Stonnington Boroondara Kids Autumn 2019

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about us . . .

Falling BACK INTO ROUTINE I'M not sure whether it's hearing the crunch of leaves under your feet while walking through the park or the chilly air on a morning stroll - but I just love this time of year.

With the warm weather behind us, autumn still delivers some beautiful days but increasingly it can get tricky to entertain the kids.

On the upside, by now, most of us have settled back into work, a new school or kinder year, and charging full steam ahead into 2019.

I love autumn and this time of year. I am grateful that the winter bugs are yet to make an appearance, and the days still feel long, but those sticky hot nights are no more.

And we've got another exciting edition of Stonnington Boroondara Kids for you - with a focus on all things teenagers.

They often get a bad wrap or are normally quite absent from children's

magazines because they are often too cool to be in a photo - hell, I was even more awkward back then than I am now, so who could blame them.

We've been lucky enough to have world renowned parenting expert Steve Biddulph provide us with some words of wisdom about how to raise our teenage boys to become the strong, upstanding men of the future.

Local organiser Julie Cliff helps us arrange a teenager's room and we speak to the YMCA about the Junction Skate and BMX Park in Hawthorn East.

We were also lucky enough to speak to local teen Morgan Hipworth about his love of cooking and his new TV series airing on Nick Jnr. And let's not forget some amazing stories about a young boy taking on the lead of stage show musical School of Rock, dealing with gender disappointment and how one mum's instinct led her to save her unborn triplets.

It's a bumper issue that our team is very proud to share with you.

We hope you enjoy Stonnington Boroondara Kids magazine and don't forget to check out our new website stonningtonboroondarakids.com.au.

Stonnington Boroondara Kids magazine is a Star News Group publication.

Stonnington Boroondara Kids will be published quarterly prior to each of the school holidays.

The website offers an abundance of entertainment and educational information, keeps you up-to-date with great events in and around Stonnington and Boroondara.

Stonnington Boroondara Kids Cnr Princes Hwy and Army Road, Pakenham, 3810 PO Box 9, Pakenham, Victoria 3810 Phone: 5945 0666 Fax: 5945 0777

It's the go-to destination for activity in your area.

Editorial

Also like our Facebook page, facebook.com/ StonningtonBoroondaraKids, which gives daily and weekly updates so you know what's happening in your area.

Follow us on Instagram too, instagram.com/ stonningtonboroondarakids

Melissa Meehan melissa.meehan@starnewsgroup.com. au Phone: 5945 0666 Photography Rob Carew Advertising Clare Vane-Tempest clare.vane-tempest@starnewsgroup. com.au Sarah Wright sarah.wright@starnewsgroup.com.au Phone: 5945 0666 Advertising Manager Mandy Clark Creative Services Manager Chris Beale

contents Get back into tennis and see results

Your one stop shopping destination

PAGE 19

PAGE 31

Telling stories about culture

Early eye care is important for your child

So much to do at Camberwell Shopping Precinct

Win a pamper package

What happened to Pilates?

Easter Show in full bloom

DENTAL

PAGE 32

From the UK to OZ PAGE 5

PAGE 20

O'Dwyer calls it a day to focus on family

Early intervention is important for your child's teeth

IT'S YOUR LIFE PAGE 3

PAGE 4

Win a childrens scooter and one for mum PAGE 6 Morgan's TV edge

Invisalign their smile PAGE 21 The tooth hurts

PAGE 7

How to sort out your teen's bedroom PAGE 34 The lowdown on Fornite

PAGE 8

PAGE 22

PAGE 35

Zane's school of rock

Financial support for your child's schooling

All about school readiness

Preparing your child for kinder

Pregnant mums warned off licorice

PAGE 23

Most popular baby names

Shaping education for your child's future

PAGE 37

PAGE 24

Books, books and more books

Teaching our boys to become men

Ideas should be nurtured, not overlooked

PAGE 39

PAGE 12 and 13

PAGE 26

Tackling parenthood alone PAGE 14 and 15

Is your baby's birthday in January, February, March or April?

Triplets defy incredible odds

PAGE 27

PAGE 16

Learning through play

Fussy eaters get the boot

PAGE 28

Midwife Cath's views on motherhood PAGE 11

HEALTH

AUTUMN 2019

PAGE 33

Learning with Lego

PAGE 10

FREE

REALITY BITES

EDUCATION

Dealing with gender disappointment

Cover Noah Meltzer-Burns and Jonah Rosenfeld having fun at Fizz Kidz

Party time!

Get your skate on

PAGE 9

Published by Star News Group Pty Ltd ACN 005 848 108.

Publisher/Managing Director, Paul Thomas.

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

PAGE 36

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Autumn

fun FOR cool kids

Autumn activities

Smart snacks for kids

PAGE 17

ENTERTAINMENT

Empowering women through jiu-jitsu

PAGE 29

If in doubt, use this app

Explore the world, with art

PAGE 18

Hands on science

Healthy lunchboxes to take to school

PAGE 30 Rozalia Russian loves Malvern Central

2 AUTUMN 2019

www.stonningtonboroondarakids.com.au

your life It’s

MUM INJECTS

culture into children's books

By Melissa Meehan

we take on ourselves as we grow up."

FOR many first-time mums, parenthood can become a very isolating time.

You become wrapped up in the feed, play, sleep routine and with the lack of sleep it's hard to find yourself within the initial fog of it all.

Kew mum Josynta Singh knows this feeling all too well.

A lawyer by trade, she (like many others) found it difficult to turn her mind to anything different than nappies, milk and baby talk.

"It's very important that kids can identify themselves in books - so for instance when Zara saw the character in the book eating Dal - she said 'I like to do that'," she said.

Josynta said finishing the t book was "really rewarding" and has begun r work on her second. w

Josynta, of Indian background, realised there were very few books that depicted the way she grew up or the way she was raising her daughter.

"My husband comes in and out, doing exciting things at work and you sort of tend to lose yourself, sacrificing much in motherhood," she said.

So the mum-of-two started writing her own children's books about three years ago.

"I just didn't see anything that showed how I was raising my daughter - and by that I mean, a bit of Indian culture in a western background," she said.

Anika.

And, as she was preparing to welcome her second child into the world, Josynta (who has lived in Australia for 20 years) was putting the final touches on her book called Zara likes to...

"And we call grandmother Nani in the book - which is just like Italians have Nonna and Greeks have Yia Yia."

But after reading numerous baby books to her daughter Zara she noticed something was missing.

"And there's a lot of people in the same boat as me - migrants living in a western country and there's no books for babies and toddlers that reflect the little bits and pieces of our culture that

This includes cultural clothing and different foods.

"I found that going for a walk in park, or going out with friends, or buying something - they are great when on maternity leave.

"But what I found more fulfilling, or what brought me back to who I was is this book - it challenged my brain and gave me something to be passionate about outside of nappies."

To buy your copy check out Zaralikesto_ on instagram or email josyntasingh@gmail.com

Zara and her little sister Anika.

Josynta with her daughter Zara.

Pictures: Rob Carew

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AUTUMN 2019 3

your life It’s

Melbourne BEATS THE LONDON LIFE

Lara and Andrew Pilcher with Raphael (5) and Chaya (3).

By Melissa Meehan THE green open spaces and warmer weather of Camberwell have been a massive change for Lara Pilcher and her family.

Before they moved to Australia from London they were used to dreary cloudy days and living in a small apartment with two young children.

“In London, having a blue sky is a special day,” Lara said.

Lara, her husband Andrew and kids Raphael, 5, and Chaya, 3, made the move just under two years ago.

Lara, an actress, and Andrew, a specialist physical therapist were working in the West End when an opportunity came up to move to Australia.

“We have an arty life - and Melbourne has the only practice in the world that does the same kind of work that Andrew was doing in London,” she said.

“We thought it would be a better life for our children.”

Lucky enough to experience life in both London and Melbourne, Lara says her children have both benefitted and been affected by the move overseas.

“They haven’t had the consistency that a lot of other kids have had everyone has kept changing except for us, so they tend to cling to us as a family unit.”

Coupled with moving overseas, the Pilcher’s have had numerous moves since arriving in Melbourne.

Not sure where to buy they rented in

Nunawading before moving to Camberwell, and then needing to find another rental in Camberwell.

On the hottest of days Lara says they barricade themselves inside right beside the air conditioner.

“They kids have moved and moved - and it builds resilience but it’s also hard on them,” she said.

But she’d take Melbourne’s crazy weather over the gloomy skies of London.

“Every time we go on holiday they think we are moving again.”

Another bonus is the government support in Australia for families.

But why Camberwell?

Lara said she was looking for somewhere with atmosphere and cafes - similar to what the British call a “high street”.

“It’s just a stunning area, with lots of green spaces and moving from London we wanted more of that life,” she said.

“Camberwell is so leafy and beautiful.”

But it might take some time for the family to adjust to Melbourne summers.

“I think we, in Australia, are very lucky to have a system that supports famly and childcare,” she said.

“We didn’t qualify for those things in London - you need to be practically homeless to get those benefits.”

The Pilcher family is happily fitting into the Australian way of life - and might even follow in the footsteps and buy a home with a big backyard, something very different to the London experience.

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your life It’s

WIN WIN

O'DWYER QUITS POLITICS FOR

growing family AFTER nearly a decade as a member of federal parliament, local politician Kelly O'Dwyer wants to focus on family.

Earlier this year she announced she would not recontest the seat of Higgins at the next election, set to be held in May. Ms O'Dwyer has been a member of Cabinet since 2015 and currently serves as Minister for Women, Jobs and Industrial Relations.

She has represented Higgins since 2009 and holds the seat on a margin of about 8 per cent, having fended off a challenge from the Greens at the last election.

"The reasons are complex and most compellingly, the decisive reasons are very personal," Ms O'Dwyer said.

Her two children will reach primary school age during the course of the next parliament and after compiling photobooks and realising she missed many occasions she decided it was time to call stumps on her career as a politician.

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"And it's clear to me that they also want to spend more time with me as well."

Kelly O'Dwyer pictured with MP Jason Wood, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and business director Ron Weinzierl.

Another reason weighing heavily on her mind, and her decision is plans to grow their family.

securing a permanent home for Australia's first children's hospice in the heart of Higgins.

"We need to be very realistic. I turn 42 years of age this year and everything would have to go right," she said.

"Very Special Kids is one of Australia's most important and impressive organisations, helping families care for profoundly ill children and being there to support them when the most awful thing happens and a child dies," she said.

She admitted her decision did not mean that men or women need to choose between family and the public service - but it was the right decision for her.

"I'm profoundly grateful for their work and their compassion."

She also thanked former party leaders Malcolm Turnbull, Julie Bishop and current Prime Minister Scott Morrison for their support during her career that often balanced breastfeeding and public life.

Less than one quarter of Government MPs are women, while nearly half of all Federal ALP MPs are women.

The Liberal Party has a goal for women to make up half of its party room by 2025.

She leaves highlighting some of her greatest achievements including

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your life It’s

Morgan's Local teen Morgan Hipworth outside his successful business, Bistro Morgan in Windsor.

By Melissa Meehan

entrepreneur life running a successful business, Bistro Morgan cafe in Windsor.

WITH the popularity of TV cooking shows like MasterChef, Iron Chef and My Kitchen Rules, a generation of young mini-chefs have been born.

Within the short tutorials, Morgan shows kids at home how to make some super delicious doughnuts inspired by their favourite shows. That includes Paw Patrol, Shimmer and Shine and Nella the Princess Knight.

Among them is local teen Morgan Hipworth, who started cooking when he was just seven years old and turned it into a business when he was nine.

So it's no surprise children's pay TV channel Nickelodeon has jumped on the bandwagon by producing a new pre-school cooking series called Butterbean Cafe.

They've collaborated with 17-year-old Morgan to develop a short series of do-it-yourself themed doughnut tutorials that air following Butterbean Cafe.

Morgan is already living his dream

Morgan says his success in the kitchen started quite modestly.

"I began by cooking packet mix cakes and cookies, then I moved to more intricate desserts," he said.

"I first turned it into a little business when I started making cakes and desserts for family and friends."

His next big break came when he went to a local cafe for lunch and got chatting with the owner.

She told him they were looking for a

BIG TV BREAK

new cake supplier and asked if he'd be interested in bringing some samples down. The rest is history.

The former Caulfield Grammar School student grew up in Melbourne's southeast and spent every spare minute in the kitchen.

When asked about his fascination with doughnuts he replied: "who doesn't love a good doughnut?"

"I'm just so excited to have teamed up with Nick Jnr. I think it's a great combination as our doughnuts are about having fun," Morgan said.

He hopes other kids his age and younger will see his story and feel inspired to follow their passion.

Morgan Hipworth filming one of his doughnut tutorials for Nick Jnr.

"It doesn't matter if it's in the kitchen or anywhere else - love what you do and believe in yourself," he said.

Morgan's tutorials air across Australia on Nick Jnr. after Butterbean Cafe at 8.30am weekdays.

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your life It’s

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Get your SKATE ON! Whether your child knows how to bunny hop or the only carving they do is Sunday night's roast - Junction Youth

"These sessions are mentoring programs where coaches could be working with up to eight individuals at once."

Services Coordinator Caitlin Cunningham says staff at Junction Skate provide a safe, friendly and inviting environment for all.

Kids Club also provides sessions for girls skate, adults skate and access abilities skate club.

She said the YMCA offers beginner and advanced skate lessons and programs from the age of six.

They also have coaches for private lessons and can cater lessons to your child's needs.

"We also run skate club sessions

"It is so important for kids to be active as well as adults. It is not only good for our muscles and joints but also for our mental health," she said.

Keep yourself and your kids moving, and get down to Riversdale Road in Hawthorn East to see all the great things YMCA is doing in conjunction with the City of Boroondara.

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which provide a club like environmentfor people to meet like-minded skate enthusiasts to skate with," Ms Cunningham said.

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AUTUMN 2019 7

your life It’s

Zane's

SCHOOL OF ROCK

By Melissa Meehan IF you had of told Zane Blumeris a year ago he'd be travelling across Australia and overseas as one of the stars of the School of Rock musical he would have never believed you.

But that's exactly what this talented boy is doing.

Zane, 12, is revelling in his very first commercial stage role - and a Andrew Lloyd Webber production at that.

School of Rock: The Musical is based on the hit move of the same name and follows the story of wannabe rock star Dewey who falls into the role of substitute teacher at a prestige private school.

