as a parent, an older brother or sister, or a teacher. If there are no helpers around, find a phone and call zero zero zero.

When you call triple-zero, you need to tell the operator which emergency service you need - Police, Fire or Ambulance.

NEVER call triple-zero for fun or a prank. There are serious consequences for you and for other people who might be in need of help.

Know the difference between big accidents and small accidents. Only ever call triple-zero if there is a big accident. If there is a small accident, tell a grown-up so they can help.

If someone is unwell or injured and you can’t wake them up, they are unconscious. This means that a big accident has occurred and you need to call triple-zero. If someone can’t breathe, this is an emergency and you need to call triple-zero.

Memorise your address and your phone number. If it’s too hard to remember, write it on or near the phone.

You don’t need to know the mobile phone’s passcode to call triple-zero.

Just press the emergency button at the bottom and you can make the call. Ask a grown-up to show you how.

Pakenham girl NICOLE IBRAHIM, 11, called triple-zero after her mother suddenly became faint while driving along the Princes Highway on her way to a doctor’s appointment.

SALVATORE LEONE, 7, from Cranbourne North, called triple-zero after his mother had an anaphylactic reaction and collapsed on the floor.

The young boy also used an epi-pen to try and revive his mother.

PAIGE WEIDERMANN, 12, from Lynbrook, called an ambulance when her dad suffered chest pains.

EMILY RAY, 15, from Narre Warren, called triple-zero while putting out an oven fire and ensuring her pets were safe.

Berwick girl GABRIELLE SINGH, 9, called triple-zero after a fire broke out in a bedroom while she was doing homework.

WE KNOW that kids in Casey and Cardinia are pretty remarkable - and six of them have been officially recognised for keeping calm and calling triple-zero during times of crisis.

Nicole, Salvatore, Paige, Emily and Gabrielle were among 51 Victorian children feted at the Junior Triple Zero Heroes award ceremony at the Windsor Hotel earlier this year.

The youngsters were all lauded by Minister for Emergency Services James Merlino and comedian Dave Hughes.

“Victoria’s brave junior Triple Zero Heroes remained remarkably cool, calm and collected and are shining examples

Pakenham girl Nicole Ibrahim was recognised for keeping cool and calling triple-zero when her mother became faint while driving last year. 169061 Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS of how preparing children for an emergency can save lives,” Mr Merlino said.

In October last year, Nicole Ibrahim’s mother suddenly became faint while driving along the Princes Highway on her way to a doctor’s appointment.

Nicole said she remembers the incident very clearly.

“Mum said she wasn’t feeling well and pulled over to the side of the road,” she said.

“When we stopped, she fainted.”

Nicole’s mother Marianna has a rare condition called neurally mediated hypotension which causes faulty brain signals to cause low blood pressure leading to symptoms such as dizziness, nausea and fainting.

Ms Ibrahim said it was the first time

your life

she had ever had an episode while she was driving and is immensely proud of her daughter, who remained calm under pressure.

“She handled everything, because when I faint I can hear but I can’t move or respond,” she said.

Nicole said she at the time she wasn’t shocked that her mother had fainted, but that she couldn’t identify the area they where they were. She said her brother Patrick was a great help.

“Patrick helped a lot by recognising the street we were in,” Nicole said.

Six-year-old Patrick said he noticed that they were near a friend’s house.

“I told Nicole that we were near Lakeside when she called triple-zero,” Patrick said.

Nicole’s call taker instructed her make sure that her mother was lying as flat as possible and to check she was still breathing while the ambulance was on its way. It arrived less than 10 minutes later.

Marianna said she couldn’t be prouder.

“I was very happy and proud of Nicole and Patrick,” she said.

“The call taker was so helpful as well in keeping the kids calm.”

Nicole said she has one message for other children who find themselves in an emergency situation.

“When something goes wrong people are going to help you,” she said.

“There are so many kind people.

We live in such a great world.”

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SPRING 2017 11

It’s

your life

By Jade Glen IF YOUR little tacker is a little ninja, Tae Kwon Do might be the perfect outlet for them.

Little Tikes, the class for under-fiveyear-olds at Pakenham Tae Known Do, offers similar size-appropriate challenges as seen on the hugely popular Australian Ninja Warrior.

Pakenham Tae Kwon Do is a long established martial arts school started by former policeman James Heenan in 1999.

The club has grown from its original incarnation as a class at the Fitness Factory to a large school of dedicated students, with something to offer everyone from pre-schoolers to seniors.

James is a fifth-dan black belt who has practiced Tae Kwon Do for 30 years.

“I invented Little Tikes and it is essentially an obstacle course - it teaches them balance, focus, some hand-eye co-ordination, with a really fun atmosphere,” Mr Heenan said.

“They learn how to bow, sit and count in Korean. It’s only $8 for the half an hour and they really run ragged.”

Mr Heenan said the sport was suited to students of all abilities.

“We have students with behavioural problems, with learning disorders, intellectual or physical disabilities. You name it, we’ve had it. I think about half of the black belt honour board (would fall in to this category).

“Often they come along to Tae Kwon Do and the changes are amazing. I’ve had students that have come in for the first time and have hidden in the toilet we’ve worked with them and now they’ve been at the club for four or five years.”

Mr Heenan said the school, known as a Dojang, practiced a traditional style of Tae Kwon Do that focused on the core values of the martial art.

“It’s a bit of philosophy, essential life skills, and it is more based on development through the ranks and achieving a black belt than tournaments and competitions.”

The Dojang also has many female devotees of the sport.

“It is high intensity, high kicks, a lot of leg work, running and jumping. It’s great toning,” Mr Heenan said.

“It’s a very friendly environment, and everyone really becomes friends with their fellow students. Their whole focus becomes wanting to be a black belt and be recognised. It’s not an attendance course, you don’t just hand them out. To get a black belt is a big thing.”

Atlas climbs with help from James.

The strict training environment also encourages discipline and self-restraint.

Pictures: ROB CAREW

“You learn how not to pull the trigger.

And that helped me when I was a policeman, that helped me in life, and I’ve passed on that ideal to my students,” Mr Heenan said.

“We are custodians of the art, and it’s my job to pass it on.”

Carter high fives James.

Team fist bump to mark the end of a successful class.

Ryley kicks.

Alissa helps Marco kick.

It’s

S k il l s f o r

your life

safe water re c r e at i o n

NOBODY would argue that swimming and water recreation is a big part of Australian living. Between our pristine beaches, rivers, pools and other waterways, Aussies spend many hours in and around the water.

But no matter how much people play it safe, water activities can be fraught with danger.

A total of 280 people drowned in Australian waterways between 1 July 2015 and 30 June 2016. Of these victims, 21 were aged just 0-4 years.

And for the ones that do survive, many will go on to suffer lifelong implications to their health, according to latest reports.

Anna Loypur, owner of SwimWorld in Glen Waverley, urges all parents to consider learning to swim and survive as an essential skill that could one day save their child’s life. It should be equally as important as learning to read and write.

“We are surrounded by water in this country, however parents are still not placing these skills as a high priority

and our drowning statistics are ever increasing,” Anna said.

And it’s not just large waterways where accidents happen. Swimming pools account for the most drowning deaths in Australian children under 5.

After this, baths and spas are just as common as rivers and lakes. Falling into the water is the cause of 81 per cent of drowning cases.

SwimWorld’s First Class programs give every child the opportunity to learn from the best. Lessons can start as young as six months of age, and continue right through to adults. Babies begin in the ‘Little Squirts’ program and extend their water familiarisation through songs and water play. Most importantly, they learn correct safe entry and exit skills, with classes strongly focused on water survival.

Once a child reaches three years of age, they graduate into the Pre-school program, receiving a ‘Big Kid Now’ rash vest and commemorative certificate.

They then progress to the learner program, followed by the more advanced squad program.

These courses help children not only learn how to swim, but also survive, so that in the unfortunate event they fall into a pool, bath, river or lake, the child will know how to recover and get safely out of the water, or know what to do until help arrives.

SwimWorld’s reputation comes from the school going above and beyond to meet the needs of parents. They pride themselves on working in small groups and helping mums and dads wherever possible. If a parent is swimming with one child, siblings can be occupied in the complimentary supervised childcare area where they enjoy craft and puzzle activities. The staff can even change your child and prepare them for the next lesson, so that you can focus on the child in the pool.

Lessons are held at SwimWorld seven days a week, including twilight classes that are popular with working parents.

The pool is kept at a comfortable 32 degrees, ensuring your child can enjoy lessons all year round. There’s a cafe onsite to grab a snack or coffee between lessons, and warm showers and

hairdryers available for when you’re finished in the pool.

