Stonnington Boroondara Kids - Summer 2022

SUMMER 2022

Raising boys with

Steve Biddulph When mother

knows best App helps kids

to find courage

www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

SUMMER 2022 1

A Xavier education 12572851-AI49-22

can take you there.

BOOK A TOUR xavier.vic.edu.au/ourtours

Building the Possible x a v i e r.v i c . e d u . a u 2 SUMMER 2022

www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

About Us

Time to get outside!

LIKE so many of you, we sure are excited to leave the wet winter and spring behind for some glorious summer weather.

The sound of cicadas, beautiful sunsets and warm nights make some of the best childhood memories, and like all of you we are looking forward to making them with our families.

The kids are finishing school for the year and we are busy running around in preparation for Christmas Day and the holiday season.

For many, the summer holidays can’t come fast enough.

We have a wonderful edition for you - so many beautiful families have shared their stories with us.

We speak to a mum who struggled to breastfeed, another who’s creating pockets of peace for struggling mums, and medical professionals about what feels like the endless run of viruses many households are experiencing.

author Steve Biddulph, and Lucy Stewart with yet another yummy recipe for us to try.

The warmer months are here and it’s time to get outside and explore the world around us and there is no better place to be than where you live.

From all of us at Kids Today, have a Merry Christmas and an awesome start to 2023. Happy holidays!

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

We have our regular special guests as well, including world-renowned

Stonnington Boroondara Kids

CONTENTS

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

IT’S YOUR LIFE

ACTIVE KIDS

Raising boys around the world

Climbing bolsters brains and bodies

PAGE 4

PAGE 22

DANCE, MUSIC AND DRAMA

EDUCATION

Hope for a virus reprieve

Teamwork for school transitions

Photography Rob Carew

PAGE 6

PAGE 23

BOOKS

Check pool barriers to save lives

Bilingual school’s new late-entry program

PAGE 36

PAGE 7 Gut-loving mango jelly gummies PAGE 8 Kids crush YouTube comp PAGE 9 Check pool barriers to save lives PAGE 10 Hit the road at Kew Traffic School PAGE 11 Rocket Park out of this world PAGES 12-13 There’s not one ‘right way’ PAGE 14 Finding the right formula PAGE 15 Mum welcomes rainbow triplets PAGES 16-17 Finding pockets of peace PAGE 19

Melissa Meehan melissa.meehan @starnewsgroup.com.au

PAGE 23

PAGE 5

App building courageous kids

Editorial

En Pointe students on international stage

Mother knew best

PAGE 6

Stonnington Boroondara Kids magazine is a Star News Group publication.

Group Advertising Sales Manager Mandy Clark mandy.clark@starnewsgroup.com.au Phone: 5945 0608

Isaiah shares his culture

PAGE 24

Reading turns on imagination

Setting the right foundations

PAGE 36

PAGE 26

Message of love and meditation

Windmill’s Christmas gift guide

PAGE 37

PAGE 26

Books growing a greener future

Support your child to thrive

PAGE 37

PAGE 27

Discover new children’s books

Nurturing tomorrow’s global citizens

PAGE 38

PAGE 28

Nazeem Hussein’s hy-larious hi jinx

Educators nurture young voices

PAGE 38

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.

SUMMER 2022

PAGE 29 Scholarships support Wesley students

CALENDAR

PAGE 30

What’s on this summer

A fantastic year at De La Salle

PAGE 39

Raising boys with

Steve Biddulph When mother

PAGE 31

knows best

Each Xavier student a unique creation PAGE 32

App helps kids

to find courage

Nurturing students’ natural learning styles PAGE 32

www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

Set a foundation for learning PAGE 34

HEALTH

Tips to stop study distractions

Call for private cover shake-up

PAGE 35

SUMMER 2022 1

Cover Amelie spends a summer afternoon in a hammock.

Picture: Rob Carew

PAGE 18 Preparing your home for baby’s safety PAGE 21 Helping mums missing connection PAGE 22

stonningtonboroondarakids.com.au www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

facebook.com/stonningtonboroondarakids

instagram.com/stonningtonboroondarakids SUMMER 2022 3

It’s Your Life

Raising boys around the world Raising boys around the world, writes STEVE BIDDULPH A COUPLE of months ago, I received some amazing news. The sales of my book Raising Boys in its Chinese translation had just passed a million copies in just one year!

This brought my worldwide book total to six million, making me the top selling parenting author - so far - in the 21st Century.

For a shy psychologist living in country Tasmania, this was rather hard to take in.

The last century’s star performer of parenting books was of course Benjamin Spock, who put me well in the shade with 50 million copies of his book Baby and Child Care sold in his lifetime.

Spock is my hero - he was the first writer to really respect parents, telling us that we should trust our own instincts first.

And he went in to bat for a generation reared with his books, by opposing the Vietnam War and the nuclear arms race, arguing that as a paediatrician he had to care for the

4 SUMMER 2022

lives of all children everywhere.

I’m a natural worrier, and so my first worry was whether the ideas in Raising Boys would help in a Chinese setting.

But back at the time of the translation, I had already been talking to many Chinese parents here in Australia who knew the culture back home, and I was much reassured - not only was the message appropriate, but it was very much needed.

What are the key messages of Raising Boys?

Well the first has to be that boys need to be around their dads a lot, to receive affection from them, and really know them in a deep way as they grow up, so they see that men have feelings too, and can be vulnerable and loving.

Single mums can raise boys very well, and they have done for thousands of years, but in my work I talked to thousands of single mums over the years, and found that part of their secret was in making sure their son met good men along the way, to role model what healthy masculinity was like.

It might be a school teacher, grandad, the gay man next door, or a guitar or karate teacher - as long as they were safe good men who a boy could get to know well and imitate and learn from.

Because of their often greater muscle

strength, and the poisonous messages sent by porn culture and the long history of sexism in our world, boys need to see respect shown to women especially their mother by their father.

And as they get a little older, to be explicitly taught never to hurt, exploit or sexually or otherwise misuse girls or women.

The book also broke new ground in sharing research that boys’s brains were slower growing.

So they might not be ready for school at the same age as girls, especially if they were born later in the year.

We began to discover that males in fact are the weaker sex, that their delayed development made them more socially awkward, more prone to separation anxiety, and perhaps because of this, suicide and prison rates were many times higher than for girls.

But this could be prevented affection, not rushing them into school, helping them with reading and talking, and allowing their energy to be expressed in lots of activity rather than calling them naughty for just being physical.

One astonishing much quoted piece of research was the hormonal change at age 4, when their testicles begin to lay down testosterone making “Leydig” cells, and they often become super

active and drive their quiet loving parents quite crazy.

Mums and dads were so relieved that their boys were not naughty, but like having a large dog - you just had to run them around a lot.

The great discovery of this century of course is that no two boys are alike, and they are on a testosterone spectrum, some boofy and a bit slow to learn language, and some sensitive and more gentle, that there a many different ways to be a boy.

Understanding what you have got is your first job - you can read lots of stories and have lots of quiet chats alongside your boofy boy, while helping your quiet boy to know how to stick his chin out and sound loud when necessary, but otherwise know that he is just a much a boy as any other!

The final message which was so taken on around the world was the boys must learn housework - that by age nine they should be making at least one meal a week for the family cleaning their room, helping around the house - brought smiles, and hopefully a generation of far more likeable men in families of the future.

Less men in jail, more men happy in their relationships and in their own skin.

I couldn’t be happier that this might be the case in China as well!

www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

It’s Your Life Melissa with daughters Maxine and Skye.

Melissa Scudeller.

Sisters Skye and Maxine.

Mother knew best

By Casey Neill A LACK of sleep is something most new parents accept as inevitable.

But Kew mum Melissa Scudeller hadn’t slept for more than three hours at a time in nine months.

Second daughter Maxine would only nap in a carrier and was often waking every hour overnight.

“I would tell anyone who would listen that she wouldn’t sleep, that she was waking that frequently,” she said.

“She snores, she breathes loudly.

There’s something not right.”

Mel tried for months to find a place at a sleep school and enlisted multiple sleep consultants.

She was told time and again to wait it out.Mel jumped at a sleep school cancellation the week before Christmas, and was sent to emergency after one night.

“They told me she would have periods where she stopped breathing for 20 seconds,” she said.

“She had her first Christmas in hospital.

“She had severe obstructive sleep apnoea. Every time she was horizontal she couldn’t breathe.

“Your oxygen levels should be above 95.

“She was dipping down to 30 and 40.

She wasn’t getting enough oxygen to her brain.”

They normally don’t operate on babies so young but scheduled surgery for three days later.

Covid caused delays, so Maxine was sent home with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine to help her breathe.

Mel said the surgery recovery was rough, but after two weeks Maxine was a new child.

She was 19 months old when we www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

spoke, and eldest daughter Skye was 4.

“Before Skye I did have a miscarriage.

It was a real eye-opener,” Mel said.

“I didn’t know anyone who had gone through that.

newborn I had a raging headache and couldn’t see,” she said.

“But it was exhausting managing two people on different schedules.”

She wanted a VBAC with Maxine, but at 38 weeks she was measuring small and Mel’s amniotic fluid was low.

Mel’s husband Carlos was born in Brazil, so the couple will teach their girls to speak Portuguese.

“It was quite an isolating experience for me.”

This time the cesarean was straight forward, but adjusting to being a mum of two was not.

“My mother in law was able to come out earlier this year when the borders opened up,” she said.

“I didn’t realise how intense it was having two to look after,” she said.

“The dynamic between them really made me realise that Skye needed to speak Portuguese to have a relationship with Carlos’s family.

People questioned why she was so upset about the loss.

“I was that baby’s mum as well,” she said.

“It made me realise how many people have actually been mums but you would never know.”

Mel fell pregnant with Skye about five months later.

“The only challenging thing was at about 36, 37 weeks she turned breach,” she said.

She declined an offer to manually turn Skye after researching the procedure - it can be painful, carries a risk of bleeding and isn’t necessarily permanent.

“I actually remember reaching out to a few mums who had two kids already and said ‘I’m so sorry, I wish I’d supported you more’.”

“I think it’s helped that there are things like Spotify, so it’s very easy for us to listen to songs in Portuguese.

Keeping a toddler quiet while getting a baby to sleep and vice versa was a huge challenge.

“With TV streaming services now, a lot of the kids’ ones you’ll be able to change the language.

“There was a good few weeks where I don’t know how I coped,” she said.

“I’ll put on My Little Pony, I’ll change that to Portuguese.

“I knew what needed to be done and felt confidence in my skills as a mum.

“We need to somehow maintain a bit of Brazil here.”

So she was booked for a cesarean and told that attempting a vaginal delivery was against hospital policy.

“I felt quite disappointed that my only option for a breach delivery was a cesarean,” she said.

“I understand that when things go wrong they can go very wrong.”

But her grandfather was an obstetrician, and explained that breech deliveries were no longer taught in medical school.

“It’s a set of skills that has been completely lost,” she said.

“It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. If no one has the skills to deliver a baby breech there are going to be complications.”

Ironically, Mel suffered complications from the cesar after the spinal block pierced the fluid sack around her spine.

“For the first eight weeks with a

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SUMMER 2022 5

It’s Your Life

Hopeful for a virus reprieve EMERGENCY rooms across Australia have been inundated with children struggling to breathe - and it’s not because of COVID-19.

Respiratory viruses, including respiratory syncytial virus and influenza, have been hitting kids more frequently and in patterns not before seen.

According to Perth paediatrician Asha Bowen, Western Australia and the Northern Territory are experiencing a peak in RSV cases - something that would usually happen in June.

But during the pandemic, RSV surprisingly peaked nationally in January and February.

For RSV to climax in September and October, it gives hope that things are moving back to normal and towards the depths of winter - but it’s anyone’s guess if that is actually going to happen, Dr Bowen said.

The days of regular peaks and troughs are gone, with practitioners noticing numerous changes in the way viruses are presenting.

Couple that with limited immunity, thanks to spending months indoors

during the pandemic, and children seem to be getting more of the viruses out there.

“Normally we see RSV and then influenza and then the other spring viruses like rhinovirus, metapneumovirus and others,” Dr Bowen told AAP. “But there has been no sort of usual pattern this year ... they are cropping up whenever now and maybe it is because COVID has left them room.

“We found COVID had its peak nationwide in January and February and then the other viruses came.”

She said the increased number of respiratory illnesses in children meant an increase in hospital presentations and added pressure on the system.

Royal Australasian College of Physicians president and paediatrician Jacqueline Small said it had been a tough winter for all but especially children.

“Now we’ve entered spring, we’re hoping for a reprieve from the volume of viruses circulating in the community,” she said.

“We must remain vigilant and remember we can always do more to protect ourselves and our children, such as keeping up good hygiene and staying home if you’re sick.”

Victoria’s Deputy Chief Health Officer Associate Professor Deborah Friedman said high vaccination numbers helped reduce flu infections in 2022.

She said the flu season was early, short and sharp in Victoria but more cases may emerge later this year when holiday-makers return from overseas.

Influenza peaked in Victoria with about 18,000 cases in May and declined to 350 in August.

It was overtaken by the number of notified cases of RSV in mid-June.

RSV mostly affects younger children, with 42 per cent of cases notified in 2022 aged under three.

