Knox Monash Kids - Spring 2022

knox monash

SPRING 2022

today

Little people, big emotions with

STEVE BIDDULPH

Sophie Cachia talks relationships and family

Wantirna mum’s birth guilt www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

SPRING 2022 1

About Us

knox Monash

Take a deep breath, spring is here!

SPRING has sprung!

TODAY

Yes, it’s a cliche - writing it made me roll my own eyes a little - but indulge me?

Opportunities for her to stretch her legs and use her outside voice have been few and far between this winter, thanks to rain and cold and illness.

And speaking of great reads, our chat with the ever-honest Sophie Cachia about parenting is a refreshing look at modern parenting.

The transition from our cold and dreary months to this milder season really has put a spring in my step.

A little extra sunshine helps us all to get off the couch and away from screens.

This time of year is brimming with hope. Warmer days are ahead, flowers and foliage are bursting forth, and fingers crossed! - we’re on the other side of a hectic virus season.

If you need more reason to put down the iPad, we spoke to Dr Michael C Nagel about how screen time is causing autistic traits in otherwise neurotypical kids.

Kidsafe has shared some timely reminders to keep our kids safe, and Lucy Stewart has found a healthy chocolate breakfast!

As the mum of a toddler, the prospect of spending more time outdoors is a literal breath of fresh air.

Spring does bring its share of rain, so we’ve found some great new books for your kids to get lost in.

So take a deep breath of that fresh spring air and enjoy its calming effects…before the festive season sneaks up on us.

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

Advertising Andy Jukes andy.jukes@starnewsgroup.com.au Phone: 5945 0643

CONTENTS

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.

IT’S YOUR LIFE

EDUCATION

KIDS CALENDAR

A traumatic premature arrival

Preschool and childcare shake-up

What’s on this spring

PAGE 3

PAGE 13

PAGE 22

Meltdowns turned to closeness

School goes back to 1995

PAGE 4

PAGE 13

Tips to keep kids safe

Better sleep, better health

PAGE 4

PAGE 14

Blind Creek gets a makeover

Striving for excellence

PAGE 5

PAGE 14

Kids Helpline in schools

A unique offering for girls

PAGE 5

PAGE 15

Mum finds her feet

REALITY BITES

Sophie Cachia

Sophie Cachia on family life

Wantirna

PAGE 6 Doc’s take on PND and anxiety PAGE 8

knox monash

today

Little people, big emotions with

STEVE BIDDULPH

talks relationships and family

mum’s birth guilt

PAGES 16-17 SPRING 2022 1

www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

Make crunchy chocolate granola

BOOKS

PAGE 9

Arabella’s Alphabet Adventure

Fashion to feel like yourself

PAGE 20

PAGE 10

Discover new children’s books

FATHER’S DAY

PAGE 20

Rob’s a dad to everyone

SPRING 2022

Cover Talia enjoying the spring sunshine in her back yard.

Picture: Rob Carew

Screens harming young brains PAGE 21

PAGE 7

HEALTH Gender discimination in private health PAGE 11 Organ transplant waiting list grows PAGE 12

knoxmonashkids.com.au 2 SPRING 2022

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instagram.com/knoxmonashkids_social www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

It’s Your Life

Mum’s guilt after birth trauma

By Casey Neill REBECCA COMERFORD felt good throughout her first trimester, so the haemorrhage that hit at 12 weeks knocked her and husband Brett for six.

“We panicked and we drove to the hospital,” she said.

“They found the heartbeat was still there and everything seemed to be OK.” But the haemorrhaging continued.

“When this started happening is probably when I thought about my septo-uterus,” the Wantirna mum said.

“Growing up I had really terrible periods.

“When I was 18 or 19 I had a laparoscopy to check for endometriosis.”

They didn’t find any endo, but did discover a septo-uterus.

“It’s basically where you have a wall or a lining down the middle of your uterus,” she said.

“The wall between my uterus runs past halfway of the height of my uterus.

“A baby doesn’t have that same space to move around.

“I hadn’t thought about it since I had that laparoscopy.

“They told me back then ‘you shouldn’t need to worry about it too much’.”

Rebecca went to the hospital every time she had a bleed, no matter the scale.

“I think probably all up I had around 10 different hospital stays,” she said.

“I didn’t bleed until 12 weeks and had my son at 29 weeks, so the bleeding was half my pregnancy.”

About 27 weeks in, tests confirmed Rebecca’s waters had broken. She was kept in hospital, and about 29 weeks her cervix started to change and doctors said her baby would soon arrive.

Then an infection struck.

“I was shaking in bed. My teeth were chattering so hard that the girl next door came into my area and pushed the buzzer for the nurse,” she said.

“I was taken down for an emergency caesar at around 3am.

“My husband made it - just.

“Kai was born and rushed straight to the NICU. “They didn’t put my son on my chest, because he was obviously in dangerous territory.

“I don’t remember seeing him.

“He was just whisked away and then I was out of it and woke up in my bed later that day.”

Nurses and doctors in the days and years that followed asked Bec whether she’d done chest time at birth.

“They say it’s really important for that bonding,” she said.

“That played on my mind quite a lot and that upset me.

“Is my child not going to bond with me because I missed that critical moment?

“The guilt is what followed for me, for so long.”

Rebecca was sent home - which was then in Scoresby - 48 hours later.

Kai was in hospital in Heidelberg. She was recovering from a caesarean and Brett had only limited time off work.

“I remember crying when they said ‘you’re going to have to leave, we don’t have a room for you’,” she said.

“I was just devastated and I was begging them, ‘please’.

“It was really hard.

“I would get dropped off there and I would sit there from 7am to 11 and 12 o’clock at night.

“He was on oxygen and he was only 1.5 kilos, so 3 pounds.

“I got mastitis twice because even though Kai was drip fed, he was 100 percent fed with breast milk.

“I was sitting there all day just pumping. I had so much milk.

“We were actually quite lucky that we didn’t have moments where we thought his life was in danger.

“We obviously didn’t know whether his health was going to be great, but other than jaundice he seemed to be doing quite well for such an early baby.”

“I could sit there all day, and all night and not leave,” she said.

“If I had a 2 year old or 3 year old at home, I can only imagine how hard it would be then.

“Leaving at night is just horrendous.

Not knowing whether your baby is crying…

“You’ve got such little control over your child, you really feel quite helpless.”

About a month after Kai’s birth, Bec was asked to consider leaving the Mercy NICU to free up space for another bub in need.

“I put myself back into my own position at 24 weeks, when I couldn’t get a bed, probably because other parents didn’t want to move from high care to medium care.

“So I did move and we moved to the Angliss.

“We were closer to home and we were happy with the care.”

People would tell her ‘go out for dinner, go out for lunch, he’ll be coming home soon’.

“But I felt guilty just sometimes having a laugh,” Rebecca said.

“We actually got out 38 weeks on the day and brought him home and undid all the routine that they had him in.

“He’d been in the hospital for two months, so you don’t have your mum to pick you up at 3am and soothe you and what not.

“They say preemie babies end up being quite routined because they don’t have that same experience.

“I undid all that pretty quickly by not putting him down for the next year and causing a very clingy child.”

Plenty of hospital stays followed due to respiratory issues, deemed bronchiolitis.

“We would be in hospital for days, on steroids all the time. Then one lady at the Monash swabbed him and gave him antibiotics for a bacterial infection,” she said.

“We had one minor stay in hospital after that, then never again.

“I think it’s hard as a first time mum.

You don’t know what you’re doing, but if it doesn’t feel right, you’ve got to challenge it.”

Kai is now 8 years old. He’s asthmatic, and it took five years for his weight to register on the charts, but he’s otherwise unaffected by his dramatic start to life.

Rebecca and Brett never planned to have more than one child, but their experience with Kai confirmed it.

“I did talk to the doctor about it. He said it was unavoidable to have another premature baby, but this time the management would be much different,” Bec said.

“They kind of said ‘if you’re going to have one, have one now rather than later’.

“We just were in no way shape or form to think about having a baby straight away.”

It wasn’t something Rebecca thought much more about…until Kai asked about having a sibling.

“It was during the first lockdown of Covid. He was in Prep, so he was 6,” she said.

“He brought home a piece of homework.

“He was doing it virtually and they said you had to name three things you wish for more than anything in the world.

“For the first time ever, he said he wishes for a brother or a sister.

“He’d never said anything before. It was horrible and I felt really bad.

“Since then he does talk about it a little bit.

“It’s tough to watch actually, your child being a little bit lonely.”

But Kai’s best mates with his cousin, and is happy and thriving.

“Everything doesn’t have to be perfect for you to be a great parent,” Bec said.

Rebecca feels for other parents with children at home to look after as well as a sick baby.

Mum Rebecca with her son Kai, 8.

Pictures: Rob Carew

www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

SPRING 2022 3

It’s Your Life

Little Kids, Big Feelings Little Kids, Big Feelings, writes STEVE BIDDULPH How to turn meltdowns to moments of closeness THE hardest thing with small children, and sometimes big ones, is that they just dpn’t always do what we ask! Our lives have become busy, and so we want our kids to move quickly and smoothly through the day, eating, dressing, getting in and out of cars, going to and from school or kindy. We want them to co-operate in our busyness, and often the little blighters don’t. Or sometimes, can’t.

Our worst moments of the day are often when our kids suddenly have “big feelings” and go into meltdowns of tears, or rage or anxiety, and make a train wreck of our plans, let alone our image of a well run family! What a nuisance!

Of course, these worst times might be good times to remember something important. To take a deep breath or two, get our own feet steady on the ground, and remind ourselves that the aim of parenthood isn’t to get it over with. Our goal in life is not, however nice it sounds, to rest at the end of a day when nothing went wrong.