All instructors at SwimWorld are AUSTSWIM qualified and keep up their skills with ongoing training.

Receptionists and management are CPR and Level 2 First Aid qualified, ensuring that your child is in the best hands at all times.

Recently, Australian swimming ambassador Laurie Lawrence expressed concern in parents using cost as an excuse not to get lessons. With 1/3 of children under 5 years of age not enrolled in swimming, that is a lot of lives being put at risk in the water.

SwimWorld is here to not only ensure you receive first class service, and first class survival tuition, but also ensure that lessons are affordable for everyone.

“Gymnastics, footy, netball, dancing ... they are all fun things to do ... but swimming will save your child’s life”.

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SPRING 2017 13

It’s

your life

Cranbourne Indoor Sports fosters a team environment. play as a team, how to get along with everybody,” she said.

Children’s skills are developed with weekly clinics.

Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS

By Jade Glen

“Maybe, they need one-on-one coaching to get their confidence up if you play as a team and feel you are being judged, your confidence will plummet and you won’t want to play that sport. It’s very important to follow the mindset and confidence of the child.”

NURTURING the talents of junior players and fostering a close community environment is the aim of the game at Cranbourne Indoor Sports.

Managing director Jannette Dunlop said the centre held clinics to support juniors and help players achieve their goals of competing on the national stage.

Cricket and soccer clinics start for children as young as five years old, and the Ready Steady Go program gives pre-schoolers a taste of different sports.

“We’ve got soccer, cricket, and we are looking at netball clinics,” Jannette said.

“For the five to 10-year-olds, we work to build their skills and technique, then for the 11-14-year-olds, it’s more about the individual and supporting them on their pathway.”

Belong to a team

Cranbourne Indoor Sports caters for everyone, from those at the very beginnings of their sporting career to those with real aspirations of playing for Australia.

The centre is home of the Cranbourne Kings, and three women from the Cranbourne Kings Division 1 team are now in the Australian women’s cricket team.

Jannette said children were welcome to join a clinic at any stage, even if they had no prior experience of the sport.

Training Coaching & Competitions,

The centre is family-focused, and parents are welcomed with the heater turned up for those winter clinics and tea and coffee supplied.

Jannette said many of the coaches at Cranbourne Indoor Sports had played at high levels themselves.

“We have a strong leadership team which is really important,” Jannette said.

“I’m from a small country town, and the community was linked together by sport. I’m trying to develop what I’ve been brought up in, where everybody helps each other out.

“It’s about feeling like you belong to a team or a group, seeing the potential in everybody. It’s getting that community environment - and a child does better when they are brought up by a community.”

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Allergies on

the rise

By Jade Glen CHILDHOOD allergies are on the rise across the globe, but Australia takes the cake - so long as the proverbial cake is egg, nut and wheat-free.

Australian kids are more likely to have food allergies than their international peers, according to new research by the Australian Centre of Food and Allergy Research.

‘The study followed 5276 Australian children from age one to four.

As one-year-olds, 11 per cent of children had a challenge-confirmed food allergy, dwindling to 3.8 per cent at age four.

Reduction of egg allergy was the main driver of this change, dropping from 9.5 per cent to 1.2 per cent.

Peanut allergies also fell, but remained the most prevalent food allergy in four-year-olds.

Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, reflect previous research which has shown about 20 per cent of children will outgrow peanut allergy and 80 per cent will develop tolerance to egg.

The prevalence of asthma, eczema and hay fever in four-year-olds was also measured, said the study’s lead author Dr Rachel Peters from Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.

Asthma prevalence was 10.8 per cent, eczema was 16 per cent and hay fever 8.3 per cent, Dr Peters said.

“Overall, 40 to 50 per cent of this population-based cohort experienced symptoms of any allergic disease in the first four years of their life,” she said.

“Although the prevalence of food allergy decreased between ages one and four, the prevalence of any allergic disease among four-year-old children is still remarkably high.”

The new results, published in the

Senior author Prof Katie Allen said the

study results were among the most robust in the world as they were derived from a large sample size, a high response rate from participants and relied on the gold-standard oral food challenges to measure allergies. Other non-food allergies were measured by questioning parents about whether their children had been diagnosed by a doctor and experienced symptoms of asthma, eczema or hayfever in the past year.

Prof Allen said there had been an increase in the prevalence of allergic diseases internationally, initially marked by a rise in asthma, eczema and hayfever, peaking in the 1990s and 2000s. “This was followed by the second wave of the allergy epidemic with an increase in reported food allergies over the last two decades. Allergies are now recognised as a significant public health concern,” Prof Allen said.

Children in the study will now be followed up at age six and 10.

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SPRING 2017 15

There are some common observations and issues related to children’s feet and legs that parents are often concerned about. So we asked one of Australia’s leading foot & Leg Pain experts and Musculoskeletal podiatrist Dr Paul Dowie, founder of Foot & Leg Pain Clinics, to clarify some of these.

Balanced vi e w of

growing pains

Flat Feet Contrary to popular belief the appearance of flat feet in children, is not usually cause for concern.

However, if there is associated pain, balance issues or excessive rolling inward of the ankles, parents should seek professional advice from an experienced musculoskeletal or sports podiatrist.

Pigeon toe and out toe The appearance of in-toeing (‘pigeon toed’) or out-toeing (‘duck feet’), can affect the capacity of a child to run, jump and balance well. These issues may be assisted during a child’s developmental years and should be checked.

growing Pains Growing pains are very common and are often due to overstrain of the growth plates of growing bones. The exact nature of the pain should be determined as soon as possible by an experienced musculoskeletal podiatrist.

shin Pain Medial tibial stress syndrome, anterior leg pain and compartment syndrome, all commonly referred to as shin pain or shin splints should always be checked as soon as possible.

“If your child regularly complains of foot or leg pain, has balance or mobility issues it is important to get them checked by a podiatrist experienced in treating musculoskeletal issues. The good news is, with proper diagnosis and correct treatment most issues can be addressed quite easily,” Dr Dowie said.

You can get Dr Dowie’s expert advice at Foot & Leg Pain Clinics in Berwick. Call 1300 328 300.

Sun Dental, a more gentle dental

We offer a full range of aesthetic dental treatments and emergency procedures. We are also happy to treat children eligible for the Medicare Child Dental Benefits Scheme.

With interest free payment plans available for major dental treatment, we can help you afford a healthy smile. New patients are welcome, appointments essential.

Please call early to avoid disappointment.

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Dr Robert Panjkov and Lisa Panjkov visiting Ryan Road Child Care and Swim School for Dental Health Week.

fear factor

Take out the AT BEACONSFIELD Dental, scary trips to the dentist are now a thing of the past.

Offering all aspects of general, family and cosmetic dentistry in a calm, relaxed and friendly environment, Beaconsfield Dental believes the combination of their facilities, technology, pricing and caring nature means they provide value that is hard to match.

With patient comfort being Beaconsfield Dental’s number one

priority, owner of the practice Dr Robert Panjkov and his team have the latest diagnostic equipment and pain-free dental techniques on hand to best cater for their patents.

“We have a team of experienced dentists that understand you and your children’s oral health and offer all dental treatments including cosmetic dentistry, general dentistry, implants, wisdom tooth problems, dentures and mouthguards,” Dr Panjkov explained.

SPECIALIST ORTHODONTIC CLINIC

“Our dentists also assist patients with preventing dental disease, cleaning of teeth, bleaching, stained or discoloured teeth, dry mouth, bleeding gums, bad breath and grinding of teeth to name a few.”

The team at Beaconsfield Dental has been practising for nearly 30 years in the area and pride themselves on offering patients an honest dental opinion which leads to quality and affordable dental treatment.

Beaconsfield Dental is located at 1 Cardinia Street in Berwick. Consultations can be booked with Dr Robert Panjkov, Dr Sean Weragoda, Dr Matthew Clarke, Dr Evan Vlassopoulos, Dr Hayley Chan, Dr Hannah Kim or Dr Tess Fraser.

Appointments are available from Monday through to Saturday with later appointments on Tuesdays for customer convenience. Ring 9707 3508 or visit beaconsfielddental.com.au.

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SPRING 2017 17

Education

activities abound at Panda care PANDA Family Day Care is a leading family day care operating in the south east and western suburbs of Melbourne.

It is one of the oldest and most established in-home care providers with an unenviable reputation for quality care, uncompromising adherence to compliance and a nurturing environment.

It is proven that children delight when given the chance to explore, naturally within the limits provided, and they show the capacity to choose what they like. When they have had enough, they move on.