The number of people presenting to emergency departments with respiratory illnesses other than COVID-19 and asthma increased over the winter months, with children under five making up an increased proportion.

Medical director of infection prevention and epidemiology at Monash Health, Professor Rhonda Stuart, said everyone was catching up on viruses they didn’t get during the pandemic.

There was hardly any influenza and very few other respiratory viruses in 2020 and 2021.

“It’s not necessarily immunity,” she said.

“These viruses often like to transmit in the winter because we’re all indoors and we don’t physically separate so much, and it’s much easier to transmit during the winter months.

“But as spring comes and the doors open, and we have good ventilation, and people are outdoors, respiratory viruses and COVID won’t transmit nearly as easily.”

The Department of Health and Aged Care said COVID-19 testing likely had an effect on identifying the number of people with respiratory viruses but it was unable to quantify those statistics as the data was de-identified.

- AAP

Swimming lessons save lives In a country surrounded by beaches, it’s important that Aussie kids learn how to swim efficiently.

WITH summer approaching, it is important to give your child the best grounding to be able to enjoy and survive in the water. Children who are happy and confident in the water will be more able to think themselves out of a difficult situation and be in a position to most quickly, safely and enjoyably, learn to swim.

It is concerning to see the drowning statistics released from Life Saving Victoria, highlighting that those most at risk include young children, teenagers and young adults. In particular, those participating in high risk activities or alcohol affected are at a higher risk, as 6 SUMMER 2022

are recently arrived citizens who possibly do not speak or read the English language.

While there has been a decrease in the drowning statistics over the past ten years through education and advertising campaigns, the challenge is to create and maintain a water safety culture in Victoria while increasing participation in aquatic activity.

Children need regular and ongoing lessons until they reach the required skill level. By swimming all year round they retain skills and build techniques easily. Breaks in learning to swim,

Picture: Supplied

mean valuable time is lost and when lessons resume, skills must be revised and often re learnt. Those who do year-round lessons are stronger and better able to resist colds over the winter months.

Geelong Aquatic Centre which has operated for the past 25 years, is a specialist Learn-to-Swim centre which is the ideal venue for infants, children of all ages and adults to learn swimming and survival skills. All levels can be catered for in their two 25m and one recently enlarged learner’s pool, which are all heated and salt chlorinated.

Lessons are taught in a sequentially

developmental program where children are not progressed until each skill is attained to a proficient standard, so that confidence and competence is maintained.

All staff at Geelong Aquatic Centre are well qualified and passionate about teaching those in their charge to become confident and capable in the water.

Enrolments are being taken for term four, which starts on Monday September 26. Phone the centre on (03) 5222 5530 and speak to the friendly reception staff for bookings. www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

It’s Your Life

Preparing kids for life’s challenges

By Casey Neill COURAGEOUS Kids is helping parents to support and prepare their anxious children.

Armidale doctor and mum Kathryn Hackman used her first-hand experience to create the app.

“I was told by my kid’s kindergarten teacher that he was a bit sensitive,” she said.

“My kid is certainly more anxious than most.”

Dr Hackman was proactive and took him to a pediatrician, occupational therapist, speech pathologist and psychologist to learn the skills to support him.

“The key strategy that they use is preparing for change,” she said.

‘Social stories’ was among the most common technique - and the most labour-intensive.

“This isn’t meant to take over from anything else,” she said.

“I just feel that I’m in such a privileged position and it’s still bloody hard.

“I thought ‘what are other families doing?’.

“I want this to be accessible for all families.

“A true social story should be personalised to the child.

“You can get some online but they are rubbish.

“So I started making stories that were still informative to my child but had a little extra warmth.”

“A lot of parents will know and will resonate with a child who doesn’t want to go to kindergarten or preschool or Prep.

Dr Hackman writes the stories then sends them to a child psychologist for input.

“You just think about them all day and wonder if they’re OK.”

They explain everyday situations and the ‘rules’ adults take for granted in a clear and direct way.

From travelling for work to starting preschool, she put in the preparation and watched her kids thrive while others fell to pieces.

“All kids thrive when they have a bit of preparation,” she said.

“We’re all so time-poor.

“The app is something that’s nice to have for neurotypical kids, and a need to have for kids with anxiety or autism.

“If you don’t have the language, if you don’t know the words, even by doing a few stories with your child, you will learn how to talk with your child.

“It’s an open space for discussion rather than telling the child how they’ll feel.”

Dr Hackman’s son would cry and cling to her legs during separations, and struggled with unspoken rules and expectations in social and educational situations.

“It’s so stressful and heartbreaking,” she said.

“I think we all have seen it at some time or another.

Her day job is about prevention over cure.

“You don’t have to wait for it to get to that point to get help,” she said.

“Wouldn’t it be good if parents could implement things so that it never gets to that point?

“So many of us were parented with that ‘she’ll be right’ mentality. Suck it up and hold it in.

“I think we expect a lot from kids.

“We expect them to trust and feel safe with a teacher they’ve met once, and trust that you’ll come back.

“The point is to familiarise them with their new environment, and meet their teachers and build trust.”

The Courageous Kids app is designed for children aged 2 to 6 years, and also contains a visual planner and games.

“It makes a world of difference for kids to know what to expect and feel ready for new experiences, and this app is already a game changer for anxious, autistic and highly sensitive kids,” Dr Hackman said.

The app in action, customised with a photograph.

The app in action.

Dr Kathryn Hackman.

Pictures: Rob Carew

www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

SUMMER 2022 7

It’s Your Life

Gut-Loving Mango Jelly Gummies Ingredients Picture: Studio 74 Photography

■ 1 cup diced mango ■ 1 cup filtered water ■ 3 Tbsp gelatin powder ■ 1 Tbsp maple syrup or honey *optional, if your mango is tart

in the kitchen

Instructions 1. Combine mango, water and maple syrup in a blender and process in to a puree.

with Lucy Stewart JELLY gummies are a cheap, easy and fun way to include the ancient superfood, gelatin, in our kids diet.

They’re just like jelly lollies but without all the sugar, colours and flavours that you’ll find in the store-bought ones – they’re the kind of lollies you’ll be happy for the kids to eat, by the handful!

Gelatin is derived from collagen found in animal bones, skin and cartilage that’s been dehydrated and ground in to a flavourless powder. It’s nutritionally the same as collagen, just a more refined version of it. Collagen works from head to toe in our bodies to: help repair and restore the lining of the gut, support muscle, hair & nail growth and repair, keep joints flexible and

2. Pour mango puree in to a saucepan and sprinkle over gelatin 1 Tbsp at a time, allowing it to bloom (turn in to a jelly blob) in between. bones strong – everything kids need to support them during their rapid period of growth and development. Gelatin also promotes healthy liver detoxification, nourishes our adrenals, and is a major component of skin, so don’t think these jelly gummies are for the kids alone to enjoy.

Because they’re loaded with protein they also help to balance blood sugars, provide a steady release of energy and keep kids tummies feeling fuller for longer.

Making these jelly gummies is so easy and a fun way to get kids in to the kitchen and involved in the cooking process. We’ve made the most of the in-season mangoes in this recipe, but you could easily replace the mango with berries.

You’ll find gelatin it stocked in most healthfood stores – favour one from pasture-raised Australian or New Zealand cows. Unfortunately, the gelatine at the supermarket doesn’t carry the same health benefits

3. Gently heat the mixture over low and stir until the gelatin has completely dissolved.

4. Pour mixture in to moulds or a baking tray (you can slice in to squares once set), then place in the fridge to set for at least 2-hours.

5. Remove gummies from the moulds and store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5-days – if they last that long!

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 pro- cessed 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 12562706-MS36-22

8 SUMMER 2022

www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

It’s Your Life

Brighton brothers win Flick Fest

By Melissa Meehan WHO says nothing good can happen when kids are behind a screen?

Oliver, 9, and Lucas, 5 from Oliver and Lucas - Educational Videos for Kids, are two charismatic and entertaining brothers who have taken the internet by storm with their educational YouTube show.

The two Brighton brothers recently won the SF3 Kids Best Documentary Award.

Early this year they travelled to West Africa to film a series of episodes celebrating the beautiful culture of Liberia.

They shared with their little viewers the history of hair braiding in African culture, how to collect water from a well and even attended a traditional Liberian wedding.

Upon their return they decided to submit one of their episodes, The Magic in Liberia, as a short film.

The rules were simple, the video had to be shot on a smart phone and

needed to be done by kids under the age of 16.

They were named as finalists and went to Sydney to discover they had won.

Proud mum Genwa Rafeh said the boys had started their own YouTube channel that puts together content for kids, by kids.

schooling and so we were going crazy and I was sick of them watching the Twitch channels,” she said.

“So they started their own.”

One of their most popular episodes has almost 170,000 views – and it’s about how to prepare your child for your first haircut.

They get around 40,000 views a month from all around world.

They’ve even done one for a medical centre and have many more that you can check out online.

“My husband was stuck overseas for a year and a half year and I was home

https://www.youtube.com/c/ oliverandlucas/

Oliver and Lucas are back from their big win in Sydney.

Picture: Rob Carew

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www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

SUMMER 2022 9

It’s Your Life

Kidsafe urges pool checks Kidsafe urges families to check pool barriers and help save a life

KIDSAFE Victoria has joined forces with Olympic champion Matt Welsh to launch its annual ‘Safe Barriers Save Lives’ campaign, calling on home pool and spa owners to ‘help save a life’ by checking their barriers before the warmer months.

The call comes as figures from the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia’s (RLSSA) National Drowning Report show that in 2021/22, 17 Australian toddlers drowned. Swimming pools were the leading location where these incidents occurred, accounting for 35% of all toddler drowning deaths.

As an Olympic swimming champion, Matt Welsh knows the benefits that learning to swim and growing up around water can provide for children.

As a father of six, he also acknowledges the risks that swimming pools and spas can pose if strategies aren’t put in place to help keep children safe.

“With the summer months just around the corner and families spending more time in and around water, it’s important to be prepared. By checking that your pool barriers and

gates are in good working order, you could save a life”, said Mr Welsh.

While toddler drowning rates reduced by 29% compared to 2020/21, Jason Chambers, General Manager of Kidsafe Victoria, said that drowning remained one of the leading causes of accidental death for Australian children under five.

“Toddlers are attracted to water, however they don’t yet understand the dangers that it can pose. Toddlers can drown quickly and silently - a split second is all it takes for them to gain unsupervised access to the water area and find themselves in trouble.”

Josie Costanzo knows just how quickly this can happen - her threeyear-old son Justin drowned in a neighbour’s pool in 2000 after the gate had been propped open with a rock.

“Justin died in under 20 seconds with one mouthful of water, 125ml to be precise, in his lungs. I still had his dinner plate in my hand when I heard a call from my daughter and looked out the window to see him in the pool. That’s how quickly it can happen. I was

numb”, said Ms Costanzo.

at all times when in or around water.

While safety barriers can be effective in reducing the risk of drowning incidents, evidence suggests that many drowning deaths involve barriers that are faulty, have not been maintained, or are non-compliant with Australian standards.

■ Water awareness: participating in water awareness and learn to swim classes helps children to become familiar with water, learn about water safety and learn how to swim.

■ CPR/First Aid: Kidsafe encourages all parents and carers to enrol in a CPR/ First Aid course and regularly update their skills. Doing so will equip them with the tools to respond in an emergency.

Chris Samartzis, CEO of the Master Pool Builders Association of Australia (MPBAA), said barrier checks are an important part of a regular routine for all pool and spa owners.

Top 5 issues with pool and spa barriers ■ Gates or doors that are no longer self-closing

“Adding a pool or spa to your home provides endless fun and healthy activity for any family. Pool barriers are constantly exposed to the extremes of weather, so it’s important to regularly check for any rust, loose or missing bolts, and general wear and tear.”

■ Gates or doors that are no longer self-latching ■ Gates that are propped open for convenience – allowing children unsupervised access

In addition to regularly checking and maintaining pool barriers, Mr Chambers highlighted a number of other actions which are vital to help keep children safe in and around water, including:

■ Gaps, holes or spaces in and under the barrier which a child can get through ■ Climbable objects near the pool barrier e.g. BBQ’s, outdoor furniture, eskies, trees etc.

■ Active adult supervision: having an adult within arm’s reach of toddlers

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10 SUMMER 2022

www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

It’s Your Life

Ready, set, go!

Time for Kew Traffic School Children need to bring their own bicycle or scooter and helmet to join in the fun.

KEW Traffic School is a fun and engaging space for children aged 2 to 10 years.

Children need to bring their own bicycle or scooter and helmet to join in the fun.

and school groups can book to attend Kew Traffic

In January, Kew Traffic School will be open for public play and ride sessions to help children develop important cycling and road safety skills while having fun.

Parents and carers must stay and supervise their children.

The evidence-based program aims to empower children to stay safe both at home and on the roads.

Children can gain confidence and practice riding their bikes or scooters around a mini road track complete with road signs, roundabouts, railway crossings and traffic lights.

The facility is also available for limited private bookings and parties throughout the year, featuring a large party room with kitchen facilities.

Be quick, weekends get booked out quickly. Party and private bookings open six months in advance.

During school term, kindergartens

School’s safety education program.

Themes covered by safety educators include pedestrian safety, bike safety and identifying hazards on the road.