Because there is no such day. The aim of parenthood, and of family life, is to nurture a small person into a big one who other people will find trustworthy, loyal, loving, and empathic enough to love, and value as a friend, team member, spouse, or mum or dad

themselves. Someone, in short who will have a good life, and be good for other lives. So, dear reader, check before you read on - is that your goal? Am I making this up? If your aim in parenthood is to take good photos for Insta, from their birth to their glamourous wedding, then this is where we part ways. Be off with you.

But if you are still reading, then here is the thing. Kids have meltdowns and big emotions and make our plans fall in a heap, not because they are defective, or want to make our lives hard. They do it because they are busy growing their brains. And they need our help with that. Karen Young, an excellent psychologist who writes about kids emotions, points out that just as you won’t let a five year old cross a busy street, because their brain just isn’t ready, you can’t expect small children to be able to self regulate emotions either. The busy streeet of their own brain is sometimes way too much, and their own emotions come at them like a semi-trailer.

They need you to hold their hand.

something, or going somewhere, and needing (you think) to get a bit of a wriggle on. And suddenly your small person is in tears, or digging their heels in, or has gone all wobbly. You run a quick check. Are we being chased by a bear? Fleeing a volcano or a terrorist attack? If the answer is no, then perhaps you can spare five minutes.

This chance might not come again.

Breathe a big slow breath, if it comes out sounding like a sigh that’s still alright. Soften your heart, and remember that we are all soft and fragile beings who get out of our depth.

And then crouch down or sit down or bend down nearer to your child, and ask them “are you feeling a bit rough right now?” “where in your body are you feeling it?” and perhaps “sounds like something in you is a bit angry now (or scared, or sad)”. Find the words that are most natural to you, as long as they are reaching out to their inner storms with a compassionate energy that

says “I understand”. Ask them to telll you about what is going on for them.

Perhaps they will need to sob, or shudder, or rant a bit about something that was unfair or mean or unjust when seen through their eyes, and you should make room for that. Don’t try and talk them out of it. Perhaps what they tell you might bring a change of plan.

Perhaps you might have to strike a compromise. Perhaps nothing changes except they are calmer and are okay to move on. You will know you got it right when you feel closer to them now, and they to you.

Learning to “regulate” your emotions - to give them space, and make them welcome, and take them on board, even in a harsh and often uncaring world, depends on having a few people around us who can cope with our messy side. Who don’t put us down or go all cold or hard when we aren’t coping.

Gradually your child will become better able to ride life’s bumps, and use words to join their heart to yours, or other people’s.

How long does this process take? My guess is about 90 years! But you can get much better at it, and having a parent’s help is what makes the difference.

Long after you are gone, they will have you inside them saying “its okay, you’ve got this”. They will carry your love in their bones.

What does that mean in practice.

Well, it looks like this.

You are on the way to doing

Steve Biddulph is the author of Fully Human, Raising Boys, and The Raising Girls Workbook. He lives in the Tamar Valley in Tasmania, and is very very old.

Springtime safety from Kidsafe Victoria FINALLY, the weather is starting to warm up and we are looking forward to enjoying more outdoor time with the family.

As we move towards the brighter colours and sounds of spring, Kidsafe Victoria has provided its top four tips to help you keep your family safe this season.

1. Sign up to Kidsafe Victoria’s Free Baby Safety Guide If you are expecting your first baby, then this one is for you!

Kidsafe Victoria has launched its new Baby Safety Guide to reduce the overwhelm you might experience as a first time parent.

The Baby Safety Guide takes the guesswork out of your parenting journey by providing information and advice on products such as cots, prams and high chairs, including what to look for when purchasing these products and how to use them safely.

The second module covers other important information on home, road, water and play safety to help keep your baby safe as they grow.

To access the free Baby Safety 4 SPRING 2022

Guide, visit Kidsafe Victoria’s website.

2. Check pool barriers for wear and tear When was the last time that you checked your pool barrier and the surrounding area?

Pool barriers are exposed to the extremes of weather all year round this can lead to rust, damage, missing parts and wear and tear over time.

There are four main safety issues which are important to regularly check and maintain: ■ Is the gate or door still self-closing and self-latching?

■ Is the gate propped open?

■ Are there any gaps, holes or spaces in and under the barrier which a child can get through?

■ Are there any climbable objects near the pool barrier eg barbecues, outdoor furniture, trees etc?

Pools are not the only bodies of water that you need to be mindful of.

Toddlers can drown in just a few centimetres of water, which means that fishponds, eskies, buckets, laundry tubs and even pet water bowls all pose a drowning hazard.

It’s important to empty any objects that can hold water straight after use, and to restrict access when an adult isn’t able to actively supervise children.

3. Store poisons out of reach, inside and outside As part of any spring cleaning, take the time to go through your cupboards and ensure that any potentially poisonous products are stored up high in a locked cupboard, out of the sight and reach of children.

Common poisonous items include medicines (ie prescription medicines and paracetamol), cleaning products, dishwasher powder/liquid, bleaches, fertilisers and pesticides, swimming pool and spa chemicals and cosmetics.

You might have a shed or garage which has tins of paint, petrol, weed killer, rat bait, power tools and other gardening supplies lying around.

Again, make sure any outdoor poisons or tools are locked up well out of reach of the hands of our little helpers, including unplugging any power tools and/or removing batteries.

4. Secure curtain and blind cords Loose curtain and blind cords, particularly those with loops, pose a significant strangulation hazard for children as they can place the loop over their head and/or become tangled in the loose cords.

Whether you live with children, or might have an unexpected little one visiting one day, here are some steps you can take to help ensure that your curtain and blind cords are safe: ■ Check each room of your home for any loose or looped curtain and blind cords and secure them out of reach of children - at least 1.6m above floor level - with cleats or cord tensioning devices.

Depending on the type of cords, these can be ordered free through Consumer Affairs Victoria or purchased from your local hardware store or curtain and blind cord retailer.

■ Check that items of furniture such as cots, beds and high chairs are kept away from windows where children can reach the curtain or blind cords.

For more Kidsafe tips and advice, visit kidsafevic.com.au. www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

It’s Your Life

An artist’s impression of the rejuvenated parkland.

Green Heart in the pipeline FAMILIES will soon be able to enjoy a rejuvenated Blind Creek.

The Green Heart of Knox project covers between Scoresby Road and Lewis Park and will activate 33 hectares of open space for community use, integrate more than six kilometres of new walking paths into the broader network, and add nearly 700,000 new native plants.

“It’s hard to overstate just how big this project is and what it’ll mean long term – for the environment, for open space and for the whole of Knox and the outer

east,” Bayswater MP Jackson Taylor said.

grow to 61,284 by 2041.

The State Government contributed $2.5 million to the project, Knox City Council $3.5 million, and Melbourne Water $11.1 million to un-piping 1.65km of waterways, creating a naturalised green spine linking Fairpark to the east with Lewis Park to the west.

“This project will improve its connection with some of our busiest community hubs.”

“Lewis Park is one of the largest open spaces in Knox,” Knox Mayor Susan Laukens said.

“It is in a critical location with a surrounding population expected to

The Blind Creek corridor forms an environmental link through Knox, providing vital amenities for the community, connecting green spaces and providing active transport options.

“In 2020, a section of Blind Creek was daylighted from Manuka Drive to Scoresby Road,” Cr Laukens said.

“When you walk along that section of

creek now it is bursting with wildlife and people enjoying the area for exercise and recreation.

“We have an ambitious plan for Lewis Park that includes sporting upgrades, recreational facilities, restoring habitat, a civic precinct and cultural trail featuring public art.”

Mr Taylor said: “This is going to give our waterways back to the community where they belong and unlock green open space for locals to enjoy, all while making our local waterways healthier and cleaner.”

A E M R E O R C E A B TER C FOS Ferntree Gully North Primary School was the fifth largest user of the Kids Helpline @ School program in 2021.

Picture: On File

Helpline in school

By Parker McKenzie FERNTREE Gully North Primary School was the fifth largest user of the Kids Helpline at School program in 2021, with 371 students across 16 sessions accessing the service.

CEO of yourtown, which runs Kids Helpline, Tracey Adams said the program helped students with practical methods of managing mental health and wellbeing.

“Children in Australia are bearing the brunt of a global environment characterised by change, crisis and uncertainty,” she said.

via video link to normalise seeking help. One of the most popular topics accessed by students at Ferntree Gully North Primary School was balancing tech time and online safety.

“The Kids Helpline at School program has proved to be a fantastic way to connect with more children in addition to the delivery of Kids Helpline’s current suite of virtual counselling options,” Ms Adams said.

The program doubled its reach last year, to 55,000 primary school students across 325 schools.

Surveys conducted following the sessions showed an impact for both students and teachers.

Help children in care achieve brighter futures. Attend a Free foster care information session.

Emergency, Respite, Short-Term and Long-Term care options available.

Full training provided.

“It’s our responsibility to equip as many of them as possible with the tools they need to stay mentally healthy, resilient and to keep themselves safe.”

About 90 per cent of students could better identify ways to seek help and 80 per cent would recommend Kids Helpline to a friend experiencing distress.

Information Sessions: 7.30 – 8.30pm Thursday Thursday22 22September September Thursday14 13October October Thursday Tuesday22 22November November Tuesday

With the support of the Bupa Foundation, Kids Helpline at School brings qualified counsellors into primary school classrooms and homes

The program is aiming to expand its reach to another 55,000 students this year through telephone, WebChat and email counselling.