But one thing that defines Panda’s care is the incorporation of diverse forms of activities for children - from play based ones to outdoor pursuits.

Family day care offers children the best environment to explore, discover, learn and grow. After all, the setting for the children is a natural home

The blend of activities may differ from one educator to another, but what is constant is the educator’s flexibility to innovate and bring additional activities to suit children’s curiosity and needs.

Ultimately, Panda’s goal is to develop the child to grow into the best they can be. Family day care is truly a foundation for children, and this is a function that Panda takes to heart.

Children’s curiosity has no limits at PANDA Family Day Care.

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Education

Kids use th eir

By Robert Kelly IN 2017, LEGO is far more than a simple building block to be used and manipulated by children. LEGO has stepped out of the playground and into the real world of education focusing on science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The brick’s incredible flexibility and durability makes it the perfect material for teaching the key concepts of STEM in classrooms around the world. There are now many LEGO clubs and groups in existence in Australia too, including RoboCup Junior Australia - a project-oriented educational initiative that supports local, regional and international robotic events for young students.

blocks

in robo challen ge

On The Boogie”. The robot had motorised limbs and the students were encouraged to give their robots real names and personalities. The two groups performed a tightly choreographed dance routine along with their robots. Consideration was given to all elements of their performance, including costumes, music and routine.

In this friendly LEGO robotics tournament, students are asked to design, build and program a robot to perform in one, two or three tournament categories - Dance, Rescue and/or Soccer. A group of enthusiastic students from Berwick Lodge Primary School recently attended the tournament at Mt Clear College in Ballarat, Victoria. The 16 volunteers from Grades 4, 5 and 6, participated in the junior dance and rescue tournament categories. Teacher Nick Pryor said: “The kids were given the opportunity to work with experienced coaches which enriched their skill set - both in problem solving and design.”

Across the hall, the rescue robot tournament was also underway. In this category, robots are programmed by the students to follow a winding black line on a series of tiles. On the way, the robot encounters obstacles, bridges and short cut opportunities that is promised to challenge the most intrepid programmer. After navigating through the randomly selected path, the robot arrives at a green coloured area which indicates a chemical spill. While the clock is ticking, the robot must find “the victim” (an aluminium can) before pushing it out of the quicksand square to safety. The challenge tests the students understanding of how a robot’s design needs to be integrated with it’s program to complete the task.

The students participating in the dance category had to combine LEGO technology and the Performing Arts by programming a robot to dance to a soundtrack of their choice - the girls choosing Taylor Swifts’ ‘Bad Blood’ and ‘Shake It Off’ and the boys’ dance group to Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It’ and “Blame It

LEGO’s potential as a teaching and learning tool in schools is growing. While Robocup is one example of how LEGO can be used, it can also be utilised in a number of different curriculum areas within education in a playful way. After all, LEGO (a Danish phrase) does mean “play well”.

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• • • •

SPRING 2017 19

Education

' It s the

karate kid Martial arts student will be fighting for his country…

By Casey Neill

competing,” he said.

age group.

“It taught me discipline as well.

A SPRINGVALE student will fight for Australia at a karate competition in Ireland.

Omar Selmanovic, 17, is in Year 11 at Minaret College.

Omar has been training for two hours each day.

“I initially played soccer,” he said.

“After the season ended I was looking for something to do and I had a friend who did karate.

“I joined when I was about eight. I haven’t looked back.”

He said that it was his dad’s encouragement that kept him in karate initially.

“The aim really isn’t to bash your opponent. You just have to land two clean punches to win the match.

“Without hard work you weren’t going to go anywhere.”

Omar was handpicked at regional try-outs for a national competition where he placed in the top four in his age group.

“Everybody’s good friends, but on the mat, in the ring, you forget about the friendships and stuff,” he said.

“You’ve got a job to do.

“They have to be full contact. The chances of winning and losing... if you get hit twice, you’re out.

“The pressure’s on, you can’t just stand there.

“It’s a two-minute match so you’ve got to get it done quickly.

“You’ve got to take the initiative most of the time. A match could finish in 30 seconds. You never really know what’s going to happen.

“Afterwards it’s all handshakes, it’s all smiles

“There’ll also be kata. It’s like a set for of movements that you get judged on.

You perform it on the mat.”

“But when you get to

Omar has represented Australia twice before, at age 11 and 14.

- maybe a black eye or a bloody nose.”

The International Karate Union World Championships will take place in Ireland as this magazine goes to print.

go to competitions you meet people and have fun

“I didn’t really push myself as much as I would now,” he said.

“I’ve been training for about two hours every day.”

There’s no prize money up for grabs and he’s had to fund-raise to pay for his trip.

“I think it’s all over one day for us juniors, so we’re going to have multiple times on the mat in one day,” he said.

“I’ll be fighting in the 16 to 18 years

But it will likely be his last tilt at the junior competition.

“During Year 12 I won’t be able to devote as much time to the sport,” he said.

“I’ll have to ease up.”

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Creating

space,

stars galaxy AND

PLAYDOUGH is so easy to mak e at home, and this no-cook vers ion means kids can be involved mix ing and kneading the dough.

Most of the ingredients are prob ably already in your pantry and the addition of black food colo uring and glitter adds to the fun and provides an opportunity to talk about space, stars and the gala xy.

Mess factor: 4/5 - hands were a bit black and blue after kne ading the dough and the food dye left a stain on the benchtop - mag ic eraser removed it, but you may want to knead on a chopping board or other surface if you hav e light coloured benchtops. Glitt er was also liberally applied and spread throughout the kitchen .

Ingredients: ■ 2 cups Plain Flour ■ 1/2 cup of salt g water ■ 1.5 cups of boilin ■ 2 tbsp oil

tartar ■ 2 tbsp cream of g ■ Black food colourin r ■ glitte

No cook space playdough.

Step 1: Mix flour, salt , oil and cream of tartar.

Step 2: Put boiling water in a jug and add black food colouring.

Step 3: Add black water mixture to bowl.

Step 4: Knead together for a few minutes until you have a ball of dough.

Step 5: Add your glitter!

Step 6: Knead together until glitter is spread throughout the dough.

Enjoy! Add sparkly stars or use a star cookie-cutter for a space-themed playdough session.

www.caseycardiniakids.com.au

SPRING 2017 21

party time

Meg White’s Honey Mustard Brussels slaw.

spring sprouts for a

Little chefs

cooking up a storm h ealthy glow

IF YOUR child is a junior masterchef - or just loves a cupcake or two - then a party at Beaconsfield’s Cooking 4 Kids might be just the thing for their next birthday.

Cooking 4 Kids owner Meg White said parties were suitable for children aged from three and up.

“Our parties follow the same structure, but are easily adaptable to suit different age groups, genders and our clients’ individual requirements,” Meg said.

“Children are so captivated by the world of cooking, and we relish in the opportunity to give them an outlet to explore food and learn from a professional chef.”

The birthday child selects a recipe to cook with their friends, choosing from a diverse recipe list that ranges from M&M cookies to sushi.

“All the children engage in a hands-on cooking experience, cook their own individual recipe from scratch. The party guests get to take home their cooking to show off and share with their families.”

Meg said parties were designed to be as stress free as possible for parents.

“We have all the little details covered from the beginning.

Invitations, party games, gift bags, party food, set up and most importantly clean up! We can also help out with the birthday cake if required.”

Food is made in-house, with a focus on health. Parties can include a range of food from in-season fruit, sandwiches, mini-pizzas and sausage rolls complete with hidden vegetables.

Want to get the kids eating their Brussels sprouts?

Meg White, from Cooking 4 Kids in Beaconsfield, has you covered with this Honey Mustard Brussels slaw - a fresh take on an old favourite perfect for spring.

Hon ey M ustard Brussels slaw INGREDIENTS:

Method:

■ 8 Brussels sprouts

1. Remove any tough ends and browning outer leaves from the sprouts. Using a sharp knife, cut the sprouts in half, then slice thinly.

Place into a large bowl.

Vinaigrette: ■ 2 tbsp dried cranberries

“We stand strong in our ability to cater for a range of allergies and dietary requirements, leaving no child left out from their friends,” Meg said.

■ 2 tbsp vegetable oil

“Our studio offers an intimate space for children to enjoy their party.

Parents can rest assured that they are always leaving their children in a clean, safe environment. Our staff all hold working with children’s checks and we always have someone qualified in anaphylaxis and first aid at each party.”

