Yarra Ranges Kids Spring 2018

Em Rusciano AND THE

motherload

Journeys ON THE SPECTRUM

SPRING 2018

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Kat Stewart's MAGICAL NEW ROLE

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6&+22/ +2/,'$<6 Nickelodeon’s Rusty Rivets and his junkyard workshop is coming!

Monday 1 to Friday 5 October 11am - 2pm daily Near Target For more information on the workshop and appearances plus other school holiday activities planned, head to the Waverley Gardens website.

Disclaimer: Workshop numbers are limited and we cannot guarantee everyone will be able to participate in each workshop or take a photo. Strictly one photo per participant. Participants will need to line up near Target at the entrance to the workshop space. You cannot save spots in the line for other people. Anyone doing this will be asked to leave the line immediately.

© 2018 Spin Master Riveting Productions Inc. © 2018 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved.

12397019-RA36-18

WAVERLEY GARDENS SHOPPING CENTRE CORNER POLICE & JACKSONS ROADS MULGRAVE, VIC 3170

2 SPRING 2018

www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

about us . . .

Girl Power SOME pretty powerful women grace the pages of this edition of Yarra Ranges Kids.

We spoke to Em Rusciano, the show-stopping, flamboyant and feisty mother-of-two who has won the hearts of women across Australia with her honest, tell-it-like-is stand-up comedy and radio show.

She’s an overachiever but she’s never claimed to be perfect. When she chatted to journalist Melissa Jones, she was banging a picture hook in to the wall with a rolling pin while wearing pyjamas.

Kat Stewart is another famous face that shares her story: best known for her role as Billie in Offspring, she’s got another gig now advocating for vulnerable children at The Magical Gateway Foundation. Kat talks about her incredible childhood, how she broke in to acting and the importance of

family holidays.

Closer to home is the incredible Kate Johnson who started Lilydale-based Autism support service Spectrum Journeys after her son, RJ, was diagnosed with autism just before his fifth birthday.

Spectrum Journeys has expanded far beyond Kate’s living room floor and now provides a myriad of support for parents of autistic children – including the ‘Blessing Bags’ lovingly packed by volunteers which are a gift to remind parents that they are not alone. She has created a community that has impacted parents, carers and educators far beyond the Yarra Ranges.

Another woman that blew me away was Tanya Gotch, whose fourth child, baby Jean, was diagnosed with congenital heart defects in-utero and not expected to survive long after birth.

Jean is now six-month-old, but her

family must still take one day at a time.

I spoke to Tanya and was in awe of her peacefulness and strength.

We’ve also got advice on raising teenage daughters; how to address gender stereotypes; tips on planting a baby food garden and how to explain tough topics from the news to your children, plus a calendar packed with fetes, fairs, carnivals and shows – spring sure is a time for celebration across the hills and there is an event (or two, or three…) every week that is sure to tickle your fancy.

One last thing – this will be my last edition working on the magazine. It’s been a blast and I feel blessed to have met some of incredible people in the Yarra Ranges.

Enjoy x

Education

Reality Bites

Em Rusciano and the motherload Pages 4-5

Early intervention – engaging children with special needs Page 18

The Body Love book

Midwife helping mums well beyond labour Page 8 Healthy family dinners at Cire Page 10 Level the playing field Page 12 Sharing journeys on the spectrum Page 13 Key Worker makes all the difference Page 14 Tackling teenage troubles Page 15 Directory Pages 16-17

www.yarrarangeskids.com.au www w ww w .ya .y yarra ya rra ara ran ran anges ge g geskid eskid es kid ids.c com om. o m au m. au

Yarra Ranges Kids 244 Maroondah Highway, Healesville, Vic 3777 Phone: 5957 3700 Fax: 5957 3777

Editorial Jade Glen jade.glen@starnewsgroup.com.au Phone: 5945 0666

Advertising Kerri Shinkfield kerri.shinkfield@mailnewsgroup.com.au Phone: 5957 3700

Cover

It’s Your Life

Police here to help, not discipline Page 7

Yarra Ranges Kids will be published quarterly prior to each of the school holidays.

Published by Mail News Group Pty Ltd ACN 99 006 310 498. Publisher/Managing Director, Paul Thomas. All material is copyright to Mail News Group Pty Ltd. All significant errors will be corrected as soon as possible.

ccontents ontents Rock, tumble and roll Page 6

Yarra Ranges Kids magazine is a Mail News Group publication.

A gift to the child Page 19

Health

Mia and Mia, wearing clothing from Balloon for Kids, having a blast at Carnival for Kids.

Picture: Rob Carew

Page 25 Extraordinary baby Jean

Em Rusciano

Pages 26-27

AND THE

Grow, baby, grow Page 20

Kat Stewart’s new magical role

Journeys

Party Time

Pages 28-29

ON THE SPECTRUM

Gender reveals a growing trend Page 21

motherload

Books

Entertainment

When bad things happen

Getting to know Jimmy Giggle Page 22

Pages 30

Just 4 Fun Page 23

SPRING 2018

Calendar

Fashion

Step in to Spring

Fresh spring threads Page 24

Page 31

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Kat Stewart's MAGICAL NEW ROLE

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Em Rusciano says she doesn't have it together, but she's okay with that.

Picture: Kristoffer Paulsen

Em Rusciano AND THE MOTHERLOAD

KNOWN best for her honest, warts and all outlook on life, Em Rusciano is a woman who wears many hats and being a mother is one of them. She's recently announced she's pregnant with her third child and spoke to Stonnington Boroondara Kids reporter MELISSA MEEHAN about her daughter Marchella who is doing her VCE. Q: Em Rusciano, you have many feathers to your cap, mum, wife, interstate radio host, singer, entertainer, comedian - to name a few. How do you do it?

A: I don't! I'm sorry if I've ever given the impression to any human that I 'do it', that I balance my life; because let me tell you, I don't. As I speak to you right now, I'm wearing my pyjama pants even though it's only 1pm, and I'm banging a hook into a wall with a rolling pin because I couldn't locate the hammer. We've just moved house and instead of unpacking the food and utensils and boring useful things, I'm hanging pictures and arranging flowers.

I guess ... I think the way to feel less overwhelmed with 'life balance' is to focus on the task that you're doing, without feeling guilty about the things that you're not. So if you are with your kids, forget all the other crap you should be doing, and focus on that. There is no imaginary evil overlord judging you if the washing has to go through for a third time because it went mouldy. No one cares. Do you.

Q: You could be described as one of the original mummy bloggers, your honest and open posts really seem to resonate with your fans then and now. With all the "perfect" mums out there do you think people craved something real?

And why did you choose to be that person?

A: I never considered myself a mummy blogger - the fact that I'm a mother is the least interesting thing about myself. I'm a writer who happens to have spawned. I feel like I'm selling myself short by saying 'mummy blogger' - not that there's anything wrong with that term, but it just doesn't cover everything I'm about. I feel like I didn't consciously choose to be the real, unedited, honest person online - I just am that person. People will gravitate towards what speaks to them, and I guess my way speaks to some people.

4 SPRING 2018

Q: You have two daughters. Can you tell us about them?

Any tips on raising strong, fearless and independent women?

A: We have a 'no d***head' policy in our house! No selfish behaviour, no deliberately hurtful behaviour, and one in, all in. My girls also have a lot of privilege, which I make sure they aware of, so they are conscious and kind towards those less privileged in our community. We have an open door policy that no one is judged - my girls would never look at anyone of a different race, religion, sexuality, and feel that they are any different. Most importantly, we teach our girls to trust their gut, their first voice, because that's the best thing for a strong woman.

Q:Your daughter Marchella is currently doing her VCE. How is that going?

A:Marchella is a straight-A student; we are very lucky that she is extremely academically driven. It's a relief, because I stopped being able to help her with Maths in year 8. She's very well-organised (which she definitely didn't get from me). I think she's doing well also because as long as she loves learning and doesn't feel the pressure of an ATAR score, then she'll do her best - which so far is working.

Q: You've described her as having a brilliant mind, artistic flair and sporting prowess in the past, but is it still important not to put too much pressure on her and ensure that she also enjoys her final years as a high school student?

A: Exactly. She's also about to be the lead in her school musical, so you can imagine how beside myself I am. I've learned all her lines, just in case she should need an understudy on the night ...

www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

Q: How do you find a balance between pushing them to be their best and not pushing too hard?

A: We encourage our girls to go after what they love, and everything else takes care of itself. The traditional subjects are of less importance to us. I mean, I'm still yet to use Pythagoras's Theorem at all in life ... so as long as they are happy with what they are studying, and they learning how to take charge of their own education, we are happy.

Q: Do you have any tips for helping VCE students manage their time, energy and stress? What about tips for parents with children working through their VCE? A: Chella has a schedule that helps her keep track of when things are due and where she needs to be - a whiteboard on the back of her door, showing progress and deadlines. She's so organised. We always try to encourage the girls to work steadily, but not beat themselves up with stress when things aren't going to plan.

Occasionally we step in when Chella feels like she's taken on too much, and see if she might need to drop anything cocurricular, but we always just want to make her feel supported with her own decisions. She's got high expectations of herself, so that helps us. She wants herself to succeed as much as we want her to - so I guess that's half the job done for us!

Q: The school formal is an important part of Year 11. With your flair for sequins and feathers - were you able to enjoy the preparations with Marchella?

A: Chella is very different to me, she's actually not one for sequins. I enjoyed helping her (passionately and desperately!) but I have to always respect that her taste is different to mine, and that she doesn't want to turn up looking like a drag queen. She has great taste of her own, she looked amazing ... and I had to remind myself to stay calm.

Q: What are some other highlights that you've been able to share with her during the VCE? A: Getting cast in the lead of the school musical, getting selected into the Monash Scholars' program, being named as Media leader, watching her film at the Eltham short film festival, watching her take ownership and responsibility over her own education ... she's an impressive kid!

Q: It would be remiss of me not to mention your exciting news. You are pregnant, and will welcome a son to the world later this year.

Congratulations. Has the pregnancy been different this time around?

A: Thank you! Yes, it's been hell. My body is angry with me for impregnating it at such an old age. I'm officially classified as a 'geriatric pregnancy'. I don't know if it's what has made the difference or not, but it's a boy, and my morning sickness has been much worse!

Q: On your radio show, you mentioned how in awe you are of women who have been through multiple miscarriages or failed IVF attempts and still continue to try for a baby. You have openly discussed your own miscarriage.

