Knox Monash Kids Winter 2021

knox Monash

TODAY

Exploring the amazing

JELLS PARK Support for teens at

HEADSPACE KNOX The rapid rise of the

E-BABY GENERATION

WINTER 2021

BORONIA K-12 COLLEGE EARLY LEARNING CENTRE 3 and 4 YEAR OLD PROGRAMS 2022

35 – 37 Albert Avenue Boronia VIC 3155 Email: boronia.k12@education.vic.gov.au Phone: 9760 4900 | www.boroniak.12.vic.edu.au 2 WINTER 2021

www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

12495686-AV25-21

Please book a tour with our Early Learning Centre to witness first hand our community proudly learning together in our 3 and 4 year old programs. Bookings are essential and can be made online via the College website or by contacting the Early Learning Centre directly on 9760 4922. The ELC also offers before and after kinder care through Camp Australia.

Now taking enrolments for 2022.

About Us

knox Monash

Warm winter welcome AS the chilly weather moves in, there’s no reason to hibernate inside (unless Covid brings another lockdown to town) so it’s time to experience the warm welcomes and the winter wonderland that the Knox and Monash areas provide.

met online, and new research has found that the e-baby generation will become the majority by 2038.

There are so many amazing playgrounds in the area, from the recently revamped Jells Park Yabbie Hill play space to Talaskia Reserve in Ferntree Gully - we’ve toddler tested them for you.

I’ve never met him personally, except for sitting a few rows down from him in lecture halls at La Trobe University, but he just screams of ‘excellent human’ don’t you agree?

I’m really excited about our winter edition, we have so many wonderful stories about local parents who have turned their hobbies in to moneymakers and some others who have trusted us to tell their IVF journey and birth trauma.

Everyone knows (or is) a couple that

It’s crazy to think that online dating had such a stigma not that long ago, and now babies made from those unions will be taking over the world.

I’m talking about actor Samuel Johnson. You may recall Samuel created Love Your Sister, a ‘million strong village’ of Australians committed to vanquishing cancer.

TODAY

their cherished mothers.

At 58, celebrity Gretel Killeen believes the best is yet to come. With a colourful and diverse career this Aussie icon is most famous for her eight years hosting big brother, as well as being a stand-up comedian and author. Our reporter Danielle Galvin interviewed her about her latest hilarious and profound book, My Daughters Wedding.

Don’t forget to keep in touch with us via our Facebook and Instagram.

We always love to hear about new ideas for stories in our great community.

Take care!

Knox Monash Kids Today magazine is a Star News Group publication.

Knox Monash will be published quarterly prior to each of the school holidays.

Knox Monash Kids 244 Maroondah Highway, Healesville, Vic 3777 Phone: 5957 3700 Fax: 5957 3777

Editorial

Now, Samuel is paying tribute to mothers with a book called Dear Mum. In the book, 90 celebrities share heartfelt and intimate tales of appreciation of

Melissa Meehan melissa.meehan@starnewsgroup. com.au Phone: 5945 0666

Advertising

CONTENTS

Andy Jukes andy.jukes@starnewsgroup.com.au

Phone: 5945 0643

IT’S YOUR LIFE

PARTY TIME

BOOKS

Maintaining a healthy headspace

Cakes made with love

Born ready to face puberty

PAGE 4

PAGE 17

PAGE 21

Extended learning gives kids a great start

Born to party

Book reviews

PAGE 17

PAGE 21

A play space worth visiting

REALITY BITES

KIDS CALENDAR

PAGE 5

The rise of the e-baby

What’s on this winter

Every day they’re hustling

PAGE 18

PAGE 23

PAGE 6

Samuel Johnson’s mum letters

Choosing family over career

PAGE 18

PAGE 7

The battle of becoming a parent

Daughters, dangers and inner signs

PAGE 19

PAGE 8

From tired dad to top author

How to make a fairy garden

PAGE 20

PAGE 4

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.

knox Monash

WINTER 2021

TODAY

Exploring the amazing

PAGE 8

JELLS PARK

Have a whale of a time at Phillip Island

Support for teens at

PAGE 9

HEADSPACE KNOX

Winter playground fun

The rapid rise of the

E-BABY GENERATION

PAGES 10-11

EDUCATION

Cover Ruby explores Jells Park. Check out our review of the playground on page 5.

Picture: Rob Carew

Students learning for future PAGE 12 Childcare costs to be cheaper for families PAGE 12 Learning important water saving lessons PAGE 13 Teaching kids to be financially savvy PAGE 14

HEALTH Winter sniffles start early for families PAGE 15 Dummy allergy link PAGE 15 Talking about birth trauma PAGE 16

knoxmonashkids.com.au www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au www.Kn Knox oxM Mona onashK shKids shK id ids d .com m.au

facebook.com/knoxmonashkids

instagram.com/knoxmonashkids_social WINTER WIN INTER IN TE 20 2021 021 1 3

It’s Your Life

Nina, Chris, Caity, Kate at Headspace Knox.

Keeping a healthy headspace

By Melissa Meehan A LOSS of appetite, a general lack of interest in activities they previously loved ... these are all signs that your teen may be struggling and need some extra help.

That’s where Headspace Knox steps in.

Headspace Knox provides early intervention mental health services to young people aged 12 to 25, and their families.

Community Engagement Coordinator Caity Cox says it’s a “super welcoming environment” where young people can access confidential and free mental health support health advice and general information.

“Our model understands that adolescence and early, early adulthood is a crucial time in a young person’s life, as research highlights that 75 per cent of mental health disorders, begin before the age of 25,” Caity said.

“So we provide a holistic approach, supporting young people early in life through four core areas so that would be mental health, physical and sexual health work and study support, and alcohol and other drugs.”

There’s a bunch of different support workers, counsellors and psychologists available through Headspace Knox as well as youth friendly doctors who can provide help, for free.

There are a few ways you can get in touch with Headspace Knox ■ A young person or parent could contact the office directly ■ Book an appointment ■ Or drop into the centre Parents are also welcome to contact Headspace Knox to have a chat with an intake worker about how their child is behaving and whether it would be a good idea to bring them in.

Caity says some trigger points that parents can look out for include changes in behaviour and changes in

eating and sleeping habits.

“Generally when a young person is struggling with their mental health, they may sort of, isolate themselves, either from their friends or their families spend more time in the room, those sorts of things,” she said.

“We are in voluntary service so we can’t make people engage with us so the young person have to like watch engage in the service.”

It’s well known that mental health has previously had a stigma attached, but Caity’s role is to get out there in the community and let kids and parents alike know that it’s OK to ask for help.

“We also have a youth advocacy group called the Youth Action force, which is made up of young volunteers from within the community,” she said.

“We’ve got about 14 members currently now use action force and they come out to events and presentations with me. So it’s not just about, I guess, Headspace preaching to the community as young people

preaching to young people, which is really powerful.”

Headspace Knox has also recently partnered up with Knox Skate Park, hoping being seen in the community makes it easier for teens to know support is out there.

Tips for maintaining a healthy headspace: ■ Get into life, do things that you enjoy ■ Learning skills that help during tough times (try journaling or things like that) ■ Create connections ■ Eat well ■ Stay active ■ Sweet dreams (sleep is so important) ■ Cut back on drugs and alcohol (these can have a bad affect on mental health) Headspace Knox is located at 2 Capital City Blvd, Wantirna South www.headspace.org.au/headspacecentres/knox/

Extended learning gives kids a great start FIVE hours of subsidised three-year-old kindergarten will be offered at all Knox City Council-run kindergartens from 2022.

Together with existing four-year-old kindergarten services, the new two-year kindergarten program will provide another year of learning, playing and making friends, to support children’s development, learning and transition to school.

Two years of kindergarten have been shown to have great benefits for social, emotional and cognitive development.

“Extended early learning - including plenty of play and socialisation with 4 WINTER 2021

peers - is a strong foundation for children to learn and grow,” says Catharine Hydon, an early learning specialist who has advised state and local government and provided professional support to Knox’s early childhood educators.

Benefits of early learning last into the school years and beyond, and are even more important for children who need extra support or are in vulnerable circumstances.

Families in Knox are able to access funded kindergarten at Council-run sessional services, independent kindergarten providers and long day cares.

The expansion of kindergarten to a two-year program is part of the Victorian Government’s kindergarten reform, which is the largest reform of early childhood education in Victoria’s history. This ambitious reform will have a long term impact on children and families across the state.

Registrations are now open for three and four-year-old sessions at Knox Council kindergartens in 2022. To be included in the first round of offers, register by 30 June for four-year-old, or 31 July for three-year-old. Registrations after these dates will be included in subsequent allocation rounds.

knox.vic.gov.au/keysonline For more information, contact: kindergarten@knox.vic.gov.au www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

It’s Your Life

A playspace worth visiting

By Melissa Meehan THE wait is finally over!

Jell Park’s new nature-based, all abilities playscape is open and it is amazing.

It should be illegal to call this multimillion dollar revamp a playground not only is it huge, but is so much more than any other ‘regular’ playground.

It’s got all of your classic features, swings, slides and trampolines - but there is an entire ropes course section that could pass as its own playground at any other space.

Throw in a huge sandpit, cubby houses and climbing structure and you begin to understand how large this area actually is.

It’s got something for every age - and the dry creek bed filled with smooth white rocks are certainly a favourite for toddlers.

www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

Each area teaches about Australian animals, from kangaroos, yabbies, possums and birds - it’s a space like nothing else.

Local artists Jeanette Jennings and Kylie Crampton worked with local primary schools Jells Park PS and Wheelers Hill PS to create the mosaics used on the turtle and yabbie features.