■ 1 rash bacon

■ 2 tbsp parmesan cheese, finely grated ■ 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar ■ 1.5 tbsp honey ■ Splash olive oil ■ 2 tsp Dijon mustard ■ 2 tsp wholegrain mustard ■ 1/4 tsp crushed garlic ■ Salt and white pepper

2. Cut bacon into small pieces, place into a small bowl. Heat a splash of olive oil in a frying pan on the stove top over a medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until golden and crispy. Remove and drain excess fat from the bacon, allow to cool.

3. Add the cranberries and parmesan cheese to the sprouts, mix well using your hands to combine.

4. Add the cooked bacon and toss again to combine.

5. Vinaigrette: In a jar combine vegetable oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon and wholegrain mustards, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Screw the jar lid on tightly, then shake really well to combine all ingredients.

6. Pour the vinaigrette over the slaw ingredients and toss well to coat all of the ingredients.

7. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.

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22 SPRING 2017

www.caseycardiniakids.com.au

By Jade Glen UNICORNS continue to top the trends for girl’s birthday parties, with a beautiful tiered unicorn cake the essential centrepiece.

For the boys, the classic Batman, Spiderman and Lego themes remain eternally popular.

The Cake Stop in Beaconsfield can help parents with cakes to these or any other themes - providing home cooks the supplies and advice needed to attempt them at home or making professional cakes to order in its commercial kitchen.

Local mother and daughter duo Melissa and Joanne Tucci took over the long-established business this year.

There is a wide range of cake decorating supplies to purchase, regular classes for both beginner and advanced cake makers, and a selection of cakes, cupcakes, muffins and macarons to have with a coffee in store.

“We have pretty much everything your cupcake cases, boards, boxes, a range of cake mixes, all the cutters, moulds for everything, all the icings, buttercream, ready to flowers, and so many cupcake toppers,” Joanne said.

Customers wishing to get their birthday cake made by the professionals can come in store with their own ideas or draw inspiration from a book of Melissa’s previously made birthday cakes.

Those that wish to attempt a cake themselves can refine their skills through The Cake Stop’s regular classes.

It ' s what ' s

on top that

counts “We cater for everyone - we just had one class with a man who wanted to make a birthday cake for his wife, and he had never made a cake before, and one man just interested in learning about cake decorating.

IF YOU have a couple of kids - or maybe just one with a sparkling social life - chances are you are heading to a child’s birthday party every other weekend.

You’ve probably had your fair share of last-minute trips to the shops, searching for a gift for a kid that you don’t know that well, only to find that another guest has brought the same present.

Faced with this problem, two enterprising mums- sick of wasting money on cheap, underwhelming gifts - developed a website to help parents pool their resources and buy one top-notch present.

Joanne said The Cake Stop had everything parents needed for a child’s birthday cake.

“The biggest trend at the moment is still unicorns - that’s a daily request. For the boys its Batman, Lego and Spiderman ... but there’s no limits as to what we can do.”

makes sense

banker and marketing strategist respectively, have seven kids between them - including a set of twins each - and came up with the concept of grouptogether.com.au after meeting for coffee in 2014.

“We were exhausted from the driving, parking, buying, wrapping gifts, drop offs and pick-ups involved in attending kids parties,” Julie said.

“We were also gob-smacked at the amount of money we had spent only to find out that the birthday kids already had the gifts, were given multiple copies of the gifts or didn’t love them.”

Julie was also influenced by one of her own children’s milestone birthdays, on which he received six sets of headphones, five mini speakers and 10 bottles of aftershave.

Describing this as a light-bulb moment, she wanted to find ways to cut the waste and replace it with one great gift the birthday child will truly love, a card that’s worth keeping and a small donation to share their good fortune with others.

Ali said grouptogether was also about encouraging mindful giving.

It’s about mindful consumption; grouping together for one gift that’ll be valued. (There is) less waste from unwanted gifts, packaging, petrol and time. It’s better all round,” she said.

To get started, the website organiser answers a few questions, writes a brief message about what they are collecting for and invites friends. The website then emails a link to all the invitees and tracks contributions, politely reminds those who have

forgotten, adds messages to the card, transfers gift funds and provides a custom thankyou message.

The group card, a keepsake with friend’s photos and messages, is emailed at the same time and can be shared, saved and printed.

While asking other parents to pool their money could be a sensitive topic, Julie and Ali said parents were increasingly embracing the concept.

“For those still unsure, we provide sample text that can be used on invitations that introduce the concept and make clear there’s no obligation to participate. We also made it easy to donate a portion of the gift money to charity which is a great way of introducing kids to the idea of charitable giving.”

12359871-EPJ36-17

Julie Tylman and Ali Linz, a former

Unicorn cakes are hugely popular. This cake was made by Melissa Tucci, of The Cake Stop, Beaconsfield.

“Melissa guided the both of them and got a really nice cake at the end of the class.”

Collecti ve gi ft

By Jade Glen

party time

Let us create your dream cake 1/46-50 Old Princes Hwy, Beaconsfield’ Ph: 9769 7099 www.caseycardiniakids.com.au

SPRING 2017 23

reality bites

Frozen

surprise gree ts

couple Picture: CAROLINE BOWEN

I tried the gas, it was really good and my husband was amazing at coaching me when to breathe. He was watching the clock and he knew before me when the next contraction was coming.”

By Jade Glen USUALLY it’s the mum-to-be that gets to surprise the father with baby news but for Beth and Stephen Copeland, the age-old scenario was turned on its head.

Last year the Berwick couple underwent their first frozen embryo transfer following years of unexplained infertility.

The afternoon that the IVF clinic was to call with the results, Beth, a photographer with her own business called Emotif photography, had an album design session with a client a three-hour meeting - so asked them to call Stephen with the news.

“Obviously, I was dying to know, but I gave the client my full attention,” Beth said.

“I knew I’d finish at 5pm and Stephen would get home around the same time.

He got home and he had a bunch of flowers, which he was holding in front of his face.

“He gave me a present which had little booties and a card - I still didn’t know what it meant.”

Beth read as quickly as she could to get to the answer to her million-dollar question. The card thanked Beth for her strength and courage through the rollercoaster of fertility treatments, and told her that she was now pregnant.

“He knew all afternoon and couldn’t tell anyone. I raced upstairs and peed on a stick, because I didn’t believe him!”

The news was a welcome surprise for Beth, who was convinced that the mild cramping she had experienced in the days prior meant that the transfer had been unsuccessful. So much so that she had sent a text out the night before telling close friends and family that she was not pregnant.

“If it didn’t work, I didn’t want to tell them (when I found out) - and I thought on the off chance that I am pregnant, we could surprise them like most couples do.

“We kept it a secret and got a special 24 SPRING 2017

After about 30 minutes of pushing, with the assistance of the ventouse (vacuum), Elliana Roslyn was born at 12.48pm, weighing 3.5kg (7lb 11oz) little onesie made for my dad’s birthday - it said we didn’t know what to get you for your birthday, so we are making you a baby. For his parents we got a custom wine bottle label that you scratched off and it said you are going to be grandparents.”

that her waters had broken.

The news was a long-time coming for the couple, who had been battling unexplained infertility for years.

“So we went home and I had a lovely bath and listened to meditation and cuddled my dog. I thought I’d have a snooze, but I was too excited.

“I think it’s the most frustrating type of infertility - there is no reason, there is nothing that can be fixed,” Beth said.

“I still don’t have an explanation, but I have a beautiful healthy baby daughter.”

The pregnancy was the result of a frozen embryo transfer. After two unsuccessful attempts at IUI (intrauterine insemination), Beth responded well to her first stimulated IVF cycle - too well, producing 60-odd follicles. To avoid ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome (OHSS) the decision was made to postpone the transfer and freeze all of the couple’s viable embryos.

“I looked like I was five months pregnant, which is a cruel joke for someone experiencing infertility,” Beth said.

“We then missed my ovulation, so had to wait another month - each month (that went by) was like a blow.

“I had to have blood tests every day to make sure they didn’t miss it the month after.”

Thankfully, the embryo was successful, and Beth enjoyed a textbook pregnancy.

“I had a bit of morning sickness, but I loved being pregnant,” she said.

In the very early hours of 10 May, just after midnight, she woke to find

“I wasn’t sure so I went back to sleep for a bit! We then rang the hospital and went down there at 2am to check if that was the case and they confirmed my waters had broken, but I still hadn’t had regular contractions.

“She had a bit of a squashed face, as they all do, but to us she was perfect.”

After such a long wait, Beth is revelling in her new role as mother.

“I’m loving it. I think because it took so much longer, we’ve witnessed all our friends having babies and we knew a bit about what to expect.

“You fall in love with them pretty quickly.”