Do you think it was important to talk about it, given it's often something not spoken about publicly?

A: Of course. The women who have gone back several times are incredible, and they deserved to be told that. I felt really alone when I went through my miscarriage. I remember lying awake at 2am, feeling completely isolated, and stumbling across various online communities of women desperately searching for answers, so I wanted to talk openly about my experience so other women would feel less alone than I did.

My Evil Queen show earlier this year was an incredible experience for me, feeling the support and energy of the women in the room who had been through the same thing. One in four pregnancies end in miscarriage, yet it's not talked about nearly enough.

Photo: Kristoffer Paulsen

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SPRING 2018 5

your life It’s

Rock, tumble AND roll GLITZ Gymnastics in Lilydale offers traditional gymnastics, a modern FreeG program, school holiday programs and birthday parties, catering for everyone from 18-months to teenagers.

Gymnastics is the foundation for all sport and physical activity, teaching participants how to move, roll, jump, swing and turn upside down.

Owner Christine Davidson took over the already established gym in 2005, and the programs and classes at Glitz have grown and developed in the last 13 years – with a new cheerleading program on the horizon for 2019.

Glitz’s FreeG fuses traditional gymnastics and acrobatic tricks and draws on influences from martial arts, free-running, parkour, tricking and breakdance with kicks and leaps made famous through martial arts and brought to worldwide attention by festival performances and stunt actors.

These classes are run Monday to Friday with five different ability levels.

Children can enjoy school holiday sessions at Glitz with 3 or 4 days full of gymnastics challenges and games plus roller skating at the Victorian roller skating centre, from 9am till 4pm for

school aged children.

Younger children don't miss out either, with two-hour sessions for 18-month to five-year-olds held over two days where they get to explore the gym and equipment with their parents and the Kinder Gym Coaches.

For a unique birthday party, Glitz gymnastics hosts birthday parties for children of all ages.

All parties are hosted by qualified gymnastics coaches, who introduce children to a number of gymnastics skills, as well as playing games and supervising the children in free time sessions.

Party food is catered for and invitations are supplied, so parents only need to supply the birthday cake.

The lucky birthday girl or boy has the opportunity to be strapped in to a bungee hardness (conditions apply) and lifted up to the roof, where all of the guests can sing happy birthday from the balcony.

To enquire about Birthday Parties, School Holiday programs, classes or the upcoming Cheerleading program, contact Glitz on 9739 5588.

A E M R O E C R E A B C R E W! T S O F STER NO

School holiday fun for all ages at Glitz Gymnastics

Glitz Gymnastics Academy Lilydale

REGI

Kinder Gym Birthday Parties School Holidays Programs s #LASSES FOR KIDS AGED MONTHS TO TEENS s 7OMEN S 'YMNASTICS s &REE' s #HEERLEADING s 4UMBLING 4RAMPOLINING

Learn more about foster care by registering for one of our upcoming information sessions. You’ll learn more about the different types of foster care available and get to ask questions from one of our current foster carers. It doesn’t matter if you are working or at home, in a relationship, with or without kids. Everyone can make a difference!

Information Sessions:

12397070-EPJ36-18

Help create better tomorrows for kids in foster care.

Information on classes available from our website www.glitz.gymnastics.org.au PH: 9739 5588 email: glitz.gymnastics@gmail.com

7.30pm - 8.30pm Tuesday 18 September – Whitehorse Civic Centre, Nunawading Wednesday 17 October – Japara House, Kilsyth Tuesday 27 November – Anglicare Victoria, Lilydale

To Register: 1300 889 335 I anglicarevic.org.au/events 12395675-LB36-18

6 SPRING 2018

www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

your life It’s

Police here to help,

not discipline

By Melissa Meehan POLICE are pleading with parents not to make them the bad guys when it comes to disciplining their kids.

It's a tale as old as time - parents threatening that the police will come and get them if they don't behave.

Yarra Ranges Leading Senior Constable Lisa Brooks says she and her colleagues hear it on a regular basisbut are doing their best to change old habits.

Leading Senior Constable Lisa Brooks and Leading Senior Constable Linda Hancock say parents shouldn''t teach their kids to be afraid of police. to discipline, police are here to help. We are your friends."

"Joey you better be good, the police are going to get you."

But armed with her "fun police" lanyard, the Lilydale-based LSC Brooks will stop and explain to parents and their kids that she's there to help them, not to take them away.

"We will stop the parents and speak to child, it's Mum and Dad's job top

make sure your behaving - it's our job to help you because that's what we are here for," she said.

"Because one of the first things you can teach your kids is to come to us when they are in trouble - it's not our job

Once it's explained to them - parents often say they've never thought of it that way and it's been something that has been passed on from generation to generation.

"I remember my mum saying it," LSC Brooks says.

"But we do stop and address it."

Speaking to parents is just one way

of building trust and respect with young children across Victoria. Each area is different, but police often go into schools and kinder to introduce themselves and arm kids with information.

Whether it's a cyber-safety talk, flashing their lights at a kinder or running a blue light disco - the message is simple.

Police are here to help, and it's important that children aren't afraid of them.

CRYSTAL BROOK

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"We often hear when we're walking around festivals and shopping centres," she said.

TOURIST PARK Crystal Brook Tourist Park is a perfect combination of a city park with the atmosphere and natural attractions of a bush park and its wildlife. It’s the perfect base from which to explore some of Melbourne’s and Victoria’s great attractions and events. It is located within an easy drive of the CBD of Melbourne, the Yarra Valley and has public transport at the front gate.

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your life Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Midwife helping mums well beyond labour

By Melissa Grant AS a midwife with 13 years' experience, Emma Enticott knows that having a baby is about so much more than just the labour.

Midwife Emma Enticott (centre) with The Babes Project colleagues Bec Gerbert and Annie Buruma.

That's why she's so excited about supporting new mums well beyond the birthing suite in her new role managing The Babes Project's new national triage service.

The mum of one answers the triage phone and responds to calls for help to the crisis pregnancy support service, a role she fits around her regular job as a midwife at Dandenong Hospital.

Mrs Enticott says providing support to new mums is vital as often pregnancy and parenting isn't something they are prepared or equipped for.

"Getting the supports during pregnancy is so important," she said.

"It's not about just the labour and childbirth and what can happen in that time, but what it's actually going to be like to become a parent.

"There was a gap in perinatal care and that's why The Babes Project exists.

"A lot of women go home (from hospital) after 24 hours so the home support needs to be thorough."

The Babes Project supports women facing crisis pregnancy from conception until their child turns 1. The organisation has centres in Croydon and Frankston where staff and volunteers ensure clients receive regular emotional care,

practical advice, essential baby supplies and connections to other health services.

As the dedicated midwife for The Babes Project's national triage service, Mrs Enticott assesses first-time callers from around the country and ensures they get the right advice and encouragement at a vulnerable time.

She has been surprised - and relieved - by how much information the callers

LIVE LIFE ON GLOBBER

have shared with her.

"You have to build rapport quickly over the phone, and provide that safe space for a woman to share with someone they've never met - it's definitely a privilege to be on the end of the phone," she said.

"I was missing a bit of continuity in my own midwifery practice. With the hours I work, it can be a bit hit and miss whether you see the same clients. I've really enjoyed being at The Babes Project - getting to know women and following them on their journey."

Mrs Enticott, mum to 11-year-old Kai, became a volunteer with The Babes Project two years ago after learning about the organisation on Facebook.

She urges all pregnant women to download The Babes Project App to start linking with services that might be beneficial for them.

www.globber.com.au 12379395-HM12-18

8 SPRING 2018

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SPRING 2018 9

your life It’s

Healthy family dinners at

Cire

HEALTHY eating for lifelong health is an important message instilled in children attending Cire Services Child Care Centres. It is a key part of childhood learning and now the healthy eating philosophy is being extended to the wider community through the newly established ‘Cire Community Dinners,’ held completely free of charge each month.

Ms Lanciana recommended cooking meals at home, involving your children wherever possible; providing a variety of in-season fruit and vegetables, and talking about healthy foods from the five food groups.

“Research on children’s brain development shows that good nutrition, health and exercise are critical to brain development and learning. It’s important that we teach our children about healthy eating and role model good practice,” Executive Manager Family and Children’s Services, Diletta Lanciana, said.

“Recently, a three-year-old had a conversation with me while we were picking snow peas. This little girl told me that snow peas were very healthy, we can eat them all the time but we can’t eat chocolate all the time. She also told me that we can eat snow peas raw, we can cook them or make them into a stir fry. Her favourite was to eat them raw because they are better for you as when you cook them some of the vitamins are cooked out. So much information from a three-year-old! It was wonderful to hear and proved to me that who ever is looking after her learning about food, is doing a fantastic job! ” Ms Lanciana said.

“Recent studies have shown that introducing children to healthy eating habits could provide the necessary foundation for great health and wellbeing for the rest of their lives.

“By spending time with your child, teaching them about the benefits of eating balanced, nutritious food, your child is more likely to have a healthy attitude to food in adulthood.”

10 SPRING 2018

“For example, you could say, this delicious glass of milk contains calcium - it helps my bones and teeth stay strong,” she said.

Cire Is making healthy family meals even more possible through its

Community Dinners program, which is open to anyone with children aged newborn to 14 years old, and not just those families already connected in some way to Cire.

“Families are so busy balancing work, family time and even time for themselves. It can be difficult to sit down together as a family and enjoy a meal (prepared by our qualified children’s educators, with help from the little ones!), so we want to make life a little easier, allow people to share family time, get to meet others from their own community but most of all, to enjoy a healthy meal and have some fun with their children at the same time – and not worry about the dishes!” Ms Lanciana said.

“We have found that children really wanted time just to play with their parents, but so often families get home from work and have to put dinner on straight away - they are so short on time.”

With funding from Yarra Ranges Shire Council, Cire uses fresh local ingredients to create nutritious, healthy meals, free to those who book into the dinners.

Children and their families are able to spend time together playing board games or craft activities without worrying about cooking and cleaning.

Ms Lanciana said the first three dinners had been warmly received by the community, with up to three generations enjoying hearty and healthy home-cooked meals.

“I had one mother say her child would never try those foods at home.

But in that no-pressure environment, with everyone eating together, they tried a bit of everything.”

Future dinners will also include produce from Cire’s Community Garden, lovingly cared for and harvested by the Outside School Hours Care children and Community School students.

