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FREE!
JULY 2014
Parents -
Why we do
what we do
Winter
crafts
Your Free local Parenting magazine
Bathroom reno -
On a budget!
First
Birthday
Special
issue
Contents July 2014
Special Features
12
26
Date time in the school holi-days Money saving coupons
Articles
Parents - why we do what we do Hope More than just story time - Pt 2 My 2014 money challenge - the bathroom reno The cost of raising children
7
16 18
22
24
Regulars
Letter from the Editor Ask a professional - questions from readers Monthly Recipe - Rainbow cake Your Story - My happily ever after Mums and the City - with Alexis Galloway Something Extra - by Carolyn Galbraith Make a change Kid’s fun Business Directory Community Noticeboard Magazine feedback
5 8
9
10 14
20
21 25 27 28 30
4
5
www.smallstepsparenting.com
www.facebook.com/smallstepsparenting
Letter from the Editor
Dear Reader,
A big welcome to Small Steps Parenting Magazine. We hit a very
exciting milestone this month with our first birthday! It has been a
rewarding and challenging first year and we have many more things
to come as we enter into year two of Small Steps.
With the success of Small Steps we aim to be branching into new
areas in the coming year and want to thank all our readers for your
support.
We would also like to invite you to vote for us in the 2014 Local
Business Awards for the Hawkesbury. Your vote will help us to gain
exposure so we can continue to produce a free quality magazine and
will also put you in the running for some great prizes. (See page
three for details of how to vote).
As a gift to you on our birthday we wanted to give back. Page 26 has
coupons that allow you to access some great savings and freebies.
Please use these coupons and support local business.
Until next month,
Julie-Anne England
6
Our Contributors
Michael Voss is a Certified Financial Planner. He has been working as
a financial planner for 23 years. He is self employed and specialises in
Superannuation, Insurance and Investment. His clients include indi-
viduals, families and small to medium sized businesses throughout
Western Sydney. www.arrowfa.com.au
Abby Fleming has been in the nutrition industry for over 10 years
and is a qualified nutritionist. She spent 8 years in the weight loss
industry helping a variety of clients achieve their weight goals and
now currently works in the area of medical nutrition.
Abby writes for Small Steps regarding issues of child nutrition and
healthy eating for families.
Kirsten Mitchell is a fully qualified Fitness Professional with Fitness
Australia, holding Certificate IV in Fitness and additionally Pre &
Post Natal Pilates and Exercise Prescription. She is passionate about
sharing her knowledge and helping others to move well, feel well
and look well! As a mum of two, she is also highly aware of the
strains and joys her clients experience in juggling family, work and
the importance of finding “me time”.
Alexis Galloway is a mother of two and chocolate lover.
For the last seven years Alexis has been a Journalist and Editor for
magazines/newspapers around the nation.
Alexis joins us by writing our new feature article Mums and the City
bringing humour and reality to the life of a mother.
Ruth Bosanquet is a registered nurse, midwife and has qualification
in special care nursery. She has been working with pregnant women
and premature and sick infants for over 25 years. She is also a mum
of three.
Lynne-McKensey Hall completed an accredited course in lactation
management in Sydney where she obtained internationally-recognised
certification as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant
(IBCLC). Prior to caring for mothers and babies, she worked as a reg-
istered nurse, registered midwife and completed a Masters in Nursing
(Education), as a nurse educator. She is author of the book series
Breast feeding and Baby Matters. RN, RCM, MN (Ed), IBCLC
Parents - why we do what we do
7 7
It’s the hardest job in the world, yet the
most rewarding. It gives you less sleep than
you had even in your partying days but it’s
worth it. You spend more time playing in
the sand and building blocks than you do
doing real work yet you wouldn’t have it
any other way.
Nothing prepares you for what is to come
after you get that exciting news that you are
expecting.
Our job as parents is a job like no other.
Anyone who doesn’t have children of their
own will never fully understand why we do
what we do. So lets just have a quick look at
what is really involved in being a parent in
the terms of an actual job…
Sounds appealing, no? Yet so many of us
from the moment we are old enough we
start planning children. So why do we put
ourselves through it? Well when I think
back to the days when my children were
newborn, I rarely recount the sleepless
nights, the hours of screaming and the
stinky nappies instead I remember those
precious moments where my baby is sleep-
ing peacefully in my arms. I take myself
back to that first moment when I first laid
eyes on my precious newborn, when I heard
that first laugh, or when their tiny fingers
wrapped around mine. It is moments like
these that make everything else worthwhile.
Yes, of course you have days where you
feel like pulling your hair out or hiding in a
cupboard, but you are a parent. You have
the responsibility of a life, a real human life,
to care for and nurture. No responsibility is
greater than this.
And on those days where you wonder why
you are still awake just go and look at those
precious framed memories on your wall or
take out you child’s baby album.
Nothing compares to this….