“We were having breakfast when my contractions got more regular, so we headed back to the hospital and by the time we got there at 6am they were about two minutes apart. They checked me at 8am and said I was 3cm dilated.

“I was like alright let’s get the epidural! I had an amazing midwife, Sarah, and she said you haven’t had any pain relief at all. I was just thinking a break would be nice.”

The couple had brought a TENS machine for pain relief.

“It was quite funny because we didn’t know how to set it up. I kept pressing the plus button and ended up turning it all the way up, but it wasn’t plugged in.”

When the TENS machine was eventually in action, Beth found it helpful for a while.

“That worked for a little bit and then about an hour and a half after that I thought this is getting full on - maybe an epidural would be good. They say an hour per centimetre (for dilation) and I’m calculating and thinking I’m 3cm, another seven hours of this - no.

“Then they checked and I was 7cm dilated, and I though that’s not too bad, if it’s only a couple more hours maybe I can do this.

Picture: JODI BOUMA www.caseycardiniakids.com.au

reality bites

Li ttle Lu c y

' a good fit for mum s

active life

By Lia Spencer KATE Kay is no stranger to the local gym and weekly Parkrun. The Berwick resident has always put an emphasis on her health and fitness, and when she fell pregnant last year, her fitness regime didn’t stop.

Kate and her husband Ryan decided to start trying for a baby in 2015. They had been married for 18 months, travelled extensively, and just turned 30. But it wasn’t an easy transition into their next stage in life.

“Falling pregnant for us wasn’t easy.

Having said that though we weren’t very strict about trying to conceive for the first year and every now and then we would put things on hold due to a particular event,” Kate said. “When I really started to monitor my extremely irregular cycle, it took us about six months.”

Kate suffered from exhaustion and food aversions for the first trimester, but she didn’t let her pregnancy symptoms stop her from staying active.

“I was very active and fit before falling pregnant so I felt it was safe to keep exercising during my pregnancy at a moderate level. I tried to do some form of exercise at least twice a week.

I love running and was able to run up to 5km until I was 29 weeks,” she said.

“When running became uncomfortable, I started walking instead.”

On 25 March, Ryan and Kate both went out with friends to celebrate the impending arrival. She wasn’t due for 12 more days, but the baby had other plans. At 3.30am on 26 March, Kate woke to go to the bathroom and got the surprise of her life when her waters broke. They went to the hospital where Kate was monitored then sent home at 8am. But by 9.30am, Kate’s contractions grew more frequent and more painful and she and Ryan returned to the hospital. There was no time to receive any pain relief. At 10am, Kate began pushing and at 11.43am, she gave birth to beautiful baby girl, Lucy Rose.

“It was definitely love at first sight when Ryan and I met Lucy,” Kate said.

“I tried to sleep in the hospital that

Baby Lucy. Pictures supplied. Above left: Kate and Ryan welcoming their daughter, Lucy. afternoon but I just couldn’t take my eyes off her. We were also so shocked that she arrived so quickly and early, I think it took a while to sink in that she had actually arrived.”

Kate and Ryan’s perspective on life has changed since having their little girl.

“Lucy has shown us both a completely different side to each other and it’s brought us closer together,” Kate said. “I love watching Ryan as a dad, Lucy definitely has him wrapped around her little finger.”

And while Kate believes being fit and healthy contributed to her textbook labour and quick recovery, she doesn’t mind swapping her weekly run or gym

sessions for more time with her daughter.

“Before having Lucy, I used to worry I might get frustrated if I could no longer do things I enjoyed, but this hasn’t been the case at all. If I can go to the shops or Parkrun for an hour every now and then it’s a bonus, but those things definitely aren’t my priorities anymore,” she said.

“It sounds cliche but I really just need to enjoy every moment I am with Lucy.

Every week she is doing something new, whether it be rolling over or just making a new sound. It blows my mind how much she has grown and what she has achieved in such a short amount of time. These little humans grow up way too quickly!”

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SPRING 2017 25

reality bites

Birth is a huge deal for mums but it’s also a life-changing event for dads, too. Here brand-new dad Christopher Rossetti shares the story of the birth of his daughter, Ivy.

Sti cking with the plan ...

By Christopher Rossetti LIFE is what happens when we are making plans. Staying with my wife in the hospital while she gave birth to our first child was never a conversation we had. We never had a discussion about it and can’t point to a moment when we said that I would be staying with her. It was just assumed. My wife, Tayler, was going to experience one of the most life changing events of her life and I wasn’t going to be on the sidelines. This event was happening to me. It was happening to us. The plan was that my beautiful wife would have our daughter naturally and then I would work during the day and spend the nights with my new baby and amazing wife. However, life is what happens when we are making plans.

Due to complications, my wife was induced three weeks early. My daughter had other ideas, and the day we were due to be induced her waters broke. Being our first pregnancy and birth, we didn’t quite realise this and my wife still got her eyebrows done before

we were due at the hospital. It wasn’t until we were sitting in the birthing suite that we realised how soon we would meet our little girl. During this process, we had further complications and my wife bravely made the decision to protect our daughter and herself by having an emergency C-section. The operation went fast, your child is born in the first five minutes and the remaining time is mending your partner. I was there in the room, helping my own personal Wonder Woman deal with her stresses and was lucky enough to cut the umbilical cord. The events of the day were traumatic for both my girls and this resulted in our daughter spending the weekend in the nursery, and my wife getting some muchneeded rest.

St John of God allows the partner to stay in the room with the mother of their child after the birth, even having double beds supplied. This was a fantastic way for my wife and I to navigate the first few days of parenthood and acclimatise to our new reality. However, life is what happens

nearly

when we are making plans.

The major surgery of a C-section meant my wife couldn’t share a bed; this didn’t change my choice of staying with my wife and newborn baby.

I prepared myself to sleep in a chair, against a wall or on the floor. Luckily, the nurses supplied a mattress and sheets. I spent the weekend with my wife and helped her recover by making sure she was fed and bathed, getting her out of bed and taking her to visit our daughter.

We had both done classes in preparation for this life altering event but the reality of having to feed, change, swaddle, burp and nurture a newborn is a difficult thing to prepare for. I, in particular, felt way out of my depth and stressed immensely that I wasn’t fit for fatherhood. I was lucky that I asked the nurses for help and slowly learned the ropes. This was important for myself but also for my wife.

Due to her recovery, she was required to rest large portions of the day and our daughter was still in the

nursery, as such I would take care of our daughter while my wife rested.

This prepared me mentally and physically for the challenges of bringing our new bundle of joy home. Further, it helped develop an attachment and relationship with my daughter that many fathers struggle to achieve with their new family member.

While my wife was still at in hospital, I spent the Monday to Wednesday after our daughter was born at work. I would come back to the hospital after finishing, sleep next to my wife on the floor and then leave in the morning. This meant we were still together; I could still help my wife during her recovery and spend time with my daughter.

It was also important because I could take more time off with our new family at home. I was able to be there for my wife, when she struggled with being in a physical state that we hadn’t prepared for. Although throughout the whole event she was fantastic and I couldn’t be prouder, my wife felt she had no control and was failing our daughter. The fact that I was able Christopher, Tayler and Ivy Rossetti.

Pictures: Tenielle Murray Photography

26 SPRING 2017

www.caseycardiniakids.com.au

reality bites

to support her recovery in the first few days and make sure the relationship between mother and child developed was more important than anything.

Our daughter, Ivy, is over three months old now and my wife has fully recovered from the birth. The complications in our pregnancy won’t

happen to everyone, and no two births are the same, but one thing I will recommend to all future mothers and fathers. If you can, stay together at the hospital before and after the birth. The relationship you share will be stronger and you will both need each other’s support throughout the delivery and first

days of having a child. The father and mother both learn how to keep your newborn alive, instead of only one knowing. The father can build a relationship with their child over the first few days and both parents can start to adapt to a new sleep schedule, and reality.

The reasons above are major part of why I would recommend a partner stay with the mother at the hospital after the delivery.

But even more importantly - life happens when you are making plans, and it is better to be there when life happens than somewhere else.

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SPRING 2017 27

reality bites

Clive and Kerryn with their kids Emma, Paige and Abigail.

Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS

Two parents and

By Jade Glen

three under one it ' s a

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28 SPRING 2017

Super parents Kerryn and Clive juggled the needs of three babies while Kerryn recovered from a serious birth complication that required daily nurse visits for more than five months.

Kerryn’s plans of spending a few weeks relaxing and preparing for her firstborn’s arrival came to an abrupt halt at her next obstetrician appointment.