Zane plays Zack, the lead guitarist on the show, whose father has no time for him and thinks music is a waste of time.

"When Dewey teaches him to be a rock god he finally stands up to his parents - in a nice way." he said.

Danielle will also travel with Zane when he goes with the show to China and Brisbane next month.

But is character couldn't be any further from his own life.

His sister and brother, Alaska and Jett, have been very supportive too.

Zane's mum Danielle and dad Craig, an actor himself, have been supportive in his quest to become a star.

"They've seen almost all of my shows and are coming to China for a week," Zane said.

"I'd love to do more shows, but I'm not sure right now what they would be," he says.

Craig broke the news to Zane that School of Rock: The Musical was coming to Australia and that he should audition.

His rising star is no surprise to his family.

"Harry Potter would have been pretty cool to be in, or if they made one for The Greatest Showman that would be awesome."

"I didn't even know it was a musical - we'd known the movie for our whole lives because it was a family movie for us," he said.

Zane has been filming his own videos since he was five years old and would love to continue his career in stage shows.

But for now he's spending 38 hours a week on School of Rock: The Musical and any down time is at home with his family.

"They're so excited for me."

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your life It’s

THE ‘WRONG’ SEX AND GETTING OVER

gender

disappointment

By Danielle Galvin THE non-invasive prenatal test, also called the harmony test, has almost become standard procedure in the last couple of years for pregnant mums, giving expectant parents unprecedented access to find out about their baby's medical footprint.

One of the things that the simple early blood test reveals is the gender of an unborn child, and many elect to find out.

No longer do parents have to wait until birth, or the 20 week scan, to be told if it's team pink or team blue.

But with this knowledge comes a new, fascinating phenomenon that some parents are finding hard to navigate.

And with it comes a great deal of shame, guilt, loss and confusion.

For some parents, when they're told the gender of their unborn child, the moment is not a happy one.

Instead, they might put on a smile, but are desperately saddened by the news revealed by an obstetrician or ultrasound technician.

It's called gender disappointment.

As more and more people find out what gender they are having well before baby arrives into the world, it's perhaps a phenomenon that we'll see more of.

Dr Di McGreal is a consultant psychologist at Mereweather Counselling in Frankston, Victoria.

She's spoken about gender disappointment in the past, as a type of loss.

"The clinical definition is anxiety or

depression experienced by an expectant parent when the sex of the baby does not match his or her preference," she said.

haven't been able to had baby, and you talk to them about being disappointed, they many not think that's appropriate at all."

Dr McGreal said it can be more common in second pregnancies, when people are still holding onto some romantic ideas about what their child should be.

Thankfully, she said the feelings do often pass when bub is born.

"With the first they say let's not find out, let's have a surprise, and sometimes that's a good thing," she said.

"Our brains have this wonderful capacity once we hold a baby in our rooms, for most of that to fade away but grief in the pregnancy stage can be quite strong," she said.

"But sometimes there has already been an expectation in the parents mind that I'm having a boy or I'm having a girl and that can be quite a surprise for the person.

In her view, an expectant parent can go through the five stages of grief when experiencing gender disappointment.

"It's almost like a real grief experience when you think about the sex, it's like grieving for a real person, grieving for a baby you didn't have."

"I once had somebody say to me, 'it's the wrong test, I've been told I'm having a girl but I'm having a boy and I think they have done the wrong test, and they've made a mistake'."

More so, it can be difficult for some to understand how any parent-to-be could be disappointed or at a loss when they find out what the sex is.

Especially for anyone who has experienced fertility issues in the past, it can be hard not to dismiss those gender disappointment emotions as just being selfish, or ungrateful.

"Shouldn't you just be happy to have a healthy, happy baby?"

Dr McGreal said it's true parents who feel this way can encounter some judgement or feel ashamed.

"Many people are leaving it to much later these days, and if you're leaving it until 40 you may encounter great difficulty," she said.

"So if you are talking to someone who has encountered great difficulty or

Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.

body speak and if your heart is hurting, go and speak to somebody about it," she said.

As for somebody with a loved one struggling with gender disappointment, the worst thing you can do is dismiss their feelings.

"As soon as you say you should be happy - you completely roadblock any healing for them and any future chance they might actually trust you and talk to you," she said.

"We don't have any rights to tell anybody how they should feel about anything. Accept where they are and help them by loving them anyway."

For someone who is experiencing gender disappointment, it can be difficult to know where to turn, where to seek help, and how to articulate that loss.

Dr McGreal suggests writing a letter to the baby that won't be, a letter of goodbye and acknowledging that grief.

And then, perhaps writing a letter of hello to the new baby saying how excited you are to hold them and gaze into their eyes.

She said it's important not to disregard those feelings of loss and disappointment, as grief is powerful and dangerous if not dealt with.

"It's really important you listen to your

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AUTUMN 2019 9

your life It’s

Midwife Cath's

VIEWS ON MOTHERHOOD IN THE MODERN ERA

By Danielle Galvin

parent vulnerable and desperate for answers.

CATHRYN Curtin, or Midwife Cath as she's more fondly referred to, believes being a parent these days isn't easy.

It's certainly not just adjusting to life as a new parent that she has her sights set on - she believes parents in early childhood, particularly toddlers with their wild ways, tantrums, negotiation skills and hilarious comebacks, can sometimes hit you for six.

She says parents aren't always given the necessary tools to raise children, and that's why she continues to teach, to share her wisdom and guide parents through the beautiful, intimidating, terrifyingly magical journey of parenthood.

A midwife, renowned author, public speaker and former maternal child health nurse, Cath is outspoken in her views.

"Google is a shocker," she points out.

"Why I tell women not to Google is that when you get the answer you don't know what to do with those words, you don't understand the answer and it makes you more confused."

The other problem she sees parents face these days is knowing where to get advice, when and how to seek out an expert, and who to listen to.

Closed Facebook groups for parents can be as good as a village, she says, but they can also be a hotbed of misinformation and judgement for a

"It's not a put down of parents at all, you learn a lot in the first six weeks and then you start to make it up," she says.

"And I say to them, I couldn't do your job, so let me help you."

When it comes to toddlers, she agrees parents are often left to their own devices and there's minimal training, advice and help.

Cath draws on an example from The Simpsons, when Homer talks to the dog, and all the dog hears is 'blah bah blah'.

"You just shouldn't try and negotiate with a three-year-old, you basically tell them what to do and that's it," she said.

"Their brain is not developed enough to understand negotiation. You sort of think as a parent you should talk and negotiate, and have a big long discussion with them, and it's just like 'blah blah blah'.

"You have to understand the brain development. I say to parents your 18-month-old can't write a sentence - so they can't understand a sentence (but) they can comprehend you saying do this, do that."

In light of that, she disagrees with the 'terrible twos' tag often thrown around.

"The best thing with toddlers is distraction. Their brain is egocentric, it's parallel play, it's all about them," she says.

"You've got to distract in order to help them learn and help them play, rather than sitting down and having a long discussion.

"Toddlers are absolutely amazing, they are scientists, little sponges and you can teach them absolutely anything, but it's the way you teach them and the way you talk to them."

Cath's advice is simple when it comes to tantrums.

"Make sure they are safe and let them have it," she advises.

"Tantrums are usually around tiredness, hunger, and taking them to places they are not up to.

"If you're out, get up and go. If you're at home, let them scream until they stop

screaming, and i d you say are you finished now?

"Don't keep taking about the tantrum.

Wipe their face and get on with it.

"All they are doing is screaming from frustration."

She takes particular aim at the way check-ups are run these days through the maternal health service.

She says too often it's about "ticking boxes and weighing babies" but there's not enough teaching going on.

"Our role is to teach," she says.

"It's part of engaging people and having the skill to talk to them and encourage them about wonderful parenting is and how good it can be, when you do it as a positive loving approach."

Cath's Masterclass series is running across the country in 2019. For dates, information and to book a consultation with Cath, visit midwifecathsvillage. com.au or follow her on Instagram @ midwifecath

talk money

WITH YOUR CHILDREN EARLY ■ You can choose how to spend your money

Saver Plus program manager Dan Crotty says because of this, parents should talk to their kids about money as early as preschool.

■ Let your kids pay for small expenses with their pocket or birthday money. This helps them work out how far money goes

"This will help establish good money habits for life. It's easy to find ways to talk to children about money, no matter how old they are," he said.

HIGH SCHOOL

Mr Crotty said these lessons are even more crucial as we become an increasingly cashless society.

"Children no longer have a tangible connection to money as we move to digital banking and tapping cards at the checkout. They also have little understanding of how credit works and the potential impact of debt on their finances."

SAVINGS TIPS FOR KIDS FROM PRESCHOOL TO HIGH SCHOOL

PRE-SCHOOL

■ You need money to buy things ■ Money includes notes and coins ■ You earn money by working

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■ You need to be patient when saving up

CHILDREN whose parents have good money behaviours are often better equipped to manage their money, no matter how old they are.

■ Doing a budget helps you work out how you should spend your money ■ Credit is money that you borrow and have to pay back with interest ■ It is good to have savings in case of a money emergency ■ Keep track of mobile phone data and expenses to make sure you don't run out of credit or get a larger bill than you expected Source: ASIC MoneySmart website: www.moneysmart.gov.au/life-eventsand-you/families/teaching-kids-aboutmoney

SAVER PLUS FACTS The Brotherhood of St Laurence and ANZ developed Saver Plus in 2003.

The program is funded by ANZ and the Australian Department of Social Services. Saver Plus assists people on lower incomes to develop a savings habit and achieve a savings goal.

- Melissa Meehan

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www.stonningtonboroondarakids.com.au

your life It’s

World renowned author Steve Biddulph.

Raising Teenage Boys TO BECOME THE MEN WE WANT THEM TO BE IN raising a boy, you have to know what kind of man you are aiming for writes Steve Biddulph.

When you first learned you were having a boy, how did you feel? What thoughts and images sprang to mind, and were they good ones? Boys - and men - seem to be in a lot of trouble lately, and so we need to have clear goals for how to raise them for now, and not the past. We don't need men who can wrestle buffaloes any more!

Sometimes in a workshop I ask people to call out what qualities they like most in a man. There are some ribald comments of course, but for the most part they are very heartfelt, and often reflect what the women have NOT received, always, from the men in their lives. So kindness comes high on the list, trustworthiness, being good humoured. Self-sacrificing, not selfish.

Patient. Fun to be around, cheerful.

There are two main qualities when you boil it down, in what makes a good man, and in fact a good human being.

Backbone, and heart.

Heart is the capacity to be kind and look out for other people. Boys who are warm-hearted make the best friends, girls really like them, and they actually have more fun in life. When you encourage your four year old to care for his baby sister, or even his pet or toy, you teach him gentleness and pride in caring.

Backbone is the capacity to be true to your word. Hang in and finish something hard. Be reliable with commitments or promises. You have to

teach boys that this is what manliness means. Strength is a mental thing, its got nothing to do with muscles. Sticking up for a friend. Disagreeing when others say something stupid or hurtful.

Your son will understand easily that this takes courage, and courage is something boys admire.

Sooner or later, these qualities will be a matter of life and death. So you can't start too soon. When your son shows these qualities, TELL HIM. It will become a part of who he thinks he is, and just grow stronger.

Some boys I know were at a party where the adults seemed to have vacated the scene, wanting to be friends rather than be seen as uncool grown ups. Alcohol was abundant. So in other words, a disaster looking to happen. One of the girls had way too much to drink, and already not overdressed, was now in disarray on a couch among her laughing peers, close to passing out.

In the half dark, some boys began to touch her, then paw her more obviously, daring each other to go further, laughing and scoffing in their own alcohol fuelled haze. One of the other boys, seeing this, said "hey guys, leave her alone, she's had way too much to drink, she needs help". And moved in closer, inserting himself into the picture. He asked the girl for her phone, and not getting much answer, he took it and started to call her parents.

Then sat with a glare until the other boys got the message, or felt shamed enough, and with some scornful remarks, moved off for greener pastures.

You can talk to your sons about specific situations like this - what would you do if ... ? This makes it more likely that they will be able to think on the spot - something we all find hard to do.

Celia Lashley said that most of the men in her prison were there because of a decision made in five seconds.

Raising your son to be the kind of man you want needs to be a deliberate project, which he knows you are set on

carrying out. Talk lots about what a good person, and a good man, is, and he will be well on the way.

Steve Biddulph's book Raising Boys in the 21st Century is out now - published

by Simon and Schuster.

Steve will be doing his world famous shows across Melbourne starting in May. www.stevebiddulph.com for details.

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AUTUMN 2019 11

your life It’s

The one of a kind announcement received an amazing response.

Photo: Instagram, ourlifeinmelbourne

MELBOURNE MUM'S

solo mission INTO MOTHERHOOD

By Danielle Galvin WHEN Instagram blogger Sarah Mill began documenting her life through something_about_melbourne, she might not have predicted its success.

With more than 12,000 flowers, she says she was motivated to start showcasing her love of Melbourne, after living in London and Canada.

She realised she had fallen in love all over again.

"From sights, food, pop ups, fashion, things to do, it's showcasing how amazing this city is," she said.

"I love where I live and really wanted to show it off through my eyes.

"The one thing I have loved about starting this page, is that it's made me find places that I didn't even know existed."Places like the Redwood forest in Warburton or laneway art I hadn't seen and then inspiring other people to check it out and explore more."

On her Instagram account you'll find foodie pictures, some rare gems in Melbourne's bustling CBD streets, photos from her getaways, art works on hidden laneways.

But there's something else Sarah

shared last year, much to the delight of her thousands of followers.

A picture of an ultrasound, sharing the news there would be a 'mini me in Melbourne' and that she was embarking on her journey into motherhood solo after receiving IVF treatment in the hopes of becoming a mum.

In the post she wrote: "Earlier this year I made the decision to become a solo mum by choice via IVF. ?It's not a decision I made lightly but I am so proud to undertake this new journey to become a mum.? I know how hard this road will be but I wanted this little one so badly that I couldn't wait anymore."

She is happily forthright about the decision.

"I think becoming a mum is something I've always thought about, but wouldn't say I was super clucky to become one," she said.

"In my early 30s, I told myself that 37 would be the year I started, it came and went and I wasn't ready. I dated on and off, but struggled to find 'that one'.

"I knew that even if I found someone, the chance was high it may not last or it could still take years to start a family.

"So I thought, I can do this! I am a strong independent woman, and I am going to take my destiny into my own hands."