Job Vacant
Primary job function:
Provide support, assistance and care to co
-workers. Train co-workers in proper
behaviour and fulfil their every need.
Required skills:
Proficient in the ability to multitask
Meal planning, preparation and coo-
ing skills along with the ability to
“sell” any meal you have created to
your coworkers
Time management skills
Ability to negotiate
Must excel in a fast-paced, agile en-
vironment where critical thinking and
problem solving skills are required
for success
Quick response to aid in conflict
resolution throughout the day
Ability to handle co-workers without
losing your cool
Education and experience: learn on the job Work status: (Very) full time Travel: Must be willing to travel Wage: Zippo, nada, nothing Job term: 18 years+ Holidays: none Sick leave: not available Company car: not provided Chance of promotion: none Perks: cuddles, love, the ability to play with lego without being ques-tioned.
Ask a Professional...
QUESTION: Should I give my baby a dummy?
Whether to give your baby a dummy or not depends on your baby’s behavior and whether a
dummy is helpful in settling your little one. Some babies are very placid and settle easily
while others may need more comfort and a dummy can provide this. A dummy can also be
useful if your baby is not hungry but just wants to suck.
If you choose to use a dummy, it is important not to give it to your baby if he/she is hungry–
it is not a substitute for feeding. It is also vital to sterilize dummies and to keep them in a
covered container when not in use.
Many babies become very attached to their dummy and insist on keeping it well past the age
that they really need it for sucking and discontinuing it’s use can be a challenge for parents-
there are quite a few inventive ways to do this– ask a parent who has been there and done
that!
Overall, the answer to this question is, if you feel a dummy will make life easier for you and
your child then dummies are safe providing they are used correctly. If you have any concerns
regarding your baby’s behavior always talk with your healthcare provider.
This answer has been supplied by Ruth Bosanquet who is our qualified midwife. Learn more
about Ruth on our "About Us" page on our website.
Did you know?.....
According to neuroscientist Dr Caroline Leaf, FUN is one of the most powerful antidotes to
stress. It makes us feel good; improves our health; makes us clever to beat and bring perspec-
tive into our lives. So mums and dads, have lots of FUN during this School Holidays with
your children!
A box of old toys can become a box of ‘new’ toys. Let’s go shopping!
Invite a few mum friends and ask them to bring their children’s preloved
toys. Count the number of toys. If there are 5 children and there are 50 toys
give each child 10 coupons, 1 coupon for 1 toy. Children to take turn to
choose 1 toy from each section and move on to next section before they can
go back for another turn.
Have a fashion parade swapping children’s clothes with other mums.
Invite a few mum friends. Use 2 ribbons to make a runway for the models.
Create an atmosphere with children’s dance songs. Children take turn to
try on ‘new’ clothes and model it on the runway. Clap and cheer for the
models. At the end of the activity mums will have ‘new’ clothes to bring
home with their children.
Written by Simone Yuen - children’s book author www.rainbowballs.com.au
8
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line two 20cm round cake
tins.
2. Sift the flours into a bowl and add the sugar, butter, milk, eggs
and vanilla essence.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the ingredients together until well
combined. Then beat on high for two minutes.
4. Divide the mixture equally into four bowls. Using the food col-
ouring tint each bowl with a different colour. Use limited col-
ouring for pale colours and up to a teaspoon for brighter col-
ours. Mix thoroughly.
5. Pour the first colour into the first cake tin. Top it with a second
colour. Place the remaining two colours, one on top of the other,
into the second cake tin.
6. Bake in oven for 45 minutes or until cake springs back when
lightly touched.
7. Allow to cool completely before icing.
8. To make icing beat the butter until fluffy and light in colour.
Gradually add the icing mixture and milk and continue to beat.
9. Spread a layer of icing onto the first cake and top with the sec-
ond. Ice around the sides and top of the cake using swirling
motions. Decorate with sprinkles. Serve.
9
Monthly Recipe
Rainbow cake Ingredients:
3 cups self raising flour
1 cup plain flour
2 cups castor sugar
300g butter (room tem-
perature)
1¼ cups milk
6 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla
essence
Four different colour
food colouring
Icing: 3 cups icing sugar mix-
ture
2 tablespoons milk
250g butter softened
10
Your Story
Cathy’s story - My happily ever after
I was one of those girls who always
wanted to be married. I thought the per-
fect life would be living with the man of
your dreams, having a home and raising
children. When I was a teenager I had
my whole life planned out. I would meet
my husband-to-be around 19 or 20 years
of age. We would marry around 21 in a
gorgeous ceremony with my dad walk-
ing me down the aisle. Kids would come
next - I would be one of those women
who loved being pregnant, I wouldn’t
have morning sickness and I would have
easy births. We would live in a beautiful
home and my husband would bring in
enough money that we could live com-
fortably without any financial stress…..
That was the dream.
I guess as a child that seemed reasonable.