To Register: 1300 889 335 | www.anglicarevic.org.au/fostering

www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

Scan here for more information

12555110-FA37-22

SPRING 2022 5

It’s Your Life

Ash’s polar opposite births

By Casey Neill SOME women always dream of being a mum.

Mount Evelyn mum of two Ashleigh Le Rossignol never saw herself with kids.

“I thought I was too selfish to be a mum,” she said.

“I thought I had no patience.

“It was only when I met (my partner) Gaz that I changed.

“I thought ‘I’m going to marry this guy and have a family with him’.”

That was in 2016.

“Gaz and I fell pregnant five months after meeting,” she said.

“Then I had a miscarriage at nine weeks.

“Then I fell pregnant again six months later and had another miscarriage.

“I don’t know how many weeks I was with the second.

“The third was only very short - I think I was four or five weeks.

“The first one I felt really guilty.

“I remember being in the hospital and saying to Gaz ‘I’m sorry’.”

Luna.

“Once I started really getting pregnant I started feeling really comfortable, and all the scans were great.

“I loved being pregnant with her.”

She only experienced morning sickness until about week six, and from there “it was a pretty cruisy one”...until week 40.

“I got a rash all over my body,” she said.

“I was hot, I was swollen.

“They didn’t know what it was. It was like 10 million mozzie bites all over my body.”

Macey was fine, but doctors offered Ash an induction.

“They put the balloon in,” she said.

“They started the induction hormones about 9am the next morning.

“She was out at 11.46pm that night (via emergency caesarean), right on 40 weeks.”

Doctors told Ash there was no reason Macey shouldn’t have come out naturally, but after hours of pushing, forceps and suction, she wouldn’t budge.

Ash then fell pregnant with daughter Macey, now aged 2.

“I think it really took four days to get my head around what happened,” Ash said.

“My biggest fear was getting to the 12 weeks,” she said.

“I was completely drugged up on pain relief.

Luna and Ashleigh.

Pictures: Rob Carew

“The drugs were making me sweat, I felt so spaced out. I couldn’t even get up.

“I think I felt butchered.”

When she fell pregnant with Luna, she knew she wanted her birth to go differently.

A gestational diabetes diagnosis threw her at first, but she was able to manage the condition with diet and exercise.

“My headspace was still really good,” she said.

She was determined to try a VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean).

“But as it got closer, I didn’t want to go through what I went through with Mace,” she said.

“Before we knew it, Luna was out.

“She was crying. She came out with her eyes open.

“The anaesthetist said it’s so rare to see babies with their eyes open.

“I bawled my eyes out. I didn’t with Mace.

“They stitched me up and off I went, and she was there within four or five hours.

“The next day I was up and moving.

The recovery - it was polar opposites.”

“I didn’t want to be induced again. I made that very clear.”

With the birth out of the way, adjusting to life as a family of four became her focus.

At 40 weeks on the dot, she started getting cramps about 6pm.

Luna was 2 months old when we spoke.

She monitored her contractions and called the hospital, and was advised to take Panadol and try to sleep.

“I was more scared about how I would go about my day-to-day stuff going to the shops, going to the park,” Ash said.

But only 15 minutes later she felt the urge to push. Her contractions started to ramp up as she and Garry packed to leave for the hospital.

“They were so close together and the pain was really starting to kick in,” she said.

“I was trying to get my breath, holding onto the wall.

“Garry’s mum came over and I waddled out to the car. I had two contractions between the door and the car.

“I got to the hospital about 10pm. I was squatting the whole way into emergency.

“Macey is still at an age when she’s learning not to run away, stop when you cross the road, plus trying to make sure the baby’s safe if I have to run off after Mace.

“I was scared at the start, but now that she’s here and I’ve got into some kind of routine, it’s not that bad.

“Macey was all over me, she’d wake Luna up, Macey always needed me.

“It’s still the same but I’m setting boundaries.”

“But the natural labour for me was really good. It was so bearable (compared to the induction).”

Ash is trying not to focus on the big picture and not sweat the small stuff, and take help when it’s available.

Ash was 6cm dilated and still wanted a VBAC, but felt nervous.

“Take the pressure off yourself. Tell yourself it’s OK,” she said.

“I just wanted it to be positive,” she said.

“You’re a mum who has to keep two kids alive.

“I was really worried it would end in an emergency caesarean again.”

So she opted for an elective caesarean.

“I wasn’t as exhausted, and I wasn’t numb to it. I wasn’t drugged up,” she said.

6 SPRING 2022

“I was conscious to make my own decisions.

“If you don’t have that external support then you’ve just got to learn to take a breath.

“The washing will get done eventually. The cleaning will get done eventually.” www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

Father’s Day

Rob’s a dad to millions

By Casey Neill

some of the struggles that I went through”.

“YOU got this. I love you. I’m proud of you.”

From jump-starting a car to tying a tie, he’s helping people of all ages and walks of life to learn new skills.

It’s easy to see why Rob Kenney has become a father figure to millions of people through his YouTube channel ‘Dad, how do I?’.

The 50-something father of two, based near Seattle in the US, shares how-to videos for many basic tasks, with plenty of dad jokes thrown in with his earnest fatherly advice.

When he was a kid, Father’s Day was “a pretty normal celebration” of his own dad.

“By the time that I became a dad, my relationship with my dad was pretty distant, because he left the family when I was 14, so it was more my special day,” he said.

He said the response was completely unexpected.

“I didn’t start my channel to switch careers, so I had to grapple with what my new life looked like,” he said.

“Now that we’re two years into it, I finally feel like I am in a good place with it.

“I honestly thought that I would have 30 or 40 subscribers.

“It’s a time that I get together with my wife’s family, and we celebrate all of the dads.

“Had I known that my videos would have so many views, I would have paid closer attention while I was filming.

“I think it’s cool to be a dad, and I hope to encourage other dads to see what a great privilege they have (if they don’t already know).”

“I have no prior experience, I was just trying to talk to the camera like I was talking to my own kids.

One reason Rob started the channel was to pass along things he “had to learn the hard way, to save others

Rob Kenney is a dad to millions.

“I have several years’ worth of content that I would like to share on my channel, but I also am keeping track of the many suggestions that I receive,” he said.

“Anything I can do to help the next generation to be encouraged, empowered, and to be good humans, I am all for it!”

with fresh food

• Henrys Mercato • BuyeMart Asian Grocery

www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

12561354-SN37-22

F eel at home • The Seafood Gallery • Heavenly Cheesecakes • Stud Park Poultry • McKays Family Butchers • Ferguson Plarre Bakehouse • Bakers Delight

SPRING 2022 7

It’s Your Life

Dr Elizabeth Maher.

It’s OK to not be OK

By Melissa Meehan

when they needed it most.”

HAVING a baby is a huge life change – and it’s often underestimated.

Current statistics show that one in five mums and one in 10 dads in Australia suffer from perinatal depression and/or anxiety.

Many mums and dads suffer from postnatal depression and anxiety.

Dr Elizabeth Maher says not only is there suddenly an enormous amount of relentless responsibility, but there are dramatic hormonal shifts, constant and often unwanted parenting advice from you know and sleep deprivation.

Dr Maher says many mums and dads who need support, and have noticed that more and more patients with perinatal (during pregnancy or in the first 12 months after birth) depression and anxiety over the past two years.

“The pandemic has definitely had an impact, beaseline levels of anxiety have been higher for most people due to the constant feeling of uncertainty, rapid change and worry about their own health and the health of their loved ones,” Dr Maher told Kids Today.

“Social isolation has added another level of stress to new parents, who have suffered from a lack of support 8 SPRING 2022

“These numbers are far too high,” Dr Maher said.

“There are so many pressures on new parents, from keeping up with social commitments, pressure from others to return to work or stay at home, keeping the house perfectly clean… all while posting photos of a perfect life on social media? It’s not possible.”

Dr Maher said for many, by the time they seek help, they are no longer able to function.

She said some feel like it’s a sign of failure, but she assures them it’s not.

Asking for help is a sign of strength, she says.

“It takes courage to acknowledge something isn’t right and to do something about it,” she said.

“That feeling of helplessness can be a symptom of depression.”

The good news is that there is help out there.

The first step is to see your GP for advice, they can offer a mental health care – which means you can access Medicare rebates for consultations with a psychologist.

And some psychologists are still offering telehealth appointments – so you won’t even need to pack up the baby and head out to your session.

Some people are more at risk of PND than others. These risk factors include: ■ Being isolated from family and friends ■ Suffering from mental illness in the past ■ A family history of mental health issues

“PANDA is another fantastic resource we have here in Australia, for both mums and dads,” Dr Maher says.

■ A perfectionist personality

“They have a website packed with information, they offer free telephonebased counselling and have a national helpline open every week day.”

■ Relationship difficulties including family violence

The important thing for new mums to remember is to see out help earlier than later.

Here are some other great resources: ■ PANDA National helpline (Mon-Fri 9am – 7.30pm) – 1300 726 306

The longer you wait, the harder it can be to engage with therapies that can help, according to Dr Maher.

■ PANDA website: www.panda.org.au

“But no matter how bad it is, there are effective treatments out there,” she said.

“If you are suffereing from perinatal depression or anxiety, you are definitely not alone – the more you reach out and talk to people about it, the more you will hear similar stories.”

■ A traumatic birth or complications during pregnancy

Financial difficulties.