And lets not forget it’s location situated super close to toilets and a cafe.

What else could you ask for?

Jells Park has been a family favourite long before this park was opened, with its two other playgrounds, wide open spaces, plus wonderful pathways for riding bikes or scooters.

There are plenty of barbecues, picnic shelters and shaded areas too.

But this playground really makes it a must visit destination.

■ Next to Madeline’s Cafe in Jells Park.

Enter off Waverley Road, just past the Waverley Womens Sports Centre.

Lilly and Ruby explore the new nature-based Jells Park.

Pictures: Rob Carew

WINTER 2021 5

It’s Your Life

Every day they’re hustling A side hustle is a job that you can work on top of your full-time job. It is a flexible second job that brings in money, but it is also something that you are passionate about that you don’t get to pursue in your main job. Kids Today reporter MELISSA MEEHAN spoke to some local parents about their side hustle.

The Classroom Collective, Ferntree Gully VICTORIA Gilbert was always heavily involved in her work.

So it’s no surprise when the primary teacher was on maternity leave after giving birth to her daughter Nellie, she really missed teaching.

After the second round of remote learning last year she had the idea to create pre-made learning boxes targeting each strand of

the Victorian curriculum.

“I saw how much parents were struggling to get their hands on resources,” she said.

“It made me think that parents who don’t have an educational background don’t know how to find them.

“And it’s really important that it’s available.”

Each box includes real resources that are used in the classroom that can now be purchased by parents to have at home.

It also targets children who are beginning school, and gets them on track - particularly with writing.

Victoria has returned to work as a prep teacher (one day a week).

But it has cemented her belief that these learning boxes are so important.

“I am constantly undoing children’s writing, as parents have tried to do the right thing by purchasing resources from the newsagent/book shops, but in turn, have actually taught their children the incorrect writing formation,” she said.

“The resource boxes are affordable and very aesthetically pleasing - I can’t stand the ugly resources we are often presented with.

Each box is personalised and custom boxes are also available to target specific learning needs.

“My dream for this side hustle is to make the connection between school and home learning so much stronger, and for parents to feel supported particularly if another remote learning is to ever come around again,” she said.

Leigh started his woodwork side hustle after making something for his wife four years ago.

www.instagram.com/theclassroom. collective/

Nellie, nine months, with mum Victoria and some learning boxes.

HomerMade Woodworking, Knoxfield A hammer and a bunch of nails was all it took.

Four years ago Leigh Calavetta wanted to make something for his wife.

He really enjoyed the process, and then made something else for a family member.

And HomerMade was born.

“My sister is a graphic designer, she went into new business mode, created name and logo and the rest is history,” he said.

Working night shift for his full-time job as a forklift driver, Leigh has afternoons free, which he admits are getting fuller with two kids running the house.

“I make them whenever I can,” he said.

“You just have to manage your time, it’s definitely possible, there is lots of early mornings, some late nights.

“But it depends on how much you want to put in.”

It’s amazing that building things wasn’t even a hobby for Leigh at all.

He wanted to make something for his home and had “a crack” with a hammer and nails.

From there he got better, bought some new tools, sold some items and got some more tools.

He is completely self-taught.

He now sells dining room tables, office desks, popular lately, bench seats, buffet units, chopping boards and wine bottle holders.

I really enjoy working with my hands, I drive a forklift which isn’t really creative or mentally stimulating and I really enjoy turning nothing into something.”

Pictures: Rob Carew

Baby got shade, Knox area Courtney and Kate are two friends that have the perfect partnership.

They started Baby Got Shade in 2017, and six months later Kate was pregnant.

They laughed about paying her maternity leave.

They’ve always treated it as a side hustle, an escape from their everyday lives, and that’s what makes it work.

“I work three days a week, I’ve got two kids,” Courtney said.

“And she and her husband run a building company with two kids as well.

“We’re great partners, we are very similar.”

The key element is finding someone who understands that sometimes life gets in the way, according to Courtney.

“There is no guilt if I don’t put too much energy in it, because Kate understands that life gets in the way,” she said.

“It’s been really fun, and we made a good profit in our first year which was insane.

“I don’t know how we did it, with small children around, but I think it’s one of those mum things - you just do it.”

A far cry from her every day job as a family lawyer, Courtney says it couldn’t be any more different.

“People who buy the shades are usually pretty happy and excited about what’s to come as opposed to divorce and separation,” she said. www.babygotshade.com.au/ www.facebook.com/babygotshade

www.homermade.com.au www.instagram.com/ homermade.woodworking/

Funded three-year-old kindergarten is coming to Knox!

Register now for 2022 knox.vic.gov.au/keysonline 9289 8000

Two years of kindergarten are better than one

kindergarten@knox.vic.gov.au 12496477-SG25-21

6 WINTER 2021

Courtney www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

It’s Your Life

Choosing family over career

By Melissa Meehan AT the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in Victoria, Upwey father of two Ryan Vanderhorst was right in the thick of things.

He was working as social media manager for the Department of Health and Human Services managing their Covid-19 response.

The hours were long, the stress was high and he was spending nearly three hours a day travelling to and from work.

“I worked out that was 13 hours a week, that’s 13 hours lost on a train and not spending it with my kids or doing the things I enjoy,” Ryan said.

“It was a huge wake up call for me.”

He decided it was time to do something he enjoyed, so resigned and hasn’t looked back.

“My passion for woodworking has continued to grow over my life, and that continued during lockdown,” he said.

“So I went from a secure, honest job with the government to making custom furniture and I’ve never been happier.”

Woodworking had always been a part of Ryan’s life.

While he worked for DHHS he ran, and still does, an online woodworking community called Oz Sawdust Makers.

He even makes how-to videos for his YouTube channel.

So he resigned in November, and started his new career on 1 December, 2020.

“I started getting orders straight away without even advertising,” he said.

“I had made a couple of (kids play) mud kitchens and started getting heaps of enquiries.

“One customer had posted on a couple of ‘mum’ Facebook groups and it

went crazy from there.

“She was the one who really helped it become a full-time gig.”

Soon enough he was getting orders from Sunbury and across the state.

“I think, particularly with the mud kitchens, people who didn’t have things for their kids to play outside during lockdown realised that they needed it,” he said.

“I make them a bit extra too ... they have pump taps that allow the kids to have running water and each one is custom made.”

So now that his hobby has become his full-time job, Ryan makes how-to videos for lovers of woodworking.

Father of two Ryan Vanderhorst in his workshop.

Ryan at work.

“I guess that has become my side hustle now,” he said.

“There are a bunch of other woodworkers in Australia and we’ve all become good friends.”

Making things are great, but Ryan says there is a lot of time and effort that goes into making his videos.

“It takes a million times longer because you just don’t make something,” he said.

A E M R O BEC ER CARE FOST

“It’s setting up the camera, making sure there’s enough lighting, the angles and sound are OK and then there’s hours and hours of editing.”

He says its nice to make things without being in front of the camera, but some friends were already making money by posting the videos on YouTube.

And he’s even been asked to do influencer videos for an Australian tool company.

It’s a busy life, but there is no commute and Ryan is clearly enjoying himself.

“I have so much more time with my family and I’m happier than I have ever been,” he said.

Even teenagers need care...

Help them achieve the brighter futures they deserve.

Find out how you can become a Foster Carer by registering for an online information session. You’ll learn all about the different types of foster care and what becoming a carer involves. It doesn’t matter if you are working or at home, in a relationship or single or whether you have kids. Everyone can make a difference.

Information Sessions: 7.30 – 8.30pm Monday 21 June Wednesday 14 July Tuesday 17 August To Register: 1300 889 335 | www.anglicarevic.org.au/fostering

Ryan’s camera set-up. www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

Pictures: Rob Carew

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WINTER 2021 7

It’s Your Life

Daughters, dangers and inner signs Girlhood is wonderful, but we need our ‘weapons’ sharp, writes STEVE BIDDULPH. WHEN we first learn that our baby-to-be is a girl, we have a flood of emotions.

Joyful ones and, also sometimes, anxious ones. Because you can’t help but be aware that the world can be a very bad place for our daughters.

For most of my life as a psychologist, I was campaigning about raising boys.

But in the mid 2000s we began to notice something bad happening with the mental health of girls. Some of it was in the way girls’ lives had changed with social media and the huge emphasis on looks and general pressure to grow up too fast. Those were taking an enormous toll, and it started shockingly young.

But some of it was the old evils of a world that had always misused girls and women. Sexual predation, sexism and violence often terrify the parents of daughters as they move beyond our protective sphere.

In my talks on Raising Girls I tell the story of two girls - Kaycee and Genevieve. Kaycee is only 14 when she attends a party of one of her school friends, which has very poor supervision and lots of alcohol. A 17-year-old boy from her school persuades her to have sex with him in an upstairs bedroom. She then discovers that he has done it for a bet with his friends, and is crushed and

humiliated. She tells no-one for many years.

Genevieve is more fortunate. She meets a boy at 16, and for many months has the beautiful time we all would want for our kids, knowing how special young love can be. But he begins to want to have sex, and she is wildly confused. Luckily she is close to her mum, which Kaycee was not. And so she tells her mum all about it. Her mum listens for a long time as she pours out her feelings. Then she does something rather wise and amazing.

She says “sometimes our body knows what is right for us, even when our brain is mixed up. Our body sends us signals”. Instantly Genevieve can relate to this - “You’re right - I love being with him, but when he comes on too strong, I feel squashed and uncomfortable. I don’t want to rush into having sex”.

When I tell this story to an audience, the women in the room visibly nod their heads. They know what I mean - our bodies do know what is right for us.