The reality was far different. This is my
story…
At 21 the proposal came. It wasn’t like I
thought it would be. Sure the guy was
great, the location was acceptable but I
just didn’t feel it. I decided that it wasn’t
the right time and that I would wait until
it was.
I met guys and I dated occasionally but I
never found that feeling I was searching
for. I wasn’t even sure I knew what that
feeling was supposed to be but I wanted it
to be like on the movies…. That moment
where music played and the girl would
look into the guys eyes and be complete. I
wanted the feeling of butterflies going
through me when he said my name. It just
never seemed to happen. Every time I
liked a guy he didn’t seem to notice I ex-
isted… every time a guy liked me I just
didn’t feel the same.
At 22 I was sexually abused at a party. It
took me a long time to come to grips with
what had happened and to not blame my-
self. I began to lose trust in guys.
At 24 my world was rocked when my
father died. He was my biggest supporter.
We had become closer than ever in the
years leading to his death and now he was
gone. My life plans seemed to be slipping
away. Nothing seemed to be going to
plan.
Finally I decided it was time for a fresh
start. I got a new job and started making
new friends. The realisation that life did-
n’t run according to your plans had hit me
and I decided to just go with the flow. I
made peace with the fact that I would
probably never get married and decided
that I would move to South America to
teach English.
That week I met James. James was the
most gorgeous man that had ever spoken
to me. I have to admit it was his looks
that first drew my attention - it wasn’t his
looks that kept it.
I found him fascinating. He was quiet, yet
friendly, attractive but not aware of it. I
told myself we were only going to be
friends. I didn’t need the complication of
a relationship that wouldn’t go anywhere,
but after hanging out together a few times
we decided to try dating.
Our relationship grew quickly and un-
known to me he confessed to his mother a
week later that he was going to marry me.
After 8 short blissful weeks of dating he
proposed and I accepted. I couldn’t be-
lieve that my fairytale was finally coming
true!
We married two months later in a castle,
making me feel like a real princess. It
wasn’t like I had imagined as a young
girl, my father wasn’t there to give me
away, but it was one of the happiest days
of my life.
That was the day I married my best
friend. I finally felt like my dreams were
starting to come true.
Next step was a home and children. Both
did not come nearly as easily as I had
expected but I cannot express how
blessed I feel with what I now have.
I do not live in a mansion, my dreams
came at a price but the person I have be-
come through the trials and the pain have
made me realise how precious life is and
to take the joy where you can and grow
through the challenges.
We would love to hear your story. Send us
an email to tell us about your experi-
ences, joys or disappointments. If your
story is selected for publishing you will
receive a prize and a keepsake copy of the
magazine for that month.
11
Date time in the school holidays Our couple relationships often take a backseat ride when we have children, especially
during the school holidays. Studies show that couples that make time for each other and
plan a date into their schedule regularly will be happier and have a stronger relationship
than those that don’t.
Planning some time out for yourselves around the holiday activities, sports, outings and
kids parties can make this a rather difficult task. It’s even more difficult if you don’t have
a baby sitter.
So we have created a list of at-home dates you can have with your partner. No babysitter
needed.
12
Wine and Cheese night—
Grab some cracker biscuits, a few types of
cheese and some wine. Curl up in front of
the fire (if you have one) and chat while
you sit close together just like you did
when you were actually dating.
Games date—
Bring out your competitive side and challenge
each other in some of your favourite games.
Try Monopoly, Battleships, Yahtzee, cards or
even Connect Four.
Make it even more interesting by creating
some wagers to reward the winner. Prizes
could include dessert, cooking dinner one
night or something of your own imagination.
Order in—
For those nights you
don’t feel like cooking
why not order in. Check
out what restaurants you
have in your local area
that deliver. Make sure
the kids are tucked up
warm in bed and plan
for the meals to arrive
once they are asleep so
you don’t get inter-
rupted.
Indoor (or
backyard)
picnic—
Spread out a
blanket, set up a
feast for two
and enjoy a
peaceful picnic.
On a cold night
you may choose
to do it indoors
or just add
some blankets
to make it an
outdoor event.
Star gazing—
What could be more romantic than laying
outside looking at the stars with your partner?
On a clear night you may be amazed at how
many stars you can actually see. You could
even take it a step further and get a book on
constellations to learn something together.
Candlelight dinner—
Set up your own restau-
rant style meal by set-
ting the table, lighting
some candles and shar-
ing dinner. Use the time
to talk, preferably not
about the kids and try to
learn something you
didn’t know.
Massage time—
Get out your massage oils, warm the room,
put on some quiet music and get comfy. Take
turns massaging each other. Take your time
and use long slow strokes. Take cues from
your partner as to what they enjoy and go
from there.
Movie Marathon—
Choose a theme such as romance, comedy or horror and have a
movie marathon. Rent two or three movies in your chosen theme
and pull out the popcorn and snacks. Curl up together on the
lounge and enjoy.