The next Cire Community Dinner will be held on Wednesday, 26 September from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at Cire Services Incorporated, 39 - 41 Little Yarra Rd, (the church) Yarra Junction. All welcome!

Bookings are essential; book your table today by calling 1300 835 235 or check out our Facebook page https:// www.facebook.com/cireservices/ www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

Fun for kids during the school holidays

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HOLIDAY PROGRAMS

Woori Yallock

Badger Cree

WEEK 1 24th - 28th Sep

WEEK 1 24th - 28th Sep

WEEK 1 24th - 28th Sep

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WEEK 2 1st - 5th Oct

WEEK 2 1st - 5th Oct

WEEK 2 1st - 5th Oct

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Mt Evelyn Campus now taking bookings 0407 695 528

Woori Yallock Primary School now taking bookings 0458 278 228

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Badger Creek Primary School now taking bookings 0499 400 250

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SPRING 2018 11

your life It s It’s

Level the d l e i f g n playi

By Jade Glen HAVE you ever heard someone telling a child that something ‘is a bit girly’ or that ‘boys don’t cry?’

“Often these expectations shape children’s views of who they can be and who they can't be which unfortunately limits their abilities.

socially and culturally constructed gender roles and norms.

The team behind Level Playground at Eastern Domestic Violence Service spent a year collating resources for the website.

New parenting resource Level Playground aims to level the playing field by supporting parents and caregivers in breaking down gender stereotypes.

“For example, if you never thought to buy your son a doll, or encourage your daughter to play cricket, it would limit what opportunities they thought were available to them.

Level Playground Project Coordinator Loren Imbrogno said even the most basic gender stereotypes could have long-term ramifications.

“Rigid gender stereotyping also promotes inequity between the sexes and can set young people up to expect and accept power imbalances within relationships later in life.”

“Gender stereotyping can start from birth, and continues through the lifespan.

“Expectations are then placed on boys and girls based on their gender. It can happen through gift giving, through the environment in which they grow and through the stories that they are told,” she said.

The Level Playground website, www.levelplayground.org.au, provides practical activities that parents, carers and early childhood educators can participate in with their children, particularly in relation to speech, play and education, aiming to help create a world for their children without the limitations of

“It’s too often that we hear comments like ‘don’t cry like a girl’ or ‘footy is for boys, it’s too rough and dangerous for girls,” Ms Imbrogno said.

“They seem harmless at the time but they are limiting children to be who they want to be.

“There is nothing wrong with a girl wanting play with dolls but on the flip side there should be anything wrong with a boy wanting to play with dolls.

Ms Imbrogno said parents could make simple changes to challenge gender stereotypes.

“Model positive gender equality to your children i.e. share chores, present

your children with a variety of colours, toys and presents - we have awesome gift giving guides on the website!

“Read a variety of books to your children that provide broader ideas about who girls, boys, women, men and people who identify as diverse genders can be, what they can be interested in and achieve - we have an amazing range of booklists on the website too!

“Notice the language that you use in your everyday interactions with your children, like commenting on the appearance of girls and commenting on the actions and abilities of boys.”

Fore more practical tips and resources, visit www.levelplayground. org.au, or look for Level Playground on facebook and Instagram.

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your life It’s

g n i r a h Sjourneys ON THE SPECTRUM

By Jade Glen LILYDALE based Spectrum Journeys has grown in leaps and bounds over the last few years- from humble beginnings from Kate Johnson's living room floor to a busy hub with around 60 volunteers.

Mother-of-four Kate began the charity shortly after her eldest son, RJ, was diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum a few months shy of his fifth birthday.

"There were signs pretty much since he was born, but we were first-time parents so we had no idea and didn't understand a lot of his characteristics until he was assessed and diagnosed," she said.

"He was a very late talker, pretty much non-verbal up until two-years-old - the first time he said mum was on his second birthday so that was a huge day. He would never make eye contact, was very literal, and had sensory issues, so we could not go anywhere loud like play centres. He would have meltdowns in different environments.

"We just thought he was a quiet, shy kid."

After an appointment with a psychologist and consultations with a paediatrician and speech therapist, RJ was diagnosed with what was then known as Aspergers.

"That started the journey of trying to understand his needs," Kate said.

Kate, a former advocate and Community Development Manager, gathered a group of passionate women in her living room and started Spectrum Journeys.

"Having come out of the community service sector, there were so many gaps that we identified," she said.

"There are a lot of great services who cater directly for autistics, but there is not a lot for carers and educators. We know professional development can be expensive - so we identify that our niche as equipping educators and supporting carers.

"We really wanted to equip educators with more knowledge. We saw a whole lot of beautiful new graduates who had done one unit of special needs training and were then thrown in a classroom, and on the other end, teachers who had been teaching for a long time who struggled to adapt.

"And in my personal experience having a child with a disability can be really expensive - it's almost like having a wedding where surcharges are added to everything - and conferences can cost hundreds of dollars.

"We make sure all of our workshops are low-cost, because it really changes the family dynamic when everyone can attend and mum, dad and grandma are all on the same page." www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

In the last year, Spectrum Journeys has facilitated 31 workshops and educated 2000 parents, spoken at multiple resilient kids conferences, and launched services to teach parents how to advocate effectively for their child.

They have also produced 500 'Blessing Bags' in the past 12 months bags of donated goodies that are given to carers of Autistic children.

"We have creation nights where members of our community make cards and pack the bags and they get shipped out to schools and kinders.

Just some of the Spectrum te am: Emily, Kate, Carly and Rebecc a.

"Embrace the journey - there are people around you to support you so don't be afraid to ask for help. Connect with local services because you are not

alone, but you often have to chase that support.

"There is power in community, especially in autistic communities."

"They contain pamper items like a journal, a pen, a mug, specialty tea box, homemade bath bombs, and recently L'Or¨¦al donated products so there were amazing foundations, nail polishes, body washes.

"The Autism journey can be really up and down and can also be quite isolating. The Blessing Bags are a lovely way to say, someone is cheering you on, you are not forgotten, and you are doing a good job."

Spectrum Journeys eventually grew too big for Kate's living room and rented a desk at a Community Centre; last year, they took a leap of faith and moved in to their current home at Clarke Street Lilydale.

"It was a big bold step but we knew we were at capacity and we knew we could not grow unless we took a big leap," Kate said.

With a 10-member board, five part-time staff and close to 60 volunteers, the hub is always a hive of activity.

Demand is high and recent data showed that Spectrum Journeys had assisted people from 20 different council areas, far beyond the reach of Yarra Ranges.

A recent $100,000 grant from the State Government has ensured the rent is paid and the lights are kept on, but Spectrum Journeys is still lobbying for recurrent funding so that it can continue to deliver its services.

Kate said RJ was now 12 and had grown in to a fine young man.

"He is a Sport Captain at his school and that is an incredible achievement," she said.

Seven years since her son's initial diagnosis, Kate has words of wisdom for parents just starting out down the Autism path.

12396753-DJ36-18

SPRING 2018 13

your life It’s

Key Worker makes all the

difference Xavier was referred to Noah’s Ark Everyday Therapy program with speech and language difficulties and someplay-based delays.

Unlike the traditional approach of therapy provided in a clinical setting, Noah’s Ark assigns one staff member – a specialist in either speech pathology, occupational therapy, education, physiotherapy, psychology or social work – to work closely with the child and family intheir natural environment and within their daily activities.

“Xavier really enjoyed and it helped being at home because he felt comfortable - especially when he was younger, he wouldn’thave talked for the whole session if he was somewhere else, so it was good having it at home as he felt comfortable in his own surroundings and it was based around playing with his own things.”

“It was good to have appointments at home, easier having little kids and it worked in well with our lifestyle. Our Key Workerorganised a consult with a speech pathologist because he needed

more specific support around communication so it was nice to know that you were able to get more specialised help as required, even though Key Worker had a good knowledge base already. It workedwell because it meant I wasn’t having to go to two separate appointments for different things.”

Xavier's Key Worker, Anneke, said she developed strategies based on what works for the family and what is manageable for them.

“We talked about what are they already doing in their everyday lives, and what activities the child enjoys doing,” she said.

“From this we are able to adapt and create strategies to support the child in

their everyday activities. For example Xavier really enjoyed playing with Lego and kinetic sand, so we practiced therapy for stuttering while playing with Lego, and we hid target words in the sand and practiced burying them and finding them, while practicing the target words and sounds to work on hisspeech.”

Xavier's mum said Xavier had grown in leaps and bounds.

“Our Key Worker was very reassuring and I found it useful when his behaviour was an issue. It helped me to help him.

“We felt really lucky that we have had Noah’s Ark come out and feel lucky for the support.”

R

the little things

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Xavier’s mum said their Key Worker, Anneke, visited Xavier both at kinder and at home.

“We did fortnightly visits at home and did a lot of play based learning during the sessions and taught me skills then tohelp Xavier during the week,” she said.

ES

*

SON

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At Kingswim, we know it’s the little things that make all the difference.

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Xavier with his mum and Key Worker, Anneke. 184462

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Parenting teenage girls can be a minefield - and social media has amplified the s. age-old challenge

Tackling

Skip The Drama is available from www.exislepublishing.com and wherever good books are sold.

TEENAGE TROUBLES

By Jade Glen

AS the mother of two daughters, people like to say two things to me: 'are you going to try for a boy?' And then - 'oh, just you wait 'til they are teenagers!'generally accompanied by a knowing smirk and an elbow to the ribs.

It seems to be widely accepted that teenage girls are difficult, conniving and horrible, and that parenting them is some kind of decade-long nightmare from which a parent might be lucky to emerge, stumbling and shell-shocked, somewhere before their daughter's 20th birthday.

But it doesn't have to be that way - psychologist Dr Sarah Hughes says some simple strategies can help parents and their daughters navigate the turbulent teen years.

She has penned a survival guide for parents called 'Skip the Drama: Practical, get-ahead strategies to survive your daughter's teenage years.'

"I think teenage girls face a lot of stressors that we need to be aware of so we can support them properly," says Dr Hughes, who holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and a PhD in child and adolescent anxiety disorders.

"In a lot of ways, the challenges parents of teens face today are the www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

same challenges our parents faced with us, but the task of parenting a teenage girl has also been made exponentially more difficult now that social media is in play.

"The same pressures exist that always have - body image pressures, the pressure to be popular, and to perform well in school and extracurriculars - but the comparative thinking that social media encourages, and its public nature means that the pressure is far greater than it's ever been before. It's all the more reason for parents to have the right strategies to support their teens in the right way."