The traffic school is a well-known and much-loved icon in the City of Boroondara and feedback since its redevelopment last year has been

overwhelmingly positive.

Many parents attended the centre themselves as a child, and the new facilities have breathed fresh life into the centre for a new generation.

Public ride and play sessions are available to book during the school holidays on weekdays from Monday 9 January to Wednesday 25 January 2023.

For more information and to book, visit www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/kts.

12577713-HC49-22

www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

SUMMER 2022 11

It’s Your Life

Rocket 30 Henry St Hawthorn.

Donna, Wes and Susie check out the new, much-loved Rocket Park.

Pictures: Rob Carew

By Melissa Meehan

Rocket Park blasts into future 12 SUMMER 2022

THERE’S a revamped playground at Central Gardens, Hawthorn, known by many as ‘Rocket Park’.

The new space-themed playground design is officially open to the public after the much loved 1960s original rocket slide was taken away during the revamp.

It has added new life to the popular playground, which includes new and renewed play equipment, nature play opportunities, shade, improved accessibility and new landscaping.

The new playground is centred around the rocket, and utilises the theme of space exploration to create a playful narrative that supports this much-loved play piece.

Key features of the new design include a renewed rocket that has stood the test of time and holds strong connection to ‘days gone by’ and new ‘traditional’ equipment such as monkey bars and a combination play unit combined with a partly accessible ‘mission control centre’ inspired ‘Mars landing terrain exploration’.

It has with mounds, tunnels, rocks and craters for balancing, clambering and hopping challenges for all ages, a water play zone and a variety of swings for young and old.

www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

The old playground has received a much needed revamp.

Susie explores the new playground

Wes and Susie Wes gets his climb on www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

SUMMER 2022 13

It’s Your Life

There’s not one ‘right way’

By Casey Neill WHEN Tahlia Azaria’s first son Rafferty was three months old, her husband Joe Toohey returned home from work and asked what she’d done that day.

The Coburg mum regaled him with a tale about spying her neighbour putting something into their bin, and the stare she threw to let her know she’d spotted her devious act.

“Joe said ‘I think you need to go back to work’,” she said.

Tahlia agreed.

“I like to be in control of my life, I’m very goal-oriented,” she said.

“I chose to let go of that control when I went into labour, trusting that my body knew what it needed to do.”

But her difficult labour ended in an emergency caesarean.

“That set us up for our first few weeks together with a background of trauma,” she said.

“The bond didn’t happen immediately.

“It set the scene for me for my first year.”

Rafferty and Spencer.

Tahlia met her mothers’ group when Raffy was about six weeks old.

“You can do anything, whatever gender you are.

“I was having a really difficult time, I wasn’t enjoying it,” she said.

“Gone are the days where it’s not expected that mums would achieve things outside of their families.

“I said ‘who’s looking forward to going back to work? Because I’m really looking forward to going back to work.’.

“I felt like I had three heads.

“That seemed to be perceived as not something that you say.

“No one else could relate.

“It caused me to isolate myself further.

“I had done most of it before Raffy was born and I had two subjects to finish.

“I did them while on maternity leave and it kept me connected to the outside world.

“I had three hours with adults talking about topics I was interested in.

“I was talking to a counsellor at that time, trying to reconcile my identity.

“I was able to do that because I had a supportive partner.”

“You can’t predict one day to the next. That was a big adjustment for me, having gone from being a full-time employee in a profession I really loved and was passionate about and achieving things, to maybe being able to have a shower.”

Tahlia and Joe’s second son, Spencer, was born during Covid times and she got back to work sooner thanks to working from home.

Six months after welcoming Raffy into the world, Tahlia returned to work.

“If I had to be physically with people all day and then come home and be with my kids before they go to bed, I don’t think I’d be able to function as well as I’m able to.

“I sort of found my purpose again, which is not to say I wasn’t fulfilled by my child,” she said.

“Some people are built to be a stay-at-home parent.

“I have so much admiration for that skill set. I don’t have that skill set.

“I don’t have the creativity and the imagination to spend that time with a child and give them the stimulation they need.

“Each experience is different and it’s up to that person or that family to decide what works for them.

“There shouldn’t be one way to do things.”

Tahlia completed her MBA when Raffy was 18 months old.

“I feel like it’s a real example for him,” she said.

14 SUMMER 2022

“The way that I’m wired is I get my energy from being alone,” she said.

“I’m very fortunate to have found an incredibly supportive workplace, and manager in particular, who understands that I have these demands on my life, and that for me to be really effective at my job my work environment needs to be conducive to that.”

Tahlia Azaria with husband Joe Toohey and sons Rafferty and Spencer.

had to know what was happening, and I had to exhaust all options to know why it wasn’t happening.

“I very quickly lost the perspective of ‘if it happens, it happens’.”

She feels fortunate that Spencer was conceived with their first embryo transfer.

Motherhood has helped Tahlia better understand her strengths and skills.

“And it also showed me in real time the value of child care and how valuable it is for different kids,” she said.

“Spencer is an extrovert in a family of introverts.

The age gap between the boys is almost five years, following trouble conceiving.

“He needs to go to child care to be around people all the time so that he’s constantly being entertained.

“I’m really glad that it happened that way. Now we have a 6-year-old who is such a big help,” Tahlia said.

“Raffy, he’s also a bit introverted, he’s really calm, he’s really happy to occupy himself.

“We started on that journey going ‘we’re really happy with one child, if it happens, it happens’.

“It helped him find his confidence and learn social skills.

“It got so far down the line that I just

Pictures: Rob Carew

“It’s for education as much as it is for child minding.”

Tahlia Azaria had a difficult start to motherhood. www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

It’s Your Life

The right formula

By Casey Neill ALY Backman’s anxiety around breastfeeding started soon after her daughter Daisy was born.

The Lilydale mum’s milk came in on day two and her breasts “just exploded”.

Daisy was struggling to latch and Aly was in pain.

“I was told ‘it will calm down, it will calm down’,” she said.

“It never calmed down.”

She experienced her first blocked duct about a month in, and frequently thereafter.

Daisy just didn’t need all the milk Aly’s body was producing.

“I was so disconnected from Daisy, with the birth trauma and then the breastfeeding trauma on top,” she said.

Aly saw a local lactation consultant, describing the visit as “useless”.

She saw a breastfeeding guru that her GP recommended, and a women’s physio who performed an ultrasound on her breasts.

She tried different latches. She tried feeding more frequently, but Daisy just wasn’t hungry. She tried cabbage leaves, heat packs, ice packs…

“I spent upwards of $1000 on intervention. Nothing worked,” she said.

“I wanted to fix it so badly but nothing ever fixed it.

“It was awful. I really didn’t even want to leave the house.

“I always had a pump with me to try and take off a bit of milk.

“I very rarely had that feeling of deflated boobs. My boobs were always full.

“I slept on my back for nine months because I was terrified to sleep on my side.

“I didn’t wear a bra for nine months, I wore those crop singlets.

“Something that should have been so natural was so s***.”

Nine months in, Aly had blockages in both breasts and decided it had to end.

She sought advice from her maternal and child health nurse.

“She made me feel confident enough to go ‘we have to go cold turkey here’,” she said.

A doctor prescribed medication to help dry up her milk.

Scared of mastitis and suffered three weeks of rock-hard, lumpy breasts, using a manual pump for some relief, plus ice packs and cabbage leaves.

“I didn’t shower for days because I didn’t want them to get warm,” she said.

Daisy was hysterical on day one, and it took all Aly’s strength - and stern words from her partner, Tom - to resist breastfeeding her.

They bought “every single bottle” to find one Daisy would accept formula from, and ended up finally succeeding with a baby drink bottle.

And then it was over.

“I felt the biggest relief and weight taken off my shoulders,” Aly said.

“I wish it had been different, but there was never a solution.”

Aly finally felt like herself again.

“It was a very long time, a really www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

lonely time,” she said.

“Tom found it really hard because I don’t think he knew how to help.

“But he was so supportive the whole way through, and so supportive of the decision to bottle feed Billy.”

Breastfeeding was immediately off the table when she fell pregnant with her son.

“But the further we got along in the pregnancy, the more I started to question my decision and feel really guilty,” she said.

“I thought ‘what if he gets sick and I can’t give him antibodies from breastfeeding?’.”

Midwives could see how traumatised Aly was, and referred her to a clinical midwife consultant in the Perinatal Emotional Health Service.

“I had a couple of appointments and explained everything,” she said.

“She was going to play devil’s advocate, but said ‘after hearing your story, you are 100 per cent making the right decision not to breastfeed’.”

Aly was told she’d receive medication to stop her milk from coming in, but shortly after welcoming Billy she was told her body would actually still produce some milk.

“I had a massive panic attack in the hospital. I freaked out,” she said.

“This was on day two. Day two was where it all happened with Daisy.”

So the consultant advocated for her to stay in hospital another night.

“My milk did come in but it did go away pretty quickly. It wasn’t anywhere near as crazy.

“I just felt guilty, and I still hold onto that guilt, even though I know it was the right decision for our family, and for me - if I had got a blocked duct, I would have lost it.”

Aly found formula feeding overwhelming.

“How many bottles do I need? What formula do I buy? Breastfeeding would be so much simpler,” she said.

“But I found I was way more connected to Billy than I ever was with Daisy.

“He would gaze into my eyes and I would gaze into his.

“Even though there was a bottle in his mouth and not a boob, it was beautiful.”

The trauma hasn’t affected the relationship she has with Daisy today.

“But the experience that I had with Billy was just so much nicer and natural - which sounds so stupid because it was formula in a bottle - but it felt like the experience I should have had with Daisy.

“Don’t feel guilty about deciding if it’s best for you to use formula.

“Breast milk is best, but it’s hard work.”

Aly with Daisy and Billy.

Pictures: Rob Carew

Lilydale mum Aly Backman.

SUMMER 2022 15

It’s Your Life

Triple rainbow follows storm

By Melissa Meehan

that she had lost the baby.

THEY say that things come in threes.

It wasn’t until they were walking their bags into the departure line at Denpasar Airport that Jaimee began to feel contractions.

And this is certainly true for Jaimee Fraser.

She has lost three babies and recently welcomed triplets into the world.

Her journey to motherhood hasn’t been an easy one.

She welcomed her first son Arlo without any issues. As he was about to turn one, she and her husband Cam decided it was time to expand their family.

She fell pregnant straight away, as expected.

Her mum had four children, including one set of twins, without any issues and Jaimee had no reason to believe she would be any different.

She’d never met anyone who had lost a baby and pregnancy loss couldn’t have been further from her mind.

But the day before a family trip to Bali - their last as a family of three Jaimee was shopping and noticed something wasn’t right.

She went to emergency and was reassured that light bleeding was completely normal in early pregnancy.

She was told her HCG levels were rising and she had nothing to worry about.

SO THEY LEFT FOR THEIR BALI HOLIDAY THE NEXT DAY… The first week of their holiday was everything they dreamed it would be.

They spent it exploring and relaxing by the pool.

But during their second week, Jaimee again started to bleed.

It was different than before.

She was raced to Denpasar Hospital for an ultrasound and was told her baby had no heartbeat and hadn’t grown in two weeks.

They wanted to operate right away, but Jaimee refused. She hoped the little one would hold on until they returned to Australia.

Doubled over in pain, she ran to the bathroom and lost her baby at eight weeks.

Autumn is remembered as her first angel.

They welcomed Theo into the world with much excitement shortly after.

AS COVID RESTRICTIONS EASED….

Jaimee and Cam booked a weekend away in the Yarra Valley for their fifth wedding anniversary.

In the depths of Melbourne’s lockdown they had decided to try again for another child, but were in no hurry.

As she was packing her bags for the trip, Jaimee had an inkling she was pregnant.

SHE DIDN’T IMMEDIATELY PANIC….

She had some light bleeding with her second son, Theo, and he was a perfect, healthy baby.

Jaimee and Cam went for a scan.

She was 11 weeks and begged the technician to tell her the baby was OK. But there was no heartbeat, and her body had not registered that her baby had died.

She named her Summer.

At that point, Jaimee described being broken.

“I was just devastated,” she said.

“I had a lot of support offered to me which was great, but I was just exhausted from the trauma and the grief.”

A month after losing Summer, Jaimee found out they were pregnant again.

“We weren’t expecting it to come so soon, and we were petrified,” she said.

They waited until nine weeks for their first scan, and the baby was “perfect”.

The ultrasound technician noted there was a 4 centimetre subchorionic haemorrhage but that it was very common and should heal.

They had another scan before their harmony test, and the haemorrhage had shrunk by half.

But at 11 weeks, Jaimee woke up to another bleed and went straight to emergency.

A scan found her baby alive and well, as would be the case many times during her pregnancy.

At 12 weeks he was perfect. At 20 weeks he was perfect. But the haemorrhage kept growing and doctors couldn’t fix it.

Jaimee went to bed on 13 July to pain coming in waves.

She couldn’t bring herself to take a pregnancy test, but packed one in her case.

Jaimee took it the next morning and it was POSITIVE! “I was terrified,” Jamiee told Kids Today.

“But I reasoned with myself that lightning never strikes twice in the same place.”

Jaimee with her growing belly of triplets, said she found it difficult to express her excitement about the future while she was pregnant. Pictures: Rob Carew

She booked a scan for Christmas Eve. Cam was working so she went alone.