Kiss (a lot)
13
20 Questions—
A great way to learn more about
your partner is to ask questions.
Try to think of questions that
aren’t typical such as “if you could
travel to any country for a week
which one would it be?” or “What
was your most memorable birthday
in your childhood?”. You can find
lists of questions on the internet to
get you started.
Cook together—
Making a meal together is a fun way to bond. Choose
something you both enjoy and make the time in the
kitchen fun by putting on some music and pouring a glass
of wine. Try to include a main meal and a dessert and
work together to make a meal you will both remember.
Do a puzzle—
Grab out your
jigsaw puzzles
or go shopping
and choose one
together. Then
sit down at the
table or on the
carpet and start
piecing it to-
gether. Work
with each other
by doing large
sections together
and use the time
to talk.
Build a memory book—
Go through your photos from a favourite time such as
your honeymoon, your first year together or a special
outing and create photo book to celebrate.
Photo booth—
Set up a small couch in front
of a blank wall and point
your camera on a tripod at
the couch. Set the timer and
jump in for some great photo
booth style images. Kiss, pull
faces and maybe even throw
in some dress up props to
make it more fun. If you
have any knowledge of photo
editing software, put your
photos into film strips and
print them out for a great
keepsake.
Nerf wars—
For those of you who aren’t anti-gun and like to be a little
more lively, why not try a shooting game with Nerf guns.
Guns be purchased quite cheaply at most toy stores and pro-
vide quite a bit of amusement running around the house (or
outside) trying to shoot each other.
Plant a garden—
For those of you who are nature lovers, why not plant a gar-
den together. You could plant some things that are meaning-
ful to you both, such as your wedding flowers or the flowers
from your first date. Plus you may get quite dirty from the
soil and the remainder of your date can be getting clean to-
gether :)
14
Last weekend I had a call from a friend of mine who had decided it was time to go
back into the workforce after her last little one started school this year.
It had been 5 years since stepping foot into an office and she was in some need of
writing assistance. So, it was time to dust of her CV and get the red pen out for some
serial updates.
Interestingly enough my first question to my good friend was; “What new skills do
you think you have developed over the past 5 years?” and the response I got was;
“They don’t count, do they?”
Now, I am sure many of you probably feel the same. But the breaking news on this is
- they actually do. Now I’m not saying it’s time to put ‘Proven track record of breast-
feeding’ on your CV, but let’s take a more generalised view of some new or improved
skills sets for mums and carers who have been out of the workforce.
Understanding of the parenting product market. This also includes popular
branding and competitors – How many times have you seen the words AVENT
vs TOMMY TIPPIE, this week?
Understanding of the child product market , as above – Should I buy the Boori
cot or the Target cot for about $1000 less?
Negotiating – I’ve been a witness to arguing in the playground and it wasn’t just
the toddlers.
Skilled at dealing with stressful situations – Tired and worn out, baby and/or
toddler yelling in tow? You can’t tell me the trip to the shops was easy.
A multi-tasker – the trip to the bank, organising the older children to school,
getting everyone fed, dressed, lunches packed all by 9am.
Cleaning – Need I say more.
Attention to detail – One word. Swaddle
Current Position: Mum Duration: 5+ years
15
Combos Slides Obstacle Castles Slushie Machines
Phone: (02) 4571 1240 or 0402 100 681
Email: [email protected]
Birthdays/Corporate Events/Preschools/Fetes/Christmas/New Years
History of being organised –
We can’t deny that having an
organized nappy bag is our
saviour.
Communication skills –
whether you’re talking in
baby language, to the doctor,
parents at playgroup, the
mother in-law on the phone or
the parking inspector. It never
stops.
Now, some of these may be a
stretch, but some of them are rele-
vant. So, when you decide it’s
time to head back to work, don’t
feel alienated from an office, be-
cause you really have been work-
ing all this time, it’s just that your
job was also your passion – being
a mum!
16
Hope
Firstly I’d like to say a big
‘Congratulations’ to Julie-Anne England
for the 1st Anniversary of Small Steps
Parenting Magazine – her vision has be-
come her reality. This courageous step of
Julie-Anne’s gives me Hope (yes, with a
capital H)… that my vision can also be-
come a reality.
What is my vision you ask? I suspect it’s
something like yours actually. Where do I
start? I have two gorgeous grandchildren,
a 3-year-old boy who has a newborn baby
sister - and I get really scared when I
wonder if they will experience bullying at
school or at another stage in their lives,
whether it be cyber-bullying in high
school – or will it be earlier, or later in
life? If they are lucky enough to escape
bullying at school they may experience it
at work like so many of their parents. It
seems that bullying is experienced by
everyone at some stage of our lives.