In Skip the Drama, Dr Hughes lays out practical strategies for parents to respond to several common scenarios, supported by real-life examples.

"The teenage years are long and most parents will come across at least a few of the issues covered by Skip the Drama, if not more, by the time their teen is 14 or 15.

"The book covers common run of the mill teenage issues - like how to manage excessive phone use and selfishness, and how to talk to teens about drug and alcohol exposure, and sex - but it also covers increasingly common issues like what to do if your daughter is anxious, depressed, showing an unhealthy interest in

dieting, or cutting - which most parents understandably feel overwhelmed by."

Dr Hughes said one of the most important things for parents was to adapt their parenting style as their daughter entered the teen years.

"Some parents find it hard to let go of a 'you'll do as I say because I'm the parent' parenting philosophy to switch to a more collaborative approach but collaborating with teens is a really effective parenting strategy.

"That doesn't mean giving in to whatever your teen wants just to keep the peace - that's the worst thing you can do - but it means taking the time to try to see things from your teens point of view, and then trying - where it's possible - to meet them half way," she said "Doing this will show your teen you respect her, and because you've shown her you're willing to listen, she'll be more willing to listen to you as well, and also more likely to comply with your requests.

"Switching to a collaborative approach is a pretty big shift for most parents, but it's effective and if you want a healthy and reciprocally respectful relationship with your teen, it's the approach you need to use."

Dr Hughes said there was no magic

Dr Sarah Hughes completed her clinical training at the University of Sydney and holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and a PhD in child and adolescent anxiety disorders. Sarah is the founder of Think Clinical Psychologists, and has 10 years of clinical experience.

age that the teenage angst ended.

"The teenage years can feel like they're going to drag on forever - but it does get easier. " With years of experience in treating teenage girls, Dr Hughes is now living the other end of the spectrum, welcoming her first child, a son, midway through writing the book.

"We still have some time ahead of us before we hit the teenage years in my house, but he's given us a baptism by fire so far, so much so that I'd almost rather be living with a teen. I'm sure I'll change my tune when he puts us through our paces in his teenage years though!"

SPRING 2018 15

directory 12 1. LITTLE YARRA STEINER SCHOOL

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SPRING 2018 17

Education

Early InterventionTHERE is increasing recognition and research on the importance of early intervention in the first few years of a child's development, and how it can improve the outcome for children with a disability.

Yarra Ranges Special Developmental School's Early Years Centre is developing a reputation for the quality of their Early Education Program.

Located in Mount Evelyn, the modern centre was designed to provide highquality early intervention educational programs in a relaxed, fun, play based environment. The building features a wheelchair accessible playground, ceiling hoists and a Sensory Room to develop and regulate sensory input.

All sessions are conducted by a qualified special education teacher and experienced education support staff.

Working closely in a multi- disciplinary team of speech pathologists, occupational therapists, a physiotherapist and a music therapist they also liaise with relevant private therapists involved in the child's education.

engaging children with

special needs

for children aged between two years and eighth months of age and five years who are experiencing developmental delay in two or more areas and/or have a disability.

The program is Government funded by the Victorian Department of Education and Training. NDIS funding is not needed and if available, it won't be affected by services offered by Yarra Ranges Special Development School's Early Years Centre.

Program sessions are during school hours 9:15am - 2:45pm, five days a week.

Children may attend up to two days per week. Different options are available to suit the needs of the individual child.

If any parent feels that this program may be of benefit to their child, or they would like to organise a tour, please contact the school on 97362499 or yarra.ranges.sds@edumail.vic.gov.au.

This dedicated team provides ongoing support, undertakes assessments and provides professional guidance and advice. The program works in partnership with each family and every child receives and individualised, tailored program that specifically addresses their areas of developmental delay.

The program provides small (6 students per group), play-based sessions

A purpose-built Sensory Room provides lots of opportunities for play at Yarra Ranges Special Developmental School s Early Years Centre. 184150

WE OFFER:

ucation Program d E y rl a E d e it d re An Acc A Range Of Enrolment Options ?dZ_l_ZkWb_i[Z%icWbb ]hekf b[Whd_d] [nf[h_[dY[i ;njhW#Ykhh_YkbWh WYj_l_j_[i _dYbkZ_d] Wd WmWhZ m_dd_d] Åbc WdZ ckbj_c[Z_W fhe]hWc 7\j[h iY^eeb YWh[ fhe]hWc J^[hWfo fhe]hWci >[Wbj^ ikffehj fhel_Z[Z Xo ekh iY^eeb dkhi[i FWh[dj Ikffehj fhe]hWc JhWdifehj je WdZ \hec iY^eeb \eh [b_]_Xb[ ijkZ[dji Meha [nf[h_[dY[ WdZ Yecckd_jo R WYY[ii fhe]hWc D:?I I[hl_Y[ Fhel_Z[h \eh LWYWj_ed 9Wh[ Fhe]hWc ;ZkYWj_ed Kd_j Wj >[Wb[il_bb[ Fh_cWho IY^eeb

YARRA RANGES SPECIAL DEVELOPMENTAL SCHOOL

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Located At 20 Burdap Drive, Mt Evelyn Satellite Unit at Healesville Primary School Inclusion Unit at Healesville High School For enrolment information please call 03 9736 2499

Ph: 8805 3800 www.knox.vic.edu.au

CO-EDUCATIONAL | ELC TO VCE

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18 SPRING 2018

www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

Education

A Gift TO THE

By Ruth Wittig, Ghilgai Education Coordinator STEINER Education nourishes the child’s inner life and fosters the development of emotional Literacy. During his formative years the child longs for nourishment that will support his inner growth.

Experiences of Goodness, Beauty and Truth provide that substance.

The truth, the beautiful, the Good – through all the ages of man’s conscious evolution these words have expressed three great ideals: ideals which have instinctively been recognised as representing the sublime nature and lofty goal of all human endeavour.

Rudolf Steiner 1923 Rudolf Steiner gifted the children (and the teachers) a broad and deep curriculum that unfolds sequentially and nurtures the whole person. World Literature has a seminal place within it and an understanding of the needs of the growing soul shapes the story pathway from Year one to Class six. This nourishing literature sustains soul

development in the formative years.

Story transports us to Other Places.

Accessibility is irrelevant because imagination can dissolve all barriers. In the updraught of imagination our souls can fill with newness; my dingy inner room can suddenly be lit with the radiance of a loving deed as a story unfolds around me. My apathy can be washed away by a surge of empathy as I walk with the outcast, in story, and feel with him, the searing blows of circumstance upon his scarred back.

Child

Aenaes and his family leave the City of Troy.

Story empowers the child and assists him to craft his moral compass.

Immersed in story content he sifts through values and seeds his own character development, expands his emotional literacy skills and sharpens his sense of social responsibility.

Literacy is taught against the backdrop of World Literature. Rich meaningful texts from the story epochs provide a scaffold for the development of Literacy skills at each class level.

Vibrant story images become a springboard for vibrant Written Expression and Artistic work. These

activities enable the child to participate deeply in the story events and to learn and grow as he roams imaginatively within it.

Via story the child can explore, explore can test, can strengthen facets of his inner life in a safe and secluded place that is accessible imaginatively.

Ghilgai Steiner School Rudolf Steiner Education Academic excellence in a caring and supportive environment.

OPEN DAY A joyous education that nourishes head, heart and hands.

Quality teaching, inspired curriculum, strong effective behaviour code. A sanctuary for childhood.

295 Liverpool Rd, Kilsyth Vic 3137 Phone 9761 8369 | edadmin@ghilgai.com.au

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25th November 10.30 – 3pm

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www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

SPRING 2018 19

Growing your own fruit and veggies might be easier than you think.

Grow, baby ,grow SPRING is the perfect time to get started on your baby food garden.

A baby food garden is a fancy name for something your great-grandparents probably did - feeding their baby or child with veggies grown in the backyard.

Pre-made baby food from the supermarket can be convenient, but it can also be expensive, contains preservatives, and all those pouches and jars contribute to landfill. In contrast, veggies grown in the backyard cost next to nothing, are fresh and full of nutrients, and any scraps can be returned to the compost heap or chooks.

Having a home veggie patch can also be an educational experience for your child, showing them where food comes from and introducing them to a range of vegetable from an early age.

If you don't know where to start or consider yourself a bit of a black thumb, plant expert and founder of Beyond Sunflowers, Gisele Zanier, has shared her top tips on why and what you need to be growing in your baby food garden.

Where to plant - Building a veggie garden is simple, find a place outside 20 SPRING 2018

that gets a minimum of 5-6 hours of sunlight a day. Your garden does not have to be huge, you can keep it as big a small as you please. Make sure your soil is high in organic matter or well fertilized, plant all your seeds with enough room between each, pending on what type of veggie you are planting will determine how much room them need. Remember to water, weed and harvest your veggies when ready. Don't worry if your first go isn't a hit, the more you grow the better you get and this will also give you the opportunity to better know your space and microclimate which is an important factor when selecting your seeds and seedlings.

Pick your produce - While there is such a large portion of different types of vegetables to grow there are a few that stand out and taste great. Pick plants that grow mass amounts so you can be always picking and cooking, as bubba always needs to eat! Stick to plants like tomato bushes and sweet potato that grow mass amounts.

Go green - Growing lots of green produce is a must for your baby patch and what better way to start it off than with Zucchini. Zucchini is full of potassium, great for the heart, and

strengthens bones and teeth. Zucchini is great because with its light flavor you can add in into most meals to bulk it up and your bubba won't even notice it.

Another great vegetable to grow is peas - great for kids as they are easy to mash up and are full of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins. These babies are also really simple and don't take a rocket scientists to grow. Another superfood to add to the list is baby spinach, which is full of iron, vitamin c and fibre. Baby spinach is great to add to meals and even juices and smoothies for the little ones.

Add some colour - The best thing about babies is you can teach them to enjoy their vegetables from a young age. A great way if implementing different food groups is by adding a variety of colours to capture their eyes.

Let's start with beetroot, not only does its rich colour entice children but the health benefits speak for itself. Beet is full of fibre, vitamin c and is a rich source of folate and manganese. Another veggie you cannot go past is sweet potato, as its popular with children and you can spread it far. This veggie is also a winner as it tastes great on its own without adding any extra sugars. Full of vitamins, fibre and inflammation

properties, this sweet little baby will be a winner in your garden.