Their incredible year began on 3 May, 2015, when their daughter Abigail was born.

“After going through some routine tests the whole place turned upside down and everyone was in a mad panic. I was 38 weeks and had developed pre-eclampsia and my blood pressure was dangerously high. Within a couple of hours I was induced.

“I had only recently commenced my maternity leave from my full-time job and I thought I would give myself a couple of weeks to relax before my

“Two days and many, many, many contractions later I was still only 1.5cms dilated and I had to undergo an emergency caesarean section.”

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“I assumed I would go in to labour after my due date like my mother did for all her children. I was looking forward to Netflix and chill!”

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www.caseycardiniakids.com.au

reality bites

Just four months later, in August, 2015, Kerryn discovered she was pregnant again. “I felt from the very beginning that I was having twins. My husband and my doctor both thought I was crazy! An early dating scan showed two beautiful little blobs. My husband was ecstatic.

He had always wanted twins. I was in a state of disbelief.�

At her usual obstetrician appointment at 34 weeks pregnant, it was discovered that Kerryn had again developed pre-eclampsia. “I was admitted to hospital immediately and administered various medications and monitored for several days. The doctors were trying to reduce my blood pressure to give the twins more time to develop in utero. In the meantime I was given steroid injections.

Unfortunately the treatment could not bring Kerryn’s blood pressure back to safe levels and she underwent another emergency caesarean on 20 March, 2016, when the twins were at 35 weeks gestation.

IV antibiotics I underwent a secondary surgery to clear out the infected fluid and tissue - I was then left with an open wound. It required being packed and dressed daily until it slowly healed itself - it took five and a half months.�

Abigail was only 10 months old when the twins were born. “She wasn’t at an age where we could just explain to her what was happening. She struggled with being away from us while were at hospital.

We had never spent any time away from her,� Kerryn said. “When we all returned home together and Clive and I sat on the couch together each holding a twin, it was at that moment that poor little Abigail broke down in tears. “It took her about two to four weeks to adjust to the change. Her sleeping was affected in that time but she did return to normal. She is now perfectly happy with the twins and loves to kiss and cuddle them and play with them.�

Kerryn and Clive’s family all lived interstate at the time of the twins’ birth, but some family moved to the area a month or so after they were born. “The hardest part of having three babies under one was dealing with my open wound and the daily dressing and packing of it. It took five and a half months to heal. That was five and a half months of daily RDNS visits that I would get half an hour’s notice for, and during that half an hour I had to have each baby fed and placed somewhere safe, and I had to have a shower as I was only allowed to shower immediately before dressing changes.

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Abigail was born weighing 3.74kg or 8lb 4oz on the old scales, and Kerryn recovered well.

“My husband would help when he got home from work and on weekends and my in-laws would also help on weekends when they weren’t working if we needed it.�

The first few months were exhausting, as there was never a time when all three babies would sleep at once. “The twins were immediately rushed off to the neonatal special care unit where they were placed in humidicribs.

They were in the special care unit for 12 days. At birth they weighed 2.42kg (5lb 5oz) and 2.32kg (5lb 2oz). They were born one minute apart and named Emma and Paige respectively,� Kerryn said. “My recovery this time around was much harder. I was in significant pain following the surgery and it got worse every day. “A week following the birth of Emma and Paige my wound burst open at home and upon readmission to ED I was diagnosed with a severe infection with the underlying infected fluid measuring 21cm wide and 6cm deep. After failed

“The routine was basically sleep, feed, sleep, feed, sleep, feed times three and then I would try and get some rest in there myself. And then came that glorious time, when the twins were 11 months old, when all three babies started having the same nap time!�

Abigail is now 26-months old, and Emma and Paige are 16-months. “Life is so much fun. It can be hectic and chaotic. I try to stay organised.

I love to watch the girls play and laugh together. We enjoy getting out of the house when we can, it can be quite challenging some days. But I wouldn’t have it any other way,� Kerryn said. “I’ve been blessed so much with these beautiful daughters and I just hope that I can be a great mum for them.�

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Clive and Kerryn with their kids Abigail, Paige and Emma. www.caseycardiniakids.com.au

SPRING 2017 29

Games and gadgets Narre Warren’s King family blend traditional and modern favourites.

Nine-year-old Michael and e seven-year-old Chloe lov reading and drawing while also enjoying Frozen and gaming. Mum Sonya, a longtime scrapbooker, has also got on the adult colouring trend. Here, the King family share a few . of their favourite things

Michael with his Xbox One remote - his favourite game is Roblox.

Chloe loves drawing then colouring in.

Chloe loves Shopkins, and has been collecting them for the last three years.

these

are a few of our

favourite Sonya colouring in.

things

Sonya’s favourite thing is scrapbooking - she has been doing it for more than 10 years.

Sonya with one of her masterpieces. “I have always liked colouring, it relaxes me.“

Michael likes to play Slither on the iPad.

Michael loves the Treehouse books by Andy Griffiths.

30 SPRING 2017

I love to go out with the girls once a month – we all have so much fun.

Chloe, 7, with her Elsa and Shopkins dolls. Chloe loves Frozen and recently went and saw it at Disney on Ice. Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS www.caseycardiniakids.com.au

Entertainment

Full steam ahead for

Christmas HE’S making a list, he’s checking it twice ... and then Santa Claus is coming to Gembrook.

The jolly man himself will be jingling all the way to the end of the Puffing Billy line at Gembrook Station for the annual Santa Special train rides this December.

The Santa Specials have been one of the railway’s most popular events for more than 30 years, with children and adults alike getting into the Christmas Spirit for a train ride like no other.

The 2017 Santa Special adventures take place on 2 & 3, 9 and 10 December, with departures at 11am and 1.30pm.

Proceeds from this year Santa Special event go towards the maintenance of the Puffing Billy fleet of locomotives.

Bookings are essential and must be made online at www.puffingbilly.com. au

Children can have their faces painted, take part in a Little Elves play and create workshop, view the Australian animal exhibition and have their photo taken with Santa before boarding their brightly decorated locomotive for a 60-minute return journey through the Dandenong Ranges.

Following their train ride, Santa and his helpers will hand out gifts to all the children (from babies up to 10 year olds). Visitors are encouraged to make a day of it and bring a picnic lunch to enjoy in the nearby park, or grab a bite to eat at one of the local Gembrook eateries located just a few minutes walk from the station.

Picture: Karen Gunn

Australia’s Favourite Steam Train

Escape the crowds by boarding at Lakeside

FAMILY

FUN Lakeside Station is located within Emerald Lake Park - the perfect starting point for a family outing! The park offers picnic tables, lawns and walking tracks to explore.

Puffing Billy operates daily to Gembrook station from September (weekends only in winter).

Puffing Billy travels through the Dandenong Ranges every day except Christmas Day. Step back in time with family and friends and have a great day out!

Discounted family fares are available from $114 (valid for up to two adults and up to four children).

Join Santa, Mrs Claus and their helpers this December at a new and festive location Puffing Billy’s Gembrook Railway Station!

Tickets are on sale, so book now.

Telephone 9757 0700 www.puffingbilly.com.au/cckids 12361096-DJ36-17

www.caseycardiniakids.com.au

SPRING 2017 31

PHILLIP ISLAND FEATURE

Entertainment

Make meals a family

affair

IF YOU are visiting Phillip Island with the family, the multi award-winning Lone Pine Bistro at Phillip Island RSL is the perfect place to stop and grab a bite to eat.

Located at the gateway to Cowes, the bistro is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Lunch is between noon and 2.30pm and dinner is seated from 5.30pm through to 8.30pm perfectly timed to enjoy a delicious meal after a visit to Phillip Island Nature Park to see the penguins, which are currently waddling back to their burrows about 6pm.

Family friendly Lone Pine Bistro, Phillip Island RSL • Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner • Gluten free, vegetarian, kids, and seniors meal options • Kids play room • Weekly FREE playgroup – Playful Puggles – Wednesday at 10am for 30 minutes – Kids Room • Sunday Funday – last Sunday of each month at 12.30pm to 2.30pm – Lone Pine Bistro deck

Look for the daily specials which now include a vegetarian and seniors’ option. The menu features many gluten-free options such as seared scallops, lamb back strap or Gippsland Natural corned beef and there’s even a daily gluten-free dessert to try.

Kids have their own menu to choose from and it doubles up as an activity sheet to keep them occupied until the meal arrives. Colour in the drawings to win a $10 venue voucher.

The Joey’s Kids Club is free for kids to join if their parent or guardian is

a financial member of Phillip Island RSL. Benefits include discounted events during school holidays, their very own membership card, a birthday card from Joey and exclusive competitions.