Recently I spoke to a local community
worker who advised me that parents are
having problems with their children at a
younger age these days – please don’t for
a moment assume that parents are always
at fault. Today I spoke with a mother who
has a daughter being bullied in pre-
school. This concerned mother stated that
she did not expect to have to deal with
this issue for many years to come. Al-
though I had total trust in what the com-
munity worker told me about children
having issues younger and younger I was
still saddened to hear about this gorgeous
child being bullied.
Naturally I wonder if my grandchildren
will be a bully or be bullied – either way I
won’t be happy. I want my grandchildren
to go to school, be happy, be healthy, feel
safe, learn about responsibility, under-
stand that justice means there are conse-
quences to actions – theirs and others. I
would like them to be kind and generous
in sharing toys when playing with friends.
Yes, sure there will be fights – hopefully
just over toys –not physical fights. Nor
about who is whose friend – can’t we all
be friends? Or friendly at least?
A short time ago I approached two local
primary schools to share information with
them regarding character development.
What a joy it was to have one principal,
who although he wasn’t available to see
me when I dropped in unexpectedly, still
took the time to quickly introduce himself
while he was walking through the office.
What thankfulness I felt when the office
administrator advised me this principal
would be very open to anything that helps
develop a child’s character and self-
esteem.
Later that same day I dropped into an-
other primary school. This was the second
time I dropped into this primary school as
the principal was unavailable when I first
dropped in. My original drop in was at the
request of a parent, although the school
wasn’t aware of that, additionally I had
heard a couple of negative reports about
recent incidents at the school and thought
I’d be able to offer some helpful informa-
tion and resources they would find most
useful. Unfortunately I was advised they
weren’t interested in what I had to share.
This was disheartening as I want to help
create caring environments in our com-
munity, places that I would be happy for
my grandchildren to be in. I immediately
felt thankful that my grandchildren didn’t
live near this school. Then I felt ashamed
for thinking that. I then hoped that they
have other strategies in place that benefit
the children – but then again why did a
parent suggest to me I specifically go
there and why did I hear about these inci-
dents from parents in the community
whose children don’t even attend this
school? Bad news travels fast they say.
Maybe that’s why. What virtue do I need
to cope with this? Acceptance. I realize
this doesn’t drive away my hope, it was
just a frustrating experience because I
didn’t get to share useful resources before
they were rejected. I need to be more un-
derstanding. If this school has problems
then this principal has enough to deal
with.
There’s always a gift in our challenges –
these challenges have enabled me to
document my frustrations as although I
was asked to write an article for this
magazine I wasn’t sure which virtue to
focus on. Hope became very clear today.
And the gift I envisage is that you also
share my vision and support the goal of
creating a safer, caring and united com-
munity through your participation.
One way of doing this is that I’m going to
implement a ‘Virtue of the Week’ on my
website that people can opt in – and out
of – when they wish to participate.
Can you imagine communities uniting to
create a safer, kinder environment? By all
focusing on the same behaviour, such as a
particular virtue each week we will have
unity of thought and action. For example
if we were all to practice ‘cleanliness’ our
actions would be different according to
our age groups yet it would have the same
underlying virtues-based behaviour. If a
virtue is practiced at child care centres
and schools then it would spill over into
the family and community – or vice versa.
The following week it may be ‘respect’
which also encourages positive behav-
iour. We could all start to think of new
ways to practice these virtues – and share
our creative ideas with others in order to
keep each other inspired and connected in
a positive way. They say when you prac-
tice one virtue you find that you’re prac-
ticing more than one.
I suspect by now you know what my vi-
sion is and what I hope for. I can’t do it
without you so I hope it’s your vision too.
I want positive generational change.
There are too many bad news stories
these days and they are becoming more
and more common – and closer to home –
and more people are talking about the
need for change. I want our children,
when they grow up, to make decisions
based on virtues such as caring, compas-
sion and consideration. I want them to
vote in politicians who are elected due to
their positive characters – truthfulness,
service, idealism and humility.
After all Mahatma Gandi said ‘If we are
to teach real peace in this world, and if we
are to carry on a real war again war, we
shall have to begin with the children’.
Am I alone in thinking we need to proac-
tively create positive behavioural change
in ourselves, our families, our communi-
ties and our world for the sake of our chil-
dren’s future - is action required or am I
being idealistic? What do you think?
Written by Trish Corbett from Ethical
Foundations
17
I personally believe that our chil-
dren will become more interested in read-
ing and their skills will develop and be-
come stronger by exposing them to an ar-
ray of genres and types of books. Why?
Because they are going to become familiar
with a variety of vocabulary words,
thoughts and ideas, as well as writing
styles. This increases the likelihood that
they will find a style that interests them and
draws them into the world of books.
I have another theory I would like to
share. I am going against the grain when I
say that I believe that we should not alter
our vocabulary when we are speaking with
our children/students. In my opinion,
adults tend to discredit how truly intelligent
children really are. I came to this conclu-
sion after observing one of my closest
friends with her children, as well as some
of my students' parents over the years.