Make it crunchy - For the young family with babies and toddlers, let's not skip some crunchy snacks! You cannot pass on carrots, these bright sweet snacks are great cut up for the children with teeth and great pureed for the bubbas in the house. Full of vitamins, iron and potassium this delicious veggie is great raw or cooked. Another superfood is tomatos. These beautiful rich and delicious little balls of heaven are a must for the children. For the sweet babies a strawberry bush will be your best friend. Great whole, cut up or pureed, this is an easy on the go snack for your bubba. Full of vitamins, strawberries and known for their infection fighting properties, and of course taste delicious.

"All of these veggies are excellent for purees for the bubba and excellent as a mash when they are a little bigger," Ms Zanier said.

"While the initial effort of creating a baby food garden can cost more than a few packets of baby food, the health benefits and long term results speak for itself - fresh produce at your fingertips and easily stored in the fridge or freezer." www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

party time

s l a e v e r Gender d n e r t g n i a grow

DISCOVERING whether your baby is a boy or girl is a momentous occasion.

Some parents-to-be find out during a scan or through a blood test, while others leave it a surprise until the birth.

However, an increasing number of couples are finding out their child's sex by holding a gender reveal announcement or celebration with family and friends.

Gender reveal events often involve the expectant parents popping balloons filled with pink or blue confetti, opening a box to release blue or pink balloons or cutting into a cake to reveal pink or blue sponge.

Some couples use smoke bombs or hand out scratch and see cards to share bub's gender.

Others go to extreme lengths to reveal whether they're having a boy or a girl. Some put on a fireworks display, hire fancy cars to do coloured smoke burnouts or jump out of planes with coloured parachutes.

Some gender reveal parties are a bit bizarre. An American dad, for instance, used a live alligator to bite into a melon that was blue on the inside.

Regardless of the method of celebration, it's clear gender reveals have become popular in the last decade.

Their increase in popularity has been linked to the rise of social media and data from Google Trends show the events weren't really searched online until around 2010.

Today, typing 'gender reveal' into YouTube yields more than 800,000 results.

Mother-of-two Jade McKellar said she Googled 'gender reveals gone wrong' before she and husband Sam held their own celebration.

The Warrandyte couple were always going to find out the sex of their third child, due in November, instead of waiting until the birth like they did with their daughter Eliza, 4, and son Archie, 2.

"Getting rid of my pile of pink or pile of blue clothes that was the main reason," Jade said.

"And we also thought it was important for the kids to bond with the baby."

However, the McKellars only decided to do a gender reveal when they were about to get the results from blood tests taken at 10 weeks into the pregnancy.

Sam didn't want Jade to find out the gender before him, so they organised to have the sex written on an envelope.

They thought it would be nice to open the envelope in front of their families, but Sam's parents were holidaying and wouldn't be back for 10 days. www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

"Those 10 days the envelope was sitting on my car seat next to me and I was like 'don't open it, don't open it,'" Jade said.

When the 10 days were up, the letter was taken to Lombards which sells gender reveal balloons. The McKellars got a big black balloon covered with question marks and filled with coloured foil confetti.

The couple bought some champagne and invited the whole family around for the big reveal.

When they popped the balloon, confetti went high into the air and revealed they're expecting a girl.

"It was really for the kids, but once we did it that was really fun," Jade said.

"The balloon was definitely spectacular compared to the cake cuttings I've seen - it was a really big pop and you realise it's all over you and you have to look down (to discover the gender)."

Jade highly recommends a gender reveal announcement for anyone who wants to discover their baby's sex before the birth.

"If someone is dead set on finding out - it is a really fun way to do it.

"It was a really great surprise to have at the same time as all your family."

Carnie Considine also highly recommends gender reveal announcements, although it was her eight-year-old son Beau who convinced her to do one.Carnie's fourth child is due on September 18 and Beau, who already has two younger sisters, didn't want to wait until dad Glenn returned from the birth to discover his sibling's gender.

"I think he saw it on YouTube. He must have come across one of the videos," she said.

"He said 'oh mum can we do one of those balloons and find out what we are having?' I never felt it was my thing."

Carnie did the gender reveal while the family was holidaying in Byron with five other families.

She phoned a local company to pre-pay for a gender reveal balloon.

Her mum then phoned the obstetrician to find out bub's gender before calling the company to advise whether the confetti should be pink or blue.

Carnie said Beau and her daughters, Summer, 5, and Poppy 3, were hoping for blue confetti when the black balloon was popped.

"We had streamers, we did the countdown. I popped it and a big gust of wind came and blew the confetti everywhere."

The confetti was blue!

"It was amazing. It was so emotional," Carnie said.

"It was seriously the best thing we've ever done. People are still talking about it."

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Entertainment

Jimmy Giggle with his friends Hootabelle and Hoot.

Getting to know Jimmy

Giggle

By Melissa Grant

QUICK Q&A WITH JIMMY GIGGLE

IF you have kids, you probably know Jimmy Giggle.

But you may not know that he wanted to be a stuntman when he was a kid, or that he didn't specifically audition for Giggle and Hoot.

Favourite food?

Burger with the lot, beetroot and pineapple included!

Jimmy Rees - or Jimmy Giggle as he is widely known - has been entertaining children for the past nine years as the star of Giggle and Hoot, the popular ABC Kids program.

Favourite TV show?

I do love Games of Thrones.

Favourite music?

Rock music. Foo Fighters are my favourite band.

Jimmy, Hootabelle and their friends are also about to take the television show to the stage for the first time in two years.

Favourite book?

I'm not much of a reader, but as a kid I was obsessed with Possum Magic.

The gig is such a hoot that sometimes it's hard for Jimmy to believe he gets paid to do it.

Your favourite place to holiday?

Beach holiday.

"The television show is too much fun really - you really have to pinch yourself that it's actually a job," he said.

"And it's great to get out and do the live shows and meet the people who are watching."

Jimmy Giggle is the star of Giggle and Hoot, a popular ABC Kids program.

Jimmy had an interest in entertainment and television from a young age, although initially he wanted to work dangerously behind the scenes.

Jimmy, who grew up in Victoria, became interested in theatre during high school after watching his brother on stage.

"I went through this phase where I wanted to be a stuntman, like drive a stunt motorbike," he said.

He studied media arts at university but never finished the course.

"It was just an idea and I thought that I could do that but I'm not a risk taker. It was bizarre."

Jimmy watched a lot of comedy television as a young child and his father, an Englishman with real 'British humour', loved Monty Python and was always joking around and playing the guitar.

22 SPRING 2018

When ABC3 was being launched in 2009, Jimmy did an open audition for the channel.

He didn't quite make it through, but the casting director handed his footage to the team starting up Giggle and Hoot.

The rest, of course, is history.

Jimmy Giggle is now a household name and has a huge following of

Top five dinner party guests (dead or alive)?

Jim Carey, Dave Grohl, Muhammad Ali, Kevin Sheedy and Hootabelle

mums, which came as a bit of a surprise particularly when the children's entertainer stumbled across a Facebook page called 'I could teach Jimmy Giggle a thing or two'.

The Hootastic Live Concert features the gang's popular songs including The Gigglemobile, Go Giggleosaurus, Birdbath Boogie, The Giggle Galaxy and Hoot's Lullaby.

"It's all just tongue in cheek," he said with a laugh.

"The show is high energy and they are really fun," Jimmy Giggle said.

"I don't know, I thought sideburns went out in the 1970s!"

"There is a lot of audience interaction and we encourage kids to get up and scream and shout."

Jimmy's son Lenny, 3, is also a fan of the show and often asks Jimmy Giggle for things if dad says no.

Given the program's popularity, tickets to the live shows are expected to sell out fast.

Jimmy Giggle, Hootabelle and their friends will perform two concerts at The Memo, Healesville on Sunday September 30. The shows start at 10am and 12pm.

For tickets, visit livenation.com.au www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

Entertainment

Just 4 Fun

PAW Patrol and Peppa Pig will bring some star power to Melbourne's newest festival, the Just 4 Fun Children's Festival, on Sunday 30 September.

The State Basketball Centre in Wantirna South will be packed with activities, rides, food stalls and live performances from Peppa and the Paw Patrol pups.

Join the loveable, cheeky little piggy, Peppa as she play games, dresses up and enjoys a day out. Peppa's adventures are always happy filled with loud snorts of laughter and end with her favourite thing - jumping in muddy puddles Then Get Ready for Action as Paw Patrol stars Ryder, Chase and Marshall answer Mayor Goodway's call for help to save the "Adventure Bay Talent Show". Ryder and the Pups take you through all the moves for the Pup, Pup Boogie and make this the best rescue mission ever!

Other names taking to the Main Stage include The Kazoos, the Tim Credible the Magician and the Le Petit Circus - making for a day jammed

packed with family friendly entertainment.

For the crafty ones in the family, there is the Interactive Zone filled with multiple activity stations all designed to encourage children and their families to ignite their imagination to learn and engage while creating their very own artistic creations to take home.

Need a little adventure? The Adventure Zone is set up to excite and thrill with rides and attractions for kids of all ages ... And of course mum and dad!

Break up the school holidays with a day the whole family is sure to remember.

Venue: State Basketball Centre, 291 George Street, Wantirna South Date: Sunday 30th September 2018 Time: 10am - 5pm Tickets: Child $35, Adult $8, Groups of 10+ children $25ea Family (2A + 2C) $85 (early bird pricing - ends 18th Aug) Bookings and more information: www.just4fun.melbourne

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Games and gadgets Supporters of the Kickstarte r campaign re ceive a free se lf-care poster. 184021

by

trated The book is illus 21 rol Rossetti. 1840 feminist artist Ca

Jess Sanders' upcoming children''s book is an empowering guide to positive body image and self-love. 184021

The body

By Kyra Gillespie JESSICA Sanders has just turned 25, and already she has started her own social enterprise and is in the process of releasing her first book.

Jess grew up in Macclesfield on her family's acreage property with sisters Rebekah and Isabelle, and parents Jayneen and Mark.

She attended Macclesfield Primary School with her siblings and later Beaconhills College Pakenham where she completed her VCE. She has since shifted closer to the city, earning her Masters in Social Work at RMIT University.

Her upcoming children's book, 'Learning To Love Your Body', is an empowering guide for girls to support the development of positive body image.

The mission of the book is to show and celebrate diverse bodies, normalise natural bodily imperfections and to teach girls to view their bodies as more than just objects.

Aimed for young girls around the ages of 8-12, the book is a foundation guide based in preventative education.