She was 7.5 weeks and felt a wave of calm wash over her when she heard the heartbeat.

It would be the first and last time she would see her baby alive, and she regrets Cam wasn’t there to enjoy it too.

They went to their holiday house to spend the silly season with family and friends and share their happy news.

But the morning some friends were to arrive, Jaimee started bleeding again.

She went back to her villa, where she was staying with her sister and mum, and told them she was pregnant - and

16 SUMMER 2022

www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

Jaimee Fraser has experienced her share of loss.

Her waters had broken and at 21 weeks she was dilating and her placenta was coming away.

Her baby, still perfect, was about to be born.

A doctor entered the room and explained if they could get the baby to stabilise they could be moved to the Royal Children’s Hospital in a few weeks.

She then asked the baby’s name.

“We hadn’t settled on a name, but decided on Remi,” Jamiee said.

She went to sleep in the room, hoping for the best, but was woken by intense contractions and rushed to the bathroom.

“And in the lonely light of the morning, while the world slept, Remi was born,” she said.

“The silence was heavy, not a cry or murmur could be heard. I was frozen.

Afraid to look at him. Afraid he was dead. Afraid he was alive.”

Cam called for the midwife, who confirmed their worst fears - Remi had passed away.

SOCIAL MEDIA PROVIDED AN OUTLET… “I started an Instagram page,” Jaimee said.

“About pregnancy loss and my loss and a place that I can share photos and stories and my journey so that other people like me don’t feel alone.”

The account @rememberingremi helped Jaimee find others who have experienced loss.

It’s also where she sensitively announced she was pregnant - with triplets.

“As if picked by their three siblings in the stars, we are so happy to announce that we are expecting three precious rainbows,” she wrote.

Conceived naturally, without the help of IVF or fertility drugs, the news blindsided Jaimee and Cam. She sensitively shared her journey on the page, too, expressing her concerns about viability and her obstetrician’s advice that getting to 26 weeks was the goal.

She welcomed Ziggy, Daisy and Sonny on 14 September.

They were born at 32 weeks via emergency c-section thanks to the same placental abruption that had taken Remi.

They spent some time in special care and Jaimee, Cam, Arlo and Theo are looking forward to enjoying life with three new babies in their lives.

www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

SUMMER 2022 17

Health

Melbourne mother Bridget Crowe decided to give birth in the public hospital system.

Picture: AAP

Private cover shake-up call as parents go public WHEN it came time for Bridget Crowe to have her babies, she was among an increasing number of Australian parents turning to the public hospital system.

The Melbourne mother-of-three couldn’t justify the high out-of-pocket hospital fees - and specialists say she’s not alone in shunning the private system due to cost.

National Association of Specialist Obstetricians and Gynaecologists president Gino Pecoraro told AAP the nation was “witnessing the virtual collapse of private obstetrics”.

Part of the problem was that Australia’s birth rate had fallen to a record low, while the majority of women giving birth elected to use the public system because of the cost of private health cover, the Brisbane-based specialist said.

“People who are having babies are all being forced to go to the public sector, which was never designed or intended to do all of the work,” he said. “(Public hospitals) are really struggling, but it’s a symptom of the disease that there hasn’t been enough resourcing or planning to run obstetric services.”

In 2016/17, 23.7 per cent of childbirth procedures carried out in hospitals took place in private facilities but the share has steadily fallen to 21.8 per cent in 2020/21.

Dr Pecoraro said a reboot of the entire sector was needed, with a particular 18 SUMMER 2022

focus on Medicare and private health insurance.

midwives, it is now under severe strain and under-resourced,” she said.

we decided to go with the public system.”

“The federal government hasn’t had the courage or the conviction to stand up to the private health insurers and make sure that they cover pregnancy in all the policies,” he said.

“That strain has been caused by more people being unable to afford private care even though many of them would like to.”

Rachel David, the CEO of private health insurance industry body Private Health Care Australia, conceded out-of-pocket costs often turned people off private maternity care but added the system was difficult to navigate due to the Medicare Benefits Scheme.

Dr Pecoraro said it was “cruelty and sexism” for women to face significantly higher private health insurance costs in order to be covered for pregnancy and birth.

“And Medicare isn’t blameless in that either - we’ve had a Medicare rebate freeze for specialists for six years,” he said.

Melbourne obstetrician Bronwyn Hamilton agrees.

She said the Medicare rebate barely touched the surface of running a private clinic.

“Unfortunately, if out-of-pocket costs didn’t exist we would actually lose money for each patient we took on for their pregnancy and birth,” Dr Hamilton said.

The Medicare rebate of $329.70 towards charges for the ‘planning and management’ of a pregnancy does not cover her costs, such as staffing, insurance and rent.

Dr Hamilton said many of her inner-city private colleagues were struggling for business due to the push towards the public system.

“Although we have a world-class public system with highly qualified

In 2019/20, 69 per cent of private patients with insurance who gave birth vaginally without complications did not face any out-of-pocket doctors’ costs, according to the federal government’s Medical Costs Finder.

The remaining 31 per cent typically paid $350 in out-of-pocket fees, while 57 per cent of patients whose babies were delivered by Caesarean section faced out-of-pocket doctors’ costs typically worth $420.

However the figures don’t include hospital charges such as accommodation or theatre costs, which usually reached into the thousands of dollars and might not be fully covered by insurers.

Ms Crowe and husband Matty initially planned to go private but changed their minds because of the out-of-pocket costs.

“We originally increased my private (insurance) coverage to include pregnancy when we were thinking of trying for our first (child),” she said.

“Then I was told the out-of-pocket cost for the majority of doctors in my area started around $5000.

“This cost alongside the increase in our premium was significant for us. So

Private health insurers were often not allowed to co-fund outpatient care if a Medicare benefit was payable, she said, adding that the system as a whole was “too rigid”.

“What we don’t want to happen is for private obstetrics to disappear, the workforce to disappear and then have a very big load on the public hospital system and create some bottlenecks which actually impact patient care,” she said.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said cover for pregnancy and birth was mandatory in top-tier health insurance plans, however it was a commercial decision for insurers if they included similar cover in cheaper policies.

“The benefits paid for pregnancy and birth are generally of a significant amount, which require higher levels of premiums to cover,” she said, adding that these benefits reflected fees charged by doctors and hospitals over which the government had no authority.

AAP www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

It’s Your Life

Jay creates calming and nurturing artworks with a neutral colour palette.

Jay’s art helps to create pockets of peace.

Jay with sons Banjo, 3, and Baxter, 4.

Finding pockets of peace for mums

By Casey Neill JAY Young didn’t see postnatal depression coming.

“I don’t want to say it was a rough start to parenthood, but it was a rough start to parenthood,” the Yarra Glen mum to sons Baxter, 4, and Banjo, 3, said.

She went into labor three weeks early while at the hospital for a birthing class, with no time to return home for her bag or ease into the idea of meeting her first child.

Jay was “still in business mode” when midwives were encouraging skin-to-skin cuddles and breastfeeding.

“I was expecting to have a couple of hours’ labor at home,” she said.

“As soon as he was born I didn’t want to touch him. I just wanted to get up and have a shower.

“I just needed my time.”

Jay didn’t recognise the signs of depression, and neither did her partner or family.

“It was the most gorgeous midwife.

She asked me ‘what do you look forward to?’,” she said.

www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

Jay said ‘nothing’, that she had a baby to look after and couldn’t do anything.

The midwife asked Jay what she saw when she looked around her home.

She saw mess - toys sprawled everywhere, unclean dishes, spew rags, bottles…

“It’s an overwhelm of the senses,” Jay said.

“I think that’s why I fell into my postnatal depression.

“Every part of my body was sensory overload.”

Where Jay saw mess, the midwife saw a fed family, and a cared for baby.

“She was helping me to put a bit of a spin on what I was seeing as such a negative,” she said.

The midwife told Jay to create an oasis to escape to when she felt overwhelmed.

with a neutral colour palette.

“I’m a firm believer that sitting down with your phone isn’t giving your brain enough time to switch off,” she said.

“It dulls what your triggers are and then you can’t move through it.

“You need to sit down and clear your mind without distraction.

“Art is something to look up at and draw your eye away from the phone and let your mind wander.

“Letting your mind wander and letting your mind process what you’re going through is so valuable.”

Baxter’s room became Jay’s pocket of peace, with nothing but a cot, a rocking chair, and hand-drawn art on the walls.

“I would retreat and sit quietly with Baxter on the boob, looking at the artworks,” she said.

“I had little sketches of a koala, a wombat and a platypus.

“I now call it my pocket of peace,” she said.

“They were all snuggled up and they were all sleeping.

“That’s the whole mantra behind my business.”

“I hadn’t started painting at that point.

Her business is Young By Design. She creates calming and nurturing artworks

“I’ve always drawn but I’ve never actually painted.

“That was me doing something for myself - I taught myself watercolour.

“It really connected me back to who I was.

“It helped me heal.

“As soon as the lights go out, that’s when my brain and my soul turns on.

“I do love my sleep, but I’ve found the benefits of painting far outweigh the sleep deprivation.

“There are some times when I look at the clock at 2.30am and think ‘the kids are going to wake me up in two or three hours’.

“But when I look at what I’ve created throughout the night it gives me so much fulfilment that I can carry on through my day.”

She said it was essential for new mums to find something that made them feel like themselves.

“It doesn’t need to be art,” she said.

“It can be singing, it can be cooking, if you’re into fitness I’m all about getting your baby looked after for an hour so you can go for a walk.”

For help with postnatal depression, call the PANDA national helpline on 1300 726 306.

SUMMER 2022 19

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Health

Preparing your arrival BE ready for baby’s safe arrival at home with these tips from Epworth midwives.

Your baby needs a safe sleep space which should be a flat, firm surface, with their feet at the bottom of the cot or bassinet. Remove all hats, bibs and other loose items from the cot and keep your baby’s face and head uncovered, with the blankets tucked in firmly.

Red Nose Foundation recommends that your baby’s sleep space should be a non-smoking area, in the parent’s room for the first six to 12 months.

Always supervise your baby near any water, as infants can drown in as little as 2 centimetres to 5cm of water.

To avoid burns, bath water should be 37-38 degrees or similar to your body temperature.

Run the bath first with the cold then add hot water and finish by turning off the cold.

It also recommends breastfeeding to reduce the risk of sudden infant death.

Make sure you check the temperature with a thermometer, or your arm, before you put your baby in.

Make sure that any baby equipment meets the Australian standards for safety before you use it and ensure the item hasn’t been recalled.

Before you leave hospital, have a car seat fitted. This should be rear facing, secured correctly with the harness adjusted to fit baby’s body correctly.

Even from birth, babies can move unexpectedly. Never leave your baby unattended on a raised surface like a bed, sofa, chair or change table.

Never leave your baby in the car.

The inside of a car can get hot incredibly quickly.

from light and disturbance also means you can’t easily check on them and it can make the space hot. Babies can quickly overheat and become seriously unwell.

Prams and capsules are not designed as regular sleeping spaces. Covering a pram or capsule to shield your baby

Always supervise pets and children undistracted, no matter how much you trust them.

Keep one hand on your baby, or pick them up if you need to move away.

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SUMMER 2022 21

Health

Mothers supporting mothers ‘NO mother should have to feel alone in their journey of motherhood.’

This year, the Caring Mums program is celebrating its 10-year anniversary!

Since the pilot program in 2012, more than 700 mums have been referred to this program.

The demand keeps on increasing as families are more mobile than ever, with mums often leaving their networks and families at a time when they most need connection.

Our volunteers provide a part of the village that so many of our mums today are missing.

They become cheerleaders, mentors, and friends to the mothers with whom they are matched. They are there to support the mum in being the mother she wants to be.

Our volunteers have found that issues around isolation, mental health, grief, birth trauma, relationships, confidence and most commonly, adjusting to a new reality are what most mothers need to talk about.

Our volunteers create a safe environment in which this can happen.

The Caring Mums program is a Melbourne-based community program providing confidential, home-based, and free of charge emotional support to pregnant women and new mothers.

The program is available to women

Caring Mums volunteer Emily, program manager Michelle Kornberg, and a mum receiving support, Maria, at the Caring Mums 10-year anniversary.

from all cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Through weekly home visits by trained Caring Mums volunteers, new mothers and pregnant women receive a much-needed connection, a shoulder to lean on and a non-judgmental ear.

One mother said: “She was my guardian angel, my advocate and pretty much became part of the family.

“She helped me feel more confident in my new role as a first-time mum and was always there for advice, guidance and support.”

To find out more about Caring Mums as a participant, volunteer or referrer, visit ncjwavic.org.au/caringmums.

Mum Amy with volunteer Rachelle.

Climbing bolsters brains and bodies

The great thing about this sport is that you climb to your own pace and skill, which will build overtime regardless of age or fitness level.

Confidence and self-esteem You’ll probably notice this truly crucial benefit of climbing well before fitness and co-ordination levels pick up: confidence, self-esteem and independence.

Climbing and bouldering triggers the receptors in the brain when kids experience the feeling of taking charge and overcoming the challenge of a climb all by themselves.

Climbing for Kids!

This happens especially when they have to try several times to achieve the top, or have a fear of heights: the mental exertion and battle to overcome fear, followed by achievement, will build their confidence and self esteem in other areas of life where they face struggles.