Whether that is a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’.

life, and the migraines ended and have never come back. Somewhere inside her ‘knew’.

In a new book I have just finished writing, called Fully Human, I go deeper into this idea, from the latest neuroscience, that we have physical signals - a kind of ‘supersense’ even further down than our emotions, which knows when we are safe or in danger. It is our deepest self, below all the conditioning which girls receive to be polite and agreeable and think of other people’s feelings first. It says ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to everything around us. One friend of mine in her 40s had suffered from a migraine every week since she married, and then one day discovered that her husband had been having an affair all those years. She booted him out of her

Our body knows what is right for us.

We have to change the way boys and men treat girls and women but, in the world as it is now, hearing inner signals is a powerful weapon that you can encourage your daughter to sharpen.

And you can do it at any age.

Neuroscience shows we all have this ‘intuition’ but mostly don’t listen to it.

Steve Biddulph’s new book is Fully Human - a new way of using your mind, published by Pan Macmillan. www.stevebiddulph.com Steve Biddulph AM Author - 10 Things Girls Need Most, Raising Girls, Raising Boys.

Complete Secrets of Happy Children, The New Manhood and Fully Human

How to make a fairy garden

By Carole Levy

bedroom or on the kitchen window ledge.

MANY kids discovered the fun of growing things during lockdowns, with families kicking off veggie patches or doing fresh plantings to spruce up their yards.

FAIRY GARDEN IN A POT 1. Lay down newspaper or tarp to create a potting area.

Getting outside and putting hands in soil is always a joyful experience but not so much during winter.

When it’s cold and rainy outside, kids can still get into gardening indoors. It can be simple and rewarding and maintains their connection to growing and nature.

Here’s one idea that not only will the kids enjoy but it will look great in their 8 WINTER 2021

2. Three-quarters fill a wide bowlshaped pot with potting soil 3. Get cuttings of different types of succulents - just snap a piece off an existing plant and it’s ready to just pop into the soil.

Getting the succulent collection is part of the project - browse through gardens of family and friends to snaffle different types. Three to four varieties will be plenty for effect.

4. Collect pebbles in different sizes and shapes to ‘decorate’ on top of soil.

This is another part of the project that will keep the kids engaged.

5. They can also ‘paint’ some pebbles with craft glue, then sprinkle with glitter for a bit of drama.

6. Get some tiny fairy figurines - from $2 shops - and any other ornament the kids like, then arrange the garden.

7. Lightly water - succulents don’t need a lot, and are very hardy so not likely to disappoint by keeling over too soon.

8. Job done! Kids proud. Mum or dad supervises the clean-up - the only downside.

When it’s cold and rainy outside, kids can still get into gardening indoors.

www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

It’s Your Life

Have a whale of a time on Phillip Island Whales arrive in Phillip Island waters during winter.

WHAT’S so special about being on Phillip Island during winter? Witnessing the arrival of Humpback and Southern Right whales into the coastal waters.

During the festival, choose from various activities and events, including talks, workshops, whale spotting, whale cruises, comedy dinners and more!

Pack up the family and explore the Phillip Island and Bass Coast Whale Discovery Trail, featuring some of the finest vantage points in the region.

Grab some warm clothing and a pair of binoculars, head out to one of the fantastic lookouts and trails from Phillip Island to Inverloch, and marvel at the area’s stunning landscapes along the way.

Those wanting to get closer to the marine giants can join one of the Wildlife Coast Cruises whale and dolphin boat tours that circumnavigate the island in search of whales.

Stay up to date with the latest announcements, including program and booking information at islandwhales.com.au Join one of the Wildlife Coast Cruises whale and dolphin boat tours.

The Cape Woolamai Beach Lookout offers a good vantage point.

Join in the local celebrations of the arrival of these majestic creatures with a range of special events from 11 June and the Island Whale Festival weekend 2-4 July.

Local community and visitors alike

have the opportunity to engage with a range of activities that will not only entertain but also allow you to appreciate the wildlife and natural habitats of Phillip Island and the Bass Coast region.

Follow the action on Facebook and Instagram at @islandwhales.

Book your winter whale escape and explore more things to see and do at visitphillipisland.com.au Remember to look after the coastal environment by watching out for wildlife on the roads and by keeping to the designated tracks.

Explore the WHALE DISCOVERY TRAIL, iconic bays, headlands and beaches as you go in search for whales from spectacular coastal viewing points or join a Winter Whale Cruise.

Discover special events from June 11 and the Island Whale Festival weekend July 2-4.

See islandwhales.com.au

12495084-SN25-21

www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

WINTER 2021 9

It’s Your Life

Winter wonderlands

A footy themed playground, right in the heart of the Waverley Park estate in Ellis Avenue, Mulgrave.

Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean there’s no adventure to be had. Rug the kids up and check out these magnificent playgrounds - sure to warm them up on a cold winters day.

Kids Today reporter MELISSA MEEHAN and her young daughters LILLY AND RUBY tried them out for you.

Ellis Avenue, Waverley Park, Mulgrave How good is a themed playground?

Ellis Park in the heart of the Waverley Park estate is a hidden gem in the new housing estate where AFL park used to lie... and it’s AFL FOOTY THEMED. It’s a tribute to all things this area used to be. Mention of Gates 8 and 7.

Car parking for $6 and entry for players and officials. It’s got swings, two slides, two spiders webs, balance beams, noise makers - all easily accessible for toddlers not yet used to ladders.

Ellis Avenue, Mulgrave

A ropes course is always fun.

With many things to keep them busy, the kids had a ball.

Talaskia Reserve, Ferntree Gully It’s right in the heart of the Angliss medical precinct, but you’d be forgiven for not realising what a gem of a playground Talaskia Reserve is. The Upper Ferntree Gully playground is smack bang between the Angliss Hospital, a large oval and an open area that is perfect for basketball, or riding your bike or scooter.

The ‘basketball court’, beside the playground, has so many different lines on it - I’m sure some of the parents would be sent back to the days when they fought to win four square championships.

With two slides, two swings, seesaws and a cool scooter track next door - it’s a great park for everyone! It’s even toddler friendly.

Great for all ages.

10 WINTER 2021

Ladders and laughs.

TIP: It’s next to Angliss Hospital and a primary school - so parking could be an issue some days. But we had no issues but around drop off and pick up it could be a little busy.

Talaskia Road, Upper Ferntree Gully

www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

Who doesn’t love a spinny thingy?

A well thought out space, that is fenced!

A small chest table with hand carved seats.

A hidden gem in the Harvest estate (old brickworks) in Wantirna South.

Harvest Crest Community Garden, Wantirna South Another local gem of a playground. We left just before the rain but the sunshades over most of this play area almost makes it an all weather destination.

It’s great for toddlers and younger kids. There are no steps or ladders. But swings, slides, a sandpit and trampoline. Even has a soccer goal on grassland nearby.

It also has an undercover barbecue area which is always helpful to while away the passing rain.

2 Produce Rd, Wantirna South

We love a fenced playground at Wellesley lesley Reserve.

Wellesley Reserve, Glen Waverley Wellesley Road Playspace ticks a lot of boxes.

But most importantly of all - it’s fully fenced. Which is always good when you’ve got a more adventurous older child and a crazy younger one who will jump and run wherever possible.

It has the most fabulous sensory garden, swings, a slide, a ‘spiders web’ and a spinny thingy (that is currently out of order). It’s also got some green open space where you could have a picnic or take a ball to play with.

My favourite thing had to be what looks like a hand-carved chess table and chairs - the kids were drawn to it too.

Stuck in a spiders web at Wellesley Reserve

Wellesley Rd, Glen Waverley

An undercover sandpit with a digger at Harvest Crest. www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

Some shade cloths help to make this an any-weather playground.

WINTER 2021 11

Education

Scoresby Secondary College’s partnership program gives students opportunities.

It’s a place to learn new things.

Students learning for the future THE World of work is changing.

According to the World Economic Forum, 65% of children entering school today will enter employment in jobs that do not yet exist. Scoresby Secondary College is leading the way in preparing our students for their futures through co-designed learning projects with business and industry.

Through the development of genuine partnerships, Scoresby Secondary College is providing authentic learning experiences for students that have increased student engagement, confidence, skills and aspirations.

Thermo-Fisher Scientific is a major global company who have been in partnership with Scoresby Secondary College now for three years. They are Australia’s leader in science innovation, providing solutions to make Australia a safer, cleaner and more sustainable environment and have been at the forefront in research and development to help resolve the current pandemic.

Located locally in Caribbean Industry Estate the school business partnership means students have multiple opportunities for gaining skills and knowledge sought by employer which

is now being translated into providing employment and further training opportunities. What better experience for students pursuing careers in science than working side by side on projects or for prospective students and families at the College’s recent Open Night hearing about the new and emerging innovations to resolve the pandemic.

Teachers and students also co-design tasks with their other partners, Rotary Club of Knox, Building Better Australians, Knox City Council, KIOSC, University of Melbourne and the Australian Business Community Network. Scoresby

Secondary College students have opportunities to develop lateral thinking and use self-direction to become adept problem-solvers. The students are highly motivated throughout the projects, increasing their creativity and communication and transferring these skills across other areas.

By approaching subjects from a different or unexpected angle, our teachers are allowing students to develop crucial new skills in preparation for the new Victorian Senior Secondary Certificate commencing in 2023, tertiary studies and employment.

Childcare fees are set for a major overhaul

By Melissa Grant

“These changes strengthen our economy and at the same time provide greater choice to parents who want to work an extra day or two a week.”

FAMILIES with two or more children in childcare are set to save thousands of dollars in fees each year.

However, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese says the federal government has “missed an opportunity” to reform childcare and boost women’s workforce participation.

Childcare subsidies for second and subsequent children will be increased to as high as 95 per cent and the subsidy cap removed for high income earners as part of a $1.7m spend on childcare included in the federal budget.

Mr Albanese said “Labor’s cheaper childcare plan” lifts the subsidy and “smooths” the taper rate across the board, regardless of how many children a family has and how old they are.

The changes aren’t due to begin until July 2022, however Prime Minister Scott Morrison says they could be implemented earlier “if possible”.

The fee overhaul means families with two children aged five and under in childcare four days a week, for example, would save between $41 and $125 each week.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says the policy is designed to make childcare more affordable and give parents the choice to work extra hours.

Currently, parents are given the same subsidy for their second child, which means the cost of childcare doubles.

Childcare subsidies are also capped at $10,560 per child, with families earning more than $189,390 having to pay full fees once the subsidy runs out.

Under the new subsidy system, childcare fees would be subsidised 12 WINTER 2021

He also claimed Labor’s childcare plan would assist 1 million families instead of 250,000.

Childcare will Child ill b be cheaper h for f many families f ili from f July J l 2022.

2022

between 80 per cent and 95 per cent for second and subsequent children. The subsidy cap would also be scrapped.

For example, a family earning $110,000 a year will have the subsidy for their second child increase from 72 to 95 per cent, and would be $95 per week better off for four days of childcare.

Education Minister Alan Tudge said the measures would further ease the cost of childcare and encourage workforce participation, particularly for larger families.

“These measures will help remove the

barriers for parents, particularly mothers, to return to the workforce or to increase their hours, as their family grows,” he said.

Minister for Women Marise Payne said the investment in the Child Care Subsidy would deliver greater choice for Australian women and men as they balance their family and work responsibilities.

“For women in particular, it opens the door for those choosing to work or to work more, which is critical to their own economic security and a prosperous Australian economy,” she said.

“The many Australian families struggling under the cost of out of school hours and vacation care will not benefit at all from the Morrison government’s lift in subsidy,” he said .

“Families desperately need immediate relief from soaring childcare costs, yet these changes are not even set to come in for over a year.”

Mr Morrison said the changes required to the current system were quite complex, while giving some hope fee relief could come sooner.

“If it’s possible to do these things earlier then we will certainly look at that,” he told Sunrise. www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

Learning important water saving lessons

Education

By Melissa Grant

water consumption behaviours at home and in the wider community.

KIDS in the City of Monash are becoming ‘water watchers’ as part of an educational program making a splash in schools across Melbourne’s eastern and northern suburbs.

As part of the program, kids have access to a 3D mini-series and digital platform that takes the effort out of saving water at home by encouraging fun and entertaining ‘missions’ for kids, driven by a fictional squad of intergalactic water crusaders.

Students are learning about water waste in the classroom and applying what they’ve learnt at home with the help of free interactive water saving devices and solutions.

Parents are also able to sign up to receive a biodegradable, 100 per cent natural rubber ‘ring’ tap attachment modelled after Welly, Washy, Wavy or Wade, who remind residents to use less water.

The lesson that every drop counts is an important one.

In the last five years alone, our water usage has risen about 10 per cent.

Melburnians are now using an average of 161 litres of water per person per day - that’s enough water to fill 4764 large cups of tea in just one week.

It’s hoped the educational program, run by Yarra Valley Water, will help drive down those figures.

The program is called The Water Watchers and it involves visits to primary schools from water crusaders named Welly, Washy, Wavy and Wade.

The four water crusaders have begun visiting schools across Melbourne’s east, and recently went to Glen Waverley South Primary School and Burwood East Primary School.

Students are taught about where water comes from, how people consume it and why we all have a role to play in saving it.

Many leave the fun education sessions with the desire to change their

“The free Water Watcher devices Yarra Valley Water sent out to us have allowed me to teach my family about how precious our water supply is. We’ve got them sitting on different taps around the house and my son loves watching the YouTube animations and missions from Yarra Valley Water.”

Yarra Valley Water Managing Director, Pat McCafferty said The Water Watchers program was all about making water saving a fun and positive experience for families.

“The Water Watchers provide customers with an easy, environmentally friendly tool that can kickstart water-saving habits that will last a lifetime” Mr. McCafferty said.

To view The Water Watchers videos or to sign up for a device, visit www. yvw.com.au/Water-Watchers

JOIN OUR FAMILY

Holy Family School

• welcoming, nurturing, supportive community • strong family, parish and school connections • high expectations for all staff and students • teaching all students at their point of need providing adjustments to achieve success • data based teaching instruction • smaller classes • contemporary learning spaces

St Bernadette’s The Basin... ‘Striving for Excellence’ Every day is an Open Day St Bernadette’s is a vibrant, welcoming and educationally supportive learning environment founded upon authentic learning partnerships with students, families and the community.

COME AND SEE US IN ACTION. BOOK A SCHOOL TOUR TODAY!

Email: principal@hfmw.catholic.edu.au Website: http://hfmw.catholic.edu.au/

• large all weather play areas • opportunities for student voice and leadership • onsite psychologists • Out of School Hours Care (Camp Australia) • learning partnerships with local Catholic Secondary Colleges • partnership with The Resilience Project

12496542-HC25-21

You are invited to explore everything Holy Family Primary School has to offer

1264 MOUNTAIN HIGHWAY, THE BASIN VIC 3154

Call 9762 5135 for an individual school tour or visit www.sbthebasin.catholic.edu.au for more detailed enrolment information

The rubber ‘ring’ tap attachment to help save water.

Mount Waverley mum Kelly-Maree Henden is currently using the Water Watchers devices in her home.

Julie David (Principal) 250 Stephensons Road Mount Waverley 3149 9807 3300

12496597-HC25-21

www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

WINTER 2021 13

Education

Do kids these days have enough skills when it comes to handling money?

Teaching kids financial literacy

By Danielle Galvin IN recent times there have been growing calls to increase financial literacy, and encourage children from a young age to learn about money.

It’s not just about earning pocket money and coins.In a digital world, your child may not have seen you use coins or notes to pay at a cafe.

Peter Foley, owner and financial adviser of Thirdview Financial Planning.

He is a Certified Financial Planner,; with more than 20 years experience, and helped answer some questions about teaching your kids the basics.

Should parents be mindful of what our children pick up from us in terms of personal finance - our spending habits, how we talk about it, how we stress about it?

Absolutely. Our children pick up far more than we realise. I recently rang my wife to find out what date her wages would be deposited into our account because she had recently updated the details. My son overheard and immediately became worried asking if we had run out of money. This turned out to be a good learning opportunity for our son on what wages are, why it’s good to have savings and how to pay off debt effectively (i.e., ensuring your wages are paid straight into your mortgage offset) but it reminded me that our children are always listening and learning from us for better or worse.

In terms of giving practical examples to kids - how can parents make things like superannuation or taxation engaging and/or interesting?

Pocket money is the answer most 14 WINTER 2021

parents come up with here and it is an effective tool for learning the value of money, savings as well as investing when your children are older.

I generally find once your kids are old enough to understand the basic concept of responsibility (i.e. doing chores) then they can learn how pocket money links to that. In other words, if I do work then I get some money and I can spend that on what I’d like.

From that, you can teach your children the value of money and how to use it. Having a piggy bank for that pocket money is the first step but I have found it’s even more effective to have two.

One for savings and one they can spend currently. That lesson is a hard one early on but setting your family rules around when the savings bank can be used is important or you’ll lose engagement. For example, you might say that the savings bank can be used but only when the family goes on holidays. That way your children are still seeing the benefit of that saving and learning that it is worth it. Alternatively, you might say the savings can only be spent once they reach a certain dollar figure and this may encourage a savings habit.

If you couple that with the fact that you as parents have also saved for the holiday it’s a lesson that really sticks because it becomes a case of ‘monkey, see, monkey do’.

In terms of engaging children about super and tax, these concepts obviously become highly technical so stick to high level basics here and find a way to make it engaging. I remember using a cake as a substitute for money with my children.

I took a nice fresh chocolate cake and started slicing it up. Some of it represented tax which went to another person, some was put away for later (that’s your superannuation) and I then ask ‘If we had a bigger cake would it be fair to give that bit more to someone else’?

Depending on the age of your children they’ll understand the idea of fairness and I’ve taught kids as young as Year One who grasped this notion pretty well. This would help explain Australia’s tiered income tax rates.

Engaging kids with any medium will work it doesn’t have to be sweets. So long as it’s something that they’re interested in and is tangible the same lessons apply.

Mind you you’re ultimately teaching them delayed gratification and this is a tough lesson for children but if you persist they eventually understand that it’s worth it. All ages will have a different ability to learn about money so be in the conversation with your kids is the main thing here. My eight and ten-year-old sons are just learning about investing and what a share is. The journey is a fun one and I described owning shares in a toy company or shipping company since that’s two interests they have - toys and ships.

They also loved the idea of voting rights as much as the notion of investing which surprised me so that was a tangent we went off on that I didn’t expect.

When, in your view, should parents start speaking to our children and teaching them about money?

In an increasingly digital world - is it harder for parents to explain that our bank accounts aren’t just a bottomless pit of money?

You can definitely start the basics as early as around 3 years-old. And by basics I mean showing them money and teaching them what each coin or note is. This is about the notion that money actually exists and that different coins or notes hold different values. You can build on this when playing shop games with your child which most kids love to do. Act as the shopper and when ‘paying’ for your items use it to discuss money. You can introduce the idea that you’re paying for weekly groceries from the ‘ groceries budget’ and then buy a treat at the ice cream store which you’ve saved for separately.