"I believe in preventative education, especially in this day and age of social media," Jess said.

"Latest figures show that 50 per cent of primary school-aged girls want to lose weight, so by the time girls get to their teenage years it's almost too late because those pathways and ideas have already started to take shape.

"I hesitate to put an age bracket on the book, because I believe these ideas should be instilled in girls and women as early as possible."

Alongside her own personal www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

love book

struggles with self-love growing up, the project was also a reaction to watching other female friends struggle with society's beauty standards.

Body, written by Jess and illustrated by feminist illustrator Carol Rossetti, creator of the viral 'Women Project' series.

"I have personally suffered the effects that society's narrow, manufactured idea of beauty had on women and girls," Jess said.

"Together, we carefully created characters who are authentic, physically and culturally diverse, and most importantly, empowered and confident.

"I've watched my female friends tortured by eating disorders and silenced by physical prejudices.

"I was so tired of this being the unrelenting reality for almost every woman I encountered, and I was going to do something about it."

For many years, Jess said she noticed a widening disparity between how girls and women are depicted in literature, film and television compared with the lived experience.

She recalls a trip to Readings bookstore in Melbourne which lead her to the 'girl's' section of the store.

"The shop assistant and I stared at each other confused - but not surprised - as we scoured the book store looking for children's books that celebrate diverse bodies and found none.

"We found books on puberty, a couple on body image which were pink and featured thin, blonde, white girls on the front cover, but nothing that showed - yet alone celebrated different girls' bodies.

"The shop assistant turned to me and said, 'If you make this book I'll put it on these shelves.'

"Eleven months later and I've just launched the crowdfunding campaign that will hopefully get this book on those shelves."

Jess's goal is to raise $24,000 which will cover the cost of production and distribution of Learning To Love Your

"I created this book because I've often wondered what a difference it would have made if I had been exposed to the important concepts illustrated in this book as a young girl.

"I wanted to show young girls that there is another option, that you don't need to change yourself in order to feel comfortable and confident in your body."

"By the end of the presentation, all 130 of them were talking openly about their experiences and what they're facing and issues that are important to them.

"For previous generations social media wasn't the monster that it is today; now they're engaging with social media at school, on the bus on the way to and from school, and when they go home it follows them there too.

There's no privacy or downtime for them anymore.

"They're navigating tough and unchartered territories, and while they're more connected than ever they are lonelier than ever, because they aren't connecting with real humans anymore.

The Kickstarter funds will go towards Re-shape, a social enterprise Jess founded back in 2017 dedicated to empowering women and girls to develop positive relationships with themselves and their bodies.

"We are not taught self-care and self-love at an early age and that needs to change, because when a girl feels more confident in her body and herself she will be more assertive, achieve higher results, and she will say yes to more opportunities."

"For me, Re-shape started with the idea of re-shaping your Instagram feed to support you, because I have found personal success in doing that.

Jess said that while she admits getting the book published will be an achievement in itself, she said it's only the tip of the iceberg.

"I found that reshaping my own social media meant that my feed became full of interesting people and diverse bodies, and in turn re-shaped my brain and the way I think about my own body.

"Learning to Love Your Body is my first project but it definitely won't be my last.

"Those ideas not only helped shape my perceptions, but it shaped the book too."

Jess has recently started doing school talks for the Butterfly Foundation for Eating Disorders, talking to students about resilience building and self-care.

She recently spoke to 130 Year 9 girls at a school in Melbourne's south-east.

"I founded Re-shape to act as my vessel for future projects, community building and activism; all with the ultimate goal of nurturing self-love, self-acceptance and self-confidence in girls."

Jess's Kickstarter launched Thursday 16 August, and can be found by searching 'The Body Positive Children's Book.'

Follow Jess's project on Facebook @ reshapesocialenterprises and Instagram @re_shape_ SPRING 2018 25

reality bites

For the Love of

baby Jean

By Jade Glen

beautiful, lovely. They have been amazing," Tanya said.

BABY Jean Gotch is extraordinary in every sense.

"We had the 12 week scan and everything seemed normal at that stage. We found out she was a girl then - we were not concerned with having a boy or girl but finding out meant we connected with her differently, we knew she was Jean and we were all so excited to meet her.

Diagnosed in utero with severe congenital heart defects, it was predicted that baby Jean would die within a few hours to a few weeks after her birth.

Defying all medical expectations, Jean is now six-months old and has brought love and joy to her family parents Tanya and Michael, and proud older brothers Brinn, Endo and Alby their extended family and the wider community that has rallied around them.

After three very fast births with their eldest boys, Tanya and Michael planned their fourth birth at home, in Healesville, with the assistance of Yarra Valley Midwives.

"We had the conversation that they probably wouldn't make it to the birth, but we would like them to be there for the third stage of labour. They are 26 SPRING 2018

"Then, at 20 weeks, they picked up that she had a congenital heart condition. They were fantastic, the (sonographer), we have had the same person for all four children. He knew our background, and he organised very quickly for us to see a cardiologist to talk about what was happening inside her.

"It is all very complicated; she has massive holes through her heart. Her stomach, her liver, all her organs are in different positions.

"Basically she is relying on a ductus that bypasses the heart, and I'm not medically minded so I can't explain it very well, but that's how she is

Photos by Adrienne of Heartfelt Photography surviving. That ductus usually closes off in babies when they are born, within hours to weeks after birth. We were expecting that once that closed off, she wouldn't be with us anymore."

Knowing that their time together may be short, Tanya, Michael and their boys made every effort to connect with Jean during the pregnancy.

"Alby kept saying 'I want her for a long time' and kept talking about all the things he wanted to do with Jean. Brinn was praying for a miracle and Endo had a quiet way of dealing with it; he was very philosophical about it, and said that Jean was everywhere and she would still be with us after her death."

It was expected Jean would come early, so Michael took time off work from the end of December, and the family spent the summer holidays waiting for Jean.

In preparation, Tanya walked in the forest each day, going towards Mt Riddell.

"We had a lot of family time," she said.

"Michael does woodwork so he spent January with the boys making her little coffin.

"Robyn and Lisa were so supportive, and helped us understand. Michael is a Palliative Care Nurse so he has the background, and he understands the heart.

"I was in a constant battle of wanting to do everything to keep Jean alive and not wanting to operate ... Michael knew what she needed. Robyn and Lisa were so supportive to palliate as well and really helped me psychologically manage coming to terms with this. At one stage, Lisa 'prescribed' going to the forest.

"They don't do heart transplants until (children) are at least five years old. Her insides are so complicated, and giving open heart surgery to a newborn ... it was unlikely to be successful with Jean."

On the 24th January, at 39 weeks, Tanya rolled out her yoga mat for her regular morning routine and knew that she would be giving birth that day. www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

reality bites "I said to Michael, today's the day.

The Midwives came after about an hour. They were fantastic, Lisa was away at the time, she was five hours away and she drove back because she wanted to meet Jean. Heartfelt Photography were there as well. The boys were playing in the backyard, they would come in to see what was going and then go back out to play cricket with my parents.

"We had Gurrumul music playing; he seems to understand life and death, and that's what we were preparing for at the same time; life and death. There is something in his music that is so profound.

Tanya describes Michael as an incredible birth partner; over four births, they have perfected their techniques and work as a team, with Tanya meditating and Michael intuitively anticipating her needs.

Jean was born at a healthy 3.2 kilograms.

"We had no expectations; we were just allowing her to be how she is.

"We were told we would have a few hours, to a few weeks, and a few weeks would have been a long time to have had her. We baptised her soon after birth and invited all the people that had cared for us and for Jean during the pregnancy to come to bless her. We had about 50 people come in that first day or two."

A Wurundjeri elder came to give Jean a traditional blessing with ochre and gifted a possum skin to Jean.

At 10 days old, the ductus that was keeping Jean alive was starting to close over.

"We were told that she would probably die in her sleep; just go to sleep and not wake up. But she was not just going to go in her sleep, she was on a mission to survive. She would stop breathing and then just take this massive breath. She somehow kept that ductus open 5-10 per cent."

There have been several times since where the family expected to be spending their final hours with Jean, shutting in and cuddling her and saying their goodbyes, but she continues to defy the odds.

"The first time Michael and I went in to our room and just spent that time with her, helping her on her pathway to heaven, being with her, holding her against our hearts and waiting. We had the boys with her as well for about two hours, singing songs, singing hymns to her. And she kept coming through.

"In two or three months she had the same thing, it was closing off again and we thought she's not going to make it through this. So again, we took her down to the creek and both had cuddles with her, and she pulled through again."

Tanya said the community had embraced Jean.

"The community has been extraordinary in their support. A friend brought over a freezer to go on our back porch, and from November, people have been bringing over meals so we always have meals in our freezer," Tanya said.

"We've taken her to the beach, had a stay in the city, and done daily normal things when she is well. And when she is not, when she's really struggling, we shut down for the day and people have been incredible with it. We have had someone taking the boys to school, someone else picking them up from school; we have had someone take Alby for the day, people coming to prepare food for us, other people bringing food over.

"Our families, St Brigid's Primary, St Brigid's Parish, Little Yarra Steiner School have been really supportive.

"There is an extraordinary connection of prayer. People in our community but www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

Photos by Adrienne of Heartfelt Photography

also l people's l ' parents, t friends, f i d friends f i d off parents ... . We have had cards, gifts in the mail from people so far away. So many people that I didn't know prayed have said she is in our prayers every day.

"When she has been in a really difficult place I send out a text message to say Jean is struggling, say a little prayer for her. Within an hour, I have had 54 replies, saying we are praying, sending our love. We feel like we just have this warm embrace around us when things are hard, that we are not alone. I know I could call on anyone at the drop of a hat."

"Our GP has been extraordinary, he's done home visits from Selby and he's travelled nearly an hour to see Jean.

Rowena (from Eluvi) has given Shiatsu to Jean and myself, she has a beautiful energy. Tim, the naturopath has helped as well; Monash Paediatric Palliative Care, family support workers at Very Special Kids, and Yarra Valley Midwives have maintained regular contact with us. All these external supports have been helpful."

Tanya said the family had not ruled out exploring further options - when Jean is bigger- but at this stage, they were taking each day as it came, and enjoying their time with Jean.

"Brinn tells her how beautiful she is; he has always wanted a sister. Endo has silent conversations with her - now Jean is 'chatting' he will listen intently.