Applications are available at the bistro.

If you plan to stay on the island for a while, make sure you bring your bubs to the free playgroup - Playful Puggles - held each Wednesday from 10am in the Kids Room. There are different activities each week co-ordinated by Dr Rebecca Overeem.

On the last Sunday of each month, kids can let their creativity flow at the Sunday Funday from 12.30pm to 2.30pm on the deck adjacent to the bistro.

After your meal, go for a wander and marvel at the amazing array of military memorabilia on display both outside and inside the venue. A real favourite is the 1914 Triumph H motorcycle on display in the members’ foyer.

Follow on facebook to keep up to date with what’s going and on and what you can win - www.facebook. com/phillipislandrsl

Join your kids up into the FREE* Joey’s Kid’s Club • School holiday events and activities • Membership card • Birthday card from Joey • Exclusive competitions *Parents/guardians must be financial members of Phillip Island RSL

Check www.phillipislandrsl.com.au to see what’s happening and to reserve your table.

BOOKINGS ARE ESSENTIAL DURING PEAK PERIODS, WEEKENDS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS.

25 Thompson Ave, Cowes VIC 3922

(03) 5952 1004 www.phillipislandrsl.com.au

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Joey is king of the kids at Phillip Island RSL.

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32 SPRING 2017

www.caseycardiniakids.com.au

PHILLIP ISLAND FEATURE

Entertainment

Gear up for an

island adventure THE September school holidays are a great time to herald the arrival of spring, and Phillip Island Nature Parks has some wonderful free activities on offer as well as some discounted ticket bundles to make the most of your visit to the island.

The little penguins at the Penguin Parade are getting right into the swing of things. For those penguins still looking for love, the males have renovated their burrows in an effort to attract the attention of the opposite sex. Nature Parks’ researchers have reported that many burrows already have two very podgy penguins inside, busily preparing for the breeding season. We should start seeing the first of the eggs very soon, leading to some very chubby and fluffy chicks. They don’t stay fluffy for long though, as chicks usually only take between eight and 11 weeks to fledge and find their own way in the world.

The male koalas are certainly thinking about breeding as well, as they start to develop their pungent aroma that is meant to attract the ladies. The rangers at the Koala Conservation Centre tell us it’s not the best smell, and so far the female koalas don’t seem too thrilled about it either, but it’s only early days in the koala world, so hopefully

a Phillip Island Nature Parks ’4 Parks’ Pass. In addition to the Penguin Parade, Koala Conservation Centre and Churchill Island Heritage Farm, the 4 Parks Pass also entitles you to entry to the fun and immersive Antarctic Journey at the Nobbies Centre. This exciting attraction offers hands-on fun, interactive activities and a state-of-theart multimedia experience as visitors embark on a virtual journey to the frozen continent, complete with augmented reality experience to reach out and stroke a seal or pat a penguin.

There’s lots to see and do at Phillip Island Nature Parks this spring. we will be seeing some wonderful little koala joeys in the near future.

There can’t be anything much cuter than the sight of a baby lamb or highland cow frolicking in the fields, and it won’t be too long until Churchill Island Heritage Farm is home to some brand new faces of the baby variety.

The ducks, geese and chickens don’t want to miss out, so they may well make their own contribution to the farm’s animal population in the near future as well.

You can visit all three of these wonderful locations at a heavily discounted rate when you purchase

As if all of this wasn’t enough, the Rangers at the Nature Parks are putting on some great free school holiday activities like Koala Prowls, Rockpool Rambles, Kite Workshops and Turn the Tide Beach Discovery sessions. Come and join the Rangers for a fun session before the evening Penguin Parade and find out how you can help save our seabirds and other marine wildlife by blowing bubbles instead of balloons.

For more details on the 4 Parks Pass and the school holiday free activities program, visit www.penguins.org.au and start planning your visit to Phillip Island.

Get back to nature with our

4 PARKS PASS

and visit Phillip Island’s top attractions for one discounted price

Koala Conservation Centre

Churchill Island Heritage Farm

Antarctic Journey at the Nobbies Centre

$

Bundle & Save!

www.caseycardiniakids.com.au

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Penguin Parade

Bookings & tour information penguins.org.au 03 5951 2800

SPRING 2017 33

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NEW SPRING COLLECTION ARRIVING IN STORE NOW OPEN Mon - Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-3pm Shop 6, Blackburne Square, Berwick Phone: 9707 5593 34 SPRING 2017

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THE sun’s just around the corner - it’s time to pack away the winter woollies and freshen up your child’s wardrobe with some on-trend spring threads.

Billy Lidz Berwick’s spring collection is in-store now, with some brand new labels on offer.

You can select some sweet cotton essentials for the little ones in your life from the new Jamie Kay range, and pick-up the ever-popular Salt Water Sandals or Superga trainers for growing feet.

SUDO and Munster Kids’s new spring collection blends skate, surf and street fashion to keep your kids cool in every sense.

Billy Lidz stocks clothes for babies, toddlers and children up to 14 years, as well as a great range of gifts, toys and accessories.

Christmas lay-buys are now available - four-week terms. Visit Billy Lidz in Blackburne Sqaure, Berwick, for more.

School Holiday Fun on Clyde Thu 28/9 & Fri 29/9

11am to 2pm - Grand Final Footy Handball Competition

Sat 30/9

Footy Faces Face-painting 10am to 12noon

Sunday 1/10

Cuddle babies (Petting animals) 11:30am-3pm

Monday 2/10

Face painting 12-2:30pm

Tuesday 3/10

Face painting 12-2:30pm

Wed. 4/10, Thu. 5/10

11am to 2pm - Mini Petting Animal Zoo

Friday 6/10

Balloons 1:30-4pm

Saturday 7/10

Cuddle babies (Petting animals) 11:30am-3pm

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36 SPRING 2017

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Games and gadgets

Gepettos Wooden Bangle Teether - $18.90

Marbotics Smart Letters - $89.95

TeePee Lamps - $99

Juggling Balls - $26.95

CHRISTMAS will be here before we know it and now’s the time to start planning your presents.

Belgrave’s popular Hugs for Kids store has shared its top 20 gift ideas to give you a headtsrart on your shopping list, with a range suited to the newest of babies to the older kids looking to challenge their mind and build something incredible.

Roasted Fox Naga Skirt - from $52.95

Matador Klassic Series from from $45.90

The range continues in store and online, with thousands of goodies to discover including clothes, shoes, decor, toys, dinnerware, nappy bags and maternity items.

You’ll have even more opportunity to shop with a new store set to open in Beaconsfield this spring.

Christmas lay-buys are available - put down a 20 per cent deposit now and pay the balance by the end of November, ready to collect mid-December - or you can shop online and get everything posted to your door.

Jacks - $10.95 38 SPRING 2017

Plae Shoes - from $84.95 www.caseycardiniakids.com.au

Magnatiles 100 Clear - $209

Wishbone Flip $170

Nana Huchy Dolls from $30

Original Yumbox $39.95

Fabric Wall Decals - from $14.95

rters - $25 esigns Comfo

O.B D

Wishbone 3-in-1 Original Balance Bike - $289

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S W E N T te A E ouri R

Au is n p o h D! S L s E d I i K NSF O C BEA

A World Of Wonder for little people

Maternity Clothes

Decor

Toys

Accessories Shoes

Shop 14b, 55 Old Princes Highway, Beaconsfield www.hugsforkids.com.au www.caseycardiniakids.com.au

STEM

Eating

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Programs for kids at your local library!

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glenwaverley@myswimworld.com.au 452 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley VIC 3150

Officer 67 Tivendale Road, Officer Victoria 3809 Tel: (+613) 5943 2058 Fax: (+613) 5943 2205 officeradmin@minaret.vic.edu.au

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Call our office today for a FREE Orthodontic Consultation 1/63 Main St, Pakenham P: 5941 5188 190 Foster Street East, Dandenong P: 9792 2491

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Story time, craft activities, games & dancing – every month is diferent!

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THOMPSON PARKWAY Cnr of Thompsons Road & South Gippsland Highway, Cranbourne North. * Parents must supervise children in their care at all times.

www.caseycardiniakids.com.au

Code Club is just one of the activities on offer for kids at Casey Cardinia Library Corporation.

Libraries on the

frontline of

learning “IT IS VITALLY important that people engage with the technical subjects, gain confidence and build a solid understanding so that they can take advantage of new technologies. At the same time, people need to develop the right side of their brain - the side that deals with creativity and imagination - so that they can not only use new technologies, but also be the innovators who create the next wave of inventions.