It truly is persistence in the face of adversity, and that’s something everyone can use a little bit of.

Strength, fitness and flexibility Climbing uses your whole body, which makes it great for overall fitness and physical endurance as well as burning that extra energy all kids have.

You exercise your core, legs, arms and even tiny muscles in your hands and fingers, as well as employing muscles to stabilise and balance yourself.

Head along to Boulder Project in Prahran and give your kids a leg up (the wall)!

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Benefits for brains and bodies Whether your kid is on the path to the 2024 Olympics or just looking for something simultaneously physical and mindful, bouldering and climbing have a multitude of benefits for their brain and body.

Summer School Holiday Bouldering for Kids Bouldering builds strength, coordination and confidence!

With no ropes or harnesses, it's something you can jump straight into.

Book in for a Kids Climbing Class running every Saturday and Sunday at 11am or come along any other time and enjoy the fun with our regulars!

Kids need to be 10+ years to climb and supervised by a parent or guardian.

48 King St, Prahran www.boulderproject.com.au Climbing can build confidence.

22 SUMMER 2022

www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

Education

‘We’re talking about the same kids’

By Casey Neill SUCCESS at school is about teamwork, says author and principal Andrew Oberthur.

His book Are You Ready for School? helps both parents and educators to smooth a child’s transition into primary school.

“Educating children needs to be a collaborative exercise between teachers and parents,” he said.

“The teacher is going to know your child only second-best to you.

“The message of this book is that if parents and teachers work together, the result should be children who are confident contributors to society.

“Parents cannot provide a complete education without teachers.

“Teachers cannot provide a complete education without parents.”

Mr Oberthur covered both bases in the book because few other resources do.

“As a parent, you often hear from the parenting experts of the world. Then you’ve got teachers listening to the teaching experts of the world,” he said.

“Yet we’re talking about the same kids.

“Let’s make sure we’re talking about the same thing in the same way so we get the same outcome, which is happy and healthy kids.”

He’s been a teacher for more than 30 years and has teenage children.

“I live and breathe this stuff and have to relate to parents and teachers,” he said.

“I’m not saying I have expertise in any fields, but I have experience in both fields.

“The current pressures that both teachers and parents are experiencing is growing every year.

“The ultimate goal is that the child knows mum and dad and the teachers are on the same page.

“That’s going to make for a

harmonious, positive relationship.”

When an issue comes up, Mr Oberthur recommends parents listen to their child cautiously then get the school’s version of events.

He said parents should ask what happened at school that day, and relay their child’s account.

“You’re inviting the teacher to give you their version of events,” he said.

Second, they should ask the school policy on the issue and, third, they should ask how they would work together to support their child’s learning.

“The good programs give children the foundational skills to have them ready to attend to the formality of learning in a primary school,” he said.

“You’re going to build a culture of trust and collaboration,” he said.

“We should be setting them up so when they come to the formality of a classroom, the children have the skills necessary to return to learning.

He said kinder played a huge role in preparing kids for school.

“But you’re the first educators of your child in everything.”

En Pointe students on international stage SIX En Pointe School of Ballet dancers have been selected as finalists to attend Bangkok in December this year for the Asian Grand Prix International Ballet Competition.

Owner and director Renee Grinsted said thousands of hopeful dancers auditioned from across Singapore, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Malaysia, Philippines, Taipei, Mainland China and Australia.

Just a select few from each country were chosen to attend the finals.

international competition is just amazing.

“The support that they have from our team, their families, and our En Pointe School of Ballet community is very special, and we are just delighted and honoured to be recognised on the world stage.”

En Pointe School of Ballet has studios in both Vermont and Kew and has been in operation for more than 10 years.

The school offers classes for students “Not only is this a huge achievement as young as three years old right up to for our young Australian Dancers but to certificate IV and VCE dance. have six coming from our school is Students are offered the opportunity quite remarkable and we are beyond to sit annual formal examinations and proud,” Ms Grinsted said. take part in the school’s fully-staged En Pointe School of Ballet’s Maya productions, competitions, festivals and Conn will compete in the 13-14 years local events. category, with Scarlett Graham Staff are fully-qualified exselected in the 11-12 years category. professional dancers with a wealth of Students competing in the 9-10 years performing, training and industry category are Jurie Jung, Anna Zhang, experience.

Luna Yuen and Nina Zhu. They teach ballet using the Ballet The jury of judges for the finals Conservatoire Syllabus - based on the includes some very esteemed Russian Vaganova Method of Classical individuals from the Australian Ballet Ballet.

School, The Royal New Zealand Ballet The Ballet Conservatoire training School, and principal ballerinas from and assessment program emphasises around the world. correct placement, dynamics and “Our students have worked extremely hard, they are a very special performance quality, which are all inherent in the Vaganova method. group of talented and dedicated individuals,” Ms Grinsted said.

For more information, visit www.

“To have six local kids coming out of enpointeschoolofballet.com.au, email a humble suburban studio and making enpointeschoolofballet@gmail.com or it into the finals of a world-class call 0423 251 400. www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

Staff are fully-qualified ex-professional dancers with a wealth of performing, training and industry experience.

EN POINTE SCHOOL OF BALLET 2023 ENROLMENTS NOW OPEN

En Pointé School of Ballet Traditional classical ballet classes for students aged from 3yrs through to pre-professional level training.

All classes taught in a safe and friendly learning environment by qualified professionals in our fully equiped studios located in Vermont & Kew. Book your FREE trial lesson today! www.enpointeschoolofballet.com.au

PH: 0423 251 400 12572016-JW49-22

SUMMER 2022 23

Education

Deutsche Schule Melbourne has introduced a late-entry program.

New late-entry program at bilingual school IN a good challenge, there’s even greater opportunity.

That’s the ethos of principal Jörg Dopfer, who has introduced a late-entry program at Deutsche Schule Melbourne (DSM) – a bilingual primary school in Melbourne’s inner north.

Since 2008, the primary school in Fitzroy North has been providing a German-English immersive bilingual education to children who usually start in the school’s Foundation Year.

But from next year, DSM will open its doors to students in Years 3 to 5 with no prior German language skills.

The newly-appointed Mr Dopfer says he looks forward to seeing students embrace the challenge of the transition, and tap into the benefits of bilingualism.

“Students will be keeping up with a new language and new content at the same time – it’s an environment where they’re learning how to solve problems every day,” he says.

When Dopfer ran a similar program with refugees in Germany, he was initially sceptical about how easily children could learn the language at a later stage, alongside their regular schooling.

“When we started in Germany, I wasn’t sure if it would work out for the kids, if it would be too overwhelming,” he says.

But he found the opposite to be true.

“The experience was amazing. I saw 24 SUMMER 2022

students manage all the tricky parts of their education while also learning another language – many progressing to the highest levels of academic success in Germany.”

Now at DSM, he’s taking on a similar challenge, albeit with a slight twist.

“In Germany, we didn’t need to explain to students why it was important to learn German. They understood they needed to learn the language to be part of that society,” he says.

For students here, he knows the motivation will be different.

content and language integrated learning (CLIL) classes, and immersion classes with the students’ regular cohort.

CLIL classes help students learn a new language by teaching content – such as maths, sciences and humanities – in German, with help in English where needed.

To develop the program, DSM enlisted the help of Dr Averil Grieve, an applied linguist at Monash University.

“The cognitive, social and academic benefits of a bilingual education are well-established,” she says.

“There needs to be a driver to be doing this – within both the child and the family,” Mr Dopfer says.

“And DSM’s approach of combining intensive language classes with CLIL is best practice for helping children thrive in that environment.”

That could be the desire to be a part of the global community, or simply a natural inclination to push for academic success.

The program has been specifically designed for students in Years 3 to 5, an age Mr Dopfer says naturally lends itself to exploring new ideas.

“Starting out, a bilingual environment can be demanding – that’s something I would always tell parents coming in.

But for children who are curious and creative, who love thinking outside the box, it’s incredibly rewarding too,” he says.

“At those ages – 9, 10 and 11 – children start to engage more with the world around them. So it’s an exciting time to introduce them to different languages and cultures,” he says.

“When our students graduate, they speak two languages to a near native speaker level – it develops their intercultural awareness and boosts their self-confidence.”

The new program consists of three parts: German language lessons,

To make sure their lessons are consistent with their progress, teachers will develop individualised learning plans for each student.

“Our goal is to have children fully integrated into the existing bilingual program within six to 18 months, moving into more immersion classes as they develop the language skills they

Principal Jörg Dopfer.

need to do so,” Mr Dopfer says.

He says the benefits of a bilingual education can’t be overstated, that it’s as much about the possibilities it opens later in life as the cognitive abilities you gain along the way.

“A bilingual education gives students a global mindset. But our German curriculum also has a strong problemsolving focus – offering children many opportunities to develop competencies rather than just skills,” he says.

“These competencies are essential for critical thinking – which is what our young students need to tackle the social and global challenges of tomorrow.”

“I’m looking forward to opening that opportunity up to more students with this new program.”

The DSM Accelerated Pathway program begins in February 2023.

The school invites families who are interested in the program to enquire today. Scholarship opportunities are also available.

www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

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www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

SUMMER 2022 25

Education

Setting the foundation ST Peter’s Early Learning Centre at St Kevin’s College is a coeducational Catholic early learning environment in partnership with the parish of St Peter’s Toorak.

We are a small setting with big heart.

Working in partnership, we are committed to instilling values of family, community and social justice.

At St Peter’s ELC, we believe in setting the right foundations for school readiness through a play-based learning environment.

We pay particular attention to the children’s early stage of ‘learning how to learn’ and we guide this through the

principles of the Reggio Emilia Educational Project’s view of 100 languages. Our early learning program considers the interests and curiosities of the children, as well as from Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligence, which looks at how different modes of learning can benefit each child.

Educators spend time ensuring that the learning stimulus and provocations are meaningful for the children.

It’s not a matter of setting up random activities to keep the children busy, it’s about stimulating curiosity, inquiry and learning to further extend each child’s development.

We believe the foundations made in

the early years strengthen the children’s social and emotional intelligence and provide confidence so they are ready to learn in the formal settings of school.

In 2023, St Peter’s ELC will be offering both a part-time or full-time service for both the three-year-old and four-yearold programs.

Please contact me with any inquiries.

Kathleen Brohier, Head of St Peter’s ELC

The early learning program considers the interests and curiosities of the children.

Playing games with children MANY people have good memories of playing board games and card games and still love to play a good game of some sort.

They also have a very wide range of games for children at different ages and stages including games that the whole family can enjoy.

There are many different types of games and many that can play a large part in a child’s learning journey.

These include board, card, travel, outdoor, and single player games, and the giant Jenjo wooden games.

Children learn to interact with others and begin to understand concepts such as sharing and taking turns.

As well as the old favourite classical games, Windmill also has a range of interesting new games.

■ Smart Games Brain Train Single player

There are also many games that are good for encouraging skills in reasoning, language, literacy and numeracy.

Windmill is at 593 Whitehorse Road, Surrey Hills. Visit windmill.net.au.

■ Snails Pace Race GameRavensburger

Individual children can develop at different stages but here are some very general suggestions of games and game-related toys for children by age.

4 YEARS + ■ Thinkfun Zingo Sightwords

Interacting with children through playing games can also be an enjoyable experience for adults and this can play an essential part in a child’s learning.

Windmill Educational Toys and Equipment has a wide variety of games and toys that can help children develop reasoning, intelligence, language and memory skills from an early age.

The staff at Windmill have a great understanding of children’s individual learning needs.

Customers frequently ask advice on suitable toys and games for different aged children.

Windmill has some great toys for early years that can help build the type of skills children use in game playing.

■ Farmyard Heads and Tails- Orchard Toys ■ Sandbag Throwing ■ Junior Colorino 3 YEARS + ■ Storey Time Chess *New ■ Animal Snap -Usbourne

■ Freeze Dance with Chilly *New

NEW BABIES ■ Lamaze Garden Bug Foot Finders and Wrist Rattles

■ Let’s Go Fishing

■ Rainbow Sensory Ball

5 YEARS + ■ Cluedo Junior

6 MONTHS + ■ Tomy Hide and Squeak Eggs

■ Jenjo Giant Pick Up Sticks ■ Wooden Croquet Lawn Game

7 YEARS + ■ Throw Throw Avacardo *New ■ Horse Acadamy *New single player game ■ Chess ■ IQ Digits ■ Othello Classic Game ■ Backgammon -Wooden Box Set ■ Word Search Game 8 YEARS + ■ Walkie Talkie *New ■ Thinkfun Circuit Maze ■ Thinkfun Cat Crimes ■ Thinkfun Dog Crimes ■ Genius Gems *New ■ Genius Star 9 YEARS + ■ Cribbage ■ Backgammon

■ Beat The Clock

■ Rummikub

■ Hape Penguin Musical Wobbler

■ Ravensburger Rivers, Roads and Rails

1 YEARS + ■ A variety of stacking, sorting, push and pull toys

■ Giant Snakes and Ladders

10 TO ADULT ■ Telestrations

■ Sound Blocks 12 Pce Set ■ Inny Bin- Fat Brain Toys 2 YEARS + ■ My First memory –Ravensburger

6 YEARS + ■ Pass The Pandas *New

■ Squatter *New

■ Dominoes (Timeless Games)

12 TO ADULT ■ Auto Correct

■ Pizza Party

■ Stupid Deaths

■ Shooting Stars Smart Game: Single Player

■ Balderdash ■ Smart Ass

St Peter’s Early Learning Centre St Kevin’s College – ELC-Year 12 St Peter’s Early Learning Centre is a Catholic, co-educational setting where children are given the opportunity and time to discover and explore, to question and predict, to wonder and to dream. The wider world becomes the child’s world.