My girlfriend never changed her
vocabulary when speaking with her chil-
dren. Unfortunately, I did with my chil-
dren in the beginning. I was amazed to
discover that my girlfriend's children com-
municated with their mother using such
advanced vocabulary, and they used it cor-
rectly because their mother used it cor-
rectly. At first I thought this was just an
anomaly; however, after I began teaching, I
occasionally witnessed some of my parents
exercising the same practice with their chil-
dren and sure enough, the results were the
same. I eventually jumped on this band-
wagon with my own children and the re-
sults were well worth it.
Think about it for a minute. A child
is born into this wonderful world. What
language are
they going to
learn and com-
prehend? The
language their
family speaks
to them. An English-only family does not
raise a child who speaks only French,
right? Our children learn from us and what
they learn depends on what we teach them.
Another very embarrassing example is one
with my son. When Casey was just a little
over a year old, he overheard me use a not-
so-appropriate four-letter word. At first I
was afraid that he was going to start run-
ning around the house repeating this word
over and over again to my complete morti-
fication. Thankfully this was not the case.
However, one day my parents took him out
to eat. While Casey was enjoying his spe-
cial day with Grandma and Grandpa, his
vanilla shake, which he happened to think
was the best thing in the world, spilled. Oh
yes, you know what I am about to say next.
That lovely four-letter word that I let slip in
his presence – on just one occasion – came
spilling from his lips. He was not even 2
years old, yet he knew exactly that this was
the type of scenario where such a word
would fit the situation. And yes, it was the
first thing I heard about as my parents re-
turned my precious little angel to me. I
would have rather that he ran around my
empty home repeating the word where no
one else would have overheard him, but no
… he waited until he had a situation that
matched the situation I had when I had
regrettably used the word. I am sure that
there are a few of you out there who could
More than just story time...part 2
20
21
relate to my shame.
My daughter provides a less embar-
rassing example for me to share. My
mother and I had worked with Alissa,
helping her learn her ABCs and other rele-
vant information, before she started pre-
kindergarten. Because she was now
spending quite a lot of her day in school, I
decided to give our educational time to-
gether a break. When she had just started
first grade, her teacher informed me that
she was struggling with reading, so I im-
mediately began to teach her on my own
after school every day. You can probably
imagine how thrilled she was with this
new arrangement. I went to the teacher
supply store and purchased games, books
and other assorted supplies. After intro-
ducing my daughter to learn how to read
by using the phonetic system, her reading
abilities quickly took off. If she liked a
book in the library or book store, I never
discouraged her from reading it. One day,
we were all snuggled up on my bed to-
gether and she was reading me a book she
had just checked out from her school li-
brary. After she had proficiently read the
entire story to me, I happened to notice on
the back of the book that the librarian had
labeled the book for fourth grade reading.
Alissa was in the last few weeks of first
grade. She was able to phonetically break
down and read every word in the story.
No one had told her that she was too
young to read this story, and obviously she
wasn't. This is one reason why I really
believe that we should read stories to our
children that they are not able to read to
themselves, and the earlier the better. It is
all about exposure, exposure, exposure. Written by C.L.Peck, author of award
winning “A Midnight Song”.
Cynthia is the author of the award winning book “A
Midnight Song”. We have one autographed copy to
give away. To enter Cynthia would like to know your
thoughts for her next book where the main character,
Sam will be travelling to Australia. Please answer the
following questions and email them to
[email protected] to go in the draw to
win. Winner will be notified by email. Entries close
15th August 2014.
What do you think Sam should experience
when he is in Australia?
What do you think he should eat that repre-
sents the Australian culture?
What area do you think he should visit?
Win a signed copy of “A Midnight Song”
20
Language is something we hear, isn't it - not
see? Or is it?
My son is just beginning to put words to-
gether now - he's in his second year of life.
"Stuck!" he'll call, putting on an anxious
face, and then, when I go to him, he'll smile.
"Hooray!" he'll say, showing me he isn't
stuck at all. He just wanted me close.
Babies communicate through facial expres-
sions and through gestures long before
they're able to talk. Waving 'bye', clapping,
pointing all come long before sentences. I
taught both my son and daughter sign lan-
guage so that they could share their thoughts
when words were too difficult to say. At age
one, both only had a few words, but dozens
of signs.
Sign language is a great way for young chil-
dren to communicate, especially if language
might be delayed due to developmental is-
sues. It's not hard to pick up a few signs (try
www.auslan.org for an easy online diction-
ary). It's also lots of fun and a great bonding
exercise. My kids have far better hearing
than I, and would tell me the phone was
ringing or the dog barking long before I
picked it up!
Another way of communicating is through
pictures. You'll find babies pointing at pic-
tures in books, to share what they under-
stand, what they recognise. My daughter
found a picture of a mother breastfeeding in
a brochure and brought it to Daddy when I
was away to tell him she wanted her milk!