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The more Sarah thought about it, the more she realised she just didn't want to miss out.

She spoke to friends who had begun the process in their 40s, and at 38 she booked in for her first appointment to see a fertility specialist.

"I went in with a really open mind and had the attitude of if it works, it works and if it doesn't it's not meant to be, so I may have to look at other options," she said.

"I was very blessed and it worked first go."

"The longest two weeks of my life!

There is also no point doing a pregnancy test along the way as it can give off false readings and I didn't want to get g my y hopes p up. p

Entering into this journey, Sarah says she wants other women in a similar situation not too leave it too late and assume it will be easy going.

"I would say start out by just going to yo GP and having a chat and doing your so some tests," she said.

Sarah Mill exploring the city.

Photo: lie, myclicksdont Instagram

"I announced on both my personal and public social media accounts. I am super proud of my decision and wanted to bring awareness to it single mums doing IVF," she said.

"I was extremely overwhelmed by all the beautiful messages and congratulations I received.

"There was so much positivity and it was so nice to read messages from people who had done the same thing, or are going through it and then people asking for advice because they had always thought about it."

As fate would have it, she had planned to do two rounds of IVF, given the cost of treatment.

After posting her pregnancy announcement, Sarah was touched by the support.

"I was very lucky to have eight eggs in the first go and six made it to freezing.

Even more blessed to have success first go when transferred," she said.

Even more so, she realised she is certainly not alone.

As to whether 'mini me in Melbourne' will be making an appearance on her Instagram account, she's undecided.

"I went into the whole IVF experience with a pretty open mind, and wasn't stressed and I think that made a big difference for me.

"It was weird at first to have to inject yourself three times a day, but thankfully it didn't really hurt.

"It's a lot of information to absorb, so often I would record the appointments, because I have a bad habit of not listening properly."So at least I could re-listen to the video if I missed something.

"From start to finish, I think it took about eight months.

"I also didn't realise at the start, that you will need to do two counselling sessions, a police and child protection check. So things like that can add a short amount of time as well."

The moment she found out she was expecting, she was on her way back to her office building when the call came through.

"When they do the transfer, you have a two week wait," she said.

"My account is about my life in Melbourne, and that's about to change and I am not sure what direction my Instagram will take," she said.

"After two weeks, I was heading back into the office from lunch and I got the call.

"I ducked to the side of the lifts and held my breath and was shocked when she said 'congratulations'."I am pretty sure that my first reaction was something along the lines of 'holy crap I am?'!"

Rushing back into a meeting room on a different floor, Sarah hurriedly Facetimed her sisters and mum, to tell them the news.

Needless to say, there was a lot of jumping around, tears, excitement and elation.

"It was then really hard to keep the secret for the first trimester, you want to tell people, but know that you should try and wait," she said.

Sarah shared sh e's expecting a little boy.

Photo: Instagram , ourlifeinmelbo ur ne "You will have a clearer picture of where you are at.

"I think I also kept putting it off because I thought I would never be ready, or couldn't afford it.

"But at the end of the day, you will make it work."

Her friends and family knew about her plan, and were incredibly supportive.

And of course her mum has accompanied her to every appointment, eagerly awaiting the arrival of a new grandchild.

Sarah's story is a unique one, and she's proud of that.

"I also know that I won't have the free time I did as a single person with no cares in the world.

"I love that my page has showcased Melbourne, and it could possibly now show a different side of it now that I have bubs, but I don't think I will be oversharing the little one.

"My page was never about being just me but more about how cool this city is - with snapshots of my life occasionally.

"There may be photos here and there of bubs, but I am not a mummy blogger and don't think that's the direction I will go down.

"But you never know what shape my page will take."

Sarah has recently changed her Instagram account to ourlifeinmelbourne

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AUTUMN 2019 13

your life It’s

Miracle triplets Asha, Sophie and Jade Temby.

Picture: Catherine Smith

MIRACLE TRIPLETS beat incredible odds

By Melissa Grant ASHA, Jade and Sophie Temby are three little miracles who defied extraordinary odds just by being born.

The tough triplets turn 3 on March 30 - an incredible milestone given medical experts said there was no chance they would all be delivered alive.

The girls weighed a combined 3.879kg when they were born at 30 weeks and had a rocky start to life.

After a heartbreaking medical diagnosis early in their pregnancy, Megan and Adam were advised to abort two of the girls to save one.

Two of the triplets were sharing a placenta and had developed Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS). The disease results in one baby getting too much blood flow and the other not enough, causing one to accumulate fluid in their sac and leaving the other without fluid.

The disease is deadly - if left untreated the odds of survival are, at best, 10 per cent.

14 AUTUMN 2019

Shortly after discovering she was expecting, Megan strongly suspected she was going to have a challenging pregnancy.

She felt much sicker than when she was pregnant with her two boys, Lachlan, now aged 11, and Dylan, 9.

In fact, she felt so sick she actually thought she was having four babies.

"I went to the GP and demanded a scan," she said.

"I had my first scan at eight weeks - I was relieved there weren't four babies.

At the routine 12-week scan, the triplets were growing well and Megan was told to come back for another scan at 20 weeks.

Feeling uncomfortable with the lengthy gap between scans, Megan and Adam contacted a major hospital and were linked to a high-risk foetal monitoring clinic.

The 16-week appointment was the first time they became aware of TTTS and the risk to identical babies. Megan was feeling very uncomfortable and her stomach had really popped out - an

early warning sign of increased fluid levels.

The girls sharing a placenta already had already progressed to Stage 1 of TTTS - a serious diagnosis requiring urgent treatment.

The Tembys were told about an amazing procedure called fetal laser surgery which cuts off blood connections to try and equal our the share of blood flow between babies.

But sadly their hopes of having the surgery were quickly dashed. The procedure wasn't possible as cords had grown into Sophie's placental wall.

The prognosis was grim.

"They said 'do you want to terminate so save one?" Megan said.

"There are only five surgeons in Melbourne who could do the procedure, so I said 'can you put our case out there?'

"Four of them said to terminate and save one because there's just no chance (all would survive). One said to let nature take its course, so they thought they wouldn't survive."

"TTTS has a 90-100% fatality rate and we were at the extreme end due to it developing so early and (them) being triplets and the cords growing into Sophie's placental wall."

After being given the devastating news, Megan and Adam decided to wait a week before making any decisions on the future of their babies.

When they had their next scan, the TTTS had progressed to Stage 2.

Specialists told the Tembys to consider the possibility of long-term disabilities and the danger that one of the girls would die in the womb and give another a stroke.There was also a chance the girls could develop Twin anemia polycythemia sequence (TAPS), a chronic form of TTTS. "They were saying if you want to walk away with one, then terminate," Megan said.

"We just went back every week.

Every time they were expecting the little one (Jade) not to have a heartbeat.

"At 24 weeks Jade wasn't growing.

They didn't think she wouldn't reach the 500 gram mark. www.stonningtonboroondarakids.com.au

Megan holding Jade and Sophie when they were five days old.

The triplets having a cuddle in hospital at two months of age.

The girls home together at age four months.

The girls on their first day home together at three months of age.

lives after they were born - it was touch and go when they were born," Megan said.

Looking at the Temby triplets, you would have no idea they had such a difficult start to life.

The trio are outgoing, cheeky and love tearing around their bikes in their Skye backyard.

Each have different personalities.

Sophie, Asha and Jade riding around their backyard. Picture: Catherine Smith "There were long-term disabilities they wanted us to think about.

"Jade, if she passed, could give Asha a stroke."

Delivery wasn't an option until all the girls weighed at least half a kilogram.

So, as tough as it was, the Tembys decided to continue and let nature take its course.

Then at 28 weeks, the incredible happened - tiniest triplet Jade made it over 500 grams.

But they weren't out of the woods yet.

"Jade is very tough and very cheeky.

If there is mischief to get up to Jade usually starts it.

Asha was the first to come home.

Sophie joined her three days later, but was sent back to hospital for a week after catching bronchiolitis.

"If anyone is up to trouble it is always Jade and Asha working together, with Sophie always telling them off."

Jade came home for weeks later but remained on a feeding tube.

The Temby's case has amazed medical experts.

The girls not only survived but have no serious long-term health issues.

The girls were born one minute apart at Monash Medical Centre on the morning of March 30, 2016.

Apart from Jade facing some growth delays and Asha having some fluid on the brain, the Temby triplets are healthy.

www.stonningtonboroondarakids.com.au

"Sophie is the boss and organiser. She is really observant and catches onto new things so quickly.

The girls spent the first two months of their little lives in intensive care, and another month in hospital.

Two weeks later, doctors decided it was time for a c-section delivery.

Asha tipped the scales at 1.391kg, Sophie weighed 1.424kg and Jade was the smallest at 1.064kg.

"Asha is the very sporty, cheeky and an outgoing girl. She loves to also dress up and is a real girly girl," Megan said.

"I cannot praise the Monash (Medical Centre) enough. They saved the triplets

As the girls go from strength to strength, Megan is on a mission to raise awareness about TTTS, a disease few parents are aware of.

She wants parents expecting identical multiples to be aware of the condition and demand regular scans.

"The mortality rate is 90-100 per cent," she said.

"Anyone with identical babies needs fortnightly scans early on into the pregnancy.

TWIN-TWIN TRANSFUSION SYNDROME - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ■ A serious disease that affects identical twins (or higher multiple gestations) who share a common monochorionic placenta ■ The shared placenta contains abnormal blood vessels which connect the umbilical cord and circulations of the twins. The common placenta may also be shared unequally by the twins ■ Blood can be transfused disproportionately from one twin to the other, causing one twin to have decreased blood volume. This leads to slower than normal growth than its twin and poor urinary output causing little to no amniotic fluid or oligohydramnios.

■ Isn't hereditary or genetic, and the events in pregnancy that lead to TTTS are all random ■ Is estimated to affect 15% of monochorionic identical twin pregnancies Source: TTTS Foundation

"We are so incredibly lucky."

AUTUMN 2019 15

your life It’s

TIPS FOR DEALING WITH CHILDREN of all ages can be picky eaters, leaving parents feeling concerned their child is missing out on vital nutrients and healthy foods as they grow.

Often as babies they start out eating everything, happily taking a bite of a piece of broccoli or trying a piece of sweet watermelon.

But parents can sometimes see a change when the toddler years hit, and suddenly the child who ate everything will only eat plain pasta and vegemite toast, turning up their noses at green vegetables, fruit and protein-packed meat.

Miriam Raleigh is a Melbourne paediatric dietitian with some ideas, and explanations for those fussy, difficult eaters.

She spoke to Danielle Galvin with some practical tips about navigating a phase of childhood many parents will have to face.

Firstly why do some children end up seeing someone like yourself - what sort of issues might they be having?

Parents will bring their children to see me for lots of different reasons. Some children might have tummy upsets such as tummy pains, bloating, constipation,

fussy eaters and meal-time battles diarrhoea or a combination of any of these problems. Some children might be underweight for their age, others might be overweight for their age, or have food allergies, while others want to be vegetarian or vegan or might be being raised in a family that is vegan and they are seeking advice on how to do this safely. Many children present with fussy eating behaviours which might mean that they have a limited range of foods from certain food groups.

What's your best piece of advice for parents with children who are fussy, difficult eaters who refuse either vegetables or fruit? (I have one myself who's anti-fruit).

My best advice for parents of children who are fussy is to lead by example every opportunity they get! Eat with your children as often as possible, don't just sit with them, but actually eat with them, what they are eating. Show them how to eat certain foods, show them how much you enjoy eating those foods. Keep meal times calm and enjoyable and try to avoid any argument when it comes to food. Encourage children to be involved with meal preparation whenever you can and be mindful that it takes time for

children to explore and broaden their palate and repertoire of meals and foods.

What do we need to look out for, when it comes to packaged snacks? It can be tricky to navigate!

Always start by considering where a certain snack fits on the healthy food plate (previously the food pyramid we know so well from our childhood). If a packaged snack is chips, biscuits, or some sort of sweet treat, it is unlikely to be the best choice for a daily option, but a good choice to have sometimes as a special treat.

When reading labels of food snacks, try to choose food products with less than 15g sugar per 100g, less than 400mg sodium per 100g (ideal would be less than 150mg/100g but this is very hard to find).

Packaged snacks can be tricky to navigate and wherever possible (if time and skill allows), try to minimise packaged snacks but instead opt for fresh foods (fruits/vegetables), dairy options such as cheese or unsweetened yoghurt or some homemade snacks.

It might sound silly, but how do parents know if their child is getting enough of the good stuff - and too much of the foods we should only consume in moderation?

Miriam Raleigh, a paediatric dietitian, has some ideas for parents of picky eaters.

E h day d b perfect f t Each may nott be (because life isn't perfect), but as long as over the course of the week they have a range of different foods from all core food groups, you probably have nothing to worry about.

If food groups are missing, or your child has food allergies or intolerances that restrict their diet in some way and you are concerned about their nutritional adequacy, it is always best to make a time with a dietitian specialising in children's nutrition.

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YOUR KIDS NEED

the Greens Opinion by candidate Julian Burnside I'VE lived in our community my whole life. I grew up here, I still live here. Right now, I think most people in our community are genuinely concerned about what kind of world we’ll hand over to the next generation.

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I am proud to be running as your local candidate in the upcoming election. I know people in our community share the values of integrity, compassion and decency, but sadly this isn’t reflected in our parliament. People are fed up with politics as usual. If the people of Kooyong trust me with their vote, I can promise them this: I will listen to them.

Authorised by M. Poland, Australian Greens Victoria, Level 1, 45 William St, Melbourne VIC 3000

16 AUTUMN 2019

In a country as wealthy as ours, no one in our community should be left behind. However, the current political system sees those in power paying more attention to their corporate donors than they do the community. My years doing pro bono human rights work have taught me how vital it is to listen to people’s concerns, and my years watching politics have shown me how sorely that skill is lacking in our parliamentarians. The current government is divided and dysfunctional. This needs to change.

Everyone of us deserves access to quality healthcare, education, and transportation no matter where we live or how much we earn. In the last six years in government, the Coalition has

ripped money out of hospitals and schools. As your voice in parliament, I will fight for a fully-funded universal healthcare and education system for every child. I will champion stronger action on climate change and a transition to renewable energy, so we can leave the next generation a healthy planet and a sustainable economy.