■ MumSpace website: www. mumspace.com.au ■ Center of Perinatal Excellence website: www.cope.org.au ■ Beyond Blue website: www. beyondblue.org.au Dr is a GP and founder of The Happy Baby Sleep and Settling Clinic in Moorabbin. www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

It’s Your Life

Crunchy Chocolate Granola Ingredients ■ 2 cups rolled oats

Picture: Studio 74 Photography

■ 1 cup chopped almonds ■ ½ cup flaked coconut ■ ¼ cup sunflower seeds ■ ¼ cup pumpkin seeds ■ 2 Tbsp cacao powder

in the kitchen

■ 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup ■ 2 Tbsp olive oil ■ 1 Tbsp carob powder ■ 1 tsp vanilla extract

with Lucy Stewart

■ ½ tsp cinnamon

Instructions CHOCOLATE for breakfast? Why not!

This delicious crunchy chocolate granola is super easy and fun to make with the kids, and it’s a more nutritious way to start the day than anything you’ll find in a box at the supermarket.

1. Preheat oven to 100°C and line a baking sheet with baking paper.

2. In a large bowl, mix together oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flaked coconut and cinnamon.

When it comes to kids, it’s true what they say, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Breakfast has the opportunity to provide kids with the fuel they need to be active and play, to be motivated, to concentrate and learn, as well as remember and harness new skills – how our kids start their day can greatly influence their success at school.

nutrients, causing blood sugar spikes and leaving kids feeling hungry and irritable, not long after. But a breakfast cereal that includes protein, fibre and fats will not only satisfy their hunger, it will keep kids tummies feeling fuller for longer, fuel their brains and sustain their energy throughout the morning.

Whilst cereal is the breakfast of choice for many kids, most commercial breakfast cereals are made with refined grains and high amounts of sugar delivering very little in the way of

This crunchy chocolate granola is made with a mix of rolled oats, nuts, seeds, coconut and cacao to nourish growing bodies and brains. Raw cacao - commonly referred to as the ‘food of

the Gods’ - is not only the highest food source of antioxidants, it also contains tryptophan (a precursor to moodboosting serotonin), a huge amount of phenylethylamine (aka the ‘love chemical’ that increases motivatingdopamine & serotonin) and is one of the most potent food sources of magnesium, a mineral that’s important for kids growth, development and energy production.

But the best part, is drinking the chocolate milk that’s left at the end.

3. In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cacao and carob powder. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and mix together until everything is well combined.

4. Spread the mixture evenly over prepared baking sheet and bake for 20-minutes, turning halfway to ensure it cooks evenly.

5. Allow to cool then store in an airtight container.

Well Fed Kitchen is a range of healthy snacks for kids that you can make at home.

Created by Nutritionist and mum, Lucy Stewart, they’re made with only real wholefood and plant-based ingredients – no additives, nothing artificial, and without nuts, dairy, soy and wheat.

Well Fed Kitchen provides an easy snack alternative to the sugar-laden, healthy processed options, guaranteed to fill kids tummies, satisfy their hunger, provide a steady release of energy and some essential growing nutrients too.

www.wellfedkitchen.com.au @wellfedkitchen_snacks 12562712-LB34-22

www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

SPRING 2022 9

It’s Your Life

Headspace Youth Advice Group Members from left, Ria, Nancy, Kate, Claire.

Get some headspace in Malvern HEADSPACE Malvern is officially open.

The news was celebrated with a launch party with food, music and art in June.

Over 70 people attended the party which kicked off with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony performed by Uncle Colin Hunter Jr, followed by speeches from special guests from headspace National, Access Health and Community, South Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network, Federal Parliament Member for Higgins, headspace Youth Advisory Group and the City of Stonnington.

City of Stonnington mayor, Jami Klisaris said it was great to celebrate the opening of headspace Malvern with a party acknowledging the collaboration between Council, headspace and Access Health and Community to bring this important resource to the community.

For young people, mental illness is a risk factor for not completing school and may lead to more serious mental and health problems as they get older that impact on their families and others.

“Access to a welcoming and

10 SPRING 2022

ACCESS Chief Operating Officer, Jane Seeber.

confidential environment at headspace Malvern will make it easier for young people in Stonnington to seek support and ease the stigma that surrounds mental health,” Cr Klisaris said.

“Providing early intervention at headspace Malvern will help to reduce the serious symptoms of mental illness and improve quality of life in our community.

“This is an outstanding resource for people aged 12-25, where young people can access free and confidential mental health support, health advice, and general information.”

Headspace Malvern is located at 1257 High Street Malvern (behind Malvern Library).

Headspace Malvern is funded by the Australian Government through the South Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network (SEMPHN).

The new service is being delivered

by Access Health and Community, in partnership with the City of Stonnington, City of Boroondara, JobCo, St Vincent’s Mental Health Service, Star Health and Uniting.

Therapy Dog.

www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

It’s Your Life

Health fund hurt FORCING women into top-level private health insurance for birth and pregnancy cover is a form of gender discrimination, the peak group for obstetricians claims. National Association of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists president Gino Pecoraro says it’s the only service excluded from lower-level health insurance based on gender, and he’s taken the matter to the Human Rights Commission.

“It’s criminal in a country that prides itself on trying to eliminate gender discrimination,” Dr Pecoraro told AAP. Dr Pecoraro said more needs to be done to lighten the load on public hospitals, and widening access to private care through cheaper insurance policies would help. He said many were shocked to discover women were forced to pay extra to get cover for reproductive health, when men’s reproductive health issues were covered at a lower level.

Almost all policies cover testicular tortion or cancer and prostate issues, but pregnancy and birth were only covered in top-level cover, he said.

Dr Pecoraro said the association made a complaint to the Human Rights Commission a year ago but has yet to hear back.

A spokesperson for the commission said it is not able to comment or provide any information about complaints it has received.

Private Healthcare Australia says the tiering of health insurance products into gold, silver, bronze and basic was introduced by the previous government.

“Pregnancy is covered in the highest tier because the risk of something going wrong is very costly. The cost of preterm labour and delivery often exceeds $200,000 to $300,000 for example,” a spokesperson told AAP. “These claims are high because often the mother and baby need to be in hospital for a prolonged period. This does not occur in male reproductive health.”

Tiering has made health fund products easier for consumers to understand, but much harder for funds to spread this risk across the insured population, which has made gold hospital cover more expensive, they said.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said gender bias in the health system was an important issue.

including devices that are generally designed around a male body,” he told AAP. “The Albanese government is having a range of discussions about our approach to this issue.”

A spokesperson for the Attorney-General’s Department said the government “was committed to eliminating discrimination against women”.

The federal Sex Discrimination Act made it unlawful to iscriminate on the basis of pregnancy or potential pregnancy, they said, but exceptions include for insurance based on reasonable data.

AAP

“Other issues go to the nature of research and the nature of clinical trials,

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SPRING 2022 11

Health

Donating a second chance at life Ikram Ahmed said it was very hard to see her brother Hussein struggle.

DESPITE Australia being a world leader for successful transplant outcomes, the Royal Children’s Hospital says there are more children on the waiting list for transplants than there are organs available. Fatima Halloum speaks to the family of an organ recipient about the life-changing procedure.

Zooming down slides at playgrounds and splashing in the shallows of a public pool are some of the simple joys of childhood.

At only six-years-old, Hussein Ahmed knew he couldn’t do what other kids could.

Hussein and Ikram a year after the transplant.

His older sister Ikram said her brother was desperate to live a normal life.

“He tended to attract a lot of attention, and he didn’t like that at all.

He didn’t like people kind of treating him differently or just singling him out,” she said.

There are some illnesses that are easier to hide, but when Hussein was diagnosed with nephronophthisis in 2013 and his kidneys began declining, doctors attached a nasogastric tube to the young boy.

“Essentially, it’s a tube through his nose which goes all the way to his stomach, and he had nutrients that he took at night that helped him grow, because he wasn’t growing,” Ikram said.

Ikram, 10, Hassan, 6, Huda, 8, and Hussein, 4, in late 2010.

When Hussein was about eight years old, his condition further worsened, and he was placed on a waiting list for a new kidney

dua (prayers),” she said.

Four years later, Ikram was startled awake by her mother’s screams in the living room.

“I’d love to help people as much as they’ve helped my family, and sort of repay that favour,” she said.

“I wanted to see what was going on and I just saw a massive smile on her face, but like, tears quickly coming down from her eyes,” she said.

“Your registration as an organ donor can have a major effect on a person’s life.”

Sleepless nights and constant trips to the hospital became normal in the Truganina family’s household.

“It was like, ‘is it possible?’ and then we found out that obviously she got the call.”

Ikram said her brother’s kidney function levels rapidly decreased, and he was put on dialysis for about two years.

Not only was Hussein finally going to receive a kidney, he was scheduled for surgery that same day.

“He was always aware of his condition, he would take everything as it goes,” she said.

“He’s a very firm believer that God does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear.”

12 SPRING 2022

transplant list, an additional 13,000 people on dialysis who could benefit from a kidney transplant, and others who required an eye or tissue to improve their quality of life.

“We were just crying out of pure excitement and happiness,” Ikram said.

That day was the first time Hussein cried, too.

“We don’t know who the organ donor is, but we’re just obviously really grateful…always keeping them in our

Hussein’s experience inspired Ikram to study nursing and register as an organ donor.

DonateLife state medical director Rohit D’Costa is renewing calls for people to sign up.

“We’ve seen about a 25 per cent decrease in donation and transplantation over the past two years due to the impacts of Covid-19,” he said.

“This is why it’s never been more important to encourage more people in the community to register as organ and tissue donors and to have the conversation with family.”

Dr D’Costa said about 1750 Australians were on the organ

“We know many religions and cultural groups support organ and tissue donation and we need organ and tissue donors from all these communities and cultures,” he said.

“Blood and tissue types need to match for a transplant to be successful, and while ethnicity is never a consideration in either donor or recipient selection, having more diversity in organ donors can help with finding a match.

