FREE!

AUGUST 2014

10 things you can

learn from your

children

The truth about

travelling with

kids

Your Free online Parenting magazine

awesome day

trips for

the kids

August 2014

Special Features

8 20

Awesome day trips with the kids More than just story time by C.L. Peck

Articles

Investing in the future 10 things you can learn from your children The truth about travelling with kids My 2014 money challenge

7 12 18 24

Regulars

Letter from the Editor Ask a professional - ques-tions from readers Monthly Recipe - Vegetar-ian Chilli Your Story - Birth in the country Mums and the City - with Alexis Galloway Something Extra - by Caro-lyn Galbraith Did you know? Kid’s fun Community Noticeboard

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23 26 28

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Contents

WIN One of two family passes to Calmsley Hill City Farm

(See page 8 for more details)

Letter from the Editor

Julie-Anne England

info@smallstepsparenting.com

www.smallstepsparenting.com

www.facebook.com/

Small Steps is going

Dear Reader,

Did you know that nearly 4 billion trees are cut down worldwide each year for

paper? As Small Steps Parenting Magazine continues to grow we decided that we

didn’t want to part of the problem, so as of this month we will be publishing our

monthly magazine online only. After a call with Greenpeace Australia I realised

that there is so much more we can do to protect what we have and becoming an

online magazine will be doing our part. We are also finding that many of our

readers are curling up on the lounge with a copy of our online magazine on their

tablet computers and we think this is great! We now have readers in the USA, India

and Europe which is very exciting for us and we hope that you will appreciate what

we are trying to do and continue to support us by subscribing to our online maga-

zine.

We are also proud to announce that we have been

nominated for the Ausmumpreneur awards for

Emerging Business within Australia. We would

love you to help us out by voting for us online at

Ausmumpreneur.com which will also put you in the

draw to win an awesome family holiday.

Lastly, don’t forget to enter our competitions

to win one of two family passes to

Calmsley Hill City Farm (page 8) and

the new award winner book “A

Midnight Song” by CL Peck (page 21)

Until next month...

Our Contributors

Michael Voss is a Certified

Financial Planner. He shares

his extensive financial knowl-

edge through answering your

questions and contributing

informative articles.

Abby Fleming is a

qualified nutritionist.

Abby writes for Small

Steps regarding issues of

child nutrition and

healthy eating for

families.

Kirsten Mitchell is a Fitness

Professional with Fitness

Australia. She is passionate

about sharing her knowl-

edge and helping others to

move well, feel well and

look well!

Alexis Galloway is a

mother of two and choco-

late lover. Alexis joins us

by writing our new fea-

ture article Mums and the

City bringing humour and

reality to the life of a

mother.

Ruth Bosanquet is a regis-

tered nurse and midwife.

She shares her knowledge

by answering your ques-

tions and sharing interest-

ing articles.

Lynne-McKensey Hall is an

International Board Certified

Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)

and midwife. She shares arti-

cles with us on topics such as

settling, breast-feeding, batter

matters and more.

Carolyn Galbraith is a

qualified Special Edu-

cator with years of ex-

perience all over the

world. She writes our

monthly column

“Something Extra”.

Simone Yuen is author

of the children’s books

by Rainbow Balls and

shares with us each

month her “Do You

Know” section.

Investing in the Future

7 7

In our previous article, we covered the

costs of raising children. The costs for a

two child family ranged anywhere from

$500,000 to over one million dollars.

The main cost was the discretionary

costs of education which varied depend-

ing on the choice of school for your

child (private verses public) and the

period of education, whether it included

tertiary education.

Readers asked; "'What is the best way to

save for this future expense?". The arti-

cle suggested that you needed to set

yourself a budget and commitment to a

regular savings plan either on a weekly

or monthly basis. Obviously your sav-

ings plan maybe adjusted over time as

your current level of income and expen-

diture varies.

So what type of account should these

savings be contributed to? You want to

be able to access the capital when the

fees are required to be paid on a annual

basis. You also want to achieve the best

earning rate possible on your capital

without taking excessive risk and have it

tax at the lowest rate possible. The dif-

ference of 4% to the earnings on your

capital over a 10 year period can be sub-

stantial. You also want to pay tax on the

earnings at the lowest rate possible.