What this comes down to, is care for our community. That’s why this election I’m running with the Greens, a party that values human rights. These are the values we need to restore within our parliament, and with your support there is a real possibility we will. www.stonningtonboroondarakids.com.au

School's back and so are the

dreaded lurgies AS kids return to school so do the dreaded lurgies so many of us have avoided over the school holidays.

open pharmacy to be picked up at your earliest convenience.

Head lice, school infections, rashes and impetigo are enough to make your skin crawl just thinking about it.

My Emergency Dr has been running the service since 2016 and they've helped thousands of people across Australia.

Sure they are terrible to deal with but probably don't need a trip to the hospital.

But how can you be sure?

One video call on the My Emergency Dr app allows you to speak to a specialist emergency doctor who can assess your child and tell you whether a visit to the hospital is absolutely necessary.

They can even organise a prescription to be sent to your nearest

Sound too good to be true? It's not.

Normally it's a paid service, but eligible residents in the Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network catchment area (Eastern and North Eastern Melbourne) using the service after hours can access it for free until May 2019.

My Emergency Dr CEO, Dr Justin Bowra said the app was developed by a group of Australian emergency department doctors as a way to improve access to emergency care and

HOW TO TELL IF YOUR CHILD NEEDS TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY WARD: ■ Is your child floppy?

■ Is he or she listless and failing to take an interest in what's going on around them?

alleviate pressure on public hospital emergency departments.

■ Is your child pale or mottled in colour?

"When your GP is available, we recommend that you talk to your GP as usual," Dr Bowra said.

■ Does your child have a weak, feeble cry?

"But this service is there to help with those times when your GP is not available and you're just not sure if you need to go to the emergency department."

All doctors on the app are specialist emergency doctors.

Please visit the website to see if your suburb qualifies for the free funded service under the Eastern Melbourne PHN initiative. Fees may apply for other users.

■ Is their rash NON-blanching? (i.e. stays the same colour when you press on it with a glass) ■ Are they finding it difficult to breathe?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then they need to go to emergency.

But if you're just not sure, then pick up the phone and get in touch with My Emergency Dr: any time, any day. Their experienced emergency doctors are there when you need them.

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Jiu Jitsu empowering women and young girls

And what is even scarier is that 80 per cent of those attacks will come from someone she knows.

"Every class starts with psycho education with a topic, then steps into role plays on how to use voice to report to the person or family members or assert ourselves in front of the bully," owner Robbie Singh said.

That's why Gracie Jiu Jitsu Burwood teaches girls and young women how to identify inappropriate behaviour before something should happen.

"The last half of the class is the physical side, what actions we can use if we physically have to assert ourselves."

Girls as young as five can join the Gracie Bullyproof program allowing them to walk away knowing how to interpret the behaviours and intentions of those around them.

The key difference is that students at Gracie Jiu-Jitsu are taught vocal and physical skills in context of the variety of situations bully can occur in.

IT is a frightening statistic that one in five girls will be assaulted before she turns 15.

Once they turn 13, girls can join the Women Empowered program that more openly talks about sexual assault and other dangers and learn how to protect themselves.

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu differs from other martial arts programs because they teach, first and foremost, to defuse confrontations with words and never to instigate physical aggression.

But also teaches how to use self-defence in real life situations.

"The bottom line is: we will prepare your child to defend themselves against bullies and other dangers without turning them into one," Mr Singh said.

Gracie Jiu Jitsu Burwood is one of only three certified Gracie Bullyproof program providers in Australia.

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Burwood Unit 2, 5-13 Sinnott St Burwood VIC 3125 Mobile: 0430 154 012

12396196-SN37-18

www.stonningtonboroondarakids.com.au

AUTUMN 2019 17

HEALTHY,

nourishing options FOR KIDS

THE role of food is so important in a child's upbringing both physically and mentally.

Being able to provide healthy, nourishing certified organic food that will enable your child to thrive can be a challenge especially when most parents are working long hours and are time poor.

One of the daily challenges busy parents face is the school lunch box , especially with food allergies on the rise, most schools request a nut free lunchbox and then there is dairy free and gluten free but we are lucky that there are lots of healthy nourishing options available

Buying Certified Organic means that you are removing both chemicals and pesticides from their food and this can often a positive impact on their wellbeing.

For example:

Having a destination like Apples and Sage that can offer snacks and meals that are already prepared or a large range of wholefoods that can be simply put together can be a great help.

■ Keep the sugar levels lower by using options such as maple syrup or coconut nectar

GET BACK INTO THE

■ Swap nuts for sunflower kernels or pepitas, This can also be ground and used to replace flour

■ Use coconut mylk or hemp as a substitute for dairy milks .

OAT HONEY CRUNCH BAR ■ 2 Cups Oats or gluten Free alternative such as millet flakes ■ 2 Cups Corn Flakes ■ 2 Cups Rice Puffs (Crispies) ■ 1 Cup Chopped Apricots ■ 1 Cup Shredded Coconut ■ ½ Cup Sunflower Kernels ■ ½ Cup Pepitas ■ ¼; Cup Sesame Seeds ■ 1 Cup Rice Malt Syrup or Maple Syrup ■ ½ Cup Honey (Can substituted for extra rice malt if wanting to be vegan) ■ 80g Butter (can substituted coconut oil if wanting to be vegan)

swing of things

LOOKING for a way to get back into tennis?

something for everyone.

Or is your child hoping to get into the swing of things?

And the best part is you don't have to commit to a full season.

Boroondara Tennis Centre has a range of social tennis competitions that suits the needs of beginners all the way up to players who have stepped away and want to get back into the sport.

You can play week to week or sign up for a season - it can be flexible to meet your needs.

Whether your interested in night social competitions, ladies social competitions or somewhere your kids can learn the art of the sport Boroondara Tennis Centre has

Everything is structured and organised by staff at the centre so all you have to do is show up and get involved.

Centre spokesman Warren Maher says the in-house competitions are a great way for people to take control of their health and well being.

1. Combine all dry Ingredient into a large bowl and mix well.

2. Put rice malt, honey and butter into saucepan and boil until frothy and golden brown.

3. Pour hot mix over dry mix and stir quickly to combine.

4. Press into prepared lamington tin.

Apples and Sage Organic Wholefoods 371 Whitehorse Rd, Balwyn www.applesandsage.com.au/ Juniors can also get in on the fun starting from age 6.

From hot shots match play to a Sunday morning round robin to a Friday night competition kids of all ages can get involved and learn about the sport.

Boroondara Tennis Centre is a public centre owned by the Boroondara City Council and run on their behalf by Maher's Tennis Management Services.

"It's great to get back into the sport for fitness, cardio and the social aspect too," he said.

The Centre has 23 fully lit outdoor courts, making it one of the largest tennis venues in Victoria, with synthetic grass, synthetic clay and cushioned hard court surfaces available.

A seniors morning also helps older people stay fit and make lasting friendships.

Located right on the Eastern Freeway in North Balwyn, the Centre is only 20 minutes from the Melbourne CBD.

s s s s s s s s s s

ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS 7OMEN S (EALTH 0HYSIOTHERAPY 0REGNANCY 0HYSIOTHERAPY 0OST .ATAL 0HYSIOTHERAPY 0REGNANCY 0OST .ATAL Exercise 0ELVIC &LOOR 2EHABILITATION -EN S (EALTH #LINIC 4HE 3PORTING 0ELVIC &LOOR #LINIC #HILDREN S #ONTINENCE #LINIC #LINICAL 0HYSIO #LASS 0ILATES

Fees for all services can be claimed via Hicaps Toddlers and babies are welcome

Level 4, Albert St Medical Centre 372 Albert St, East Melbourne 3002 P 9486 0512 F 9486 0513 www.ashburtoneyecare.com.au

fitwise@fitwise.com.au 12395537-DJ37-18

18 AUTUMN 2019

Rear 1095 High Street (Enter via Huntingtower Rd) Armadale, 3143 P 9822 4999 F 9822 5999

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www.stonningtonboroondarakids.com.au

UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN'S

VISION

OVER the years I have had the privilege of assessing and assisting many of the local primary school children in Burwood and Ashburton.

Having two children in primary school myself, I understand from a parent's perspective just how much there is to juggle in a child's life, with respect to health and well-being.

We all need to understand that children rarely complain to adults about difficulties with their vision, so routine checks are important.

When I examine children, I always keep in mind the concept of "clear, comfortable vision". Sometimes a child may see quite well, however may have great strain or effort in maintaining that vision.

This reduction in reliable vision (visual efficiency) can be an inhibitor to effective learning, concentration, reading and writing.

Sometimes visual inefficiency may manifest as behavioural difficulties in the school environment or lead to a decrease in the child's willingness to engage in the school setting.

The visual system is quite complex.

It starts with the eyes and finishes in the brain.

It would be more accurate to say that we see with our brains, not our eyes, although of course we need both!

Once clear and comfortable vision is

achieved, this opens the door for effective visual data collection, which the brain can then process.

We call this aspect of the visual system "Visual Information Processing (VIP)".

VIP can also be a sticking point for many children, especially whilst learning to read and write.

Reading is a complicated endeavour for a young child and requires many things to work together: clear vision, good visual efficiency and good visual information processing.

Children will spend the early years of primary school learning to read and write.

They will then spend the rest of their school and working lives using those skills to learn about the world around them.

To make this basic transition, your child needs their visual system to be working and coordinating optimally.

First we learn to read, then we read to learn.

If your child has reduced visual efficiency or eye coordination, it is often possible to strengthen eye muscles using very specific exercises which allow your child to train themselves out of the problem.

DARIO CANALE (Paediatric Optometrist) Ashburton Eyecare 196 High St, Ashburton VIC 3147 9885 1659 ashburtoneyecare.com.au

Fitwise, Julienne Moore.

WHERE HAS

Pilates gone?

AS part of the Australian Government's recent changes to private health insurance, insurers will no longer be able to offer benefits for most natural therapies from 1 April 2019.

This includes Pilates, which means no class or service with the name Pilates or advertised as such will be rebatable for anyone from any clinic.

But that doesn't mean Pilates classes at Fitwise Physiotherapy are gone for good.

It just means that classes need to fulfil the health fund requirements to be rebateable. These are: individually prescribed exercise programs, that are goal specific, and for which individual records are kept.

But what does this mean for you?

Helping you achieve your goals is what Fitwise is all about, and they already fulfil these requirements,

however the name will change from Clinical Pilates to Clinical Physio Class.

Their Clinical Physio (previously Clinical Pilates) classes call on some (but not exclusively) Pilates based exercises and equipment, to provide the tailored programs prescribed by your treating Physiotherapist.

A minimum requirement of one annual assessment by a Physiotherapist via a consultation is also required by private health insurers.

Co-director Gen McGlashan says the minimum requirements match the excellent standard of care you expect from Fitwise.

Fitwise believe the change from Clinical Pilates services and classes to Clinical Physio Class to better reflects what they do and satisfies health fund requirements for rebates.

This after hours medical service is provided at no cost to eligible residents of Eastern and North-Eastern Melbourne.* 12396309-RC37-18

*Terms and conditions apply. Check if you are eligible at www.myemergencydr.com.au

www.stonningtonboroondarakids.com.au

AUTUMN 2019 19

INVISALIGN their

CLUNKY, metal orthodontic plates are a thing of the past thanks to Invisalign.

smile

GOOD ORAL HEALTH AS

easy as ABC

Clear and hard to notice, Invisalign aligners can be used to correct an overbite just like the traditional plate - but they can also help realign the jaw - meaning less chance of your child needing braces or jaw surgery in the future.

Dr Gopal Kataria at Anglehouse Orthodontics says Invisalign can be used to improve the alignment of the teeth and bite which can help avoid extraction of teeth or other invasive procedures.

"Using Invisalign in young children may avoid the need for braces in the future," Dr Kataria says.

"It covers the whole tooth, which is something the metal plate cannot do."

He said that often parents saw their children losing their baby teeth and thought it was normal - but losing teeth too early can sometimes mean that teeth move into the gap where new teeth should grow.

"In these cases I can use Invisalign to regain the space - instead of plates."

Parents worried their kids won't wear Invisalign should breathe a sigh of relief too.

They are worn just like the removable plates - with the added bonus of being practically invisible and much more comfortable. It also means those with self-esteem issues won't be concerned about wearing them because they won't see the "train track" appearance of braces on their teeth.

Dr Kataria.

While parents are usually pretty good at taking their children to see the dentist every six months, Dr Kataria says the orthodontist is just as important.

At your first visit to Anglehouse Orthodontics an XRay is taken of your child's jaw in order to see teeth developing inside the bone. That helps Dr Kataria identify any issues and as a result he can put plans in place to guide jaw growth, lower the risk of trauma to protruding teeth and avoid the need for extraction or jaw surgery later on.

He can also identify the constriction of the upper jaw caused by thumb sucking or fingers in mouth and set up ways to break these habits and improve the appearance of protruding teeth.

"Early intervention is really important," Dr Kataria said.

"Not only does it allow us to set the foundation for correcting problems but it ensures our children's health, self-esteem and wellbeing are a priority".

Anglehouse Orthodontics 7 Whitehorse Road, Balwyn

KNOWING what is best for your children's dental health as they grow can sometimes be overwhelming.

To ensure the best opportunity for good oral health, Eddie Butler - Director of Victorian Group recommends that an infant's first visit to the dental clinic should occur by 6-months of age, or when their first tooth appears.

Routine brushing should then begin in order to look after their baby teeth.

Even though they will eventually fall out, baby teeth play a significant role in your child's development. If left uncared for, tooth decay can occur which can be painful. If left unmanaged, this may result in the loss of a tooth which can affect speech, nutritional intake, self-esteem and the development and position of the adult teeth.

Continual assessment of your growing child's changing teeth, gums and orthodontic needs every six months is recommended. This helps to ensure optimal dental health and the

early detection of any concerns or abnormalities.

The team at Victorian Dental Group believe that healthy habits for good oral health start early, and are passionate about establishing oral hygiene programs that will follow your children from the emergence of their first tooth all the way through to adulthood.

The highly trained team recognize that every child is different and have their own changing needs and understanding of dental health.

Therefore, Victorian Dental Group take a fun and educational approach to children's dentistry that creates an equal partnership of dental care.

Victorian Dental Group also offer on the spot Hi-caps electronic Medicare and health insurance claiming, Medicare Child Dental Benefits Scheme, and have payment plans available.

For more information on children's dental health and oral hygiene, check out www.victoriandentalgroup.com.au, or speak to the team on 03 9088 5808.