“It doesn’t matter how old you are, your medical history, your lifestyle, what country you’re from, or how healthy you are – you can still register as an organ and tissue donor. Even if you’ve had Covid or the flu, you can register.”

Hussein is now 15-years-old, and Ikram is in her last year of studying nursing.

She said the selfless act of a donor meant her younger brother got to experience life. www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

Education

Free kinder, more childcare Four-year-old kinder will become Pre-Prep.

AN early childhood education and childcare overhaul will roll out in Victoria over the next decade.

The Best Start, Best Life program expansion is designed to save families money and help women return to the workforce.

Firstly, from next year kinder will be free, saving up to $2500 per child every year.

Secondly, over the next decade four-year-old kinder will transition to Pre-Prep – a universal 30-hour a week program of play-based learning for every four-year-old child in Victoria, delivered through kinders and long

day care centres.

Premier Daniel Andrews said it was a year dedicated to growing and learning, new friends and new experiences, giving them the skills they needed for school and life.

“At the same time, it will benefit hundreds of thousands of working families. Helping more mums and dads return to work on terms that work for them,” he said.

Thirdly, the State Government will establish 50 government-owned and affordable integrated childcare centres in areas with the greatest unmet demand, with the first to open in 2025.

Where possible, they’ll be co-located with schools to avoid the double-drop off, and alongside hospitals, TAFEs and major employers to create convenient access for working parents.

Where there is demand, centres will operate extended hours and on weekends so parents working in industries like hospitality and healthcare have more support and more options.

“Our childcare system isn’t working for women – in fact, it’s holding them back,” then-Minister for Women Gabrielle Williams said.

“Affordable and accessible childcare is vital to giving women more options –

meaning they have more economic power and driving gender equality across every aspect of work and life.”

The typical household is spending 20 per cent of its income on childcare fees, and some women who wanted to return to work were staying home because of this cost.

Mr Andrews said our economy missed out on their skills and experience.

He said being a stay-at-home parent was a legitimate choice, but it should be based on what worked for individual families, not forced by the childcare system’s limitations.

The school is set to dig up a time capsule.

‘Back to 1995’ at Holy Trinity School ANY school can teach a curriculum.

Amazing schools, like Holy Trinity Primary School in Wantirna South, are full of teachers actively and passionately exploring the possibilities of making their teaching practice more innovative, engaging and fun at every turn.

This is the single ingredient that drives the most growth in our students.

The success we attain is not only evidenced by the assessment data – but it’s seen through the smiles and joy we see on our students’ faces as a concept is grasped.

Holy Trinity commenced in 1985 and celebrated its 10th birthday by www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

burying a time capsule. Twenty-seven years on and the school is all set to dig up the time capsule with a ‘Back to 1995’ celebration.

Past students and staff are invited to join the school community in this event on Sunday 23 October, from noon to 2.30pm.

There will be school tours, a sausage sizzle and Devonshire afternoon tea.

A new time capsule, representing the current staff and students will also be buried during the event.

The school community is waiting with anticipation to see what they will discover from 1995.

12563006-AV37-22

SPRING 2022 13

Education

Better sleep, better health MANY studies into the sleep patterns of children and adolescents have been undertaken.

leads to a loss of sleep impacting on their attendance, engagement, learning and achievement.

No matter which study is looked at, there is clear evidence that those who regularly get an adequate amount of sleep have improved attention, behaviour, emotional regulation and overall mental and physical health.

In 2020, the Australian Communications and Media Authority reported that just under half (46 per cent) of Australian children aged 6 to 13 used a mobile phone, up from 41 per cent in 2015.

Despite the evidence, the amount of sleep our young people have been getting has declined, leading to wellbeing-related conditions arising from sleep deprivation such as obesity, anxiety, aggression and depression.

The upward trend in use of phones, computers and other digital devices since lockdowns does create a reason for concern.

Lack of sleep has been accounted for by later bed times caused by increased use of technology, less time spent outdoors, reduction in physical activity, consumption of energy drinks, part time jobs and other changes associated with busy, modern lifestyles.

However, since children and adolescents need to get up early for school, late bedtime on school nights

The blue light emitted especially from handheld devices can interfere with sleep by suppressing the production of melatonin, a natural hormone released in the evening to help you feel tired and ready for sleep.

The Australian Department of Health recommends between nine and 11 hours of sleep for children aged 5 to 13 years and between 8 and 10 hours of sleep for adolescents, aged 14 to 17 years).

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Late bedtime on school nights impacts attendance, engagement, learning and achievement.

But how do parents support the achievement of these recommended levels, particularly when faced with the continuous increases in new and emerging technologies, the demands for access to social media and other challenges?

■ Establish bedtime routines ■ Set regular sleep and wake times ■ Work in partnership with the school

■ Avoid naps or sleeping during the day ■ Reduce fears ■ Check the sleeping environment ■ Relocate the clock ■ Eating habits ■ Enjoy the outdoors Gail Major, Executive principal, Scoresby Secondary College

Learning for success ST Bernadette’s, The Basin is nestled at the base of the Dandenong Ranges in a beautiful rural-style setting the school says is unmatched by any other school in the Melbourne suburbs.

their point of need.

The Dandenong Ranges tower over the school and provide a stunning backdrop to the natural environment and expansive grounds upon which the school is built.

At the heart of the school is the desire for the full flourishing of each of the students – their religious, physical, cognitive, emotional and social learning.

At St Bernadette’s, the student is at the centre of everything the school strives for.

The single word that resonates with everyone at St Bernadette’s is “commUNITY”.

St Bernadette’s provides Catholic school values and education for all school members, but also celebrates and serves the diverse wider community that they are part of by welcoming those from other traditions and faith backgrounds as well as families from a non-faith background.

The community is filled with wonderful students, supportive and welcoming parents and amazingly dedicated staff.

Within a school of about 200 students, learning and wellbeing is personalised to ensure that every child achieves success and is learning at

More information is provided at www.sbthebasin.catholic.edu.au, where you can also book a personalised school tour.

Learning is strongest when learners are engaged within the St Bernadette’s community and it is this community that sets them apart from others.

The students at St Bernadette’s are supported to engage in a broad range of learning experiences both within and beyond the classroom.

Call 9762 5135 for an individual school tour or visit www.sbthebasin.catholic.edu.au for more detailed enrolment information 12548363-NG25-22

14 SPRING 2022

The Dandenong Ranges tower over the school. www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

Education

A unique offering for girls SET in the hills of beautiful Belgrave, the heart of Wurundjeri Country, Mater Christi offers something quite unique to girls in the outer east of Melbourne.

The college was established by the Good Samaritan Sisters in 1963, which makes it quite young as far as girls’ schools go.

Mater Christi celebrates what it means to be a girl in a changing world.

The college aspires to educate girls who can take their place in the affairs of society, are not limited by stereotypes and can be true to who they are.

Mater Christi’s motto consists of three words – informed, compassionate and creative.

These words capture the dreams for each and every young person who walks through the school’s doors.

Whatever her pathway, each student will have opportunities to explore her interests and talents, to learn about herself and the world, and to find a place to belong.

Mater Christi has a proactive approach to wellbeing by including social-emotional learning as part of the learning program.

Their curriculum is based on the Middle Years Program of the International Baccalaureate, an internationally recognised framework which caters for a range of learning needs, offering support and challenge where required.

To register for a college tour, please visit www.materchristi.edu.au.

Mater Christi offers something quite unique to girls in Melbourne’s outer east.

The VCE program is rich and students’ results are a testament to the professionalism and expertise of their teachers.

A girls’ school provides a safe environment to explore identity in the midst of a caring, forwardthinking, service-oriented community.

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Mater Christi College is a vibrant, inclusive and warm community where girls feel safe and build supportive lifelong friendships.

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Enquire about our charter bus services SPRING 2022 15

It’s Your Life

Finding new family SOPHIE Cachia is a Melbourne mum, entrepreneur and author with a huge social media following.

How and what did you tell Bobby and Floss about the end of your marriage to Jaryd?

Meeting basketballer Maddie Garrick while happily married to former AFL player Jaryd Cachia turned her life upside down, as detailed in her new memoir Then There Was Her.

It was a gentle and slow approach not only for them, but because the reality was it was also something we needed to do softly to ourselves too.

Soph spoke to Casey Neill about navigating her new-look family life with son Bobby, daughter Florence, fiance Maddie, and Jaryd and his partner Jacinta.

I recall having a discussion with Bobby about Daddy possibly having his own house one time, and that Bobby would have not one but TWO bedrooms which he was excited about.

We’ve always been very upfront and honest that just because we wouldn’t be ‘married’ anymore, that we are always family and highlighted the different types of ‘families’ that exist.

Florence was too young to comprehend, so it was Bobby that I had to focus those gentle conversations with more and his emotional maturity is so advanced, he took it on board so well.

What did you learn from the experience that other parents might find valuable?

That kids certainly notice more than what you give them credit for.

Bobby often knew things already before we told him and he would pick up a lot of our conversations in moments where we thought we were talking quietly or out of reach of their ears. Don’t treat them as naive. Be open and transparent with them but always speak about the other person with respect.

In any moments Jaryd and I even became heated, we were always able to put our egos aside and say ‘can we step outside for this conversation?’ or continue it later in order to save the kids from any distress through difficult moments.

How did you introduce them to Maddie, and how did they react to seeing you with someone new?

Very easily. When she first started coming around, I assume they thought she was just another of Mummy’s friends.

They took to her SO well (and even at times when we had broken up and were apart, they continually asked about her and when they could see her again).

As our relationship developed, I asked them how they felt about her living with us and they were so excited.