We welcome you to visit our website to find out more and arrange a tour. www.stpeterselc.vic.edu.au 12537041-SN11-22

26 SUMMER 2022

www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

Education

Mini Maestros provides social interaction for parent and child.

Mini Maestros harnesses the impact of music on the brain.

Support your child to thrive WE all want to best prepare our children for the increasingly uncertain future.

Children who are creative, capable, resilient, and aware will be best placed to thrive. Mini Maestros understands children’s developmental needs.

for 0 to 5 years have received more than 1000 excellent reviews from parents, with an average rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars for all reviews.

It harnesses the impact of music on the brain to develop the whole child; language, listening, physical, social and emotional skills.

Supporting your child to thrive is as easy as 1,2,3.

1. Enrol in a Mini Maestros class near you - in-person or online - for a full term, a three-week trial or a free first online lesson.

In the past two years alone, Mini Maestros music and movement classes

2. Let the program accelerate your child’s development.

3. Experience and share in your child’s developmental breakthroughs.

any point in the teaching term, subject to availability.

Mini Maestros offers fun and educational music classes for babies through to 5 year olds.

Mini Maestros also has online courses for babies to 5 year olds, so that you have the opportunity to share the learning and fun with your child at home in your own time.

The classes build confidence; nurture whole-brain development; provide social interaction for parent and child; are age-specific for children’s developmental stages; and provide classroom experience in preparation for kinder and school.

New students are welcome to join at

Enrol now and support your child to thrive.

Call Croydon on 9850 5566, Ringwood on 0417 104 729 or visit www. minimaestros.com.au.

in ions t a c & 7 lo ton g n i n Ston ondara!

Boro Accelerate Your Child’s Development & Prepare Them For School

Music & Movement Classes for 0-5s

School Readiness

Online Courses

Mini Maestros has been providing fun, active & educational music classes for 0-5’s for over 35 years.

At Mini Maestros, your child will learn about lesson structure, how to listen & follow instructions, & how to participate & cooperate with others. They’ll also get a head start on important literacy and numeracy skills.

Mini Maestros also has Online Courses for babies to 5 year olds, so that you have the opportunity to share the learning & fun with your child at home in your own time.

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choklits.com.au 12564297-FC49-22

SUMMER 2022 27

Education

Nurturing tomorrow’s global citizens RENOWN Kindergarten is a not-for-profit, community-run and operated kindergarten, established in 1920.

who facilitate innovative and dynamic programs and exceptional care and education.

The centre is proud to deliver highquality 3 and 4-year-old programs, as well as a specialised French bilingual program in recently-renovated buildings and beautifully-maintained and spacious grounds.

Renown embraces strong connections with its diverse community and places high value on inclusion, acknowledgement of first nations people, and the wellbeing of its children as they experience the growth, joy and wonder of childhood.

Rated ‘exceeding’ in all seven quality areas of the National Quality Framework, Renown is made up of a team of passionate and dedicated staff

Renown is open for enrolments in 2023. Enquire today and find out what the service can offer you.

Renown embraces strong connections with its diverse community.

Great education starts early at St Catherine’s

At Andale School, we provide a positive learning environment for children who experience language and learning challenges, within a welcoming community that recognises and celebrates their learning achievements.

ST CATHERINE’S SCHOOL www.stcatherines.net.au | Toorak VIC 12575032-AV49-22

28 SUMMER 2022

Contact us for more information andaleschool@andale.vic.edu.au 84 Charles Street, Kew, 3101 | +61 3 9853 3911

Education Empowered andale.vic.edu.au

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Limited ELC places for 2024

www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

Education

Educators nurture young voices

By Casey Neill “I believe every child has a voice, and that voice deserves to be heard.”

This belief drew Niño Early Learning Adventures Lalor principal educator Emma Sherring to her role.

“I wanted to help give children the best opportunities early in life and give them the chance to flourish and be the best version of themselves,” she said.

“I really enjoy when children have been working towards a skill or a goal and they accomplish it.

“It’s a constant and tangible reminder that the work we do everyday with the children matters and makes a difference.”

Niño ELA takes great pride in celebrating the wonder of early childhood education and strives to offer an inspiring environment for professional educators who care for children.

Ms Sherring found it hard to choose just one moment from her role that most warmed her heart.

“I did have a child in my room earlier this year who took sometime to get used to his surroundings,” she said.

“I continued interacting with him every day he attended, made time for one-on-one activities and tried my best to understand his needs.

“The other day he came running up

Niño ELA’s Debra Smith and Emma Sherring.

to me and gave me a giant hug.

“My persistence had really worked with this young child and he felt cared for and safe with me and his surroundings.”

passionate about what they did each day.

“They have a positive outlook and want the best for all the children and families in their care,” she said.

For Ms Sherring, Niño ELA is also like a second family.

“A wonderful educator can leave lasting memories on a child.”

“I am greeted every morning with open arms from my co-workers and the families that attend the centre,” she said.

Mrs Smith said educators could grow and extend their career, make a difference to young children, make friendships and be supported by co-workers.

“Niño ELA has also always presented me with opportunities to better develop my skills, work collaboratively with like-minded people and options for career growth.”

Niño ELA mentor and leadership manager Debra Smith said an ideal educator was nurturing, caring and

A unique and nurturing early learning environment, discover a place dedicated to the wonder of early childhood education.

Niño Early Learning Adventures has centres across Melbourne. Visit ninoela. com.au for more information.

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Family-owned and developed, Niño ELA has aesthetically gentle, homelike architectural spaces; child-led learning curriculums; nature playgrounds; and nutritionist-developed seasonal menus.

Working with families, educators create individual learning programs that consider interests; physical, personal, social and emotional wellbeing; and cognitive aspects of learning.

www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

SUMMER 2022 29

Education

Scholarships at Wesley College THE Wesley College Scholarship Program supports an open-entry and inclusive community at Wesley.

Every year, scholarships are awarded to outstanding students who will benefit from, and contribute to, the incredible academic and co-curricular programs on offer at the College.

Applications for students entering 2024 are open now and include Academic Excellence scholarships, for students entering Years 5, 7 and 10 who demonstrate outstanding performance through evaluation of an academic test.

The competitive and highly sought after scholarships are awarded on merit, recognising students’ existing talents, achievements and academic performance, as well as their potential to contribute to the College community.

Former scholarship recipient, Sara Pisacane’s family comes from humble beginnings and she was awarded a General Excellence Scholarship and studied at Wesley’s Elsternwick campus.

“I was thrilled to achieve the highest possible ATAR of 99.95 in 2021,” Ms Pisacane said.

The Rennie Coutts STEM Scholarships for Girls, awarded to students who demonstrate a strong aptitude for science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) entering Years 7, 9, 10 and 11.

“It shows that determination and drive to succeed really does pay off.”

General Excellence scholarships are awarded to students entering in Years 5-11 who demonstrate excellence in academic and cocurricular endeavours.

“I have immense gratitude for my teachers, the Wesley community and family and friends who have supported me throughout my journey.”

Lastly, Boarding scholarships – for boarders entering Years 9-11 who demonstrate excellence in both academic and cocurricular endeavours.

Wesley College recognises the significant commitment an education with them means and through the generosity of their alumni, parents and

Ms Pisacane has now graduated and is studying a Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne, with future dreams to study medicine.

friends, they’re able to offer these scholarships.

The consideration of a means component of our scholarship program seeks to provide additional support for families with demonstrated financial need and relevant personal circumstances with the opportunity for a Wesley education.

Applications for a Wesley College scholarship can be made online at wesleycollege.edu.au/ scholarships Applications for 2024 entry close on 27 January 2023.

Former Wesley College Scholarship recipient, Sara Pisacane Picture: Supplied

2024 EXCELLENCE SCHOLARSHIPS

Excellence scholarships for 2024 entry are now open

Apply now

Scholarship opportunities include: •

Academic Excellence Scholarships (for Years 5, 7 and 10 for entry in 2024)

•

General Excellence Scholarships (for Years 5 to 11 entry in 2024)

•

Rennie Coutts STEM Scholarships for Girls (for Years 7, 9, 10 and 11 entry in 2024)

Applications close Friday 27 January 2023

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Scan here to learn more about scholarships

30 SUMMER 2022

www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

Education

Fantastic year at De La Salle THIS year has been a very positive one at De La Salle College, Malvern, with the return to onsite learning and lockdowns and remote learning behind us.

two years of planning and rehearsing.

and friendships rekindled.

The VCE drama students’ outstanding production of Almost, Maine was a highlight, as was the ACCent on Music concert at Hamer Hall.

Find out more about this amazing school by booking a college tour and discover why the college is the right choice for your son.

This year the college celebrated many annual events including academic achievements, co-curricular prowess, the return of incursions and excursions, community events and sporting carnivals.

The second musical collaboration with Siena College was a great success and the regular scheduling of many music concerts demonstrated the amazing quality of the college’s music program.

The college also celebrated 110 years in February 2022.

This year also saw the return of many house competitions, lunch time activities, music ensembles and major house events such as the athletics, swimming and cross country carnivals.

The co-curricular life of the college continued to grow and develop this year.

The college entered into a partnership with One on One Football to enhance its Australian Rules program with ex-AFL coaches, a junior development squad and online professional learning for college coaches.

The High Performance Sports Program is evolving, with the first programs run for football, soccer and basketball.

Plans are well underway for the Agar Academy for young cricketers, a De La Salle swimming club and specialised athletics coaching.

The arts also expanded, with High School Musical staged in conjunction with Our Lady of the Sacred Heart after

Be Your Best at De La Salle College, Malvern. Visit www.delasalle.vic.edu.au.

Students Thomas Larkin and Will Elliston with teacher Sue Kiernan.

The college community was engaged through new events including Mothers’ Lunch, Parents’ Golf Day and Parent Network events which celebrate the important role that parents play in their child’s lives.

College reunions were also back with a number of important milestones celebrated

At De La Salle College there is a pathway for every student.

We support your sons in becoming quality and respectful young men through our innovative curriculum, focus on student wellbeing, personal development programs and social justice initiatives.

Our High Performance Sports and Music and Performing Arts options complement classroom learning.

LEARNLIVELEAD

www.delasalle.vic.edu.au 1318 HIGH STREET, MALVERN VIC 3144 | 03 9508 2100 A CATHOLIC LASALLIAN COLLEGE EDUCATING BOYS FROM YEARS 5 - 12

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www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

SUMMER 2022 31

Education

Never have the dispositions children bring to learning been so important.

Nurturing for natural learning JOHN Dewey, a highly-regarded educational philosopher, suggests ‘Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself’.

However, the pandemic and its impact has highlighted another core element to a successful journey through school, and indeed, through life.

Education does not operate in a silo, and learning crosses many boundaries.

At St Michael’s Grammar School, we have identified core learner dispositions that are explicitly developed through our learning programs.

The dispositions that are explicitly nurtured at school and supported by families enable students to flourish and achieve at the highest levels.

Never have the dispositions children bring to learning been so important.

In education, we appreciate the development of foundational literacies.

Being self-regulating, confident, tenacious, curious, motivated, just, reflective, and agile is critical to being able to thrive in a dynamic, complex world. Effective learners who have well developed dispositions are better equipped to ably manage multi-faceted

problems in evolving contexts.

They will be able to sustain, apply, and adapt their knowledge and skills beyond the school walls.

The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) is an international assessment that measures 15-year-old students’ reading, mathematics, and science literacy every three years.

Some of the research undertaken by PISA shows that drive, motivation, and confidence in oneself are essential if students are to fulfill their potential, both personally and academically.

At St Michael’s Grammar School, through its signature programs, the school supports its learners to use the dispositions to be confident, just, and forthright citizens.

The changing nature of the workforce, the global impact of technology and appreciating its students will have multiple career changes makes a compelling argument for why St Michael’s needs to develop these dispositions throughout the learning journey in a very intentional, authentic way.

Each Xavier student a unique creation XAVIER College is an educational community within the Jesuit network of schools and universities.

As a school that enrols boys, Xavier is committed from the commencement of a boy’s education to developing respectful and aspirant learners.

The school encourages the boys to speak up and to express themselves; creating such a culture is an important protective factor, especially for young men.

There is a strong focus on pastoral care in which Xaviers seek to build a school community in which each student is known and valued as a unique creation, and in which their individual talents and interests are nourished and respected.

Extending upon Xavier’s coeducational kindergarten for 3- and 4-year-olds, the school is moving to a two-year staged model of educational delivery from Prep to Year 12.

This will coincide with a 32 SUMMER 2022

comprehensive building program to enhance every aspect of each campus.

Xavier’s key entry point of Year 7 will be accommodated in an exceptional, new state-of-the-art Year 7-8 learning precinct on the Senior Campus, opening for the start of 2024.