12412600-LN14-19

20 AUTUMN 2019

www.stonningtonboroondarakids.com.au

A hard-hitting ad campaign exposing the serious damage sugary drinks can do to teeth has been launched around Australia.

Kicking off to the sound of a soft drink can opening, the "Thirsty" advertisement rolls through a range of young males looking at the camera before flashing their less than impressive smiles.

The campaign is delivered by the Rethink Sugary Drink initiative, compromising of 19 national, health and community organisations concerned about the excessive levels of consumption of sugary drinks in Australia.

Craig Sinclair, Head of Prevention at Cancer Council Victoria, hopes the campaign's graphic portrayal of tooth decay will prompt young Aussies to realise sugary drinks are just not worth losing your teeth over.

"We know young Australians are hooked on sugary drinks. Males aged 12-24 are the biggest consumers of sugary drinks, with some consuming as much as 1.5 litres of soft drinks, sports drinks or energy drinks a day," Mr Sinclair said.

THE TOOTH

hurts

"These drinks don't just ruin your smile. In the long run the high levels of sugar they contain can also lead to unhealthy weight gain, which increases the risk of serious health problems such as type 2 diabetes, heart and kidney disease, stroke and 13 types of cancer.

"We know men are twice as likely as women to consume sugary drinks, so targeted hard-hitting campaigns like this are crucial if we want to end the

young Aussie male's love affair with sugary drinks."

Obesity Policy Coalition Executive Manager Jane Martin praised the way the campaign cuts through to younger Australians.

"Thirsty ironically plays on the supposed 'sweet' deal sugary drink brands are selling. By cutting eerily between real snaps of rotten teeth, the advertisement mocks the way big soda plays with teen image, vanity and desire when pushing young adults to buy their products," said Ms Martin.

The campaign will run for four weeks and will be seen across digital platforms and shared widely on social media by health and community organisations.

CASE STUDY: Since realising one can of soft drink contains up to 10 teaspoons of sugar, 20-year-old James Stanley made the switch to water and is already reaping the health benefits.

"I used to drink soft drinks at school, but when I studied health science and PE I realised just how much sugar is actually in them," he said.

"On a typical night out I would drink mixers - whiskey with cola or ginger ale were my drinks of choice. I was drinking so much sugar without even realising it. Waking up the next day my teeth would feel gross and I knew I needed to make a change.

"Now I try and look for healthier drink alternatives."

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AUTUMN 2019 21

Education

Learning THROUGH play

School fees TAKING HUGE CHUNK OF FAMILY INCOME

PARENTS of Australian children attending non-government schools are forking out, on average, 35 per cent of their income to pay school fees.

That's more than what an average family spends on their mortgage leaving an enormous strain on a family's disposable income.

While education can be one of the best investments you can make, Edstart CEO and co-founder Jack Stevens says years of fees can easily run into staggering six-figure sums.

"With the cost of school fees constantly on the rise, families are certainly feeling the pinch on the hip pocket," Mr Stevens said.

"We've heard many stories highlighting the sacrifices parents are making to ensure school fees are covered.

"From those who have sold their home and gone back to renting, to those where both parents have more than one job."

He said in addition to those massive sacrifices, one in six parents are paying

ARE you looking for somewhere your child can socialise, play and learn?

Somewhere for you to meet other parents and carers?

Camberwell Structured Playgroup could be the perfect place for you and your child!

Playgroup gives children, aged one to four, opportunity to develop friendships, learn how to share and fosters their individual identity.

CEO Jack Stephens

Camberwell Structured Playgroup is run by a leader and follows a structure that is similar to Kinder, one of their leaders, Jenny Purvis, is even a retired Kinder teacher.

for school fees on their credit cards.

The cost of schooling is not a topic often talked about or widely reported, Mr Stevens says. But the reasons for and against sending children to a private or public school often is.

It is a wonderful way to prepare your child for the world, giving them the tools to learn from new play experiences and learning how to play together in a large unstructured format.

Surprisingly, Ms Stevens says most of the time, cost doesn't come into the decision.

"What it comes down to, if people have the capacity to pay something for education, they will make that choice," he said.

Committee Member Lisa Dimitroff says what sets the playgroup apart is its ability to allow children the benefit of unstructured play within a

"But what inevitably happens, they make a choice on what is affordable, quite often forgetting that school fees go up or they've got younger children that will overlap.

"They've made a buying decision which is quite different to the paying decision and all of a sudden they've got three kids and three lots of fees to pay for."

structured environment which works towards setting them up beautifully for kinder. “There is a true focus on learning through play� she said.

Some of the activities that children can participate in are art and crafts, playdough, themed play areas, beautiful “garden like� outdoor area and sensory tables all set up by our wonderfully creative leaders.

Social skills are especially important when preparing children for the next step and playgroup is often the first setting where kids can learn social cues that are so valuable at kinder or when they go to school.

They naturally learn that some things are done at certain times, like eating together and engaging in story time on the mat. Parents are given the space and tools to engage with their children in a different setting to home where they can encourage their children to have the confidence to ask for help or not to give up just after one attempt.

It is a relaxed environment where parents and carers can enjoy a cup of tea and share parenting stories - who knows, you might even make a new life-long friend. After the first few sessions your child will be asking you “are we going to playgroup today?�, and you will be wishing it wasn’t only once a week.

Camberwell Structured Playgroup Hall at the rear of the church 620 Riversdale Rd www.csp.org.au

Edstart helps you pay for school fees by providing flexible plans you can control, so that school fees don't hold back your family's finances. www.edstart.com.au

Bubbles Pre-School A New Direction in an Active Learning Environment

KINDER PROGRAMS IQM WXVYGXYVIH GPEWWIW XLEX TVITEVI GLMPHVIR FIEYXMJYPP] JSV school. 5EVIRXW VEZI EFSYX SYV TVI WGLSSP FIGEYWI XLI] WII XLI HMJJIVIRGI MR XLIMV GLMPH ERH XLI] PSZI FIMRK TEVX SJ WYGL E WTIGMEP TPEGI

Andale School is a small independent school which provides a supported learning program for children with language and learning disorders who are not able to learn effectively in a mainstream setting.

4 Year Old Kinder Three days per week, 9-3pm Now takin g bookings for our

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3 Year Old Kinder Two or three days per week

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Distinctive Features of Andale School: s $EVELOPMENTAL CURRICULUM s %XPERIENCED STAFF s )NDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS s 3MALL CLASS SIZES s 3PEECH 0ATHOLOGIST ON SITE s 3CHOOL 0SYCHOLOGIST ON SITE

highly reg arded & unique to

Bubbles P re-School,

2 Year Old , PRE-KIND ER program.

2 Year Old Pre-Kinder program children attend 2 or 3 mornings per week, 8.30-12.00pm semi-structured classes with built-in art and music lessons classes taught by quali ed, enthusiastic and warm teachers dedicated art room, music room, and mini library

84 Charles Street Kew 3101 4ELEPHONE s WWW ANDALE VIC EDU AU %MAIL ANDALESCHOOL ANDALE VIC EDU AU 22 AUTUMN 2019

Check out our website gallery to see our facilities, or call to arrange a tour time.

168-172 Waverley Rd, Malvern East T: 9572 1995 www.bubbles - preschool.com www.stonningtonboroondarakids.com.au

Education Teacher Rebecca Ryan with students from left, Jolene, Sadie, Ava, Adele.

SHAPING EDUCATION FOR YOUR

child's future THE first years of schooling can really shape the way your child engages in her learning.

It is important that your child not only enjoys key subjects like Maths and English, but also builds her understanding, skills, knowledge and confidence so she develops a life-long love for learning.

That's why Genazzano College has their very own Mathematics coach - to ensure that their learning and teaching programs are targeted to ensure the growth and progress of every child.

With 12 years teaching experience under her belt, Genazzano Maths coach, Rebecca Ryan supports both staff and

students to ensure there are rich learning opportunities enacted for every girl that meets her at her point of need.

Mrs Ryan works with staff in analysing data in order to identify where each child is on the learning continuum and plan for her growth.

"I support teachers in finding the most effective strategies for students and ensuring that the wide range of learning needs within every class is catered for."

Mrs Ryan also runs Maths Enrichment programs for girls who are particularly strong and develops their skills as complex thinkers and problem solvers.

She spreads her time between

teaching Years Five, Six and Seven as well as working with teachers from Prep-Year 6 planning and mentoring.

"It's all in the delivery - when you engage the students, making connections between what they are learning and real-life contexts, they see the value and purpose in the learning.

Maths is always more rigorous, interesting and fun when applied to something real or given a context."

Mrs Ryan started with Genazzano in 2019 but has worked in schools in the area and is very familiar with the students and their needs.

"I like to draw upon their world and context," she said.

"For example, a lot of our students travel - so when we are looking at currency and time-zones, these are things they have already experienced. Students are able to connect the topic to real life and things they have seen or done."

She said it's very important that the foundations for a passion for Maths are set up early - attitudes shaped in primary school can affect the self- belief and disposition of students as they move on to senior years. "We want our students to have a positive attitude and love for Maths throughout their lives!"

Genazzano FCJ College 301 Cotham Rd, Kew www.genazzano.vic.edu.au/

“Setting the tone for a love and understanding of music that lasts a lifetime.”

Latitude Music Studios offers classes in : ~ piano ~ violin ~ viola ~ trumpet ~ ~ cello ~ theory ~ VCE Music ~ Opening Hours: Monday — Friday: 3pm-9pm Saturday: 8am — 6pm

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For enquiries and enrolments call 8529 0770 or 0401 913 330, or email info@latitudemusicstudios.com.au Located at 431 Canterbury Road Surrey Hills Visit www.latitudemusicstudios.com.au

www.stonningtonboroondarakids.com.au

AUTUMN 2019 23

Education

nurtured,

IDEAS SHOULD BE NOT OVERLOOKED

Soren (left) and Cleo with sunflowers and magnifying glasses.

GONE are the days of children being treated as empty vessels waiting to be filled with knowledge by the teacher.

Fintona Girls' School understands that students come to school with a variety of ideas, knowledge and a keen sense of curiosity - something that should be nurtured, not overlooked.

Head of Fintona's Early Learning Centre, Ms Cara Mearns, says her teachers see children as being strong, capable and confident learners.

"They are curious, they ask questions and can share their learning with others," she says.

"And a rich learning environment fosters that curiosity and sets up foundations for the students to become life-long learners."

And that is what sets Fintona Girls' School apart from the rest.

Their quality programs, based on international approaches, teach an inquiry based curriculum.

They are influenced by the Reggio Emilia approach and follow the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, meaning they focus on big ideas.

"It expands children's horizons and creates learning opportunities that are meaningful for the children," Ms Mearns said.

"It is more than just looking at a topic, it is a concept driven curriculum and that means that the learning spans multiple disciplines, including music, science, art and drama."

An example of this is students studying a unit on plants.

One of the concepts for that unit is 'change', and students look at plants from a multitude of perspectives.

They plant seeds, harvest and cook vegetables that grow in the garden, and study closely what plants need and what happens as they grow over time.

"Our curriculum is embedded in real life experiences and children have opportunities to see for themselves what really happens," she said.

"We find when the students can touch, smell and feel what they are learning, they are able to make connections between what they are learning in the classroom and the world around them."

Since opening their Early Learning Centre in 1995 for both girls and boys, Fintona has built a reputation for providing exceptional programs in a dynamic and stimulating environment.

Fintona Girls' School 79 Balwyn Rd, Balwyn VIC www.fintona.vic.edu.au

JOIN US AT OUR

Early Learning Centre

Open Morning Fintona’s Early Learning Centre for three, four CPF ƂXG [GCT QNF IKTNU CPF DQ[U KU C UVKOWNCVKPI and nurturing place for your child to learn, KOCIKPG CPF GZRNQTG At our Open Morning you can: r

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24 AUTUMN 2019

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A Taste of ELC

There are limited places available in our outstanding 3 and 4 year old co-educational programs in 2020.

Register today at genazzano.vic.edu.au or phone 03 8862 1207

www.stonningtonboroondarakids.com.au

Taste of ELC Open Mornings Friday 24 May

Junior School Open Mornings Wednesday 27 March Friday 17 May

All tours start at 9:30am

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Genazzano invites you and your child to experience a ‘Taste of ELC’ within our Early Learning Centre environment. An excellent Early Learning program can be transformative for inquisitive learners, and this is your opportunity to experience our creative play based learning approach in action.

AUTUMN 2019 25

Education

baby’s birthday

IS YOUR

IN JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH OR APRIL? IF it is, then you have a bit of a dilemma! Is it better to send your child to school the year they turn 5, knowing that they'll be one of the youngest for the rest of their school years, or do you wait a year and 'hold them back'?

The Victorian Government legislation states that 'to attend school, a child must turn 5 years old by 30 April'.

But when does that mean you should enrol them into Kinder? And is it better for them to do two years of 3-year-old kinder or two years of 4-year-old kinder?

So what is best? Belli, from Bubbles Pre-School in Malvern East, gets asked this question almost every week.

"I really feel for parents who have a child with a January, February, March or April birthday. On the one hand they are told they can't enrol their 2-turning 3 year-old, into 3-year-old kinder until the following year. But on the other hand, the Government school entry requirement says that a child can be 5-years-old by April 30 of their first school year," she said.

year of 3-year-old kinder.

"The social and emotional gap between a newly turned 3 year-old and a 4 year-old is vast.

"In nearly all cases, 'first quarter babies' will benefit tenfold from a second year of 4-year-old kinder.

"Four year olds have spent a quarter of their life, learning how to interact and engage with their peers, their language is progressing and they are beginning to understand who they are and what they like. So going back and spending the following year with a class of children who have just turned 3, really isn't socially or developmentally ideal.

"Imagine your almost-4 year-old in a class with children who've just turned 3, after already completing a

"As far as we're aware, we are the only pre-school that will accept children in to 3-year-old kinder with a January,

February, March or April birthday and we're really proud of that.

"This means they can do a year of 3-year-old kinder and then two years of 4-year-old kinder. Parents' initial concerns about their child being 'bored' or 'feeling left behind' by doing a repeat year of 4 YO Kinder are quickly dissipated. The feedback from parents who've given their child a second year of 4-year-old kinder with us is always positive, and all parents tell us it was the best decision they ever made!"