Bobby asked ‘is Maddie now my step-mum?’ and I said ‘Maddie can be whatever you want her to be, darling’.

I imagine your kids were less fussed about you having a female partner than many fans and followers were was that the case?

Absolutely! My kids didn’t even bat an eyelid, and that’s simply down to the parenting Jaryd and I provided them with from such a young age.

Even as a happily married couple and before I discovered my sexuality, we openly spoke about all types of humans in our home - whether that be gender-based, cultural, identity or sexuality - and the need to accept humans as they are.

My kids have been raised to know and accept humans in all forms, and as we both have quite a lot of friends in the LGBTQIA+ community, there was no shock factor when I said ‘Mummy has a girlfriend’.

Kids only have prejudice and judgment if it’s taught to them, and that didn’t exist within our home.

How have you navigated co-parenting with Jaryd, Maddie and Jacinta, both in logistics and being on the same page with discipline?

Discipline is difficult, but that’s not because we are separated, that’s simply down to being humans and all being wired differently!

Jaryd and I would parent and discipline differently at times even when we were married, so that hasn’t changed now we are apart.

Sophie and Maddie with Bobby and Florence.

Maddie and Sophie with Florence and Bobby.

Sophie Cachia.

Picture: Regina Karon, Karon Photography

16 SPRING 2022

www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

I have a more gentle approach, a more ‘sit down and communicate’ style of discussions, feelings and why someone may have behaved in a way.

Bobby and Floss clearly have a beautiful bond. How do you foster that?

Jaryd is more traditional ‘right from wrong’ and that’s OK - we are allowed to be different.

They are your typical siblings bickering and fighting over who gets the blue cup at dinner and who gets the bloody yellow - but in moments of sadness, the way I see the other look after their sibling shows me that I am doing something right.

But regardless of our styles, we all have the same end goal and it’s to encourage our children to be the best versions of themselves they can be, knowing that as humans we all make mistakes along the way.

The way I love them, I hope, fosters that love amongst each other.

What advice would you give other parents navigating ‘unconventional’ family units?

I teach them to love with respect and boundaries, allowing mistakes to be made and forgiveness to be provided; to respect each other’s things and spaces.

I strongly believe the word conventional family is soon going to be a thing of the past.

Words such as ‘fat’, ‘idiot’, ‘loser’ etc are strictly banned in our home and their vocabulary.

Yes, they will still exist, but all families - no matter how they present - should be accepted. Nothing has changed about the fact I am their mother and Jaryd is their father.

How do you talk to your kids about your fame, and potentially following in your footsteps?

We just live separate lives now but we still love and care for our children.

Kids at school regularly tell Bobby that ‘my mum follows your mum on Instagram’ or ‘we have your mum’s pjs at home’ so he’s used to it.

I don’t really think Florence gets it, but Florence is more often than not in Florence’s world so that doesn’t surprise me haha.

Bobby is a super cool, quirky kid who loves gaming and collectables and tells me he wants his own YouTube channel one day.

Florence will most definitely end up on Broadway!

Was your kids one day reading your book on your mind as you wrote it, and did that make you change anything?

It honestly didn’t cross my mind during the entire process, but if that day comes, it doesn’t bother me.

I wouldn’t put things in a book that I was uncomfortable with anyone

What’s your favourite thing about being a mum?

That no matter how sh***y, stressed or tired I feel, a cuddle at the end of your day from your children can instantly put everything into perspective and make it all go away.

What aspect of motherhood have you found most challenging?

Honestly - right now - it’s keeping up with school commitments, homework, excursions, after school sports etc!

Bobby’s only 8 and Florence is just 5, and I feel like it’s stepped up a notch and I am hopeless at keeping up-to-date with school admin.

I know it’s only going to get busier the older they get, so please send help haha!

I really don’t talk about it, they just pick up on it.

Bobby, Florence and Sophie.

reading, including my children.

I encourage them to own their lives and be proud of who they are regardless, so I act exactly the same and own my story.

What do you hope other parents take away from your book?

That true love is allowing your children to be whoever they want to be. To know that life can change at any point,

even when you didn’t necessarily want it or chose it to.

That you can still love someone so deeply, but not romantically.

That respectful co-parenting situations can exist - you just have to both make that choice.

That there are no rules in life - it is yours to write.

Maddie, Florence, Bobby and Sophie. www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

SPRING 2022 17

It’s Your Life

Bucket loads of entertainment

By Angie Hilton MEET Al and Joel McInnes.

Two of the loveliest blokes you’ll ever come across.

These are the men who might help you sit down and have a cup of tea, or go to the toilet in peace, or get your washing folded.

Yes, many parents have bucket loads of gratitude for these guys for creating The Mik Maks! Endless amounts of mesmerising tunes and video clips that our young ones just can’t get enough of.

Free babysitting.

Hallelujah!!

Not to mention the bonus joy they bring when the parent finds themselves walking around the supermarket singing about bellybuttons!

It’s mind-blowing to think just a few years back, that while sitting around a campfire (and after a couple of drinks) they pulled out the guitars and jokingly wrote a song about a hairy crocodile called Bruce.

Now, who could have ever predicted that in a few years’ time they would shoot to internet fame with 5.5 million YouTube subscribers (FYI The Wiggles are at 2.45 million) and streams of nearly 5 billion.

That’s the second top channel in the country!

Chatting with Al and Joel, you get a real sense of just how tight their family unit is and what a loving, humble, values-based upbringing they must have had.

Pure, respectful gentlemen.

But for all the success, they have also faced heartbreaking sadness with the tragic loss of their youngest brother and Mik Maks front man, Dean, in 2018.

The boys at a glance…

Family?

Al: Kids: Layla 14, Jaz 12, Isla 6.

Wife: Shannelle.

Joel: Kids: Ava 14, Willow 12, Sam 9.

Wife: Tennille.

Guilty pleasure?

Al: A box of chocolates.

Joel: Slow-cooked Texan beef brisket.

Go-to karaoke song?

Al: Africa by Toto.

Joel: Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice. Three people living or passed you’d like to invite to a McInnes barbecue?

Al: Walt Disney, Keith Urban, Dean McInnes.

It was a very stable, secure childhood where all the values of hard work were instilled.

Dad was a very hard-working, quiet, sensitive, shy kind of man and still is - he’s 72 and still exactly the same. He was very principle-based, very proud.

Was mum the musical influence?

Where did the talent come from?

Al: Yes it was mum who instilled the musical bug into us from an early age.

She’d get us in to perform at Christmas events for the community or the church.

Mum still performs to this day.

She has directed the town plays back at our local community for probably the last 15 years.

I’m actually heading back tonight to watch her in the Lake Bolac town musical.

It’s amateur theatre but they have a lot of fun.

She said, “no, I’m already going to the party”. And I said, “How? you don’t know anyone this party?” And she said, “No, I’m going with the best man from the wedding”.

I didn’t know that her and the best man had shacked up that night. (laughs) So I was like “oh no. So, sorry. See ya.”

That’s the story, but things obviously didn’t work out with the best man, and she called me up a few days after that.

I taught her younger brother as a secondary teacher in Ballarat in the Year 12 outdoor ed class.

It was sort of quite late into our twenties when we realised ‘hey, we could do this for a living’.

I walked into the Max one day to see about getting a gig and her brother Ricky was working behind the bar.

Who was the naughtiest?

Al: Brian or Dean? It wasn’t us! (laughs) No, we were pretty tame. Brian broke the ice as the eldest.

He got in the most trouble and I think Mum and Dad just gave up a bit over time and became more chilled – especially by the time Dean came along.

He was definitely the naughtiest, but never got in as much trouble being the youngest.

From there, our other two kids were caesareans.

And Joel, what about your birthing experience?

Joel: Oh, it was simply incredible, it’s just something that you never, ever forget.

With the first one there was a lot of fear.

I kept thinking ‘hurry up, because this is going to kill her’.

It was so foreign. You can do all the courses but nothing prepares you for seeing your wife in so much pain for so long.

Tennille was always in control, she did an incredible job.

All three were a natural births and unassisted and she was just brilliant.

They were nice sizes ranging sort of between seven to eight pound.

He yelled out “Hey Mr Mac!” so I got the gig and met Shanelle.

Now on to your babies…I often get birthing stories from the ladies I interview, but I’d love to know the husbands’ perspective from the birthing suite?

Al: All of my children’s births were memorable, but Layla my first child was definitely the most eventful.

Shanelle my wife was in labour for

Would you say you had a strict upbringing?

Joel: They liked us to make our own mistakes, which was wonderful.

They really let us have a bit of rein and gave us the freedom to make our mistakes in a safe environment.

It must have been a big step to leave such a small town. Where did you head after Wickliffe?

Joel: I did my teaching degree at Ballarat university.

Came out, taught for a couple of years then did the overseas thing to the UK and worked there for three years, which was a wonderful experience.

Al: I also moved to Ballarat to study secondary teaching, taught for a few years in Ballarat then went overseas.

By that stage, the other three boys had already made the move from the farm to Geelong as well so that kind of became our base.

18 SPRING 2022

Who would want to go through that again?

Music was never really at the forefront for us until we became teenagers.

Growing up in a household of four boys must have been a hoot! How would you describe your childhood?

Joel: We were born and bred on a farm in a little town called Wickliffe, population of 30 to 40 people.

There were no devices to play on but there were plenty of trees to climb, balls to kick and neighbours to visit over the back fence.

We met at the wedding a few days after I got her phone number off the bride and the groom and I invited her to this party.

The prompter is the busiest person in the whole show (laughs).

I spent a couple years in England and in 2005 moved back to Geelong.