Making up picture cards for children, espe-
cially children who might have a language
delay, is a good exercise. Clear photos are
best, and many good pictures can be found
online, on google images for example. Hav-
ing pictures of favourite toys or activities
around the house can give children another
way to communicate. Add a written word, to
increase pre-reading skills.
Language is more than words, it's also facial
expression and body language, tone of voice
and context. For some children, picking up
words is easy but understanding facial ex-
pression is difficult. Having lots of face to
face time is important for all children, and
playing face to face games like peekaboo
and row-the-boat is not only great bonding
but great language practice. Try having a
'silent' afternoon, where you only communi-
cate through facial expression and body lan-
guage - saves your voice, too!
21
Thinking of language as
something we see might
initially seem strange, but
it really is more than spo-
ken sounds. For children
with something extra, be-
ing aware of 'seeing lan-
guage' just as much as
hearing language can be
vitally important. Look
around - what language
can you see right now?
Change Change Make a
Ever stop to have a look at what you have? Wonder what life would be like without a TV, a
warm bed or food?
It is easy to get carried away with what we want in life, always striving for the next best
thing, the most up-to-date technology, the biggest TV, the fanciest car. This month can I
encourage you to think about those less fortunate than you? I just recently heard a story
about a little 10 year old boy who lives in the slums in India. Not only does his house have
a sheet for a door, and dirt for a floor but he has to go to work each day to support his fam-
ily. He makes approximately $1.80 per day and spends half of that on more stock to sell.
It really brings thing into perspective doesn’t it?
Maybe this month, do something for someone less fortunate, however small you feel it is,
I can guarantee it will make an impact to them.
We would love to hear what you are or someone you know is doing to make a change.
We would love to feature the story in Small Steps. Please email us.
22
My 2014
As I mentioned in a previous article, we
have recently moved. We bought gorgeous
block of land and are living in a temporary
home until our dream home is built.
The place we moved into was not in good
condition but as it is only a temporary
home for us I didn’t want to spend a great
deal of money on it. I looked at the rooms
that needed the most work and started plan-
ning to create an environment for my kids
that was clean and welcoming.
My first priority was the bathroom. I didn’t
feel you could feel clean even after a
shower if the bathroom wasn’t fresh and
inviting.
At first glance of our bathroom I noticed
the following - the shower had a large hole
in the wall at the bottom on one side, the
ceiling was covered in mould as were some
of the walls, the floor was grubby and un-
appealing, the toilet was old and stained
and the window covering needed replacing.
So my work was really cut out for me.
I set a budget of $1500 and started plan-
ning. I chose a colour scheme and began
searching for cheap materials.
I had a brand new shower installed (by my
lovely brother-in-law) using three shower
panels bought from Bunnings. They usu-
ally cost $180 per sheet but I was able to
get one sheet for only $30 as it was a dis-
continued line. I used that sheet for the
back of the shower as it had a tile pattern in
it and then used the plain more expensive
walls for the two sides. As the colour is
exactly the same you can barely tell one is
patterned. The base was fine so I just gave
it a good clean.
We found a new toilet suite for $99, high
gloss anti mould paint for the walls and self
stick lino tiles for the floor all from Bun-
nings.
I had to get a plumber to put in the new
toilet but the painting and flooring I did
myself.
I started by cleaning the ceiling and giving
it two good coats of ceiling paint with paint
I found in the garage = FREE. I patched the
holes in the walls and painted them with
three coats of anti-mould bathroom paint.
My next job was the floor. I was amazed at
how easy the self stick lino tiles are to use.
You simply start from the centre laying the
tiles next to each other and then cut the
tiles that are too big around the walls. I
started by using a Stanley knife but found
that a strong pair of scissors ended up be-
ing easier especially on rounded cuts. The
toilet was the most difficult and I wanted
the tiles to fit nicely around it, so I used a
paper pattern I made by tracing around the
toilet on several pieces of paper and then
cutting around it.
I was really pleased with the result. Not
only did it look amazing but it was quite
cheap and fully waterproof.
Lastly I did some shopping around to ac-
cessorise. I used a frosted film that I found
Money Challenge -
The bathroom reno
in my garage to stick over the clear glass
windows for privacy (this obviously didn’t
mess with my budget as I already had this
item which I purchased years ago on eBay).
I found a gorgeous mirror, a new shower
curtain and three drawer white cabinet from
Kmart and I bought towels, a vase and a
(fake) orchid from The Reject Shop that
went with my colour scheme and finished
off the window with a matchstick blind
which I found on clearance at Bunnings.
Then I simply put it all together for my
complete bathroom makeover.
This was what it cost all together (I rounded
the numbers to make it easier) ~
As you can see I came out well under
budget and now I have moved onto other
areas of our home. Next month I will show
you the makeovers of two bedrooms.