Bubbles Pre-School 168 Waverley Rd, Malvern East www.bubbles.net.au

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26 AUTUMN 2019

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Education

Educational toys OFTEN MORE THAN JUST PLAY

FINDING the right toys and educational products for people with disabilities can be a challenge. As the disability spectrum is broad, people's range of needs can vary greatly. For a person with any type of disability, an educational toy is often much more than a chance to play. It can mean developing motor skills, helping to fine tune differentiating between colours or sounds, a way of learning how to identify and express everyday emotions, or an opportunity to build communication skills. For parents, teachers, specialists and carers these toys are also an invaluable resource.

Windmill has a wonderful range of special needs products that can be used for development in the following areas: Visual, Auditory, Tactile, Proprioception (perception of the position and movement of the body), Vestibular (includes a range of symptoms caused by damage to the inner ear and brain that help control balance and eye movements), Gross Motor, Fine Motor, Cognition, Communication and Independence.

Answer Buzzers are an excellent social interaction game with 4 unique sounds: horn honk, boxing bell, door bell and boing! It's great for developing auditory differentiation and also for children who may struggle with speaking.

Sensory Body Socks are fantastic for children and adults with autism, anxiety and sensory processing disorders. They stimulate tactile awareness and sensory development. Windmill also has a range of Physio Balls and Sens-o-rolls all of which can be adapted to individual needs providing a stable base for general exercising, stretching work or support for postural relaxing exercises.

Windmill also has an impressive range of other educational products for children of all abilities including literacy, maths and teaching aids and many fun and educational toys.

Windmill Educational Toys 591 Whitehorse Rd, Mont Alber https://www.windmill.net.au/

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The friendly staff at Windmill Educational Toys and Equipment are always willing to suggest a product to meet an individual's needs, including older people. Therapists

often recommend products to help with posture and build muscle and spine strength. The range is great for Integration Aides working with individual children with disabilities in the classroom to help build their communication skills and confidence to be an active participant in the classroom. Most of the products can also benefit children of all abilities.

School fees due?

Try Edstart.

At Edstart, we believe education is the world’s most powerful investment. Our mission is to help people pay for it.

We offer payment plans you can control, so that school fees don’t hold back your family’s finances.

Pay weekly, fortnightly or monthly. You can even lower your annual school fee spend.

To find out more, visit edstart.com.au Edstart Australia Pty Ltd ABN 48 611 024 205 holds Australian credit licence number 485096.

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AUTUMN 2019 27

Smart snacks FOR KIDS

By Melissa Grant FOR many kids, snack time is junk time.

Children need to satisfy their hunger between meals, but the sad reality is many are filling up on sugary and high calorie foods such as chips and biscuits.

While there is a lot of focus on preparing three nutritious meals a day and packing healthy lunchboxes, snacks are often overlooked.

Stonnington mum and foodie Flip Shelton is passionate about making parents more mindful of what their kids are snacking on.She has just released her third cookbook Smart Snacks, a collaboration with renowned adolescent and child psychologist Michael CarrGregg.

Research shows snacks have become larger and more regular parts of our diets.

As healthy foods are often expensive, she advises parents to buy in bulk, take advantage of specials and head down to farmers markets at the end of the day.

As a mother of a nine-year-old boy, Shelton has seen countless children snacking on sugary and high-calorie snack foods.

The recipes in Smart Snacks are vegetarian and full of protein, complex carbohydrates, essential fatty acids plus vitamins and minerals.

maintaining blood-sugar levels, with benefits for a child's mood and concentration.

"What I see is that the parents give them a slurpee for example, or a packet of BBQ Shapes and they say 'it's a treat' or 'they are doing their sport'," she said.

"Yes that's true they are active, but you need to set up the template for kids to make healthy choices. If you just hand them the BBQ Shapes then that's their normal.

"We owe more to our kids than filling them up with rubbish," Shelton said.

"Food is a really confrontational subject. The mum says 'it's just a snack, it's a treat, he's just done an hour of tennis'.

"They have little brains they have little bodies - we are custodians of their health and we really need to step up."

"I just quietly say 'that's 13 teaspoons of sugar you've just given your child in that slurpee'."

Smart Snacks features more than 100 quick and nutritious recipes for kids, with advice from Dr Carr-Gregg.

As parents lead busy lives, Shelton has kept the recipes in Smart Snacks simple.

His family have tried all the recipes in the book, which includes chapters on super sangas, balls, midnight munchies, and smart sweet things.

He says snacks are important for

The cashew balls recipe, for example, only has two ingredients.

Shelton encourages parents to get their kids involved in the cooking and to make the freezable recipes in large batches.

Shelton's go-to recipe is the cacao balls.

"For my son and I, the thing we make every single week is the cacao balls mainly because he can make them.

"The other stuff we have on high rotation, including the smoothies."

A sure way to ensure your child consumes healthy snacks, Shelton says, is to put a note on the fridge detailing what nutritious snack foods are inside.

"Kids are notoriously forgetful, especially when they're hungry, and the power of suggestion is fantastic."

Finally, it's best to keep those naughty treats out of the fridge and cupboard.

"If your downfall is chocolate or chips, just don't buy it!" Shelton said.

Smart Snacks, Penguin Life, RRP $24.99

Mum, foodie and author Flip Shelton.

Brownies INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Makes about 36)

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 16 cm × 26 cm (base measurement) roasting tin with baking paper.

■ 2 cups (250 g) grated sweet potato (about 1-2 sweet potatoes) ■ 4 eggs ■ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ■ pinch of sea salt ■ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ■ 1/2 cup (50 g) cacao powder ■ 1/2 cup (110 g) coconut oil, melted ■ 1/4 cup (60 ml) maple syrup or honey ■ 1/4 cup (35 g) banana or coconut flour (or 1/3 cup regular plain flour) ■ 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

GANACHE (OPTIONAL)

■ 1/4 cup (25 g) cacao powder ■ 1/4 cup (60 g) coconut oil, melted ■ 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)

TOPPING

■ 1 tablespoon cacao nibs ■ 2 tablespoons coconut flakes ■ 1 tablespoon goji berries or 1/2 cup (75 g) fresh blueberries or raspberries 28 AUTUMN 2019

2. To make the brownie, put all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir until well mixed.

3. Spoon the mixture into the lined tin and spread evenly using the back of a spoon. Bake for 30 minutes.

4. Cover the top of the brownie slab with foil and bake for 10 minutes further or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Transfer the tin to a wire rack and leave to set for 10 minutes.

5. To make the ganache, put the cacao powder, coconut oil and maple syrup (if using) into a small bowl and stir until well combined.

6. Turn out the whole brownie slab on to a serving platter.

7. Drizzle ganache over the brownie, then sprinkle with cacao nibs, coconut flakes and goji berries or fresh blueberries and raspberries.

8. Eat warm or put the brownie slab in the fridge for 20 minutes or until ganache has firmed.

TIP: Brownies will keep for up to 2-3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. www.stonningtonboroondarakids.com.au

Entertainment

Explore the world, WITH ART

THERE'S nothing better than watching your toddler learn and explore the world around them.

Toddler classes are held weekly.

So why not let them get a little bit messy and creative at The Art Factory!

Their Toddler Art Class provides a sensory wonderland where kids aged two to five can work on their motor skills, self-esteem and creativity - all while learning new techniques and feeling different materials.

Emma Light, Victorian College of Art graduate and artist, started The Art Factory in 1999 and has been sharing her passion for all things creative ever since.

MAKING LEARNING

"It's a weekly class that kids can make something different and take it home to play with or hang on the wall," Ms Light said.

FIZZ Kidz offer an exciting science after school program that allows your kids to learn - all while having fun!

"It's very much around them feeling materials and trying new things."

And parents get involved too!

Catering for kids aged 2-5 and 5-12, The Art Factory holds classes during the day for the younger category and after school classes for the older kids.

They also run school holiday programs and even go into local schools to share their knowledge.

The Art Factory Three locations in Malvern, Balwyn and Essendon 9576 0135 www.theartfactory.com.au

Each week our participants will explore a new hands on experiment, encounter an associated scientific concept, make new friends and be fascinated by the captivating nature of everyday science!

Aligned with the Victorian Curriculum, Fizz Kidz Klub is an afterschool community for all the kids that love experimenting, mixing, and making. Not to mention, the program

fun

focuses on key skills in problem solving, critical thinking, and patience.

Fizz Kidz Klub will run over school terms 2 and 3 in 2019.

Term 2 starts week of 29th April and Term 3 starts week of 15th July.

Sounds great? We think so!

Please feel free to contact us with any questions, we are always happy to have a chat!

Call 0431 379 953 www.fizzkidz.com.au/fizzkidzklub

“Book now for a Drop-Off Workshop - free up your time while the kids have fun!�

Book no w for a Drop Of f Worksho p

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AUTUMN 2019 29

Entertainment

ROZALIA SAYS Malvern

Central IS THE PLACE TO BE

ROZALIA Russian is a Melbourne's fashion & lifestyle blogger & social ambassador and has teamed up with Malvern Central. She spoke to SBK about why she loves Stonnington and the shopping centre so much,

Food Hall. It has something for everyone.

What are the fashions to look out for this season? What styles and colours are you loving?

This Autumn we have seen animal print, especially snake skin, which has made a huge comeback! I am loving adding snake skin accessories to my outfits.

Why is Stonnington such a great place to live?

When I was growing up I spent a lot of time around Stonnington with family and friends as I went to school in the area!

Sheer tights and gloves have also been spotted on the international runways so I think that will be another huge trend in the coming months.

Not only is it aesthetically absolutely beautiful but it is also such a friendly and safe area.

I have so many memories growing up of my mum taking me to Malvern Central to buy my school shoes and having dinner at Georgio's!

I love that now I am back in the area I can create these memories with my own kids.

Do you think its family friendly? Tell us about some of the great local places you and your family love spending time at?

What draws me to Stonnington is the fact that it is so family friendly and safe!

During the week I head to Malvern Central which is a one stop shop for all my weekly shopping needs. Whether it is all our food shopping or I need to grab something for the kids from David Jones or Seed Heritage, Malvern Central has it all.

On the weekend we usually head to Tarte for our Saturday morning coffee and brunch whilst we wait for Willow to finish ballet at her ballet school which is in the area.

When I need an outfit I love popping into one of the amazing boutiques located on High St Armadale. My go to stores are, Viktoria + Woods, Zimmerman, Dion Lee, White Story or Rose St Trading if I need to buy someone a present (they have the most amazing homewares!)

Peter Alexander to a huge variety of food offerings and cafes. Unlike other shopping centres it's also not overwhelming and too big so I can get in an out fairly quickly.

Malvern Central would have to be one of those places too? And you've obviously got a partnership with them, why was it such a great fit?

Is it a place you can take the kids, but also have a shopping date with girlfriends?

Absolutely, it has some great kids activities such as interactive floors, a little play area which features animals and car rides to keep the little ones entertained.

Yes a Malvern Central visit is always on my weekly to do list! What I love about the centre is how easy and convenient everything is.

It also has Kidstuff which is an amazing toy store and my kids can spend hours in there testing out toys they then put on their wish list!

From the parking, to the range of shops and cafes, it really takes the stress out of shopping especially during the busy times such as Easter and Christmas.

I also love the fact that it has David Jones which stocks some amazing Australian brands so you can have a quick shop with your girlfriend if you are in need of a new outfit followed by a coffee at the beautiful David Jones

They have a huge range of shops from Seed Heritage, to David jones and

In terms of colours this Autumn I think mustard, burgundy and camel will be featured across both clothing and accessories.

Take us through your beauty routine?

Looking after my skin is something I find important and invest a lot of time into.

I go to the Doctor's Studio which is located in Armadale once a month. It's a way I can treat myself in-between work and my kids its gives me an hour every month to unwind and relax.

My morning and night routines always consist of washing my face with a cleanser and then applying either morning or night serums followed by moisturiser.

I use a range of different serums and skin care from the Doctor's Studio and David Jones as I love trying different brands and products.

Malvern Central 110-122 Wattletree Rd, Armadale www.malverncentralshopping.com.au

One-stop

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SHOPPING DESTINATION WITH more than 500 businesses, shops, restaurants, cafes and services - Glenferrie Road Malvern is your one-stop shopping easy shopping destination - especially for Easter and Mother's Day Free parking is easy and unbelievably convenient.

Ambience, architecture and character built up over generations make the area not only unique, but a place you want to be.

Find what you're after or lose yourself - just make sure you make the most of Malvern.

Their GIANT Easter Bunnies will be handing our Easter Eggs in Glenferrie

Road Malvern on Thursday 18th April from 11am -2pm and Saturday 20th April from 10am - 1pm.

Grab a hug, a selfie and some chocolate with their super cute bunnies!

Treat your Mum for Mother's Day! There's an abundance of homewares, gifts, hair and beauty salons and fabulous dining options for a special meal out. www.glenferrieroadmalvern.com.au

Look What I Made!

Art Class will be the highlight of your child's Week

Kiddy Art for Kids 2-5 yrs After School Art for 5-12 yrs School Holiday Workshops Art Parties for Kids 4-14 yrs Mention this advert for a free trial class Balwyn North 249A Belmore Rd Balwyn North VIC 3104

Malvern 28 Glenferrie Rd Malvern VIC 3144

Essendon 307 Buckley St Aberfeldie VIC 3040

info@theartfactory.com.au www.theartfactory.com.au

03 9576 0135

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30 AUTUMN 2019

www.stonningtonboroondarakids.com.au

Entertainment

Diverse offering at Camberwell Shopping Precinct LOOKING for a one-stop shopping destination to meet all of your needs?

With over 400 stores, Camberwell Shopping Precinct has something for everyone - from the big brand names including Target, Country Road and Sportsgirl plus Woolworths, Coles and Aldi - it really is a one-stop shopping destination.

"You can find your favourite chains stores, as well as the unique boutiques and local small businesses plus all the services families need - and that really separates us from the bigger shopping malls," Ms Daly said.

"There's plenty of restaurants and cafes too - with over 100 places to eat the choice is endless."

The precinct also boasts a traditional fresh produce market that has been in operation for over 85 years and the iconic Rivoli art-deco cinema.

So look no further when searching for the perfect Mothers Day gift or Easter treat - Camberwell Shopping Precinct is sure to meet all your needs.

Don't forget to check CamberwellShopping.com.au for information about the annual Easter egg hunt and regular competitions and events like CamberWELL-Being held on May 25 - it's the perfect chance to try out your local gym, pilates class or meet with a huge range of health and wellness businesses in the area.