Being on 700 acres Mum always had that luxury of saying ‘get outside, go and do something’.

two days and by the end I was waking her up for the contractions, she was so exhausted.

How about you Al? Al: Shanelle and her family owned The Max Hotel.

Joel: Hugh Jackman, The Norris Nuts, Dean McInnes.

It was very community focused where the town would all come together around sport.

How did you meet the loves of your lives?

Joel: Tennille and I met at a wedding.

She was a bridesmaid and I was the bridesmaid car driver.

We all lived within a suburb of each other, so always kept that brotherly friendship going.

Dean and I also started our cover band Good Faces For Radio in 2006 which is still going today.

This is how we discovered Drums the Panda (Adam Giles).

He randomly said to us one day, “I’ve always wanted to drum in a panda suit”.

Joel McInnes, Ava McIness, Al McInnes, Isla McInnes, Jaz McInnes.

Picture: Louisa Jones www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

And are your children drawn towards performing?

Al: Yes, at different levels. They have different confidence levels and different skill levels.

They also have such different passions, which is great.

But just to stand in front of a camera and speak or act, they can all do that incredibly well.

Joel: They can all sing pretty well with the exception, of a couple who have to work extra hard and find it far more confronting.

My daughter Ava has joined the team and is doing a great job.

How would you describe your parenting philosophies?

Joel: Growing up where we did, there are obviously some amazing opportunities for us, but we also missed out on a lot.

We were all so keen on our sport as young kids, but we didn’t have the opportunities like coaching and facilities and mentors and all those sort of things.

Tennille and I have the philosophy that we’ve got all these amazing opportunities around us here in Geelong of things to go and try.

So we probably lean towards pushing the children into areas of interest, not being afraid to say go and do this for a month and just do it intensively and see what you think and learn from it.

Al: I feel like I’m still learning where the line is as to how much we encourage them to do something and then how much we allow them to just be their own person.

I think the most important thing is to just be involved.

I personally find the biggest challenge of what we’re doing is to balance being part of this growing business with being a parent to three kids who have completely different interests and share your time equally.

And especially with teenagers when you feel like they’re not listening to you at all - they are.

I’ve learned that even though they might shut you out and walk away, they’re still taking it in and just don’t want to admit it.

Tell us about the birth of The Mik Maks.

Joel: I guess it was initially my idea.

together for our first stage show, which was at the Anglesea Music Festival.

per cent, which India, Brazil, India, Philippines.

The three of us got up there with an acoustic guitar and we just basically performed and the feedback was instant. It just lit a flame.

We get more streams in Los Angeles a day than we do in all of Australia.

To look back and see yourselves writing Bruce the Hairy Crocodile around a campsite, I’m sure you would never have imagined turning such a fun activity into a thriving global business.

Can you give us a snapshot of the journey?

Joel: That’s right. It was fun and we could see all the potential from the responses, but there were moments where we really had to weigh everything up.

We sat around the table we’re at right now just banging our heads against the wall as to how we can make this sustainable without having to be doing live gigs constantly.

There were about three years for me of pretty sleepless nights.

You go from having left a great job, with great security, great pay, great conditions, great for the family and then cutting that rope.

Taking the chance and putting everything at risk to do this. But it’s been through our strategy with online streaming over the last three or four years that’s really taken that pressure off.

Al: Now a lot of our business is almost passive.

You do an hour of work filming and creating content, but then you get paid small bits of revenue for that hour’s work over the next few years, which is a great business model.

Tell us about your success on YouTube, where are you sitting at the moment?

Subscribers are sitting around five and a half million and actual streams we’re approaching 5 billion.

Our YouTube strategy is all about finding new audiences and getting into different countries.

I mean one stat is that only 1 per cent of our audience on YouTube is Australian.

Often it’s countries where English is the second language that we often receive messages from parents saying “Thank you for teaching my child how to speak English”.

How big would you like to get, or is the sky the limit?

In our niche, we’re still ranked about 30 or 40th Globally.

Coco Melon is YouTube’s biggest kids channel and they have 120 million subscribers.

It’s just endless how far you can take it.

I think the main thing is that we are family first.

I can’t imagine being in the days of The Wiggles when they were starting out.

They were on the road 24/7.

You read Anthony’s book and he talks about family breakdown and depression and health and that sort of stuff.

For all the success you have certainly had indescribable heartbreak to work through with in the tragic loss of your brother and front man Dean in 2018.

How did you cope with such a big loss?

Joel: It was our most challenging moment as a family when we lost him.

We were all lost.

The music kept us connected to him.

Because so much of his energy and his creative work went into the Mik Maks songs.

So when we finally got back on stage, about eight to 10 weeks after Dean passed, we really felt that connection with him and we knew that that’s what he would want us to do.

It’s been really cool having this enormous catalogue of Dean performing.

Especially for his young son Max to watch clips of his dad doing what he loved to do best and what he was incredibly good at.

It’s been a lot of ups and downs with it, but having our own kids really step up and be more active with it all has really helped as well.

He has left a wonderful legacy and the Mik Maks is a big, big part of that for him.

How would you describe him as a person?

Al: He was just cheeky with a big beaming smile.

Kids loved him, mums loved him, parents loved him. He had this really infectious laugh.

Everyone wanted to be his mate, because he just had that kind of personality.

And he was unbelievably talented.

Joel: If he had have been on the earth longer, he would’ve been playing lead guitar in some famous rock band.

Al: Or he would’ve been a famous country artist by now.

All of us will inevitably face major challenges in our lives, was there anything that really helped you get through at the time that you could share?

We leaned on a lot of people, especially early.

And we took our time to grieve and work through the process.

One of the best bits of advice I was given was from Carl Waddell from Rivers Gift, who lost his son a few years before that - he said, “Right now you wonder if you’ll ever smile again, but trust me in four or five year’s time you will.

Don’t rush it.

Just know that it will feel better.”

Favourite quotes?

Joel: Plato: “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind and life to everything.”

Al: Forrest Gump: “Life’s like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”

Al McInnes and his daughters, Isla and Jaz. Pictures: Louisa Jones

The US is the biggest market at about 17 per cent.

The next biggest is probably 6 or 7

Tennille and I were sitting on the balcony one day and she said, “Joel, if you won tattslotto tomorrow and you never had to work again, what would you do?” and I said, “I’d play music for kids.” And she said, “Why don’t you do it now?”

For some reason, it struck a chord and I thought I’ve got these brothers that are very talented musically and have got all the experience.

So I floated the idea past them while we were camping.

I said, “Hey let’s write a kids song.”

We had the guitars out and may have had a couple of beers under our belt which is often the secret to great kids songs (laughs) - that or lots and lots of coffee.

And we wrote Bruce the Hairy Crocodile within two hours.

We shared it with some of the kids in the neighbouring caravans and the response was instant.

We continued to share some ideas and about six months later we’d had about 10 songs.

Joel McInnes, with his daughter Ava McIness

So this was in January and then by October we had enough content to put www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

SPRING 2022 19

Books

A book within a book

By Casey Neill ARABELLA’S Alphabet Adventure features a book taking a daring adventure and learning she’s perfect just the way she is.

“I’m an ABC book and that’s all I’ll ever be,” Arabella complained to her capital C. Hers is the most beautiful and most borrowed book in the library - but only ever by children, often those with sticky fingers.

“We so often forget to be grateful for what we have, especially with the pervasiveness of social media and the constant pull to compare ourselves to people whose lives look shinier.

“Arabella’s Alphabet Adventure is a gentle reminder to love ourselves and those around us; to learn to live in the moment and find happiness in the things we already have, and to recognise that we all have value.”

When she wrote Arabella, Suzy had small children who devoured books.

“Arabella forgets she is special. She longs for words and paragraphs,” Melbourne author Suzy Zail said.

“I’d read them stories and we’d all escape for a while, so the library was our happy place and the perfect setting for my first picture book,” she said.

“She wants to be adored by adults so she travels to Africa as a stowaway in search of a better life, only to learn that she is perfect - and loved - just the way she is.

“Books had always kept me company, even as a small child, so it wasn’t a stretch to make my main character an ABC book who longs for adventure.”

Suzy is quite happy for her book to land on the kids’ shelf, susceptible to sticky fingers.

“I’d only ever written books for adults and teens and was grateful for the opportunity to work with an illustrator (Christopher Nielsen) and engage with young children,” she said.

“I also loved the challenge of whittling my words down to the ones that really counted and conveying big ideas in just a few hundred words.

“It’s harder than it looks because picture books are read over and over and out loud.

“Read anything that often and you’ll see every flaw.”

Author Suzy Zail.

Children’s books...

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

AMAZING ANIMAL JOURNEYS

Chippy Chasers: Chippy Jackpot

The third children’s book by bestselling mindset author and two-time Olympian, Matthew Syed, will help readers to find their voice, flex their social superpowers, and speak up with kindness and confidence.

What if you could disagree with someone without it turning into the argument of the century?

I’m here to tell you that it can be done. What Do YOU Think? will help young readers to discover what is influencing their ideas, from peer pressure to fake news. They’ll learn how to form and change opinions, and how to debate their views with empathy.

A beautifully illustrated title chock- full of fascinating animal facts from our bestselling, CBCA awardwinning Tasmanian children’s author/illustrator, Jennifer Cossins, that focuses on 25 animal species

Who loves a delicious, hot, salty chippy? Seagull mates Steve-O, Stanley and Stacey do . . . A hilarious graphic novel for readers aged 6+ from actor, animator and Tiktok sensation Sam Cotton.

$12.99 Hachette Australia

from Australia and around the world with intriguing migration journeys.