As the school welcomes the new enrolments of Year 7s and 8s onto the Senior Campus, Xavier is highly driven to ensure these new and reimagined facilities enable the continued fostering of the human connections and relationships that have made Xavier the much-loved college that it has become throughout many generations.

We live in an increasingly interconnected world; environment, security, economy; in a real sense Xavier graduates become citizens of the world, and a Xavier education provides opportunities for its students to engage with the global context.

Indeed, as part of the Jesuit network of schools and universities that educates

A Xavier education provides opportunities for its students to engage with the global context.

some 2 million students worldwide, Xavier is well positioned to take on this international dimension, through international immersions, tours and

exchanges, among others.

Xavier welcomes you and your son as the school continues to build the possible. www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

Be curious.

Explore. Discover. Question.

Limited places available. Enquire now.

Early Learning Centre | Junior School | Senior School

03 8862 1000 registrar@genazzano.vic.edu.au genazzano.vic.edu.au

Ready to take on tomorrow.

12577561-AV49-22

www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

SUMMER 2022 33

Education

Set a foundation for learning GUIDED by principles of the contemporary Catholic faith, Genazzano FCJ College in Kew is a progressive, vibrant community where girls learn to view the world critically, embrace our diverse cultures, our history, social inclusion and the environment.

Genazzano FCJ College’s early learning centre provides a secure foundation for your child’s future learning.

The centre’s priorities ensure Genazzano’s highly experienced and caring teachers introduce fun and play to educational activities, to help your child develop a life-long love of learning.

Genazzano’s unique approach will nurture your child from their very first day, to grow their confidence, educationally and socially.

Junior school at Genazzano offers an innovative, diverse curriculum from ELC to Year 6.

The college fosters your daughters’ critical thinking and academic potential, where they are encouraged to lead and inspire.

Its junior school curriculum is supported by literacy and numeracy teams, learning enhancement programs, and specialist teachers for languages and the performing and creative arts.

The college is an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program candidate school which offers global teachings around history, geography, health, civics, citizenship and religion.

Genazzano offers stimulating cocurricular programs including STEM, the arts, social justice, languages and an inventors club for budding entrepreneurs at appropriate year levels.

Genazzano FCJ College is located on vast grounds in the heart of Kew. Junior school students are introduced

RENOWN KINDERGARTEN EST. 1920

Genazzano FCJ College’s early learning centre provides a secure foundation for your child’s future learning.

to a wide range of sporting facilities.

The generous grounds provide a large oval, indoor heated 25 metre pool, indoor basketball court, seven tennis courts, three netball courts, and an elite physical performance centre.

Genazzano’s commitment to parents is to ensure every aspect of your child’s education, their personal wellbeing and academic potential is realised, so they are ready to take on the future.

Selected places at the early learning centre and junior school are available for 2023 and 2024.

The school welcomes you to experience the unique qualities of Genazzano FCJ College.

For college open morning tour dates in 2023, visit www.genazzano.vic.edu.au/ enrolments or contact the registrar on 8862 1207 or registrar@genazzano.vic. edu.au.

Honouring each child, nurturing tomorrow's global citizens.

Renown Kindergarten is a not for profit, community run and operated Kindergarten, established in 1920.

We are proud to deliver high quality 3 and 4 year old programs, as well as a specialised French bilingual program in our recently renovated buildings and beautifully maintained and spacious grounds.

Rated exceeding in all 7 quality areas of the National Quality Framework, Renown is made up of a team of passionate and dedicated staff who facilitate innovative and dynamic programs and exceptional care and education.

We embrace strong connections with our diverse community and place high value on inclusion, acknowledgement of our first nations people and the wellbeing of our children as they experience the growth, joy and wonder of childhood.

Renown is open for enrolments in 2023. Enquire today and find out what our service can offer you.

More Info: 03 9827 4747 www.renown.org.au 12575158-DL49-22

34 SUMMER 2022

www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

Education

Students are distracted by phones, TV, the internet, loud noises and “my bossy mum”.

Stop study distractions MOST students say their parents hinder rather than help during exam study, a survey has revealed.

7. Try not to become angry if your child receives a low mark. Instead, use it as a learning curve to help your child gain insight and motivation to change their study habits and perform better next time.

More than 300 students responded to an online poll from Pilot Pen Australia and HSC Tutor, Clarissa Armani.

Ms Armani’s tips for students:

Sixty-two per cent of respondents said their parents hindered them when studying and only 38 per cent said their parents helped.

1. Start familiarising yourself with past exam papers early. Even if you have not learned all the content, look through them and attempt to answer the questions. This will help you learn how to apply concepts you have learned to common exam questions and also understand the gaps in your knowledge

“We ran this survey to find out more about what students need,” Pilot Pen Australia marketing manager John Johnston said.

“We were actually quite surprised to find out that parents aren’t one of the ‘go-to’ tools in the study kit.”

Most respondents (56.52 per cent) said the worst thing parents did was “interrupt my studying by coming into my room” followed by “constantly asking me how my studying is going” (37.05 per cent) and “playing TV/ music/making noise in the house” (27.27 per cent).

Students said the best way parents could help was by giving them space (34.78 per cent), buying them the stationery they needed (26.09 per cent) and making them a drink or snack (21.74 per cent).

When asked what most distracted students from studying, answers ranged from phones and TV to the internet, loud noises and “my bossy mum”.

“The results of the survey clearly show that parents need to back off,” Ms Armani said.

“It’s important for students, particularly high schoolers and those doing HSC, to learn how to plan and manage their study by themselves.

“Hovering around to check they are on task, is distracting and www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

2. Create weekly summary notes from each subject.

Parents can ensure the home environment is conducive to study.

counterproductive.”

Ms Armani’s advice for parents:

She said one positive way parents could help was to ensure the home environment was conducive to study.

1. Try not to share and compare your child’s exam results with results from a different school. The test difficulty is often different across schools.

“Set them up with a good desk or provide quiet time at the kitchen table with good lighting,” she said.

Ms Armani said it was interesting but not surprising that many respondents found technology distracting.

“There has been a lot of discussion recently about phones in classrooms,” she said.

“The same goes for at home.

“Encourage children to leave their phone outside the room so they can come and get it when they’re done, and also try and minimise noise in the house just to help them concentrate.

“These days, it’s harder than ever before but your kids will thank you for it later.”

2. Feel free to give your child study tips but remember - what worked for you when you studied might not work for your child.

3. Allow your children to pick their own subjects. They’ll be studying what they’re interested in which will likely lead to higher marks.

4. Encourage balance and routine.

5. Having the right environment for study can make a huge difference so children feel comfortable and motivated.

6. Too much parent involvement can be counterproductive. It’s important for children to learn how to plan and manage their study by themselves.

3. Dedicate a book for writing down any questions you found hard or mistakes you keep making. Write down the solution to the hard questions in this book as well, and revise before exams.

4. Use spare time effectively. Aim to complete three hours of study every day during the holidays to revise notes and complete practice exam questions. Also aim to read ahead the chapters in your school textbook and begin making draft notes for the content you will cover in the following terms at school.

5. Use a diary to schedule and plan for what you will study each day, plus extra-curricular activities and due dates for assessments. Add time limits to each task in your diary to ensure you stay on track.

6. Establish a routine and avoid late nights. Adequate sleep optimises your thinking abilityand concentration for the day ahead. Routine helps to prevent procrastination.

SUMMER 2022 35

Books

Reading turns on imagination

By Casey Neill Reading is a good habit best formed early, says author Phil Kettle.

“And that habit isn’t formed at school.

It’s not a teacher’s responsibility,” he said.

“Good reading habits begin at home with parents, where they create an environment where reading is part of their everyday life, like brushing their teeth.”

Mr Kettle said parents often bought books they’d like their child to read.

“What your parents like isn’t necessarily what you like,” he said.

“You need to find out what they are interested in, then get them reading material that is suitable for their interest.”

He said creating the habit was simple from there: start off reading for one minute, then build on it.

“In two weeks you’ve created the reading habit,” he said.

“Once that’s created, your parents will be knocking on your door at 10.30pm and you’ll be saying ‘one more chapter’.”

Mr Kettle said his father instilled in him that reading was the foundation of good education, that it turned on your imagination switch and allowed you to go into another world.

“I was very fortunate, in the area I grew up in television never came until I was 12 or 13,” he said.

“We stayed outside until it was dark, had dinner and then all you had to do was read.”

About 25 years ago he wrote a book series with a character named Toocool to encourage young boys to read, and has since written two others - The Xtreme World of Billy Kool, and Clancy of the Outback.

“We’re entertained in a different way,” he said.

Mr Kettle travels to schools around the country, encouraging a love of reading and writing.

“They still use their imagination. They still dream of the things they’d like to do.

“One of my great joys in life is going into schools and speaking with students,” he said.

“As I always say to students, they write to please one person, and that one person is themselves.

“Kids have computers and mobile phones that we didn’t.

“With all children, and all people, people like to feel good - feel good about themselves, about what they do, what they achieve.”

“But the simple fact is that students still like to be entertained Phil’s granchildren enjoying his books.

“I write a story imagining that I was that 8, 9, 10, 11-yearold child. I write to what I would have liked.

“I liked reading stories written in the first person. It helps you as the reader to be that person.

“I encourage young people to write in the first person. It helps give them ownership of the story.”

Despite the technology infiltrating today’s world, Mr Kettle doesn’t believe kids today are all that different from his childhood self.

Isaiah shares his culture

By Casey Neill MUSICIAN Isaiah Firebrace wrote a picture book to teach kids about the longest continuing culture on Earth.

Isaiah Firebrace is a proud Yorta Yorta and Gunditjmara man.

The Yorta Yorta and Gunditjmara man learnt a lot himself while writing Come Together: Things Every Aussie Kid Should Know about the First Peoples.

“I honestly learned so much about my own culture while I was writing this book and that’s the funny thing, because if I learned so much just imagine how much the kids are going to learn about our beautiful culture,” he said.

Isaiah’s petition to the Australian Government calling for Aboriginal history to be taught in every classroom inspired the book.

“Change starts with education,” he said.

“When I was growing up we weren’t taught very much about my beautiful ancient culture or my ancestors.

“I’ve only just started to connect with my heritage.

36 SUMMER 2022

Come Together: Things Every Aussie Kid Should Know about the First Peoples.

“The more we can learn about each other’s cultures the more we can understand each other and live together in harmony.’

From caring for Country and Dreaming stories, to the importance of Elders and the Indigenous origins of AFL, Isaiah connects readers to each topic through his own personal story.

He said the hardest part was choosing what to cover and what to leave out.

Isaiah’s life changed completely after winning The X Factor in 2016 on his 17th birthday.

“I also had to cut the topics right down as it’s a kid’s book,” he said.

He’s since represented Australia at Eurovision and traveled the country to mentor young people.

“I would have loved to have talked more about it all, especially things like the Dreamtime and football.”

“The thought of kids teaching parents and people learning together is what this book is all about,” he said.

www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

Books

Message of love and medidation MELBOURNE-based psychologist Liv Downing drew on her personal experience with burnout to release children’s book You are Loved.

“I know the full effects of burnout and its relationship to anxiety, and in my work as a psychologist, I’ve seen the increased levels of anxiety amongst men and women of all ages,” she said.

“The rates of poor childhood mental health in Australia is alarming, with one in 14 children aged between 4 to 17 years diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.

“If parents can learn to be more present and attuned, children’s nervous systems will wire more effectively and as a result it is likely rates of clinical anxiety will reduce.

“It is not our fault as parents that we are busy and stressed, the pace of the modern world is out of control, but it absolutely is our responsibility to choose another way.”

As a mother of two boys, Liv has experienced first-hand the benefits of mindfulness and meditation in parenting.

“Research tells us we do best when we feel connected, and I wanted to create a book that would help children learn how to access that sense of connection for themselves.”

Through her work, she was involved in developing the Beyond Blue mindfulness-based parenting program, Mind the Bump, and Smiling Mind, Australia’s leading mindfulness app.

Liv wanted to share the tool that has provided so much support to her during challenging times in her life.

This involved working directly with children and educators in schools.

“Meditation has many proven benefits and should be part of everyone’s daily routine, like showering and brushing our teeth,” she said.

“Through meditation, we build our skills of mindfulness, which means we can learn to manage our busy and distractible minds more effectively.

Seven years ago, Liv experienced the grief of losing her mother, the stress of looking after her unwell father, and the overwhelm of starting a new business – all while parenting her two boys.

Melbourne-based psychologist Liv Downing.

as a graduate psychologist.

She found herself in bed, completely exhausted, and feeling disconnected, lonely and unworthy.

When it happened for the second time, the key difference was that she had built a strong mindfulness meditation practice into her daily life.

This combination of factors led to complete burnout.

Rather than feeling disconnected or unworthy, she felt a deep sense of unconditional love carrying her through the physical exhaustion.

Burnout had also gripped her 15 years earlier, when starting her career

“Meditation helped me to fully accept myself, no matter what was going on in

my life,” she said.

“I wanted to share this discovery.

“My vision is that kids know, and parents show, that love does not need to be earned and that we are all worthy of love and belonging, no matter what.

“Decades of research tells us that it is the quality of our relationships and how we are loved that has the biggest impact on our mental health.

“For me, mindfulness meditation was the pathway to accessing that unconditional love.”