You can even use a different purse or wallet to take that money out of.

Eventually your child will ask ‘What’s a budget’? and you’ll be off on another lesson.

Yes, for sure. I’ve heard many parents lament this. I’ve heard many stories of children buying games or movies on Pay TV platforms not even realising they were spending money. Again, this is a good moment to stop and explain money though. If you keep coming back to the concepts that they relate to and bringing it into their world, grasping the nuances of money will be easier. If your family routine is to have an ice block at the shops every Friday use that moment, if you go to the movies every school holidays anchor your money lessons into that. Find that way into their headspace so the money lesson you want to teach is anchored more easily into their every day life and you can make the conversation more tangible even when the money isn’t physical www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

Health

Winter sniffles start early for families

By Danielle Galvin

usually means by the time your child goes to school they are much less likely to develop infections because they have built up their system.”

AT the beginning of the year, doctors warned they were seeing a nasty resurgence of respiratory illnesses, starting earlier in the season and impacting younger children.

Another common question she fields from parents is about the need to give your child supplements.

“People always ask do their kids need supplements, and really the take is that if your child has a varied and generally good diet they will get all the vitamins and minerals they need,” she explained.

Health professionals were seeing an increasing presence of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) among young children.

Royal Children’s Hospital paediatrician, Dr Lexi Frydenberg, said it was a significant increase.

“At the hospital we have had a 10-20 per cent increase in presentations to emergency compared to winter,” she explained.

“February and March has been worse than most winters.

“There’s been a significant increase in the hospital emergency department and the wards have been incredibly busy, predominantly viruses and common bugs.”

For some children, RSV presents as a mild cold, a runny nose, sore throat, but in others it can cause bronchiolitis.

“We didn’t see it last year which was incredible and we thought maybe we would have a great year ahead.

“What’s happened [is] we have had a late resurgence.”

In 2020, with schools shut down and kids at home for months on end, there wasn’t a notable cold and flu season.

With social distancing, extra hand washing, and all of the Covid-19 precautions, health professionals noticed fewer viruses around.

Dr Frydenberg, who has spoken to parents in an online community called

“Even picky eaters are usually not vitamin deficient.”

Younger children have copped an earlier resurgence of the RSV this year.

Mama You’ve Got This, said she was hearing anecdotally how rough it had been.

“What happens with your immune system, the more you face bugs, the more your immune system is primed; it develops anti bodies so you can fight infection better,” she explained.

“What happened last year, particularly in the younger kids who haven’t faced many bugs before, they are what we call immunologically naive, which means their bodies haven’t had to develop anti bodies and other techniques to fight acquired infection.

“So what’s happening now, their body is getting hit and they are having to work really hard to fight the infection.”

and I think as a society we are much better.

“Previously you would send your child to school with a sniffle give them a Panadol.

“Whereas now we are much more aware and conscious and cautious and school will send them home.”

While some might be getting complacent, Dr Frydenberg said Melburnians had shown how they can step up and wear masks, and other measures.

She hopes parents don’t take their child out of childcare, even if the bugs and constant sickness is hard to manage.

“You need to be exposed to bugs,” she said.

But she said the positive out of the Covid-19 experience is how much more aware parents and children are about spreading bugs and infection control.

“My take on it with childcare in general your child is going to be exposed, the immune system needs to learn to build up.

“The hope and the positive out of this whole Covid-19 nightmare is that all of us know techniques to decrease the prevalence of viruses an viral infections

“Sending them to childcare it can be onerous to parents who are working when it feels like your child is always sick, but it’s not a bad thing and it

“You actually only need a small amount of minerals and vitamins to function well and have good adequate nutrition.”

Dr Frydenberg does recommend getting a blood test and seeing your GP if you are concerned, particularly if your child is showing signs of an iron deficiency.

“If they have just got low iron stores, you might not notice,” she said.

“When they become iron deficient and anaemic, the signs are usually they might become more pale particularly under the eyes, tiredness so they might sleep more, in younger kids they become more irritable and grumpy the behaviour might change.

“I think we probably underestimate what iron is for brain development and behaviour.

“If we have a child who is lethargic, behaviourally difficult, pale or if say they are a really fussy eater ... if you take a dietary history and they don’t have many iron rich foods, but they do have a lot of milk which decreases iron absorption, I will often recommend doing the blood test.”

Geelong study uncovers dummy allergy link

By Luke Voogt A GEELONG study linking sterilised pacifiers with an increased risk of food allergies in babies has gained international recognition.

The Barwon Infant Study compared dummy use and cleaning methods among six-month-old infants and those with a confirmed food allergy at oneyear-old in more than 700 participants.

The study, published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, found infants whose dummies were sterilised with an antiseptic solution were more likely to have a diagnosed food allergy. www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

Centre of Food and Allergy Research investigator and Murdoch Children’s Research Institute PhD candidate Victoria Soriano said the findings warranted further investigation into how good bacteria in infants’ mouths and guts could help prevent food allergies.

put in the parent’s own mouth or not washed at all before being given to infants at six months of age.

Pacifiers are a source of microbial exposure in early life, according to study’s authors.

“This research should not discourage the cleaning of dummies, as this is a vital step in keeping a child safe from the more immediate risk of infectious diseases,” Ms Soriano said.

“These findings support the growing recognition of the importance of good bacteria, known as microbiome, in our mouth and gut on healthy growth and development,” Ms Soriano said.

“There is also no evidence from this study that cleaning dummies by other methods is harmful.”

A Swedish birth cohort found infants whose parents sucked their pacifier had reduced food sensitisation, asthma, and eczema at 18 months compared with infants whose parents used other cleaning methods.

The research found no increase in risk of food allergy at one year of age among dummy users when the pacifier was washed in tap water, boiling water,

With food allergies often causing life-threatening anaphylaxis and affecting up to 10 per cent of infants, more research is required to understand how to prevent allergies, according to Ms Soriano.

The Geelong-based research’s authors also cited another study finding lower total immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels in children 10 to 18 months if mothers reported sucking the infants’ pacifier.

High IgE levels can be a sign that the body overreacts to allergens.

WINTER 2021 15

women who had suffered similar birth-related injuries but were further along in their healing journey.

Health

“I got to connect with other women going through the same thing,” Amy said.

“When I got through the initial shock of the diagnosis and worked towards getting mentally better, I wanted to help other women.”

One of the main things the ABTA provides is peer support. There are more than 2500 women in the association’s private support group, where birth trauma stories are shared.

“The group supports women who have had babies weeks ago, months ago, years ago and even decades ago,” Amy explained.

Amy Dawes and first-born Eliya.

a mother of three explained how she had never heard of prolapse until she had one.

“This wasn’t to be expected, I didn’t expect it, I didn’t know about it,” she said.

Pelvic organ prolapse is when one or more of the organs in the pelvis - the uterus, bladder or bowel - slip down from their normal position and bulge into the vagina.

It can be severe but not uncommon - more than half of all women who have given birth experience some level of prolapse, according to the Continence Foundation of Australia.

Yet too many women suffer in silence.

However, the Australasian Birth Trauma Association (ABTA) is working hard to change that.

Amy Dawes and her daughters Eliya and Indi.

Talking about birth trauma

By Melissa Grant

back pain, sexual dysfunction, pelvic floor injuries and pelvic organ prolapse.

WELCOMING a child into the world is meant to be one of life’s most joyous events.

Some suffer from psychological birth trauma, including anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder.

However, for many women and families childbirth is an upsetting experience that leaves lasting physical or mental scars - or both.

If the prevalence of birth trauma sounds shocking or surprising that’s because it is somewhat of a taboo topic.

There’s a strong narrative that women should be grateful for delivering a healthy baby, which often stops them from sharing their traumatic birth experiences or getting help.

In fact, one in three Australian women describe their birth experience as traumatic.

It’s also estimated that between 10 and 20 per cent of first-time mothers sustain a long-term physical injury from childbirth.

It’s not uncommon for women to experience incontinence, constant lower

Do you have birth trauma?

What links you to birth trauma is that, at some point during the process, you felt severely threatened and unsafe or you felt that your baby was unsafe and you experienced the helplessness and fear that goes along with that.

PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA The shock of what actually happened during birth can impact mental health and result in conditions such as; anxiety, depression, and other disorders. Some people experience severe emotional distress after a traumatic birth even though there was no physical trauma. It is also important to note that trauma can continue long 16 WINTER 2021

Antenatal classes don’t tend to discuss the possibility of birth trauma most focus on the pregnancy, labour and breastfeeding.

In a recent episode of Insight on SBS,

after the birth, with distinct psychological symptoms.

Psychological trauma can present as: ■ Postnatal depression and/or anxiety (PNDA)

The charity is dedicated to supporting women, partners and families after birth-related trauma.

It provides peer-led support for those affected, while raising awareness about the types of trauma and the help available.

The association was co-founded four years ago by Amy Dawes, an Australian mother who suffered a birth injury from the forceps delivery of her first daughter, Eliya.

Amy sustained a third-degree tear but thought things would get better on their own. She had no idea of the extent of the damage until her daughter was 16 months old. Her pelvic floor muscle had been pulled off the bone and she was diagnosed with pelvic organ prolapse, a condition she’d never heard of.

“I was a qualified personal trainer and I knew nothing of how crucial the pelvic floor is to how the body should work,” she said.

“When I was diagnosed I hadn’t heard of prolapse.”

There were also indications Amy was suffering from acute stress disorder as a result of her diagnosis. She sought support from a psychiatrist and, crucially, was introduced to other

separate the vaginal opening and the anus. Tears are usually graded by ‘degrees’ and you may hear the terms first, second, third or fourth degree tear.

■ Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) (For example obsessive thoughts that can affect our behaviour such as checking on baby constantly or recurring thoughts that impact your enjoyment of daily life).

Pelvic floor muscle damage: Occurs when the muscles and connective tissue no longer provide the support they once did. Injury to the pelvic floor is very deep and cannot be seen, so is difficult to identify at the time of birth.

It is often much later, when women have bladder or bowel problems, or the vaginal bulge feeling of prolapse, that the injury is recognised.

PHYSICAL TRAUMA Perineal tears: A laceration of the skin, muscles and other soft tissues that

Pelvic organ prolapse: When an organ (or organs) such as the bladder, uterus or bowel loses some of its

■ Post-partum post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

“We support women who have had vaginal births, vaginal birth with interventions, emergency C-section, planned C-section, epidural or not... no matter how ‘normal’ it looks from the outside, you can still feel affected by it.

“Incontinence, for example, can impact women regardless of the mode of delivery. Many women think ‘this must be my new normal’ or when they do seek help they are told ‘you’ve just had a baby, what do you expect?’

“Many parents are so busy caring for their kids that they just think they should put up with it or don’t even realise that they can seek support.”

Then there are others, according to Amy, who seek support but have their concerns dismissed.

Amy says while birth-related trauma is often minimised by medical professionals, many women feel like they haven’t been given adequate information to prepare for birth.

The majority of mums who have sought support from the association said their antenatal classes didn’t discuss what happens when birth doesn’t go to plan and possible interventions, such as forceps or cesareans.

“The attitude that we can’t scare women, it’s not working,” Amy said.

“Statistically, one in five Australian women need an emergency cesarean, and one in three require assisted delivery. They are really big stats - we need to be informing women.”

The ATBA runs an annual awareness week dedicated to shining a light on birth-related trauma.

The theme of this year’s awareness week, from July 19-25, is Better Healing.

People are invited to take part in the annual ‘walk n talk’ event to start the conversation and fundraise for the ATBA, which relies solely on the donations of generous supporters.

The social media hashtags are #starttheconversation #saferbirthsbetterhealing #walkntalk.

“There is power in sharing the stories and reducing the stigma,” Amy said.

“The more we raise our voice the harder it is to ignore.”

To donate, or for more information, visit https://www.birthtrauma.org.au/

support and moves downwards through the vagina. symptoms can impact the enjoyment of daily life and adversely impact mental health.

Pelvic fractures: Pubic bone, coccyx, sacrum.

Cesarean wounds: Pain from cesarean wounds usually subside by 3-6 months, but for approximately 11 per cent of women, incision wound pain persists for at least 12 months. Women can also experience pain elsewhere such as back pain and chronic pelvic pain; including pain with sexual function and using tampons 12 months after a C-section.

Source: Australasian Birth Trauma Association www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

Party Time

Olivia created farm animal toppers for her son Daniel’s second birthday cake.

Olivia made this Fireman Sam inspired cake for her son Michael’s fourth birthday.

Michael’s Fireman Sam torte was a chantilly sponge with a citrus mascarpone cream, while his second cake was chocolate mud with a vanilla creme patissiere filling and Blaze decorations on top.

For her younger son, Daniel, she made an impressive croquembouche - a French creation consisting of choux pastry puffs piled into a cone and bound with threads of caramel.

Olivia with the Bluey cake made by her mum Nat.

Made with love

By Melissa Grant

and other sweet-themed creations.

THE birthday cake is a significant part of a child’s birthday celebration.

Often a lot of love goes into a birthday cake, with parents spending hours baking and decorating or forking out considerable cash for something made to order.

Every child loves being presented with a birthday cake, and blowing out the candles signifies the coming year in their life.

If you think back to your own birthday celebrations as a child, you’re likely to remember some of the cakes you enjoyed - number shaped cakes, cakes inspired by the Women’s Weekly

These days, mums and dads are finding plenty of cake inspiration online, including on Pinterest and social media sites.

We recently put out a call to our readers to see what birthday cakes they have been whipping up.

Born to party Xavier Diaz Entertainment

feel and know the party is for them.

If you’re after a great kids entertainer who will captivate your guests and leave them in stitches, then look no further than Xavier Diaz.

Professional and dependable, Xavier can provide a current working with children’s check.

Xavier will bring the magic to your child’s party with his hilarious characters, fun songs, captivating stories and games.

He’s also a master of balloon animals and making magic that entertains.

With experience from thousands of shows, he knows how to make kids smile, giggle, chuckle and explode in fits of belly laughter.

Best of all, he involves the birthday child in a special way to ensure they

!

Y T R A P

Perhaps the most popular themed cakes at the moment are Bluey and Frozen.

Olivia Enea-Brain loves making birthday cakes for her two boys.

Jen Palacios used Pinterest to inspire the Frozen cake she recently created for her daughter’s third birthday.

“I’m a very passionate baker; one of my favourite things is baking and creating for my little family,” she said.

“I followed a recipe to bake it, but the decorating I just made up based on Pinterest inspo,” she said.

“My mum is a wonderful baker and my late and beautiful grandmother was too as was my great grandmother. I come from a line of extraordinary women.”

Natalie Hay recently baked a Bluey inspired cake for her daughter Olivia.

Fireman Sam and Blaze and the Monster Machines inspired the cakes she baked for her son Michael’s fourth birthday.

trampolines, balance skills on the tightwire and rola bolas, and circus classics like juggling, hula hoops, plate spinning and more! Their friendly coaches have plenty of skills and tricks to share. It’s a party that hits the right balance between active, creative and fun!

“She turned 5 and is Bluey obsessed,” Nat said.

“I didn’t copy anything - I just kinda went with an idea I had and built on it.”

“This cake was nothing fancy, just a fun cake that my daughter loved.”

Parties can run on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, after their regular circus classes, so you have the whole space to yourself! Older kids or adults can also have Friday night parties by request. https://ruccis.com.au/birthdayparties/

For bookings, call 0438 003 885 or email hello@xavierdiaz.com.au

Ruccis Circus Parties!

When you’re looking for something different for your kids’ birthday, a circus party ticks all the boxes! Ruccis in Bayswater North is a full circus studio offering parties that give you a taste of the circus experience - try aerials like the trapeze and silks, acrobatics and tumbling on the soft floors and mini

SHOWS INCLUDE

* COMEDY * GAMES * MAGIC * SINGING * DANCING * STORYTELLING * BALLOON * SCULPTING

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12493036-AV25-21

12494658-DL25-21

BIRTH

Jen made this Frozen Cake for her daughter’s third birthday.

For more information, visit http:// xavierdiaz.com.au/kids-parties

ve a a H

CIRCUDSAY

The cake for his second celebration, was a traditional chocolate mud with a Lindt ganache and farm animal toppers she created.

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Reality Bites

The rise of the e-baby Casey and Kyle, pictured with daughter Molly, met online.

Pictures: Rob Carew

By Melissa Meehan IT was once the topic discussed in hushed tones.

But internet dating has become so popular, and successful, that by 2038 more babies will be born to parents who met online than offline.

And while 2038 seems a lifetime away, that’s when a Monash University report finds the so-called ‘e-baby’ generation will be in the majority.

Over the next 10 years they will make up 34 per cent of all newborns.

Using a nationally representative survey of over 2000 Australians and projections from current trends in online dating, the authors of the report pinpoint 2038 as the year when more than half of babies born will be born to online couples.

They are amazing figures, especially given few couples openly admitted they met online in recent years.

Former Mail Newspaper Group editor Casey Neill met her husband Kyle on Tinder back in 2015.

“We both swiped right,” she said.

“Kyle was with some older mates who wanted to know how this online dating stuff worked.

“So with them egging him on and a few drinks under his belt, he got up the courage to send me a message and we set up a date a few days later.”

Online dating was already pretty popular back then, but Tinder didn’t have the daggy and desperate stigma some of the older websites had, she said.

But she still wasn’t keen to let people know how they’d met.

“I’m not sure I ever actually told my parents we’d met online - they might have found out in our wedding vows,” she said.

They moved out together within five months.

“For our first date we went out for

dumplings and Kyle reckons that was it - after he saw me scoff noodles and dumplings he was sold,” she said.

“I wouldn’t say I thought I’d found my husband that night, and I definitely didn’t peg him as the father of my future child! I’d had a fair bit of bad luck with dating, so I just took it one day at a time.”

He proposed on a holiday to America in September 2017.

They got married in October 2018 and their daughter Molly was born October 2019.

She’s 18 months old now.

It’s quite the love story, and it’s not unusual.

The report also found that couples who met online in more recent years (2014-2020), on average have 2.3 per cent more babies than those who met face-to-face (1.38 vs 1.35).

This suggests a key group of singles use technology to seek family-inclined commitments.

The report then considered current trends, finding that based on the share of births that are e-babies, an estimated 20 per cent of all babies born in this millennium are e-babies. Further, the report reveals that 21 per cent of online couples that had a baby did so within a year of meeting.

Aussie couples who meet online most commonly have one child (21 per cent), with over one in eight (13 per cent) welcoming two children. Men are also slightly more likely than women to have children with a partner they met online (38.9 per cent v 35.4 per cent).

VP International at eHarmony, Romain Bertrand said the results of the report were good news.

“In our first ‘Future of Dating’ report with Monash University, we’re delighted to see that online dating has created so many Australian families, and that it will continue to increase this wonderful legacy.”

Letters to mum: Samuel Johnson’s new book HE’S unconventional, disarmingly genuine and charming.

it’s my face time with other families that fuels my work and provides a sense of belonging that I never felt in showbiz.