Julie-Anne England
23
Items
Ceiling paint free
Wall paint $200
Shower walls $390
Toilet suite $99
Plumber $200
Flooring $80
Matchstick blind $6
Mirror $19
Three drawer cabinet $35
Shower curtain $10
Towels $20
Vase and orchid $15
Window frosting free
$1,074
BEFORE
AFTER
Having children are often the purpose of a married couples life. Children are central to having a family but often the question couples face before they have a family is, how many children can we afford. Assuming having them isn't go-
ing to be an issue.
AMP did a comprehensive report on
the costs of having children in 2012. What the Report found was that the cost of a child can be broadly divided between two categories: 'household' costs (such as food, transport, clothing,
health, etc) and 'education' costs.
Household costs are largely staple
costs. In other words they are largely essential costs to the family having a child and may vary depending on the family budget and the number of mem-bers of the family. Whereas education costs can be discretionary beyond a minimum cost. The parents can chose the type of education they chose for their children, such as in the early years child care and pre-school care, through to private verses public education during primary and secon-
dary school, and then university costs. For low to middle income families the cost of raising a child, or children, takes up a larger percentage of their house-hold income than for higher income families. The question often comes down to whether it is a two income or single income family as to what they can afford for their children. The esti-mated costs for a couple to raise two children to age 18 ranged from $473,000 for a low income family, to $812,000 for a middle income family
and $1.1 million for a high income fam-ily. The biggest expense, not surpris-ingly, was education costs which are also likely to rise the most in future years. So those costs are likely to be greater in today's dollars when the ex-
pense is actually incurred.
So how can a couple prepare them-
selves for the expense of having a fam-ily? The best way to prepare for the future education costs that you chose for your children is to have a
budget. There are software programs
available that can help you with this task. These programs allow you to chose the type of education that you plan for your children, the period of that education and when the cost will be incurred. You then need to have a fi-nancial plan to meet that expense. That plan will be based on your capacity to generate excess income to your cur-rent expenditure and your ability to save for the future. There is no secret that the more you put away now, the easier it will be later to meet those ex-
penses.
If you have any questions on the above please contact me at [email protected]. Best wishes Michael Voss CFP Disclaimer: This is general advice only
24
The cost of raising
children
Kids Fun!
25
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Use three trays with water and add food colouring to each to make different colours.
Fold pieces of paper towel into smaller squares and dip the corners in the coloured liq-
uid. Unfold the paper towel and hang until dry.
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Baby Shower
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Community
Do you have a free playgroup,
event or program for families?
List them here on our
community noticeboard for
FREE! Email us.
RHYME TIME
Every Monday 10-11am
(except school holidays)
Rhymes, songs and craft for 18 months
to 3 years. Siblings welcome.
FREE - no need to book.
Central Library Windsor
Deerubbin Centre, 300 George Street,
Windsor (02) 4560 4460
PRE-SCHOOL STORYTIME
every Tuesday 11am-12noon
Richmond Branch every Thursday
11am-12noon
(except during school holidays) Themed
stories, rhymes & craft for 3 - 5 years
Siblings welcome
FREE - All welcome
Central Library Windsor
Deerubbin Centre, 300 George Street,
Windsor (02) 4560 4460
Twins and More The playgroup is for families/carers of twins or parents expecting multi-ple births. Hawkesbury Twins and More is a free Playgroup providing an informal wel-coming setting to socialize, interact & share experiences with others who have Twins and More. Bring a rug for babies to lie on & any-thing else you may need! For more information please call
Thursdays—Fortnightly 9.30am—11.00am
South Windsor Family Centre Greenhills Way, South Windsor
4577 9804
28
During school term South Windsor
Tuesday, 0-5 year olds, 9:30 –11am Hobartville
Tuesday, 0-5 Year olds, 9:15 - 11am Windsor South
Thursdays, 0-5 year olds 9:15-10:45am
Bookings phone 4577 9804
Playgroups
Meet & Greet Tuesday 1.00pm – 2.30pm
Informal group for mums & bubs birth – 18 months
Bookings phone 4577 9804
29
Noticeboard
Playtime@HVBC Are you looking for a safe, fun, se-
cure environment where your child 0-
5 years can meet together with other
children? Do you need some adult
talk time? Come to Playtime at
HVBC!
Where: Hawkesbury Valley Baptist
Church, 14/26 Terrace Rd North
Richmond
When: Tuesday, Wednesday and
Thursday 9.30-11.30am during
school term Contact: Ph 4571 4963, txt or call
Deanna 0438 668 259
or check out our website www.hvbc.org.au
Hawkesbury Humbugs
Playgroup Join a relaxed group with babies
and preschoolers and meet for a
coffee, morning tea and a play.
First two visits free, just bring a
drink and a piece of fruit.
All welcome.
Thursdays
Glossodia Community Centre
9.30am-11.30am
For more info call Alana
0403354364
30
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