22 CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN EXPRESS, Tuesday, May 3, 2016 CBXE01Z01MA - V1

FAMILY LIFE

Mums, prepare for a ‘craft’ onslaughtMother’s Day is upon us which means a veritable production line of kindy gifts is headed our way

NEWS STYLE11B/BYLINE PICTURE COLUMNIST 2 columns

Editor’s DeskVera Bertola

Editor’s DeskRaylene Bliss

Editor’s DeskMark Nolan

Editor’s DeskMelissa Mitchell

Editor’s DeskKelly Robinson

Editor’s DeskSteve Howard

Murphy’s LoreMiranda Murphy

Real Estate EditorTim McIntyre

Editor’s DeskMonique Cowper

Acting EditorBrad Earl

Editor’s DeskJessica Clement

Acting EditorBrad Boxall

Editor’s DeskColin Kerr

Editor’s DeskBilly Cantwell

Editor’s DeskNick Calacouras

Editor’s DeskJohn Bilic

Editor’s DeskDavid Catt

Editor’s DeskJoanne Vella

Editor’s DeskMandy Perrin

Editor’s DeskLouise Roberts

Editor’s DeskBrett Thomas

Editor’s DeskSimone Roberts

Editor’s DeskLisa Power

Sports EditorJon Geddes

BlindsideAndrew Prentice

NewsLocal ReporterAdam Bell

News EditorMatt Taylor

Editor’s DeskAnthony Field

Editor’s DeskCatherine Zuill

Nick Calacouras

JohnBilic

VeraBertola

RayleneBliss

BillyCantwell

DavidCatt

JoanneVella

MarkNolan

DarrenThomas

MelissaMitchell

MandyPerrin

LouiseRoberts

BrettThomas

KellyRobinson

JessicaClement

ColinKerr

SimoneRoberts

LisaPower

CatherineZuill

SteveHoward

MirandaMurphy

BillHarcourt

KenFoster

MarieHolmes

TimPickles

SandraMcDonald

ClintGrattan

RebeccaStyles

TimMcIntyre

MattTaylor

DeborahFitzgerald

AntonyField

BradBoxall

MoniqueCowper

BradEarl

AdamBell

11A/BYLINE PICTURES AND DESCRIPTIONS

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BYLINE DESCRIPTION

NickCalacouras

MANLY DAILY EDITOR

JohnBilic

ROUSE HILL TIMES EDITOR

VeraBertola

MT DRUITT STANDARD EDITOR

RayleneBliss

SOUTHERN COURIER EDITOR

BillyCantwell

NORTH SHORE TIMES EDITOR

DavidCatt

HILL SHIRE TIMES EDITOR

JoanneVella

BLACKTOWN ADVOCATE EDITOR

MarkNolan

CENTRAL COAST EDITOR

DarrenThomas

FISHING

MelissaMitchell

LIVERPOOL LEADER EDITOR

MandyPerrin

MACARTHUR CHRONICLE EDITOR

LouiseRoberts

MANLY DAILY NEWS EDITOR

BrettThomas

MOSMAN DAILY EDITOR

KellyRobinson

MT DRUITT STANDARD EDITOR

ColinKerr

NORTHERN DISTRICTS TIMES EDITOR

SimoneRoberts

PARRAMATTA ADVERTISER EDITOR

LisaPower

PENRITH PRESS EDITOR

CatherineZuill

INNER WEST COURIER EDITOR

SteveHoward

WENTWORTH COURIER EDITOR

MirandaMurphy

MURPHY’S LORE

BillHarcourt

FINANCE AND INVESTING

KenFoster

DIGGER DOINGS

MarieHolmes

HISTORY WRITER

TimPickles

GARDEN AND OUTDOORS

SandraMcDonald

MENTAL HEALTH

ClintGrattan

HEALTH AND FITNESS

RebeccaStyles

HEALTH AND WELL BEING

TimMcIntyre

REAL ESTATE EDITOR

MattTaylor

CENTRAL COAST NEWS EDITOR

DeborahFitzgerald

INNER WEST COURIER REPORTER

AntonyField

EXPRESS EDITOR

JessicaClement

CENTRAL EDITOR

BradBoxall

ACTING EDITOR

BradEarl

ACTING EDITOR

AdamBell

NEWSLOCAL GROUP REPORTER

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NEWS STYLE

NEWS STYLE11B/BYLINE PICTURE COLUMNIST