Alby is always keen to give Jean a cuddle and she laughed for the first time at Alby jumping.

"Jean has been smiling since she was six weeks old. I could go on for hours about how special Jean is to them and they are to Jean.

"She's got her journey and we are trying to let her live her life rather than preserving it.

"She is very alert and has such engaging eyes; she's always looking through to your soul."

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reality bites

Kat Stewart recently became an ambassador for the Magical Getaway Foundation.

Kat Stewart's

new magical role KAT Stewart has become an Australian household name for her acclaimed performances in Underbelly and Offspring.

However, few people know the Logie-winning actor and mother-of-two recently landed a leading role alongside a truly magical cast.

Kat is an ambassador for The Magical Getaway Foundation, a unique Australian charity that's bringing a lot of joy to vulnerable children and their families.

Melissa Grant speaks to Kat about that special role, motherhood, her own childhood and her career.

HOW ARE YOU ENJOYING YOUR AMBASSADOR ROLE WITH THE MAGICAL GETAWAY FOUNDATION, A 28 SPRING 2018

CHARITY WHICH ENABLES VULNERABLE AND DISADVANTAGED KIDS TO GO ON THEIR FIRST HOLIDAY? I'm so pleased to be involved and I love the people - every contact I've had with the team has just been so inspiring.

It's early days, but I'm really excited about it. The good work the Magical Getaway Foundation is doing and is capable of doing in the future - it's really exciting.

HOW DID YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH THE FOUNDATION COME ABOUT? TEAGUE Rook is a board member and he's someone I've known for many years. We've done theatre together and he is also a teacher. He just spoke to me about it and about five minutes in I heard his passion. He's someone with

great integrity who I really respect and admire as an actor, as a person and as a teacher. I just thought the idea of getting families who are under extreme pressure and stress, who have never had the opportunity to just be a family and not be in hospital wards, or not be in a refuge and not deal with really tough things, to be given an opportunity to have all the practical stuff taken care of - the medical support, the groceries, whatever they need - and just be together somewhere else. The holiday memories I have as a kid are really formative and they just made a really big difference to me as a mum and as a person. I just think it's such a wonderful opportunity to give to little kids and parents under extreme stress.

WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD YOU

REGULARLY HOLIDAYED WITH YOUR COUSINS AT A HOUSE ON PHILLIP ISLAND. YOU MUST HAVE SOME GREAT MEMORIES. I do. We had great times. I think it was a little fibro place and it was jam-packed with about 20 of us in three bedrooms. There were lots of bodies on the floor, lots of sunscreen, black and white TV, endless days at the beach. It probably wasn't quite like that, but that's my memories as a little kid. Great times.

YOU SPENT YOUR EARLY CHILDHOOD IN BAIRNSDALE, A SMALL COUNTRY TOWN IN EAST GIPPSLAND. YOUR PARENTS PACKED UP THE FAMILY AND TRAVELLED AROUND EUROPE FOR 12 MONTHS WHEN YOU WERE EIGHT. www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

reality bites THAT MUST HAVE BEEN AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE. That was a game-changer for us as a family. I'm very close to my father, but growing up he was a workaholic. Mum was the stay-at-home parent who we spent lots of time with and my memories of dad only start that year. That was because we were travelling together and we were doing correspondence he taught me my times tables, he taught me how to catch a netball, all that stuff. And that set us up for life - I've had an incredibly close relationship with him ever since.

DURING THAT TRIP YOU ATTENDED SCHOOL IN LONDON AND I UNDERSTAND YOU WOULD COME HOME AND IMITATE YOUR CLASSMATES' ACCENTS. WAS THIS WHEN YOUR INTEREST IN ACTING BEGAN? I did. I got lonely. I went to school for a few months in England - that might be where some of the early signs were. I was so fascinated because the area we were in had a real cross-section of accents from quite posh to quite knockabout, and I loved all that. I was fascinated by that, so I'd come home and try out all the different accents in front of my family.

YOU INITIALLY DIDN'T CONSIDER ACTING A VIABLE CAREER AND STUDIED MARKETING AT UNIVERSITY BEFORE WORKING IN PUBLICITY. WHEN DID YOU REALISE YOU COULD MAKE A CAREER OUT OF ACTING? It just wasn't something that was really on my radar. It wasn't that I sort of dismissed it - it just wasn't what people did. I didn't know anyone who was in that world. I studied marketing and arts first and while I was there I got involved in the theatre society at Monash (University) and completely fell in love with it. I had done school plays here and there, and it was something that I loved but I never thought of it as a career. I knew enough to know it wasn't a very secure profession, so I did hope that it was a phase that I'd fall out of.

But I thought I'd never know unless I actually take it through to the end, so I enrolled in a three-year night-time course hoping that I could hedge my bets and keep working during the day.

But ultimately I had to make a choice. It was in the second year of my course

that I was working in publishing as a publicist and I couldn't be in two places at once. I had to be at the Adelaide Writers' Festival or I had to be on stage doing an amazing play called Angels in America, which is still one of the greatest scripts I've ever worked on, and I had to decide. That was a real moment of reckoning and I have no regrets.

YOUR BREAKOUT ROLE WAS IN UNDERBELLY, HOWEVER MOST PEOPLE WOULD KNOW YOU AS BILLIE PROUDMAN FROM OFFSPRING. I UNDERSTAND IT WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF BILLIE'S STORYLINES THAT GOT YOU REALLY THINKING ABOUT MOTHERHOOD. I just put it (motherhood) at the back of my mind really because I was so busy. I was enjoying being busy because my 20s were quite quiet in some ways career-wise, so things were just starting to get interesting in my 30s for work and I didn't really want to break the rhythm. It was one of those things - I was so busy that I was like 'we'll think about it next year, we'll think about it next year'. Then my character Billie was doing IVF in series two and as part of that storyline I was doing some research on IVF and statistics and I thought 'oh, hang on, oh hang on this includes me here - I'm in this age bracket. I better not take it for granted that we can do it whenever we want to'. So it forced us to think of it as something we should address and by the end of the series I was pregnant very happily with Archie.

FILMING DAYS CAN BE QUITE LONG. HOW DO YOU JUGGLE THE DEMANDS OF BEING ON SET WITH MOTHERHOOD? I had a lot of help and a lot of support. I had Archie on set when he was five weeks and I had Gigi (Georgia) on set when she was three weeks.

When I think about it now the mind boggles. But you just get up and have to do what you have to do with a kid, and with a little baby it's just one foot in front of the other and I was so supported. I worked until right to the end of the pregnancy with Archie and I knew I had the producers' support and the casting crew's support and they made it as achievable as possible to have the babies and work. I had (husband) David with me with Archie,

and when I had Gigi I had a family friend to help when I was on set. I don't know - it's a bit of a blur to be honest. I was very lucky to do what I love and have my babies with me. Not many jobs afford you that.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE OFFSPRING RETURN FOR ANOTHER SEASON? I love doing it and I don't think realistically it's something I could ever say no to because I loved it so much and we are just a family because we spent so much time together. But who knows? Honestly, I think we had a really good run. I think seven seasons is very rare and we were very lucky. So whatever happens I think we have done very well.

YOU'VE JUST RETURNED TO MELBOURNE AFTER A FAMILY HOLIDAY. HOW WAS THAT? It was fantastic. We went to Japan which is pretty amazing. There were 14 of us. It was wild. It was my husband, two kids and my brother and his family - he's got four kids - and my dad and some family friends. It was the trip of a lifetime really, it was great. My dad had a huge health scare last year and I lost my mum two years ago. After that we all got together and said 'let's make something happen, let's do something really great'. You just don't know in life.

Dad's actually fighting fit now, but it just gave us that push to make it happen and I'm so glad we did - it was just fantastic. We've made a lot of great memories.

WHERE ARE SOME OF THE OTHER PLACES YOU'VE BEEN ON HOLIDAY TOGETHER? We've been to Phillip Island a lot, so that's still a big touchstone for us and the family and my brothers and their families. That's the main thing we do we go there for Easter and Christmas and if we can get long weekends that's where we go. My dad's got a place there. We went to Port Douglas when they (my children) were really little. But with little kids travelling is no small thing, so it's nice to have a place within a couple of hours of Melbourne that they know and that's familiar and that's fun, so that's where we go really.

WHERE'S YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE?

We've had a pretty good run - I don't think we will be planning anything for a while now! But we will be getting away as often as we can to Phillip Island. We are lucky we can spend time with Dad there. And getting back to the Magical Getaway Foundation - that (holidays) is just not something a lot of people can do, but certainly people who are benefiting from the foundation can access (them). It's really moving, the families that The Magical Getaway Foundation has been helping. And what really affected me about the families is they are so proactive, so productive and so honest and candid.

The only condition of their involvement is that they tell their stories and I think it's so incredibly powerful and a great reminder that holidays are lovely, whatever form they take. But it's really about the memories that you make as a family unit that's the important thing. It's not where you go but it's that you get the time together.&nbsp;My holiday sounds fancy but that's not the point.

The point is that it's time with the family and that's what got me really excited about this foundation.

WHAT'S THE BEST WAY SOMEBODY CAN HELP THE FOUNDATION? Anyone with a connection to somebody or a business that could help with a holiday - that would be amazing.

If someone is from a place that runs apartments, a supermarket, or a business that could help or theme parks, whatever it is - we really rely on that sort of contribution and they're always acknowledged appropriately and gratefully. They don't have to be expensive holidays. It's an opportunity to get away and have some fun and have some experiences, so any kind of contribution could be more valuable than anyone realises. I also think just listening to the testimonials from the families - it can be just one decision from someone saying 'hey I think you need a hand, I'm going to do something for you' that can change the course of somebody's life. So it's no small thing.

Any kind of contribution makes a difference. The Magical Getaway Foundation is quite a new foundation, but it's the only foundation of its kind.

Social tourism is something that's been going on in Europe for decades. It's not really been done in Australia so it's a really great thing.

Foundation brings holiday joy to families THE Magical G Getaway Foundation is the only Australian charity dedicated to social tourism, which means providing access to breaks away from home for people who would otherwise be excluded.

Kat Stewart and Steven Bradbury OAM are ambassadors of the foundation that aims to provide hope and lifetime changes for families through a first ever holiday.

Statistics show that one in three Australian children have never been on a holiday.

The Swinge family enjoy their holiday, made possible by the Magical Getaway Foundation.

www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

The Magical Getaway Foundation gifts fully-funded first ever holidays to eligible children and their families. In return, the recipients share their story with the foundation.