Books growing a greener future AWARD-WINNING children’s books are fostering a generation more connected to the natural world.

The Wilderness Society’s Environment Award for Children’s Literature has been held annually since 1994, and the Karajia Award for Children’s Literature was introduced this year.

This year’s fiction award went to Bailey Finch Takes a Stand by Ingrid Laguna, a moving story about love and loss, caring for the environment and standing up to make change happen.

“I hope [kids] are reminded that they do have agency,” Ingrid said.

“They can make a real and immediate difference to their own precious natural environments, just like Bailey did with the creek and bushland at the end of her street.”

Judge Nat Amoore said the book had “beautifully crafted characters with an environmental message that resonates long after you wipe away the tears”.

“A brilliant example of weaving caring for our environment into a story about caring for each other.”

The non-fiction award went to the Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Peculiar Pairs in Nature by Sami Bayly.

It features “beautiful, detailed images of animals and insects supported by amazing, sometimes very funny stories of the interconnectedness of nature,” www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

according to judge Paul McDermott.

Sami wanted to truly inform kids of the incredible stories and roles in nature.

“I dream of creating a society that appreciates all parts of the environment, regardless of whether the subject is about a blood-sucking parasite or a sweet-smelling flower,” she said.

Two books shared the picture fiction title.

Sharing by Aunty Fay Muir and Sue Lawson featurse a gentle reminder of all the ways sharing makes us stronger.

Judge Bunna Lawrie said Sharing had great artwork.

“The book warms my heart and my

soul,” she said.

Ms Lawson said: “Sharing is an important book that introduces children to the concept of sharing not only with people, but with nature.

“I love the First Nation’s creed of ‘take only what you need’.

“If only our society could embrace that, our environment would be much better off.

“It’s vital that we help young people connect with nature, whether it’s their back yard, local park or the bush.

“All nature, from the tiniest butterfly to the plant growing in a crack in the pavement, helps young people recognise and see beauty in the world.

“Connecting with nature builds awe and wonder and empathy.

“Simply, connecting with nature makes us better people and more likely to do all we can to protect our natural world.”

The River by Sally Morgan shared the award.

Judge Megan Daley said it featured “lyrical prose which is age appropriate and encourages young readers of all ages to use their senses to explore the natural world.”

Two winners also shared the Karajia Award - Sharing, and Somebody’s Land: Welcome to Our Country by Adam Goodes and Ellie Laing.

SUMMER 2022 37

Books

Hy-larious hi jinx

By Melissa Meehan COMEDIAN Nazeem Hussain has written a childrens book and takes no responsibility for your children’s behaviour after you read it.

The Melbourne-based comedian has just released his first book Hy-larious Hyena, and is still pinching himself to have the opportunity to do so.

“It about a very cheeky hyena who is a bit naughty and likes to prank his friends and family, but doesn’t really know the responsible boundaries of joke telling and pranks,” Hussain told Kids Today.

“In a way its semiautobiographical… he comes from a pretty large family. He lives with his cousin (who is his best friend) and his mum and aunties. “ Harry’s family is not well off, and struggle to make ends meet – but they do, and have a good time doing so.

Hussain says the story is based on lots of experiences he had growing up.

“We lived in a family where we didn’t really have everything but we had a lot

of fun and we always made awkward situations funny. Because we all had a good sense of humour,” he said.

The father of two said he had an idea of writing a childrens book with characters he had played out with his son.

He was approached by Scholastic Publishing but was too busy.

And then the Covod-19 lockdown happened and he had time to write.

So Harry, his family and nemesis Larry came to life.

“One of the themes is that the grass is always greener and we see that with Harry and also his, his nemesis, Larry, the lion,” Hussain explains.

“Harry wants to live like lions like Larry, the lion comes from an affluent neighbourhood. They’ve got everything made for that, like it’s all they live in the light.

“But we find that maybe Larry thinks the same way about Harry you know, he’s cool. And so really, it’s important to like hear stories that better reflect on things and, you know, growing up.”

Since becoming a dad, Hussain says

he’s taken a different approach to life.

“When you’re when your dad get to know the highs and the lows and the nuances of your child’s personality,” he says.

“Your worldview sort of broadens, so I feel so having thinking about my time before being a parent, you feel like you know it all. And I feel like I’ve just learned so much more about myself but also about the world and how they view the world and all that sort of thing.”

Hussain says his words would mean nothing without the amazing illusrations by Heath McKenzie.

“In my view, he’s the best illustrator in the country,” he said.

Hussain is already working on his second book.

Hy-larious Hyena is available from 1st October 2022.

Comedian Nazeem Hussain is excited to release his first children’s book.

Children’s books...

GRACE NOTES Karen Comer A debut YA verse novel about what happens when the paths of a young busking violinist and an aspiring street artist collide during a pandemic.

Set in one of the most locked-down cities in the world – Melbourne, 2020.

Grace Dalfinch is a talented violinist who longs to play contemporary music in bars, but her mum forbids her.

James Crux is an aspiring street artist who promised his dad he wouldn’t paint in public until he’s finished school.

When Crux witnesses Grace’s impromptu performance on a deserted tram, he’s inspired to paint her and her violin; and when Grace stumbles across her portrait in a Melbourne alley by an anonymous street artist, she sets out to find its creator.

Lothian Children’s Books $19.99

THE GREAT AUSSIE EASTER EGG-AND-SPOON RACE Sophie Sayle & Daron Parton A heartwarming Easter picture book featuring Australian bush baby animals, which will appeal to fans of Little Bilby’s Aussie Easter Egg Hunt.

Slow, sleepy Echidna is always trailing behind the other bush babies.

And now it’s time for their great Easter egg-and-spoon race.

Can Echidna keep up with her friends and enjoy all the fun on this special day?

Lothian Children’s Books $19.99

MY FEELINGS BINGO

BUSY BETTY

Emily Midouhas & Bee Grandinetti Help children understand and express their emotions while playing a game!

A fun and engaging way for kids and adults to talk about their emotions.

The gameboard features 48 emotions, ranging from happiness and sadness to anger, apathy and anxiety, as characters illustrated by Bee Grandinetti whose warm and sensitive illustrations have been featured by Headspace and Airbnb. Each player gets a card with sixteen emotions – be the first to get all sixteen emotions on your card to win BINGO! The accompanying booklet by developmental psychologist Dr Emily Midouhas explains each emotion in child-friendly language and gives tips on learning to express emotions and allow them to be felt in healthy ways.

Dr Emily Midouhas, a developmental psychologist and associate professor at UCL, specialises in the effects of social and built environment on the emotional and behavioural problems of children and the mental health of children with special educational needs, particularly children with ADHD and autism.

From Academy Award–winning actress, founder, and bestselling author, Reese Witherspoon, comes Busy Betty, a story about a creative, curious, and exuberant young girl who has big plans and an even bigger heart. Busy Betty has always been busy . . . even when she was just a baby!

When Betty gives Frank a big hug, she realizes he needs a bath, PRONTO! Her best friend, Mae, is coming over, and Betty can’t have the smelliest dog in the whole world! But giving Frank a bath is harder than she thought and just when everything seems impossible, with Mae’s help, Betty learns she can accomplish anything with perseverance, teamwork, and one great idea.

From Reese Witherspoon comes a smart and larger-than-life character who encourages young readers to celebrate what makes them unique and realize that anything is possible!

Puffin $19.99

Laurence King Publishing $45 38 SUMMER 2022

www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

Kids Calendar

What's on this summer UNTIL FRIDAY 6 JANUARY

SUNDAY 11 DECEMBER

SATURDAY 24 DECEMBER

TUESDAY 10-FRIDAY 13 JANUARY

MYER CHRISTMAS WINDOWS

MONTROSE COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS CAROLS

FAMILY CHRISTMAS EVENING ON SOUTH WHARF

THE THREE LITTLE PIGS

Enjoy a relaxed carols event presented

by Montrose Church of Christ, from 5.30pm to 8pm at Montrose Community Centre.

Head riverside to South Wharf for a very Christmas afternoon and evening for the whole family - and it’s all free, 5pm to 8pm.

Bring your picnic gear and enjoy a free sausage sizzle, performances by local schools, a visit from Santa, and gifts for all the children.

Enjoy a 60-minute outdoor carol concert by the Australian Girls Choir on the Dukes Walk stage, then make your way to the Common Lawn on the riverfront to watch a family Christmas movie on the big screen.

The Walt Disney Company’s renowned classics have been brought to life in the 67th year of Myer’s iconic Christmas Windows.

Windows include Mary Poppins, Bert and the Banks children; Mickey and Minnie soaking up the sun, sea and sand on their Hawaiian Holiday; the coronation of Elsa from Disney’s Frozen; Peter Pan taking Wendy and her brothers on a magical flight across the London night sky; the Lion King’s Simba, Nala, Timon, Pumba, Zazu and Rafiki on Pride Rock; and the famous Disney Studios’ opening sequence featuring Tinker Bell.

Visit Bourke Street 7.30am to midnigh

UNTIL MONDAY 10 APRIL JULIAN OPIE: STUDIO FOR KIDS This interactive exhibition for children and families was developed with Julian Opie, one of Britain’s leading contemporary artists.

Visitors are invited to create portraits in an inspiring studio setting featuring displays of the artist’s artworks.

MELBOURNE CHRISTMAS TREASURE HUNTS From 9.30am to 3pm, follow the clues to discover hidden places and iconic landmarks around the city, with the chance to win prizes.

Dress in your best Christmas themed get-up for bonus fun. Plus, every child gets a prize.

The event kicks off at 3pm, with the concert starting at 8pm.

MONDAY 12-FRIDAY 16 DECEMBER

CHRISTMAS EVE CIRCUS SPECTACULAR

SANTA’S LAB Visit Santa’s Lab for all kinds of science fun these holidays, 3pm to 4pm at Library at The Dock, 107 Victoria Habour Promenade, Docklands.

SATURDAY 10 DECEMBER

Curious kids will love learning through Christmas-themed experiments in these free workshops run by STEM Sisters.

This free event celebrates the spirit of Christmas, 4pm to 10pm at Wally Tew Reserve, 6 Lyndale Court, Ferntree Gully.

Visitors are invited to create portraits in an inspiring studio setting featuring displays of the artist’s artworks.

Sessions run 10am to 5pm at National Gallery of Victoria, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne.

www.StonningtonBoroondaraKids.com.au

This free evening for the whole family will include a traditional carols program with some of Geelong’s best artists and choirs, plus a concert band, and Christmas market stalls.

Visit the Royal Society of Melbourne to pick up your treasure map. Locations are accessible by walking, cycling or public transport within the free tram zone.

Sessions run 10am to 5pm at National Gallery of Victoria, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne.

KNOX CAROLS

BY CANDLELIGHT

CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT GEELONG

SUNDAY 18 DECEMBER FAMILY CHRISTMAS EVENING ON SOUTH WHARF Head riverside to South Wharf for a very Christmas afternoon and evening for the whole family - and it’s all free, 5pm to 8pm.

Enjoy a 60-minute outdoor carol concert by the Australian Girls Choir on the Dukes Walk stage, then make your way to the Common Lawn on the riverfront to watch a family Christmas movie on the big screen.

Grab a picnic rug, food and hamper, friends and family and head to Johnstone Park.

The circus comes to town in this special Christmas Eve matinee performance at Melbourne Town Hall, at 11am.

Children and families will delight in this hilarious circus comedy adventure. Plus everyone goes home with a treat.

The performances will be highly interactive. A quiet room and family room will be available. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

All proceeds from ticket sales go to Make Room, a project assisting people out of homelessness. Tickets are $5.

Watch the story of the three little pigs, with catchy tunes, colourful costumes and audience participation, at 10.30am and 1.30pm at the Potato Shed, Drysdale. Tickets are $10.50, or $35 for a family of four.

THURSDAY 26-SUNDAY 29 JANUARY FESTIVAL OF SAILS The Festival of Sails combines history with tradition, heritage with technology, tactics with teamwork and is a free event to view.

First held in 1844, Festival of Sails is held at the Royal Geelong Yacht Club (RGYC) and along Geelong’s waterfront.

Festival of Sails is particularly famous for its Melbourne to Geelong Passage Race – the oldest sporting event in the Southern Hemisphere – which will be celebrating its 180th birthday in 2023.

SATURDAY 11 FEBRUARY GEELONG BABY AND CHILDREN’S MARKET More than 70 stalls of new and preloved baby and children’s clothing, toys and accessories will be available from 9am to 1pm at Barwon Valley Activity Centre, Belmont.

Kids enter free. Entry for adults is $3.

SATURDAY 25 FEBRUARY PAKO FESTA RETURNS Victoria’s largest free celebration of cultural diversity returns home to Pakington Street for the 41st edition of City of Greater Geelong’s biggest outdoor street party.

The theme will be ‘Sharing and Connecting Cultures: The Reunion’ and is about human reconnection.

SUNDAY 4 MARCH KNOX FESTIVAL This free community event will run 10am to 10pm at Wally Tew Reserve, 6 Lyndale Court, Ferntree Gully.

SUMMER 2022 39

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Agency that empowers them.

We support our students to be confident forthright individuals who are independent ethical thinkers.

APPLY NOW stmichaels.vic.edu.au Co-educational | K–12 | St Kilda | 8530 3310 40 SUMMER 2022

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