Public libraries are uniquely placed as centres of informal learning for all ages, at the heart of their communities.”

How public libraries contribute to the STEM Agenda 2017, Australian Library and Information Association, Australian Public Library Alliance As one of the most talked about topics in education, you’ve probably heard about the importance of STEAM (or STEM) in your child’s development – but what is it? S.T.E.A.M. is an educational approach incorporating Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics which aims to equip children with the skills needed to thrive in the 21st century.

The STEAM movement has influenced everything from school

Casey Cardinia Libraries are embracing STEAM with a huge range of free activities and clubs for kids. Early literacy programs such as Tinies’ Time and Pre-school Storytime now include sensory play and play-based activities which are the perfect opportunity for your little one to get their hands dirty and practise those fine motor skills.

Older children can dive into

independent learning through games, craft, experiments and collaborative play at after-school sessions such as Lego Club, Explorers’ Club, Adventurers’ Club and the recently launched Code Club – where participants learn the language that computers use through exploration, creativity and fun.

All of these programs are completely free, although some require bookings in advance. For more information visit www.cclc.vic.gov.au or pick up the Casey Cardinia Libraries Events Booklet in any library branch across the region.

Tinies’ Time – Babies and toddlers up to age 3.

Pre-school Storytime – Pre-schoolers aged 3-5 years.

Lego Club – Prep to Grade 6.

Explorers’ Club – Prep to Grade 2.

Adventurers’ Club – Ages 8-plus.

Code Club – Ages 8-12.

!

S ID K R O F S M A R G O PR

• Code Club

• Pre-school Storytime

• Lego Club

• Tinies’ Time

• Explorers’ Club

• Baby Rhyme Time

• Adventurers’ Club

• School Holiday Programs

Inspiring spaces Where everyone is free to discover possibilities

www.caseycardiniakids.com.au

Pro gram Ages

www.cclc.vic.gov.au

We support

S.T.E.A.M. initiatives in all of our programs Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Maths! @CaseyCardiniaLibraries

Cranbourne • Doveton • Emerald • Endeavour Hills Hampton Park • Narre Warren • Pakenham • Cardinia Mobile

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FREE

curriculums to government frameworks, and now, the offerings at your local library.

SPRING 2017 41

spring HAS

sprung

September Kymmy’s Family Market, Sunday 3 September, 9am-2pm. Homemade crafts, candles, baby clothes and more. Includes jumping castle and face painting for the kids. Cranbourne Public Hall, 166-178 South Gippsland Highway, Cranbourne.

Pop-Up Playgroup, Monday 4 September, 9.30am11.30am, 18 Pasadena Boulevard, Clyde North.

The City of Casey is hosting free playgroup activities.

Visitors should remember to bring their hat and snacks. If there is extreme weather the venue will change to Selandra Family and Community Centre, 45 Haflinger Avenue, Clyde.

Produce Swap at Myuna Farm, Saturday 9 September, 9am-10am. Myuna Farm, 182 Kidds Road, Doveton.

Cook it with Dad - Dads Matter Program, Saturday 9 September, 10.30am-non. Selandra Family and Children’s Centre, 45 Haflinger Avenue, Clyde North.

Free. To register contact City of Casey on 9705 5200 or email dadsmatter@casey.vic.gov.au.

Pop-Up Playgroup, Monday 11 September, 9.30am11.30am, 18 Pasadena Boulevard, Clyde North.

The City of Casey is hosting free playgroup activities.

Visitors should remember to bring their hat and snacks. If there is extreme weather the venue will change to Selandra Family and Community Centre, 45 Haflinger Avenue, Clyde.

Car Boot Sale, Kooweerup, Saturday 23 September, 7am-1pm at Kooweerup Regional Health Service, Rossiter Road, Kooweerup.

Doveton Show, Sunday 24 September, 19am-4pm.

Held each year at the same time as the Royal Melbourne Show, the Doveton Show has been an exceptionally successful community-driven initiative, attracting more than 27,000 attendees in 2015, showcasing the Doveton Eumemmerring community in City of Casey. Myuna Farm, 182 Kidds Road, Doveton.

Lego in the Library, Monday 25 September, 4pm-5pm, Cranbourne Library, Cranbourne.

42 SPRING 2017

Free Mini Carnival, Thursday 28 September, 10am3pm. Free rides, games, fairy floss, jumping castle, face painting and giveaways. Cranbourne Home, 398 South Gippsland Highway, corner of Thompsons Road, Cranbourne.

Cranbourne GP Run, Saturday 21 October. 8.15am11am (wave off at 10am). The roar of motorcycles and a sea of colour and chrome will fill the streets of Cranbourne on Saturday 21 October at the Cranbourne GP Run. Thousands of motorcyclists gather in Cranbourne to travel en-masse to Phillip Island for the 2017 Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.

High Street, Cranbourne.

Storytime Cardinia Mobile @ Cockatoo, Thursday 28 September, 2.30pm-3pm, Cockatoo. Held every Thursday.

November

Explorers Club, Wednesday 27 September, 10am11am at Hampton Park Library, 4pm at Cranbourne and Endeavour Hills Libraries

Explorers Club, Thursday 28 September, 4pm at Emerald, Pakenham and Narre Warren Libraries

Cockatoo Country Market, Saturday 4 November, 8.30am-1.30pm Alma Treloar Reserve, 73 Healesville -Koo Wee Rup Road, Cockatoo.

October

Kymmy’s Family Market, Sunday 5 November, 9am-2pm. Homemade crafts, candles, baby clothes and more. Includes jumping castle and face painting for the kids. Cranbourne Public Hall, 166-178 South Gippsland Highway, Cranbourne.

Kymmy’s Family Market, Sunday 1 October, 9am2pm. Homemade crafts, candles, baby clothes and more. Includes jumping castle and face painting for kids. Cranbourne Public Hall, 166-178 South Gippsland Highway, Cranbourne.

Lego Club for Grade Prep to Grade 6 - Monday 2 October, 4pm to 5pm at Doveton, Hampton Park, Narre Warren, Pakenham Libraries.

Lego Club for Grade Prep to Grade 6 - Tuesday 3 October, 4pm to 5pm, Endeavour Hills Library Cockatoo Country Market, Saturday 7 October, 8.30am-1.30pm Alma Treloar Reserve, 73 Healesville - Koo Wee Rup Road, Cockatoo.

Bee Gees @ The home of the Gee Gees, Saturday 7 October, Pakenham Racing Club, Tynong. Gates open 6pm. Tickets $35-$95. Book through Pakenham Racing Club.

Bumble Bee Baby and Children’s Market, Sunday 15 October, 9am-2pm. Find everything to do with babies and children - clothes, Manchester, toys, books, cots. 35 Gwendoline Drive, Berwick.

Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, Friday 20 October, 8am - Sunday 22 October at 6.30pm. The 2017 Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix will see the world’s best riders return to Phillip Island on 20-22 October.

Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Back Beach Road, Ventnor.

Pakenham Gazette Oaks Day, Thursday 9 November, Pakenham Racing Club, Tynong. Gates open 11am.

Tickets available through Pakenham Racing Club.

The Dandy Show, 11-12 November. Dandenong Showgrounds, Greaves Reserve, Bennet Street, Dandenong.

Pakenham Consolidated School twilight fete, Friday 24 November, Pakenham Consolidated School, 2 Rundell Way, Pakenham. 3pm-7pm. Free entry.

Celebrate 20 years at the school’s current site.

Fired Up! Hip Hop Tournament, Saturday 25 November, 4.30pm-9pm. Fired Up! Hip Hop Tournament is hosted by the City of Casey Youth Services and Replay Dance Production. Fired Up! offers crews who have not won a major competition to showcase their talents with the opportunity to win some great prizes. Tickets will be on sale from Monday 9 October. 442-446 Centre Road, Berwick.

Bumble Bee Baby and Children’s Market, Sunday 26 November, 9am-2pm. Find everything to do with babies and children - clothes, Manchester, toys, books, cots. 35 Gwendoline Drive, Berwick. www.caseycardiniakids.com.au

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SPRING 2017 43

Happines

grows HERE KIDS’ PLAY AT THE GARDENS Tuesday 10am - 1pm September 12th, October 17th & 31st, November 14th & 28th and December 12th Join us near Target and kids can enjoy free activities like dancing, singing, craft and storytelling.

Discover the Best Fun For The Kids at Waverley Gardens

For our activity schedule or more details visit www.waverleygardens.com.au

44 SPRING 2017

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Two custom built playgrounds located in the Food Court and near Target.

www.caseycardiniakids.com.au