It's not about the holiday - it's what the holiday brings.

Research indicates that holidays benefit individuals and society because they improve well-being and

f reduce stress, increase self-esteem and confidence, strengthen family communication and bonding, provide new skills, widen perspectives and enhance employability. Going on holiday also gives long-lasting, treasured memories and results in happier, stronger families and decreases social isolation.

The Tumbas family are among those who have benefited from the Magical Getaway Foundation.

Annalise Tumbas said their holiday provided wonderful memories and experiences.

"This has also helped with our healing as I believe that with each great memory puts a brick in the wall that helps build a wall away from the trauma these boys have experienced and this in particular has given many different experiences, knowledge and memories that I by myself would never have been able to give them," she said.

SPRING 2018 29

books

WHEN

BAD THINGS HAPPEN

By Heather Zubek A rock group in the '70s tried warning us but we didn't listen. Horror Movie, the hit song of the popular Australian group Skyhooks, told of the carnage screened each night on the 6.30 news. Forty years later nothing much has changed except that the half hour news has now grown to an unbearable hour. Words such as Syria, Yemen, Lombok, earthquake, refugee, Trump are sent spinning into our lounge rooms and into the minds of our kids.

So how do we respond when our children ask about the war in Syria or what will happen now that Lombok has crumbled?

MAKING SENSE OF THE WORLD As a teacher, my first point of reference is a book. Not an atlas or other reference book but a story. The current Children's Laureate Morris Gleitzman says that good stories help us make sense of the world. He says that books can help children confront difficult issues all from the comfort of their beds or armchairs. Or better yet, from the lap of parents.

Because of today's communication technologies, young people have access to the world like never before. It is up to parents to help kids see what's going on in the world but at the same time help them to remain optimistic about life and the future.

This is where stories come in.

Gleitzman has said that stories allow readers to experience the world in all its forms, the good and the bad. And if parents are part of this sharing it can open honest discourse and understanding.

30 SPRING 2018

EMPATHY YIELDS KINDNESS Recent research has revealed that reading fiction helps to create a more empathic reader. Empathy yields kindness and the courage to stand up for ourselves and others. And we certainly need more of that. When a parent and child share a book, that child learns to see the world through the eyes of another.

Through My Eyes is a series for readers aged nine and over that aims to help Australian students understand the lives of children who have lived in the world's many war zones. Series editor, Lyn White, a former teacher-librarian and English as a Second Language Teacher, said that she had met many newly arrived refugee and migrant children who had experienced war and displacement. She realized that students born and bred in a peaceful Australia may not be aware of how some children their age need to leave their own homes because of political upheaval.

Another series by the same editor, Through My Eyes: Natural Disaster Zones, explores the experiences of children living in modern natural disaster zones where their homes, family and future have been devastated.

Stories like this help children explore and they encourage them to imagine what it would be like to be someone else all from the safety of their imagination.

Sharing a story with your child creates a sense of security and understanding. And it might even lead to a lifelong love of reading and literature. Certainly better than what's on the nightly news.

TRY SOME OF THESE BOOKS WHEN YOUR CHILD ASKS

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD: Home and Away

by John Marsden

The Little Refugee

by Anh Do

A picture book for older readers about a typical Australian family forced to flee as refugees when war disrupts our country.

Based on the autobiographical novel by comedian Anh Do, the book tells the story of Anh's family's journey from Vietnam to their new life in Australia.

Through My Eyes: Zafir

by Prue Mason

Through My Eyes: Angel

by Zoe Daniel

Zafir is a young boy caught up in the war in his home in Syria.

Angel survives the horrific cyclone that destroyed her home. She has also lost her family. Angel must search through the rubble that is left by the super storm in order to find them.

Heather Zubek is a teacher and freelance writer. She has a special interest in the power of a shared story. www.heatherzubek.com.au

www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

Step in t o

spring September First Foods for Babies, Monday 3 September, 1.303pm, Norwood Family & Children’s Centre, 18 Notlen Street, Ringwood. An information session regarding introducing solid foods to your baby. Suitable for families with children aged 4 - 6 months. Bookings essential.

Belgrave Big Dreams Market, Sunday 9 September, 9am to 2pm, Reynolds Lane, Belgrave. Craft, produce, kids activities, playground, bouncy castle. Dog friendly.

Safe Sleeping for Under 2's - Parent and Educator Information Session, Tuesday 11 September, 7pm to 8pm at Mt Evelyn Community House, 50 Wray Cres, Mount Evelyn. Presented by Red Nose, this session discusses the importance of creating a safe sleeping environment, defining SIDS, SUDI and fatal sleep accidents, risks associated with tummy and side sleeping, importance of tummy time and appropriate sleep wear. Information will support Parents, Carers and Early Years Professionals. Free, bookings essential.

Box Hill Institute's Lilydale Campus Community Festival and Open Day, Sunday 16 September, 10am to 4pm, 1 Jarlo Drive, Lilydale. Speak to expert teachers to learn more about courses on offer or just explore the training rooms and facilities. Includes market stalls, free feature movies, car displays, flower and garden shows and more.

Baby Settling Talk, Tuesday 18 September, 1.30pm to 3pm, Norwood Family & Children’s Centre, 18 Notlen Street, Ringwood. Learn about your baby’s behaviour and how to establish a routine based on eat/play/ sleep. Suitable for parents of infants 0-3 months.

Bookings essential.

Yarra Valley ECOSS Spring Festival, Saturday 22 September, 10am to 4pm, 711 Old Warburton Road, Warburton. Festivities include ‘The Great Ecological Race’, a wheelbarrow race between kids and their parents, multicultural performances, Tiny House talks and tours, Bio-dynamic Farm tour, Yarra Valley Bee Group Talks, ECOSS projects tour, and the grand opening of RELAB; an upcycling and boutique craft rehab centre for old items $5 per head/$10 per family.

October Nickolodeans Rusty Rivets Workshops, 1-5 October, 11am-2pm daily near Target at Wavereley Gardens Shopping Centre, Mulgrave First Foods for Babies, Monday 1 October, 1.30-3pm, www.yarrarangeskids.com.au

Norwood Family & Children’s Centre, 18 Notlen Street, Ringwood. An information session regarding introducing solid foods to your baby. Suitable for families with children aged 4 - 6 months. Bookings essential.

Baby Settling Talk, Thursday 4 October, 1.30pm to 3pm, Norwood Family & Children’s Centre, 18 Notlen Street, Ringwood. Learn about your baby’s behaviour and how to establish a routine based on eat/play/ sleep. Suitable for parents of infants 0-3 months.

Bookings essential.

Spectrum Journeys Autism Conference, Saturday 13 October, Salvation Army Mooroolbark - Manchester Road, Mooroolbark. Carers and educators can come to learn from some of our region’s amazing therapists.

Contact Spectrum Journeys Inc Info@ spectrumjourneys.org.au Belgrave Big Dreams Market, Sunday 14 October, 9am to 2pm, Reynolds Lane, Belgrave. Craft, produce, kids activities, playground, bouncy castle. Dog friendly.

Bumble Bee Baby and Children’s Market, Sunday 21 October, 9am to 12pm, Central Ringwood Community Centre, Bedford Park, Rosewarne Lane, Ringwood.

Featuring pre-loved, new, and handmade items for babies and children.

Upwey Foothills Festival, Sunday 21 October, 9am to 4pm, Main Street Upwey. Roving street performers, dance troupes and circus acts, alongside local buskers and diverse food offerings will create a vibrant streetscape.

Montrose CFA Open Day, Sunday 21 October, 10am to 3pm, 877 Mt Dandenong Road, Montrose. This family friendly day out is packed with fun, including children's activities, a live show, ladder platform, BBQ, and even a visit from Captain Koala.

Man with a Pram 2018, Saturday 27 October, 8.30am to 12pm at Ringwood Town Square, 175 Maroondah Highway, Ringwood. All participants will receive a complimentary coffee, a light breakfast-on-the-go, BBQ lunch and access to the Aquanation swim centre, plus lots of fun activities for the whole family to enjoy.

Kilsyth Festival, Sunday 28 October, 10.30pm to 3.30pm, Elizabeth Bridge Reserve, 49 Durham Rd, Kilsyth. Food vans and a BBQ, local schools and community group stalls, entertainment for everyone including dancing, drumming and dog obedience demonstrations

November Open Garden Weekend, Saturday November 3 and Sunday November 4. There will be 6 stunning private gardens open to the public in the Upper Yarra Valley region, extending from Launching Place to East Warburton. The gardens are open from 10:00AM to 4:30PM on both days. $20 to experience all 6 gardens or $5 to view a single garden. Look for the sign post along the Warburton Highway or visit https:// upperyarravalleygardenclub.com for more information.

Maroondah Festival, Sunday 11 November, 10am to 4pm at Town Park, 8 Norton Road Croydon. Main Stage attractions, kids kingdom, youth space, health and wellbeing expo, eco village, community expo, artisan market and food, market stalls, amusements, stage and roving entertainment.

Belgrave Big Dreams Market, Sunday 11 November, 9am to 2pm, Reynolds Lane, Belgrave. Craft, produce, kids activities, playground, bouncy castle. Dog friendly.

Yarra Valley Plant Fair and Garden Expo, Saturday 17 September, 10am to 5pm, 125 Quayle Road, Wandin North. Plants on display and a range of experts in irrigation, lighting, permaculture, design, stonework, indoor plants - and just about everything to do with plant collecting and home gardening. $15 per adult, kids free.

Lilydale and Yarra Valley Show, Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 November, Lilydale. Enjoy carnival rides, dog agility, wood chop contest, whipcracking, horse events, highland dancing, cattle, sheep, poultry, Devonshire teas, horticulture display, pony rides, animal nursery, cookery, craft and needlework displays, talent quest, lego display, showbags, and FreeZa Youth Stage. Fireworks 9pm on the Saturday night.

Full of Fun Fair, Sunday 18 November, 10am to 4pm, Monbulk Primary School, Main Street, Monbulk. Held every two years, the fair will have a great array of school run and independent stalls, along with some great carnival rides and games. "All You Can Ride" wrist bands will be available for purchase at the fair.

Food stalls, face painting, arts and crafts.

Ghilgai Steiner School Open Day, Sunday 25 November, 10.30am to 3pm at Ghilgai Steiner School, 295 Liverpool Road, Kilsyth SPRING 2018 31

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www.yarrarangeskids.com.au