Don’t miss the

Melbourne Easter Show EXPERIENCE all the 'eggcitement' you can handle at the Melbourne Easter Show.

With all the hallmarks of major shows, the action-packed event offers non-stop fun for the whole family over the easter long weekend at the Cranbourne Turf Club, southeast of Melbourne.

Entry for kids is free to the show which features amusement rides, monster truck battles, rodeo shows, animal farm, lights display, showbags and much more.

It wouldn't be easter without an egg hunt - and there are a whopping 500,000 chocolate eggs up for grabs at the Melbourne Easter Show.

Children are given a basket to collect plastic easter eggs. Once they've collected all the eggs they are given a pre-packed bag of chocolate eggs. There are also additional prizes

up for grabs and entry to the scavenger hunt.

Tickets for the easter egg hunt are $10 per child for a session. The sessions, which run over the four days, are aged-based and parents with kids under three are able to help with the egg hunt.

The Melbourne Easter Show also features a heap of amusement rides including dodgem cars, inflatable slides, merry go round, tea cups and a ferris wheel.

Tickets for unlimited ride wristbands are $50 and can be bought on presale for $40. Individual ride tickets are also available.

The Melbourne Easter Show runs from 19-22 April, between 10am and 9pm daily, at the Cranbourne Turf Club, Grant Street Cranbourne.

For more information, visit www.melbourneeastershow.com.au 12413012-CG14-19

Stretching along Burke Road and across the Camberwell Junction this area has been a been a busy shopping precinct since the 1880s and with over 3000 car parks and well serviced by train, tram and bus - it's no surprise.

Camberwell Traders Association spokeswoman Kerry Daly says the shopping strip prides itself on the diverse range of businesses on offer.

CLASSIC KIDS SERIES 2019

Interactive concerts for explorers aged 5–11 and their families.

Mother Goose Monday 8 April / 12pm Melbourne Recital Centre Use promo code SBKIDS to receive 20% off

Carnival of Dangerous Creatures Saturday 15 June ne / 2pm Arts Centre Melbourne, bourne, Hamer H Hall

Meeting Mendelssohn Wednesday 25 September / 11.30am Melbourne Recital Centre

Book now 20% discount subject to availability, for 8 April performance only. Full terms and conditions at mso.com.au/terms

www.stonningtonboroondarakids.com.au

mso.com.au AUTUMN 2019 31

party time

BORN TO

party

SLUMBER TRIBE:

LEAPING LIZARDS:

Offering original and uniquely bespoke themes, we are Melbourne's premier slumber party specialist.

Fantastic parties for Kinder groups or school children up to Grade 2. The party lasts 1.5-hours Kitchen and cooking facilities are available to use for the party food that the parents supply. Your child will have free climbing of the equipment and

Made to order quality crafts and activities inspire your child. A magical and memorable slumber party experience for everyone.

organised games or activities appropriate to their age. Parachute games are played after the snack and all children love this. We promise it will be a party to remember for your active child!

GOURMET KIDS: Do you want a party with a difference? Great for both boys and girls. A Gourmet Kids cooking party is great fun, whether you're getting your hands sticky and licking the spoon, or watching the kids cook up a storm in our safe, supervised kitchen. They also provide school holiday programs and cooking classes for your budding chef.

Simply call (03) 9824 5979

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Slumber Tribe, Melbourne’s Original Slumber Party Specialists

0412 662 218

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info@slumbertribe.com.au www.slumbertribe.com.au

GUZIZI STUDIO: Do you want to really spend time at your child's Birthday without

watching it from behind a camera?

Guzizi Studio can help. A party or events session would take place at the location of your choice. It could be at your home, a party venue, a corporate location, or any location within Melbourne Metro area. You will have fabulous, professional photos to remember your child's birthday.

FAIRY COOL PARTIES: Fairy Cool Parties make it easy for you, whether they come to you in your home or you visit their venue.

So if you want a glamour party, a disco party or a character party we can either come to you or come to their venue @ 119 Bulleen Road, Balwyn North. They only ever hold one function at a time, meaning you will have exclusive use of the venue for your booking, and there's nothing to clean up!

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Fantastic 1 1/2 hour parties for active kinder or school (P-Y2) groups.

Flat rate of $220 for up to 20 kids.

Supervised games, climbing, and parachute activities.

St Stephen’s Anglican Church Hall, cnr Ardgour & Woodville Sts Nth Balwyn Call Sandy: 0412 544 987 | Email: sandyleapinglizards@gmail.com

FANTASTIC COOKING PARTIES!

Mobile Parties

32 AUTUMN 2019

We can host your party any day of the week, either at our venue or at a venue of your choice

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Venue Parties

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Do you have a budding Masterchef in the house? Is it their Birthday?

Throw them the a party they will Great for Teens, never forget! fo boys, girls and the younger ones! g Parties, School holiday Programs ing Free bak and Cooking Classes e th r gift fo We can also come to you! ild ch y a d birth e $40 valu

03 9824 5979 0413 133 753 1449 Malvern Rd Malvern VIC 3144 www.gourmetkids.com.au www.stonningtonboroondarakids.com.au

reality bites

Professional organiser Julie Cliff

4 EASY STEPS FOR TEENS TO

organise their bedroom TEENAGERS' bedrooms are the topic of many household arguments.

they put their clothes out to be washed on a regular basis.

Shoes, clothes, rubbish and much more can often be found thrown on the floor.

Professional organiser Julie Cliff tells us how to avoid being the ones who are begrudgingly left to constantly pick up the mess. Empower the teens with the right tools and skills to organise their own bedroom with these four easy steps.

■ Needs washing - Put the clothes in the laundry basket:

You will be delighted with the results, the reduction of stress and the pride the teenagers start to take in their own space.

1. Teach the teens to decide if their clothes need washing Depending on the smelliness of the teen, clothes may not need to be washed every day.

Show them how to look out for marks on their clothes as they take it off.

Encourage smelly teens to make sure www.stonningtonboroondarakids.com.au

Choose a fun design that is roughly the same size as the washing machine.

Show the teens how to put their clothes in the machine when the basket is full of dirty clothes.

I found some cool washing baskets on Pinterest. I also found some great ones at K-Mart too.

■ Does not need washing - Hang clothes for airing Delegate somewhere for clothes to be hung overnight instead of being thrown on the floor if they are OK to wear the next day, The end of the bed, allocated "airing hangers" in the wardrobe or on a night stand will do just the trick.

2. Set up an art gallery or display

area for their stuff: Teach your teens the skill of letting go of stuff by making conscious choices about what they want to keep and put on display and what they no longer need.

Set up a pinboard or display shelf for the teens to display the artwork they choose to keep.

Make time for the teens to rotate the artwork regularly, allowing time to dust and declutter as they change over the collection.

3. Provide a rubbish bin in their bedroom: Make sure there is a rubbish bin in each bedroom room.

The bin should be emptied each week when the other household bins go out.

4. Create a permanent home for things: Set up a permanent home in the bedroom for the teens' stuff and encourage them to return them to their home before they get into bed each night.

■ Shoes - dedicate a tub or rack for shoes to be stored.

My boys have a shallow wheely tub under their bed for shoes.

Another family I know keeps their shoes in the garage so they can take their shoes off on the way into the house from the car.

■ Clothes - label drawers so the teens can find clothes and put them away themselves.

With the right tools and a little encouragement teens will begin to take pride in their bedroom by getting involved in these 4 easy steps.

Julie Cliff, is Professional Organiser at Space and Time and specialises in home management systems for professional, working Mums.

Sound familiar? Julie would love to hear from you - info@spaceandtime.com.au AUTUMN 2019 33

reality bites an entertaining rollick, there are a few important things to know before 'cavingin' and letting your children play it at home.

The lowdown on

Fortnite Education Matters with Rob Kelly

IF you're a parent of a school aged child, you have probably heard of the game Fortnite.

It has taken the gaming world by storm. There are literally millions of players worldwide and the game has attracted considerable attention since its launch in 2017.

In essence, Fortnite is an online, fast-paced and strategic multiplayer shooter. It is a game enjoyed by both adults and children alike. But before you decide to buy the game and part with your hard earned cash, there are a few things you need to know about the game.

In Fortnite, a player can explore vast digital realms and locations. A player can connect, communicate and collaborate (via text or audio link) with other players to complete various missions and tasks. While the game is

Have you heard of an Epic Games account? Before a player can engage with any aspect of the sprawling game, she/he needs an Epic Games account to play. To play with other players, gamers need to connect with 'friends' on the Epic Games network. I recommend a parent/guardian handles this part of the activation process, as it's always a smart idea to know what your kids are signing-up for online. The best advice I can give you is to monitor your child's screen time to ensure they're connecting with peers or people they know in real-life, not interacting with strangers or people they don't know online.

If you've seen Fortnite being played, you'd know that it depicts considerable amounts of fantasy violence. However, as it is presented in a cartoon, there's no realistic body horror or bloody elements to worry about.

Even so, too much fantasy violence can have an impact on kids - from nightmares to long-term psychological effects. Experts have raised concerns about children playing games involving continual gun violence for these reasons. I suggest that children are not exposed to these types of games at home, but we realise that it can

sometimes be out of your hands. When children do come across mature themes, it's important for a parent/ guardian to be nearby to reassure them.

A major concern about Fortnite is that it's highly addictive. When a child becomes addicted to a game, she/he may start to display anti-social or unusual behaviour. If you've noticed a change of behaviour in your child, it's time to pull the plug. The subsequent temper tantrum may be easier to manage than having to break the gaming addiction later in adolescence.

(Here's a tip - a Fortnite match can last up to 20 (real-world) minutes, so it's a positive way to restrict a child's screen time is by limiting play to one or two 20-minute matches a day.)

Since its launch in 2017, teachers have also voiced concern that children are distracted by the game at school.

Educators have commented that children's social awareness and behaviour at school has been affected by playing the game (from pretending to shoot and attack peers to problems of cyber-bullying being brought from home to the playground).

So, there you have it in a nutshell. If you decide to say 'yes' or 'no' to Fortnite in your household, that's your prerogative. The game is on!

Using Lego to plan for tomorrow's world LEARNING about transmissions, torque, Newton's laws, and building and coding robots is something that one would expect in a first year engineering degree, but that's what primary school children across Melbourne are learning.

"Flying car mechanic, robo-cop technician - perhaps something completely different.

More than 200 children across Melbourne's inner south, including those at Loreto Mandeville Hall, Geelong Grammar Toorak and Armadale Primary, are increasingly embracing innovative learning opportunities.

STEM (an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) refers to teaching subjects in an integrated manner, through authentic problem solving.

"With a rapidly evolving technology landscape, children need skills that will prepare them for tomorrow's world."

"We are innovating education with Lego & STEM," Shweta Shetty, director of e2 Young Engineers Melbourne South, says.

There is no theoretical study - instead these subjects are taught in a hands-on, practical manner with a focus on developing critical thinking, data analysis and 3-dimensional design thinking.

"When primary school kids enter careers 15-20 years down the line, one can only imagine the jobs they will do."

Children are taught to be innovators and creators, even as they explore existing technology in the world

So why are Lego classes so popular?

34 AUTUMN 2019

around them.

"Lego provides the perfect platform that is universally understood for learning STEM for students aged 5 upwards," says Ms Shetty.

"Every child already knows how to put Lego blocks together. This means younger children can collaborate on the same activity with slightly older children without needing lengthy pre-learning."

"Even preppies can build working models of machines like a car, forklift, helicopter, plough or food blender."

Young Engineers recently ran full day STEM immersion camps for over 50 children for four days over the summer holidays at Melbourne Girls Grammar.

"Our workshops took children through

the entire design process. They were building conveyor belts and creating pyramids while learning about Egypt and making working Ballistas and flapping mechanical wings while learning about Europe."

"We covered multiple learning areas - but for the kids it was just Lego fun.

They were learning while playing naturally and without tedium."

Along with holiday workshops and after-school clubs, Young Engineers is partnering with schools to assist in better STEM curriculum delivery within the classroom itself.

"STEM education tools require an investment of both time and money.

Schools have to purchase classroom sets and train teachers to deliver effective lessons." www.stonningtonboroondarakids.com.au

reality bites

ADVICE ON

school readiness

By Melissa Grant IS my child ready to start school?

It’s a question many parents agonise over before enrolling their son or daughter in prep.

Moving from pre-school to primary school is a big transition - the teaching hours are longer, the playground is bigger and there are lots of older kids.

In Victoria, a child needs to turn five by 30 April of the year that they begin school, but mums and dads often debate whether to hold their son or daughter back.

Education transitions expert Emeritus Professor Bob Perry says parents need to ask themselves if there is a compelling reason why their child shouldn’t be starting school if they are old enough.

“I basically come from the position that if a child is age eligible to go I would need to know some reason why they shouldn’t go,” he said.

“I think children thrive on the challenge at school as long as they are supported by the teachers. We shouldn’t deprive them of that challenge.”

Here, Prof Perry explains what parents need to consider before sending their child to primary school.

■ CHILD’S AGE: The first thing a parent has to look at is their child’s age - will their child be old enough to start school? There are different age cut-offs in different states, and sometimes different areas, such as the Catholic system, have different age cut-offs.

■ THE CHILD’S THOUGHTS: Does the child think they are ready to go to school? Parents should be talking to their child about going to school and seeing what that means for the child.

What does the child think school is about, how do they think they will go at school, do they know anyone else going to school?

■ THE OTHER OPTION: If a child doesn’t go to school with their cohort of friends, what are they going to do? Are they going to have another year of preschool? How is that extra year of

preschool going to challenge them differently to the year they’ve just done?

■ DANGERS OF REPEATING: I’m not at all enamoured with the notion of repeating any year of a child’s education. Some parents make the decision their child can go to school as soon as they are age eligible as there is a fallback position that they can repeat and it won’t be a big deal. But it is a big deal. It is a big deal in the way the child will lose a group of friends and it is a blow to a child’s prestige. It seems to be a really poor excuse when parents say ‘I don’t need to make this decision because if it doesn’t work out then they can repeat’.

■ THE RESEARCH: Children who start school when they are a bit older will of course function better in the first year of school because they are a bit older, they are wiser, they know a bit more. But the research is clear - that washes out after a while. There is no great advantage in being older later in school.

■ ASK FOR ADVICE: Parents should be taking advice from people who know their child - that means other parents and preschool teachers.