People think it must weigh heavy, given the horrific effects of cancer on families, but sharing our stories is never a tax, always an honour and energises me in ways that are hard to explain.

Samuel Johnson, who created Love Your Sister, a “million strong village” of Australians committed to vanquishing cancer, has brought together 90 celebrities and well-known Australians for ‘Dear Mum’.

Is there a story/letter in the book that will particularly surprise/touch readers do you think?

Guy Pearce’s letter to his mum, lost to dementia for 22 years now, is the letter that will never leave me. They all leave their mark, but Guy’s letter is indelibly etched into my soul. That letter isn’t going anywhere.

He invited them to write a letter to their mums and it’s emotional, funny, brilliant.

Samuel answered some questions with Danielle Galvin at the end of his promotional tour for the book, which raises funds for cancer research.

Firstly congratulations on the new book.

I really love the idea of asking people what they’d tell their mums. Everyone’s relationship with their mums is so unique/complicated isn’t it? Is this a call to action that we all need to go and have a chat to our mums if we still can?

We know that we love people. We throw around “I love you“ without a second thought. But how often do we take the time to really explore why we love someone? Exactly why. Or precisely how? Writing a letter, honestly and from the heart, inevitably opens a can of worms. You discover feelings you didn’t know you had. Stuff that’s been bottled 18 WINTER 2021

up for years. You gain appreciation and insight. And the recipient is invariably left richer, and the letter invariably has a great impact. We like to be valued or the right reasons, especially by those closest to us. It’s been a truly cathartic experience for each and every contributor. Even if your mum is lost, like mine, and will never read the letter, it still helps to express it all. I’m immensely touched that many of our readers have given this book to their mums with their own letter inserted. The proverbial bus might hit us tomorrow. I’d rather die knowing my loved ones knew exactly how I felt about them. And letters just mean more. It’s like having a poem or a song written about you.

It’s a collection of letters from notable Australians to their mums.

Recently you visited the Mornington Peninsula, and I saw a good friend’s mum got a photo with you! I went on to the LYS Facebook page and there were dozens of other people who you happily posed for photos with, and you look genuinely happy to meet people and hear their stories. Has this been a part of the Love Your Sister journey you love?

I’ve visited over 1200 towns during my tenure as Head of Cancer Vanquishment at ’Love Your Sister’ and

I’ve heard you describe the book as a wonderful montage for all kinds of mums. Even though we know mums can be flawed, complicated. I thought was so beautifully said. I can imagine collating the book was incredibly difficult at times too - such an emotionally charged topic?

Thankfully, our contributors respected my request for complete honesty, which, delightfully, means this collection of letters is an intricate of real mums, as opposed to some Hallmark tribute to the idea of mums. It’s what I’m most proud of about this book. It’s a true tribute. www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

Reality Bites

The battle of becoming a parent

By Melissa Meehan

She can’t remember how many eggs she retrieved.

FOR the majority of our formative years, women are told how not to get pregnant.

But each egg required genetic screening, an expensive step that isn’t usually required during the IVF process.

But the reality is, society never tells us how hard getting and staying pregnant can be in the first place.

But they had one egg that was classified as a normal, which they were pretty excited about.

Ally De Iulio is a perfect example of this.

And so they organised the transfer, and it fell on the day of her birthday.

She was 27 when she and her husband Simon decided to try for a family.

“I thought that’s really exciting and they said just come in at the time we told you. We won’t call unless something goes wrong,” she said.

They got pregnant after about three months of trying. Everything was going fine.

Until she miscarried. They tried again. She had another miscarriage.

Then another. Then another.

Doctors didn’t say much at the start, but they did wonder what was happening by her fourth miscarriage.

She tried again, got pregnant but at her first ultrasound at eight weeks they couldn’t find a heartbeat. They waited for her to miscarriage naturally. She didn’t. And at 10 weeks had a D&C. It was then the doctors agreed some testing needed to occur.

They did a full chromosome test, so they could fully analyse Ally and her husband. It took three months to come back.

But it found Ally has reciprocal balanced translocation. In simple terms it’s a chromosome complication.

To go through the emotional rollercoaster of getting pregnant and then losing the baby each time was understandably disheartening for Ally and Simon.

Initially the gynaecologist at Box Hill said that IVF wasn’t an option for the couple.

“So that’s when it really hit me,” she said.

“I thought how many miscarriages I can go through.”

They went and saw a genetic counsellor, who was able to explain that IVF was an option.

“So we went for it”.

IVF JOURNEY BEGINS IT’S an expensive, physically and emotionally gruelling process.

But Simon said he couldn’t watch Ally go through the pain of another natural miscarriage or pregnancy.

The toll on her mental health was too much to bear.

The couple had discussed early in their relationship that if they couldn’t have children that would be okay.

That they would travel and find other things to do.

But once the option was taken away from Ally - it all changed.

The first round of IVF, Ally took time off work and the couple kept it to themselves. www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

Wynter, 18 months and Isaac, 4 with mum Ally and dad Simon.

At 7am on her birthday, Ally got a phone call.

The egg didn’t survive.

Still understandably emotional, Ally says she didn’t deal very well with the news and went into hiding for a short while.

A few months later they decided to try again. But the genetic testing found that none of them were normal.

Disheartened, they decided to give it another go.

“I was getting to the point of thinking how many times do we go through this,” she said.

“It was an emotional rollercoaster, not to mention the financial cost.”

But it was third time lucky.

Isaac, now aged 4.

Pictures: Rob Carew

and fall asleep around 7pm.

They had two eggs come back as normal.

They did a pregnancy test and it was positive.

Ally didn’t hold too much hope. But they transferred the egg.

LIVING ON THE EDGE

And she was pregnant in August.

FINALLY SOME GOOD NEWS DESPITE all of her heartbreak in the past, once she was pregnant - Ally felt strangely confident that she wouldn’t miscarry again.

“IT was a really interesting feeling,” she said.

“It was kind of nothing, it wasn’t happy or sad ... just a strange kind of emptiness.

“I thought I know how this ends.”

Simon had the same feeling.

She knew that the eggs had no chromosome issues and was sure that was the reason for her past miscarriages.

They decided to let it play out and were prepared for the worst.

She gave birth to their son Isaac on April 27, 2017.

It was a very different pregnancy compared to that she experience with Isaac.

He’s now four.

It wasn’t an easy birth, but holding him in her arms was what she had longed for so many times.

It was already an emotional time for them, after Simon’s dad had passed away when she was 38 weeks pregnant.

His funeral was on the day she was to be induced.

Not long after Isaac was born, Simon developed a back issue and dealt with the pain for two years and needed surgery.

The pair decided not to use the second embryo until he had surgery and recovered.

But the universe had other plans.

In between Isaac’s arrival and Simon’s surgery, Ally started to feel increasingly tired.

She would come home from work

Wynter and Isaac.

Isaac

There were some complications that ended with Ally haemorrhaging and becoming quite unwell after the birth.

She was so sick she couldn’t even hold Wynter.

After all that, Ally and Simon have one embryo left, and the storage runs out in June next year.

“We have to make a decision, but I don’t know if I could carry another baby. I don’t know if my body could do it,” she said.

“But it’s nice to have the option.”

But Wynter wasn’t going anywhere.

Ally had a lot of anxiety.

Every time she went to the toilet she expected to see blood.

She expected something bad to happen.

“I kind of lived every day on the edge.”

By the time she reached half way, Ally allowed herself to enjoy the pregnancy.

But tragedy struck the family again ...

Just days before she was due to give birth, Simon’s niece Jocelyn passed away.

She was 12.

And while sick with a terminal illness, her death was unexpected.

Ally went into labour three days later.

Wynter, their beautiful daughter, wars born.

What are chromosomal translocations?

Balanced reciprocal translocations are caused by a two-way exchange of genetic material between two chromosomes. As there is no net loss or gain of genetic material this exchange usually has no effect on the phenotype of the carrier.

However, carriers of balanced translocations are at risk of passing on an unbalanced form of the chromosomal rearrangement at conception, resulting in genetic material being lost and/or gained. This can lead to subfertility, recurrent miscarriages, or more rarely the birth of a child with an intellectual disability and congenital malformations.

SOURCE: Victorian Clinical Genetics Services WINTER 2021 19

Reality Bites

From tired dad to top author

By Melissa Grant

started out as a self-printed first birthday gift for his daughter, Florence.

CARING for a sleep-troubled baby put Philip Bunting on the path to becoming one of Australia’s most popular children’s picture book authors.

“A couple of people said to me, you should send some copies off to the printers,” he recalled.

Philip and wife Laura would read picture book after picture book to their son Leo in a seemingly never-ending battle to get him to nod off.

“When our son Leo was born, he was a terrible sleeper,” the father of three explained.

“For the first year and a half of his life he didn’t sleep for more than two consecutive hours.

“But the thing that always got him was reading.

“We read heaps of picture books to Leo when he was little - we were probably reading about 20 a day.”

Philip is now a prolific children’s author, having published 23 picture books in just four years.

He writes and illustrates the books. His illustrations are distinctive, although he jokes this is because he can’t actually draw.

Laura and Philip Bunting reading with their three children.

“I sent them off to eight publishers. I had eight offers in two weeks - they all wanted it!”

and the child at the same time,” he explained.

in the running for a coveted award and another has been read from space.

Good humour is a must, and it’s good to have a simple message although sometimes a book can just be a platform for fun between parent and child, he added.

Not Cute is on the shortlist for the Children’s Book Council of Australia Picture Book, a highly sought after award.

Mopoke, a cute story about a little owl’s struggle to find peace, was the first of four books Philip had published in 2017.