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Editor’sDeskNick Calacouras

Editor’sDeskJohn Bilic

Editor’sDeskVera Bertola

Editor’sDeskRaylene Bliss

Editor’sDeskBilly Cantwell

Editor’sDeskDavid Catt

Editor’sDeskJoanne Vella

Editor’sDeskMark Nolan

FishingWriterDarren Thomas

Editor’sDeskMelissa Mitchell

Editor’sDeskLouise Roberts

Editor’sDeskBrett Thomas

Editor’sDeskKelly Robinson

Editor’sDeskColin Kerr

Editor’sDeskMandy Perrin

Editor’sDeskLisa Power

Editor’sDeskCatherine Zuill

Editor’sDeskSteve Howard

Murphy’sLoreMiranda Murphy

Editor’sDeskSimone Roberts

Finance &InvestingBill Harcourt

DiggerDoingsKen Foster

Garden &OutdoorsTim Pickles

MentalHealthSandra McDonald

Health &FitnessClint Grattan

WellBeingRebecca Styles

RealEstateTim McIntyre

HistoryWriterMarie Holmes

Editor’sDeskMonique Cowper

NewsLocalReporterAdam Bell

NewsReporterDeborah Fitzgerald

Editor’sDeskAntony Field

Editor’sDeskJessica Clement

Editor’sDeskBrad Boxall

Editor’s DeskBrad Earl

NewsEditorMatt Taylor

NEWS STYLE11B/BYLINE PICTURE COLUMNIST AND DESCRIPTION 2 columns

BYLINE DESCRIPTION

Editor’s DeskNick Calacouras

MANLY DAILY

Editor’s DeskJohn Bilic

ROUSE HILL TIMES

Editor’s DeskDavid Catt

HILL SHIRE TIMES

Editor’s DeskJoanne Vella

BLACKTOWN ADVOCATE

Editor’s DeskMandy Perrin

MACARTHUR CHRONICLE

News EditorLouise Roberts

MANLY DAILY

Editor’s DeskBrett Thomas

MOSMAN DAILY

Editor’s DeskLisa Power

PENRITH PRESS

Editor’s DeskSimone Roberts

PARRAMATTA ADVERTISER

Sports EditorJon Geddes

MANLY DAILY

Editor’s DeskAntony Field

CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN EXPRESS

News EditorMatt Taylor

CENTRAL COAST EXPRESS

Editor’s DeskCatherine Zuill

INNER WEST COURIER

Editor’s DeskMandy Perrin

MACARTHUR CAMDEN

Editor’s DeskVera Bertola

MT DRUITT/ST MARYS STANDARD

Editor’s DeskMelissa Mitchell

LIVERPOOL LEADER

Editor’s DeskMark Nolan

CENTRAL COAST EXPRESS

Editor’s DeskKelly Robinson

MT DRUITT/ST MARYS STANDARD

Editor’s DeskColin Kerr

NORTHERN DISTRICT TIMES

Editor’s DeskSteve Howard

WENTWORTH COURIER

Murphy’s LoreMiranda Murphy

MODERN PARENTING

Editor’s DeskTim McIntyre

REAL ESTATE EDITOR

Editor’s DeskBrad Earl

ACTING EDITOR

Editor’s DeskBrad Boxall

ACTING EDITOR

Editor’s DeskJessica Clement

CENTRAL

Editor’s DeskMonique Cowper

HORNSBY ADVOCATE

Editor’s DeskBilly Cantwell

NORTH SHORE TIMES

Editor’s DeskRaylene Bliss

SOUTHERN COURIER

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Editor’s DeskKelly Robinson mtdruittstandard.com.au

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Editor’s DeskBrett Thomas mosmandaily.com.au

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Editor’s DeskColin Kerr northerndistricttimes.com.au

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Editor’s DeskSimone Roberts parramattaadvertiser.com.au

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Editor’s DeskLisa Power penrithpress.com.au

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Editor’s DeskCatherine Zuill innerwestcourier.com.au