The school teachers don’t know your child and they don’t get to know them during orientation weeks. If a child is age eligible they can go to school providing the child is comfortable about going to school and the parent can work on that, unless there are special circumstances. Of course there are some children who are developmentally delayed and they may need special provision.

Everything else being equal, prep teachers are trained and prepared to take children as they come. A lot of prep teachers will tell you they would rather have older children than younger children, but that’s not the point. These children have a right to school education at that age. Show me why they shouldn’t have the school education at that age when they are eligible.

■ BOYS V GIRLS ARGUMENT: There are suggestions that boys should start school later than girls. But what about the individuality of this whole thing?

There are very young boys who will flourish in school. There are older boys who will go to school and not flourish. Same with girls. It’s an individual thing.

■ EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL SECURITY: The key for starting school is that the child feels they belong there, that school is actually a place suitable for them. Parents also need to look at their child’s makeup and how certain issues can be addressed. If your child is shy, if they don’t have many friends, if they don’t like to be around other people - I think they actually signals for the parents and teachers to do something about it, rather than signs of school readiness. The parent might arrange some play dates with other children who are going to the school. There will be things that the children are a little bit worried about - but we don’t know until we ask them. Some children can be apprehensive about school toilets. That can be addressed by visiting a public toilet.

There are things that the parents can do. The signals are emotional and social.

■ ACADEMICS AREN’T IMPORTANT: I don’t think it matters if your child can write their name, count to 10 and say the alphabet. They are not necessary.

It’s useful for the child to be able to recognise their name as it helps them

find their hat, jumper and bag. The challenges for children as they settle into school are social and emotional challenges.

Look at how your child functions with other children, look at how they talk with adults, look at how they are happy to occupy themselves.

■ BEWARE OF CHECKLISTS: There are lots of schools that have checklists for school readiness. I actually get frightened when I look at those lists as there are some things that I can’t even do. I’ve seen lists with things like ‘can deal with difficult situations successfully, can deal with criticism successfully’. What does that mean for a four and a half, five year old child? The important things are that you want the child to wake up in the morning and be pestering you to be getting into the car and going to school.

Making the transition TO HIGH SCHOOL

By Melissa Grant BEGINNING high school is another major milestone in a child's educational journey.

Emeritus Professor Bob Perry says this transition is much the same as the move from kindergarten to prep, with the only main difference being that the child is more independent.

"The critical thing about transitions in general are relationships. That is, parents getting to know the teachers and children getting to know the teachers," Prof Perry explains."I've done work around both transitions, and all the children said the most important thing was to have friends and to know what was going to happen.

"Usually kids at both levels want to www.stonningtonboroondarakids.com.au

know what is going to happen - what they were allowed to do and what they weren't allowed to do, and so on.

But they want to boundaries."

Prof Perry says older children tend to be a bit more focused on academic issues and can have qualms about having multiple teachers."They can be a bit concerned about going from one teacher to a number of teachers, and finding their way around the school between periods," he says.

"However, these days many primary schools give the experience of multiple teachers. But most grade six students are worried about the size of the place as the high school will be bigger than the primary school. Older kids will also talk about things like drugs as concerns as they have, mainly it's the sort of same deal."

AUTUMN 2019 35

reality bites

Licorice warning FOR PREGNANT WOMEN

By Melissa Meehan PREGNANT women are warned against eating licorice, as they might be more likely to have children with cognitive or behavioural problems than mothers who don't consume it.

found in licorice called] glycyrrhizin may be associated with harm for their developing offspring," the researchers wrote in the study, which was led by Katri RäikkÜnen, a professor of psychology at the University of Helsinki in Finland.

A new study from Finland has found that too much black licorice during pregnant might affect a baby's brain.

The licorice compound glycyrrhizin may explain the effects on the children, the study found..

It found children whose mothers ate licorice while they were pregnant had lower IQs than the children whose mother's consumed little to none during their pregnancy.

In the body, glycyrrhizin blocks the activity of an enzyme that helps protect the fetus from high levels of cortisol, which is sometimes referred to as the stress hormone.

It also found that girls reached puberty earlier if their mothers ate licorice during pregnancy.

High levels of cortisol may affect the neurological development of a fetus.

"The present findings suggest that pregnant women should be informed that consumption of licorice and other food products containing [a chemical

Researchers were unable to determine what amount of licorice was safe to consume during pregnancy or if there was a specific time women should avoid the treat.

OUR favourite BABY NAMES

By Melissa Grant Victoria's most popular baby names have been revealed - and only two letters separate the number one picks for boys and girls.

Oliver and Olivia were the top baby names in 2018, according data from the Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

Oliver was Victoria's favourite boys' name for the fourth year running, while Olivia overtook Charlotte to become the most popular girls' name.

For boys, Jack, William, Noah and Thomas all featured in the top five for the second year in a row. Leo, Henry and Charlie were new entrants in the top 10.

For girls, Charlotte came in at number two while Amelia, Mia and Ava rounded out the top five.

Chloe returned to the top 10, while Matilda was the sole new entrant, perhaps due to the 30-year anniversary of Roald Dahl's popular children's novel, Matilda.

VICTORIA'S TOP BABY NAMES IN 2018 BOYS

GIRLS

1. Oliver

1. Olivia

2. Jack

2. Charlotte

3. William

3. Amelia

4. Noah

4. Mia

5. Thomas

5. Ava

6. Henry

6. Isla

7. Leo

7. Zoe

8. Ethan

8. Chloe

9. Liam (tied with Charlie)

9. Grace 10. Matilda

10. Charlie (tied with Liam)

36 AUTUMN 2019

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books

BOOK EXPECTED TO

RUFFLE FEATHERS IN

Education Sector themselves rather than be systematically, explicitly taught, was the moment reading scores began to take a nosedive.

Lyn Stone doesn't care if she ruffles some feathers with her new book.

"We are begging initial teacher training institutes and school leaders to stop creating ideological casualties of the Reading Wars," Ms Stone said.

"Those who can afford external tutoring, get help, but woe betide those who can't. So many end up in the criminal justice system."

By Melissa Meehan A new book that aims to upskill teachers and parents attacks the kind of thinking that allows poor practice in schools and leads to unacceptable levels of illiteracy in society.

Reading for Life: High Quality Literacy Instruction For All, is linguist and literacy consultant Lyn Stone's third book and is bound to ruffle some feathers in the education sphere.

But she doesn't mind.

"Too bad," Ms Stone said.

"I speak for thousands of specialists in literacy instruction when I say enough is enough."

According to the OECD, 43.6 per cent of Australians between the ages of 15-74 are below proficiency level in literacy.

That's more than seven million people in this country who risk unemployment and social exclusion.

Similarly depressing figures can be found all over the English-speaking world.

The moment education systems started embracing the notion that children should 'discover' learning for

Ms Stone's book provides fully referenced definitions of all the key terms in reading instruction, including phonics, whole language, balanced literacy and dyslexia.

soon to be available online.

"I'd like to be redundant. But instead, my colleagues and I spend thousands of hours a week undoing dreadful habits embedded in literacy instruction," she said.

"This robs vulnerable children of crucial decoding practice and creates weak spellers."

Though it's common to be accused of teacher-bashing, Ms Stone maintains that nothing could be further from the truth.

"I have the greatest admiration for teachers and have worked alongside them throughout my career," she said.

It outlines the history of the Reading Wars and lists the key players and their contribution to the field.

"But I won't cynically suck up to them either and tell them everything is fine.

It's not."

There is a section devoted to flaws in thinking that lead to poor practice and finally, a whole section packed with ideas and guidance to help struggling readers get back on track.

Her first two books, Spelling For Life and Language For Life have been popular with educators worldwide since their release.

This is accompanied by a one-day workshop, touring Australia in 2019 and

Reading for Life is available at www.lifelongliteracy.com and all reputable online book outlets. RRP $35

Children's books..

Der Glumph Went the Little Green Frog

Shoelaces Are Impossible

So That's How I Began!

Ed Allen & Nathaniel Eckstrom

Illustrated by Matt Shanks

TYING your shoelaces can seem impossible when you are little, but imagine how hard it would be if you were a caterpillar!

Gina Dawson, Illustrated by Alex Mankiewicz

"WE all know frogs go la-di-dadi-da! La-di-da-di-da!"

Yes, we all know the words to this much-loved nursery rhyme!

However, this book features a distinctly Australian version of the popular song. Various Australian outback animals are featured, including a spiky echidna that scritches and scratches one day, and a little red roo that hops.

This colourful book has playful and humorous illustrations with easy to read and rhyming text, making it a fantastic to read with your little one (although your tongue may get twisted). Great for kids aged 1+ Scholastic, RRP $15.99 www.stonningtonboroondarakids.com.au

This fun book follows the shoelace tying efforts of a caterpillar desperate to learn how to tie his laces so he can be a tap dancing star.

The book Includes step-bystep instructions for shoelace tying so your child can learn and practice. It also encourages them to keep trying, even when tying their shoelaces seems impossible.

Perfect for young kids aged 3+ Scholastic, RRP $15.99

IT can be awkward when a child starts asking questions about how they came to exist.

This book is a great resource for parents trying to tackle those tricky questions by spelling out the facts about where babies come from in a age-appropriate manner. It explains how the modern family comes in many different forms, the important functions of the male and female bodies, the 'special cuddle' that leads to a baby, IVF, pregnancy and birth. It's a very handy book as you can just turn to the page that answers the question your little one is asking.

New Holland Publishers, RRP $14.99

George and the Great Bum Stampede

Liars #2 No Survivors

Cal Wilson, illustrated by Sarah Davis

A viral phone app harbouring secrets about a criminal mastermind is at the centre of this story, the second instalment in a thrilling five-book series by best-selling Australian author Jack Health.

When a plane crash destroys a house at Kelton, it's clear something strange is going on.

All the passengers are missing and nobody knows the cause of the crash. But then Jarli's Truth App discovers a secret at a crash site - a secret that crime boss Viper, who has previously threatened Jarli's family, doesn't want uncovered.

MEET the Peppertons - an unusual family about to experience the 'worst week ever'.

George is the youngest, but not the smallest - that's Poco due to an incident with the 'shrink ray' machine created by mum Pepperton, who is an inventor. Of all her inventions, the most amazing is the replicator which can replicate anything. It seems amazing until it replicates pinching hands and 500 bums! To make matters worse, the replicator ends up with the school bully who moved in next door.

Written by comedian Cal Wilson, this is an hilarious read for kids aged 7+

Jack Heath

A gripping read for kids aged 10+.

Scholastic, $14.99

Scholastic, RRP $12.99 AUTUMN 2019 37

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kids calendar What ' s on this

Autumn MARCH 24 PETS IN THE PARK Pets in the Park will host the fantastic animal behaviourist Lara Shannon who you may have seen on Network 10’s Pooches at Play. Bring your furry, scaly and feathered friends to Central Park, Malvern East for a day of entertainment, competitions, information and demonstrations.

11am-4pm

APRIL 8 - APRIL 12 JUNGLE BUNGLE Jungle Bungle is a 50 minutes family musical for children aged 4-12 and their families, promoting the themes of inclusiveness, friendship and the importance of imagination. Join Claire & Oliver on an exciting musical safari created to engage the young and the young at heart in a magical adventure. The MC Showroom, Level 1, 48 Clifton St, Prahran

15: Splash test dummies 16: Playing with patterns 17: VCE folio preparation All events are $25 each and can be booked through the Boroondara website until allocation is exhausted.

APRIL 23 - JUNE 28

APRIL 9

APRIL 23 - JUNE 29

Glow in the Dark

Numbers and the Works

Find inspiration in the neon artworks in the exhibition Temptation to Co-Exist: Janet Burchill and Jennifer McCamley, and create a glow-in-thedark mixed media artwork that looks great day or night! Heidi Art Museum.

10-12pm

APRIL 10 Characters in Clay Learn the techniques of clay modelling and character design by sculpting beasts with personality and vitality in this hands-on workshop inspired by artworks in the exhibition Apocalyptic Horse. Heidi Art Museum.

10-12pm

Term Two Begins Camberwell structured playgroup term two - give your child the skills to learn and play.

APRIL 19 - APRIL 22 Easter on Show The Melbourne Easter Show runs between 10am and 9pm daily, at the Cranbourne Turf Club, Grant Street Cranbourne.

APRIL 19 Good Friday

APRIL 20

If you’re searching for a maths or English tutor in Melbourne, come and check out Number Works’nWords Balwyn.

APRIL 27 Library Book Sale Grab a pre-loved read from a selection of ex-library stock. Library book sales are an ongoing partnership between Toorak Rotary and Stonnington Libraries, helping to support local communities. 10am-3pm

Hop to It Giant Easter Bunnies will be handing out Easter Eggs in Glenferrie Road Malvern. 10am - 1pm

APRIL 17 Sew, Stitch and Weave Turn your favourite book into an artwork! Learn to sew, stitch or weave with various materials to imaginatively re-construct the title and cover of the book and make a unique textural creation. Heidi Art Museum. 10-12pm

APRIL 18

MAY 12 Mother's Day Treat mum with something special this Mother’s Day

APRIL 21 Easter Sunday

Monoprinting Mania A TASTE OF CIRCUS

APRIL 8 - APRIL 17 BOROONDARA ARTS SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAM 8: A taste of circus 9: Dance like Bruno Mars 9: Dance like Taylor Swift 10: Make a dragon egg 11: Vintage garlands 12: Pre- school mahic 12: Magic school www.stonningtonboroondarakids.com.au

Learn the techniques of mono-printing.

Look for inspiration in the Heide garden and use a combination of found objects and traditional materials to create your print. Get a bit messy and have fun experimenting with printmaking-it is full of surprises! Heidi Art Museum.

10-12pm

APRIL 18 Giant Easter Bunnies Giant Easter Bunnies will be handing out Easter Eggs in Glenferrie Road Malvern. 11am -2pm

APRIL 23 Tennis Term Begins Boroondara Tennis Centre . Tennis coaching for ages 8 to 17 years Boroondara Tennis centre term two tennis coaching starts 23rd of April 2019 for a 10-week term. Boroondara Tennis Centre’s highly qualified coaches are passionate about welcoming each and every new child to the centre and onto the tennis court, with the view to helping every player reach their potential and to offer mentorship along the journey.

MAY 25 Your Well Being CamberWELL-BEING will take you to some of the best places around Camberwell to experience our vibrant health and wellness offering. camberwellbeing.com.au AUTUMN 2019 39

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40 AUTUMN 2019

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