Did you know that Arctic terns have the longest migration of all birds, flying from the Arctic to Antarctica and back each year? Or that the wildebeest migration in east Africa is so vast it can be seen from outer space? Come along on these amazing animal journeys!

Perfect for readers aged 7+ who delight in learning about the animal kingdom and the world around them. $14.99 Hachette Australia

20 SPRING 2022

On a sunny Sydney wharf, Stacey and Stanley watch enviously as customers feed on as many hot salty chippies as they want. Fed up with having to scab for scraps with all the other seagulls, they seek out legendary chippy thief Steve-O to help them pull off the ultimate heist . . .

But first they’ll have to get past a seagull-hating chippy chef, deal with some bully bin chickens, and convince the World’s Best Chippy Chaser to overcome his dark past and join the team. $14.99 Penguin

Dirt by Sea Explore our wonderful coastline and the joy of a family roadtrip with Dad and Daisy!

Featuring 40 pages of extraordinary comic-style illustrations, this unique picture book will have you dreaming of a holiday around Australia or maybe even planning a van life with the help of the journey map in the endpapers.

The hugely popular creators of Why I Love Footy and Why I Love Summer are back together with a moving family story that is also a true celebration of what we love most about the Australian landscape, family holidays and classic Kombi vans.

Daisy lives in inland Australia with her dad and her grandparents. It’s home, and she loves the red dirt land around her.

Thank You, Teacher from The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show your teachers how much you appreciate them in this colorful book of thanks featuring The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Show friends and family how much you appreciate them with the Very Hungry Caterpillar’s colorful book of thanks.

Perfect for any day of the year, this charming book of pictures is the colorful way to tell loved ones “thanks!” Featuring art from the World of Eric Carle, this joyful book follows The Very Hungry Caterpillar and celebrates all that makes us most thankful. $15.99 Penguin

$24.99 Penguin www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

Books

Screen time is shaping minds

By Casey Neill

“Whether that’s reversible or not is still unknown,” he said.

“IT’S time to think about screen use.”

“We tried to map out what we think is happening based on evidence, and what you can do about it.

Dr Michael C Nagel has co-authored Becoming Autistic: How Technology Is Altering the Minds of the Next Generation, with Dr Rachael Sharman.

The University of the Sunshine Coast academics explored the effects too much screen time and too little social time had on the developing brain.

Specifically, autistic traits are showing up in otherwise neurotypical children.

“I’ve had concerns about technology and the impact on child development for more than a decade,” Dr Nagel said.

“It may be having an impact we don’t quite understand yet.”

He said he’d come across worrying studies suggesting a rapid rise in the diagnosis of autism in the Western world.

“There seems to be a connection between screens and young, developing brains,” Dr Nagel said.

“The brain doesn’t fully mature until we’re well into our twenties.

“We don’t think we can talk about how much time is too much time.

“We can’t create a controlled environment to test that.”

Rather, he said, they talked about what children needed for healthy development.

“If there’s any silver lining in the Covid cloud, it reaffirmed for us that people need to be with people,” he said.

Decades of research, he said, supported kids being with other children in real time, and able to read other people’s faces.

“The message to parents is: be mindful of what your children need,” he said.

“Having a phone didn’t suddenly become a right.

“It’s not about saying to kids ‘you can never use screens again’.

“It’s not about stepping back into the dark ages.”

He said TVs also contributed, but were much more passive.

And it’s not only their own device use impacting kids.

“If kids are on screens before, during and after school…”

“It does add to the overall length of screen time,” he said.

“It’s really important for parents to remember your child’s social queues develop when they’re looking at your face,” he said.

“There are too many missed opportunities when parents are on their phones.”

Or handing their children a phone in a cafe.

“If you’re doing it continually, you’re taking away opportunities for the child to learn,” he said.

“You have to parent technology.

“You have to set up boundaries, and it’s much easier to do when kids are younger.

He said data showed structural changes to the brain as a result of screen use in children.

“With teens, you have to wean them off slowly and create boundaries and borders.

F eel at home with fresh food

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“It’s susceptible to all kinds of environmental assault.”

Dr Rachael Sharman and Dr Michael C Nagel.

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SPRING 2022 21

Kids Calendar

What's on this Spring

UNTIL 9 OCTOBER

19 SEPTEMBER

MAKING ART: IMAGINE EVERYTHING IS REAL

SPRINGTIME BOTANICALS

This free all-ages exhibition invites kids and their families to experiment with innovative ways of making their own works of art. It runs 10am to 5pm daily at National Gallery of Victoria, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne.

Hawthorn Arts Centre is hosting this ink painting workshop for kids aged 5 to 12 years from 10.30am to noon. The cost is $25, including materials.

Visit boroondara.vic.gov.au.

20 SEPTEMBER

YARNBOMBING WORKSHOP A significant Bayside landmark is going to be yarnbombed next winter, thanks to Bayside City Council and GLAD Rappers - and the community.

Contribute at this school holiday activity for the whole family at Brighton Town Hall, 2pm to 4pm.

STICKER FACTORY 3 SEPTEMBER

CASEY PET EXPO Enjoy a fun day out with your furry four-legged friend at Wilson Botanic Park Berwick.

Explore the park, participate in workshops, watch live demonstrations and chat with stallholders from the pet industry, from 11am to 2pm.

10 & 11 SEPTEMBER

MOON LANTERN FESTIVAL This free two-day event features cultural performances, food, and drinks, at Queensbridge Square, 3 Queens Bridge Street, Southbank.

In this workshop at Hawthorn Arts Centre, kids aged 5 to 12 years will use collage techniques and colourful materials to create their own stickers. The cost is $25 and all materials are provided.

The event runs 10.30am to noon. Visit boroondara.vic.gov.au.

21 & 22 SEPTEMBER, 28 OCTOBER

Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for children and $45 for a family of four from eventbrite.com.au.

THE ALPHABET OF AWESOME SCIENCE Professor Lexi Con has curated her favourite words - one for every letter of the alphabet - and Professor Noel Edge uses each one to inspire 26 quirky scientific demonstrations.

Recommended for children aged 5 and above. The 21 September shows start at 10am and 1pm at Bunjil Place, Narre Warren. Tickets are $18 from bunjilplace.com.au.

The 22 September show starts at 11am at Knox Community Arts Centre, 790 Mountain Highway, Bayswater.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for children and $45 for a family of four from eventbrite.com.au.

The 28 October show is on at 5pm at Costa Hall, Deakin University Geelong Waterfront, 1 Gheringhap Street, Geelong.

Tickets are $12. Call 1300 251 200 or visit www.geelongartscentre.org.au.

DJIRRI DJIRRI DANCE WORKSHOP

27 SEPTEMBER

Kids aged under 13 years can join the Djirri Djirri Dancers to learn traditional Wurundjeri dances and how to sing in the Woiwurrung language. The show starts at 11am at The Memo, Healesville, 235 Maroondah Highway, Healesville.

BUNKASAURUS BY BUNK PUPPETS

18 SEPTEMBER

DOVETON SHOW

22 SEPTEMBER TO 2 OCTOBER

Visit dovetonshow.org.au for more.

Recommended for ages 4 and above, the show starts at 11am at Knox Community Arts Centre, 790 Mountain Highway, Bayswater.

21 SEPTEMBER

Tickets are $12 for children and not required for accompanying adults. Call 1300 368 333.

The Doveton Show runs 10am to 4pm at Myuna Farm and features rides, animals, stalls, show bags and other attractions - all for a donation.

Tickets are only available from royalshow.com.au. Melbourne Showgrounds is on Epsom Road, Ascot Vale.

MELBOURNE ROYAL SHOW This event returns after two years off promising new attractions, more fun, bigger smiles and greater value.= Children aged 14 years and under attend free, entry after 5pm is $25, save 25 per cent on rides by purchasing a ride pass with an admission ticket, and more.

Two silly guys are continually distracted from the serious work at hand and use puppetry and silent comedy to create a theatrical universe, steeped in imagination and creativity.

Bunk Puppets performances bring a focus on DIY puppet making using simple materials, and household items.

The show starts at 11am at Arts Centre, Warburton, 3409 Warburton Highway, Warburton.

Tickets are $20. Call 1300 368 333.

ESCAPE FROM TRASH MOUNTAIN This school holiday feature show is an epic tale of trashy proportions, featuring puppets and a message of sustainability.

30 SEPTEMBER

THE PLANETS WITH LAURA THE ASTRONAUT Inventi Ensemble plays The Planets against an animated backdrop in this narrated concert about cosmic adventurer Laura the astronaut.

The show starts at 11am at Montrose Town Centre, 935 Mt Dandenong Tourist Road, Montrose.

Tickets are $20. Call 1300 368 333.

18 OCTOBER

PEVAN AND SARAH IN CONCERT After two years of being beamed into classrooms and homes for remote learning, Pevan and Sarah are bringing the joy of their Cub Club music to Bunjil Place.

Students can sing, learn and laugh their way through a 50-minute adventure on a ‘typical’ day in the classroom, with shows at 10.30am and 12.30pm.

All tickets are $17 from www. bunjilplace.com.au.

23 OCTOBER

ELWOOD CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL Elwood Toy Library will present this event from 10am to noon at Chicken Park, 87 Tennyson Street, Elwood.

There will be a crepe van and coffee cart, face painting, Play Doh, interactive art, clay and nature crafts, a bubble show, garden games and Indigenous cultural learning.

Tickets go on sale on 1 October at www.elwoodtoylibrary.org. All proceeds will support the not-for-profit Elwood Toy Library.

Gates are open 9.30am to 9pm.

22 SPRING 2022

www.KnoxMonashKids.com.au

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