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Editor’s DeskSteve Howard wentworthcourier.com.au

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Editor’s DeskTim McIntyre newslocal.com.au

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Editor’s DeskMonique Cowper hornsbyadvocate.com.au

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Murphy’s LoreMiranda Murphy Miranda Murphy is a mother of three & journalist at The Australian

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Editor’s DeskJohn Bilic rousehilltimes.com.au

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@SCHOOL

Workforce gives new meaning to ‘retail therapy’James Taylor

FOR many teenagers, en-tering the workforce for thefirst time can be a dauntingprocess, so for two WileyPark high school students, aweek of work experienceprovided just the confi-dence they needed.

Nesrian Al Shahatet andHajah Al-Mansory fromWiley Park Girls HighSchool were placed at Myerin Bankstown through a re-tail course.

They spent the week serv-ing customers and assistingstaff under the guidance ofoperations manager Tus-har Makkar.

Nesrian, in Year 11, said itwas a productive week.

“I have learnt so muchand I have a new respect forpeople who work in retail,”Nesrian said. “Ensuringeverything is neat and tidycan be hard work.”

Work placement is of-fered at the high schoolthrough external vocation-al education and trainingcourses.

Wiley Park Girls HighSchool VET co-ordinatorMaree Sammut said workexperience was a good wayfor students to put coursetheory into action, to helpthem secure employmentlater on.

“Two retail students havebeen offered casual posi-

tions this year already,” MsSammut said.

“The feedback I get fromemployers is that they areimpressed with the stan-dard of students.”

Meanwhile, Mr Makkarsaid there was a goodchance that conscientiousstudents could land them-selves a job after theirplacement finished.

“I observe them through-out the week and know theones I would like to offercasual positions to. I havehired quite a few throughthis program,” he said.

MWLP Linking Youthwas the work placementprovider responsible for co-ordinating Nesrian andHajah’s time at Myer.

The service recently ex-panded into Canterburyand Bankstown.

For more informationcall 4625 1863 or email trudi.haycock@mwlp.com.au.

Teacher Maree Sammut with student Nesrian Al Shahatet.

SOMETIMES I wonder ifMother’s Day (alert: thisSunday!) was created to givechildcare centres a freshrange of craft activities afterEaster has passed.

Because, bless ‘em, mostkindies dive into heavy in-dustry and can be relied onto produce the traditionalchecklist of gifts for mothers,grandmas and other mum-like folk.

Top of the daycare productrange are wildly colouredmacaroni necklaces, paperflowers, decorated boxes,hand prints, flower pots andbookmarks. It’s somewhatironic to pick up and have toclean a kid whose clothes,skin and hair are covered inpaint, glue and glitter after along day’s toil on presentsfor you – but it would bechurlish to dwell.

Greeting card companiesshould also be consideringlegal action over unfair com-petition (cheap labour) giventhe mass production of

Mother’s Day cards out ofchildcare centres.

That said, commercial de-mand cannot be high for Pic-asso-esque drawings ofmums in which their mostembarrassing feature ismassively highlighted – likemost cards from my kids.

There are other sweet ac-tivities, too. Last year at myboy’s daycare they got thekids to finish the sentence “Ilove my mum because…”and wrote their responses ona poster.

Most of the littlies came upwith lovely things like “shelooks after me” and “shegives me cuddles”. I had achuckle though when half-way down the list I foundone girl’s reply: “Shegives me lollies and choc-olate.” Ho ho, I snicker-ed smugly to myself, her

mum won’t be thrilled withthat.

That was until I got to myson’s answer at the very end,much like a punchline. “Shehas lots of money.”

This is true if you are fourand think gold coins in thebottom of a handbag are pi-rate treasure. So if you’relooking for me this Sunday, Iwill be the one wearing thepasta bracelets and paper-plate necklace.

And spare a thought forthe playgrounds of Australiaon their busiest morning ofthe year as hundreds of thou-sands of dads drag their kidsout into the cold so the ladiescan have a lie-in.b Miranda Murphy is a mother of three and a journalist at The Australian.

Follow me on Twitter@murphymiranda

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22 NEWS THEEXPRESS.COM.AU TUESDAY, MAY 3, 2016