The father-of-three is now averaging seven to eight books a year after becoming a full-time author in mid2019.

Beforehand, the English native was in magazine publishing. He worked for Time Out Magazine in the UK, Dubai and Sydney before moving to Brisbane to be closer to Laura’s family. They moved to Eumundi on the Sunshine Coast in 2017.

Philip says simply being a parent has taught him what works when writing children’s books.

“A good book always has to work on two levels. You are writing for the adult

12497950-SN25-21

His first book, Mopoke, actually

“I remember thinking ‘oh yeah, I’ll see what happens’.

Philip has co-authored books with his wife Laura, who was a journalist before she became a mum, and has also collaborated with others, including comedian Dave Hughes.

Philip and Laura usually only read their books once to their children Leo, 8, Florence, 6 and Arthur, 3.

“It’s probably because Laura and I have seen the book so many times that we don’t want to read it to the kids,” he said.

It’s an exciting year for Philip. Apart from publishing four books and another three due for release, one of his titles is

Every day is an Open Day

Julie David (Principal) 250 Stephensons Road, Mount Waverley 3149 9807 3300 Email: principal@hfmw.catholic.edu.au Website: http://hfmw.catholic.edu.au/

But there’s another book he holds close to his heart.

“The one that means the most to me is Mopoke as it represented the biggest change in my life. As soon as that book was done and signed I knew I wasn’t pursuing the dreams of my 20s any more - I was on a different path.”

You can check out Philip Bunting on Instagram and at philipbunting.com

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Books

Born ready to face puberty

By Melissa Meehan IN an online centric world, our kids are growing up quicker.

They have access to so much information, so much more than generations past.

Michelle shares that she was recently giving a talk to a group of 10 year olds, one of whom was contacted by a modelling agency via social media and asked to give them her contact details.

“That kind of thing brings some urgency to those conversations,” she said.

So talks about the birds and the bees, puberty and other things our parents used to teach us by leaving a book on the end of the bed (and running in the other direction) need to happen earlier.

That’s where Michelle Mitchell comes in.

The author of A Guy’s Guide to Puberty and A girls Guide to Puberty says it’s completely normal to grapple with when those conversations need to happen.

“The good news is that they were born ready,” she said.

“But between the ages of eight and 10 is the perfect time to make a start.

“And they are important conversations to have, because they are being exposed to many things earlier than we were, because they are online.”

“Because these young kids can be making really critical decisions for themselves.

“It is a much more sexualised world.”

Michelle, a former teacher, has spent the last 20 years working with disengaged young people and speaking at scools about puberty.

And she says it’s increasingly evident that parents are needing to have these conversations with younger kids.

Previously they’d say 12 is a good time to talk about sexuality, but Michelle says between the age of eight and 10 is often the sweet spot.

Each of child has their own special needs which may include trauma, birth order, disabilities, learning challenges or emotional maturity.

Some signs they are ready: ■ Become embarrassed about being naked in front of others ■ Start gravitating towards same sex friends ■ Curious about gender differences, pregnancy, sex ■ Begin to discuss sexual concept without any degree of accuracy ■ Interested in knowing more about their bodies ■ Ask questions ■ Look at parent’s bodies differently Michelle’s books act as a starting point which will open up the conversations at home.

The books, each aimed at either sex, explains how to care for your body, emotions and brain.

“If we want open hearted conversations with our kids about tough topics we have to be prepared to initiative them in an open-hearted way,” she said.

“I personally think that they should never have to be the one who initiates difficult conversations, so always assume they need you and step into that space. Let’s be prepared to go to them, and in doing so grow with them.”

Her book isn’t a tough read either, it very cleverly includes cartoons that simplify some of the bigger issues and break it down so that younger kids can understand without being overwhelmed.

Children’s books...

Winner Winner Bin Chicken Dinner

Harmony

Kate & Jol Temple, illustrated

by Ronojoy Ghosh Our favourite bin chicken is back!

In this sequel to the popular picture book Bin Chicken, Ibis is looking for dinner but isn’t having much luck until she spies the most wonderful food wonderland of all ... the school playground.

Winner winner! There are a few hiccups along the way, but in the end the Ibis gets the last party pie.

This is yet another hilarious read about the pesky bird that everyone loves to hate!

Perfect for kids aged 3+ Scholastic, RRP $17.99

www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

The Exploding Life of Scarlett Fife: Book 1

Kokey Koala and the Bush Olympics

Set in 1914, this young adult novel is a gripping love story that plays out against a backdrop of the First World War. Tom is in the blood-soaked landings of Gallipoli, while Gracie marries another.

Maz Evans, illustrated by Chris Jeavons

Trixie Whitmore

It’s not until American teen Noah joins his mum Deborah, grandfather Will and greatgrandmother Gracie in Australia that the secrets of the past are revealed - secrets that will take them back to the beaches of Gallipoli.

In this laugh out loud tale, Scarlett is in big trouble after her big feelings lead to a hamster getting into the vicar’s trousers at her aunt’s engagement party.

Richard Yaxley

A compelling multigenerational story about connectedness, family and the power of truth.

For readers aged 12+ Scholastic, RRP $18.99

Scarlett Fife has big feelings.

Unfortunately, every time she pushes her feelings down something explodes.

If she loses her temper again she will miss out on her trip to the best theme park on the planet.

This classic children’s adventure book is being republished just in time for the Tokyo Olympics.

Originally launched to coincide with the Sydney 2000 Olympics, Kokey Koala and the Bush Olympics is about a cute koala who participates in a series of Bush Olympics sports with the hope of winning a gold medal.

Kids will love exploring the book’s beautiful hand-painted illustrations that detail Australia’s native fauna and flora.

A fun book for parents and children who have, at one time or another, lost control of their feelings

The ‘find and discover experience’ is complemented by rhyming poems throughout.

Hodder Children’s Books, $14.99

Ocean Reeve Publishing, RRP $24.99 (hard cover) and $19.99 (soft cover)

A fun and educational book.

Bedtime is Boring David Campbell, illustrated by Daron Parton A hilarious sequel to Stupid Carrots, Bedtime is Boring features a funny bunny called Billy who just doesn’t want to go to bed.

He’s had his bunny bath, he’s read his bunny book but (you guessed it) he just doesn’t want to go to bed.

Billy is too busy for bed.

And bedtime is boring! Oh, and he needs to pee. But guess what happens when Billy Bunny finally hits the hay? A relatable story for many families!

For kids aged 3+ Scholastic, RRP $17.99

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Kids Calendar

What's on this winter

JUNE 5

JUNE 29

UNTIL JULY 11

UNTIL AUGUST 29

JELLS PARKRUN

MAKE YOUR PARENTS DISAPPEAR

JURASSIC WORLD BY BRICKMAN

It is a 5km run, jog or walk. It’s noncompetitive as it’s you against the clock and fun for the whole family.

After blowing away the nation in the grand final of Australia’s Got Talent, ‘Make Your Parents Disappear’ will be appearing at Knox Community Arts Centre with some astonishing trickery to fool your parents!

Enter an immersive Lego experience set to be the largest Lego experience in Aussie history. Made in partnership with the Jurassic World franchise, this new event will have over 50 large-scale dinosaurs, props, scenes and activities made using over six million Lego bricks.

FED SQUARE: THE WINTER VILLAGE

https://www.monash.vic.gov.au/ Leisure/Upcoming-Events/Jells-parkrun JUNE 11 - JULY 11

ISLAND WHALE FESTIVAL Head to Phillip Island to celebrate the arrival of some very majestic creatures!

There is a range of special events from June 11. There’s also the Island Whale Festival weekend that runs July 2-4.

During the festival, choose from various activities and events, including talks, workshops, whale spotting, whale cruises, comedy dinners and more!

For more information visit islandwhales. com.au You can also follow the action on Facebook and Instagram at @ islandwhales

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JULY 8

KIDS TAKEOVER LIBRARY The State Library of Victoria will be transformed into an interactive and colourful playground for kids and families.

https://fedsquare.com/events/thewinter-village ALL WINTER

From the forecourt to the Quad, the Library will be bursting with creative activities and mind-expanding experiences for kids and their grownups.

DISNEY: THE MAGIC OF ANIMATION An exhibition presented by ACMI & the Walt Disney Animation Research library showcasing the creativity and

The Kids’ takeover featured live music performances, a range of craft activities and more.

innovation of Disney Animation.

12pm-5pm weekdays and 10am-6pm weekends at ACMI, Fed Square.

Bookings required. Event runs 10am3pm

https://www.acmi.net.au/whats-on/ disney-the-magic-of-animation-

JULY 9

JULY 16 - JULY 18

BRASS MONKEYS (SCHOOL HOLIDAY FEATURE SHOW)

BABY TO TODDLER SHOW

‘Brass Monkeys’ celebrates kids who march to the beat of their own drum.

Bursting with high calibre acrobatics, a ton of comedy, live music and high flying tricks. https://knoxcc.sales.ticketsearch.com/ sales/salesevent/11183

With Melbourne’s twinkling city lights as the backdrop, The Winter Village is set to be a landmark destination for a second season. Of course, a visit to The Winter Village wouldn’t be complete without experiencing the magical igloo village; grab your friends or family and nestle into one of the 24 private igloos, your food and drinks delivered to you, guaranteed to keep you cosy all winter long.

The Baby to Toddler Show is Australia’s most comprehensive parenting event featuring everything to do with pregnancy and baby, through to the toddler years, providing new and expectant parents with the very best products and advice to help them on their parenting journey. https://www.babytotoddlershow.com. au/

www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

WINTER 2021 23

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www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au