The type of account that best suits your

savings for this purpose depends on who

owns the account. As a couple, the

owner of the account should be the one

with the lowest marginal tax rate. That

may be a non-working spouse. The earn-

ings would then be taxed at their mar-

ginal rate which would be zero. Alterna-

tively, if both partners are working and

intend to continue working during their

married life, the spouse with the lowest

marginal tax rate would be the suitable

owner. If both partners are on the top

marginal tax rate, then an education

bond which is taxed at 30% and is tax

paid after 10 years would be the most

suitable option. So you really need to

decide who will be on the lowest mar-

ginal tax rate and for them to own the

investment. The investment can be 'ear

marked' for the education spending for

your children, in case there is a separa-

tion or divorce in later years.

The type of investment vehicle can ei-

ther be an education or insurance bond

or a unit trust. Both these structures of-

fer a range of investment options. The

option that you chose and are most com-

fortable with will depend on your time

frame and your risk profile or the vola-

tility of the earnings which may include

periods of negative returns. There is a

wider range of providers of unit trust

investments than insurance bonds. Unit

trusts also have a wider range of invest-

ment options which may also be a con-

sideration for your choice of vehicle for

your savings.

So there is a lot to consider. It's not a

case of one size fits all. If you are

not sure which is the best way to go,

seek professional advice. It may save

you thousands in the long run.

If you have any questions on the above

please contact me at

michael.voss@arrowfa.com.au.

Best wishes Michael Voss CFP

Disclaimer: This is general advice only

$ $

$ $

$

$ $

$ $

Awesome day trips with the kids For those days when you just want to do something different...

31 Darling Street

Abbotsbury NSW

2176

(02) 9823 3222

Calmsley Hill

City Farm

If you are looking for a relaxed day out with the family, try Calmsley Hill City Farm. Set on 400

acres this farm is a oasis in the city. A day here will leave you feeling like you had a holiday in

the country. With animals to see and shows to enjoy, there is plenty to keep you busy all day

long. In particular our children enjoyed the working dog show which even managed to hold the

attention of my 17month old daughter. Another highlight seemed to be the animal nursery where

the children could go in with the baby animals to touch and feed them.

There are BBQ facilities and picnic tables available plus a café, tractor rides to enjoy and more.

Plus they run camping nights from September to Easter to really get the most out of the farm

experience.

Your favourite part of the day?

“Definitely the tractor ride

and feeding the goats” -

Charlotte, aged 11

“All the goats” -

Caitlin, aged 3 “It was the tractor ride” -

Chloe, aged 6 and Jackson

2.5 years

We have two family passes to Calmsley Hill City Farm

to giveaway. To win simply “like” us on Facebook and share your drawing of

your favourite animal. Then send an email with your name and age to

info@smallstepsparenting.com. Competition closes 30th August 2014. Winners will be notified by email.

WIN!!

9

Getting out into nature is a great way

to entertain the kids while getting

some fresh air and some exercise.

Leura cascades is one of those breath-

takingly beautiful places still left in

this world. The cascade walk is a cir-

cuit track of 1 km making it a manage-

able walk of around 30 minutes to an

hour, however it may be challenging

for young children especially if there has been rain to make it more slippery.

Don’t forget to bring your camera and keep your eyes open for the local birdlife you are bound

to see on this quiet walk.

There are picnic facilities available as well as public toilets.

Leura Cascades

Chelmsford Drive, Leura NSW

Nurragingy Reserve Off Knox Road, Doonside NSW

If you are looking for a place to take the kids to wear

out some of their energy, look no further than the Nur-

ragingy reserve. A beautiful bushland area, this reserve

allows you to walk, ride your bikes, have a family pic-

nic and make use of the children’s play equipment.

Take a Frisbee (or your nerf) and have

a family game. There are also bush-

walking tracks for those of you who

enjoy a nice quiet hike.

The trees provide lots of shade and

there are BBQ facilities and toilets

available for public use.

In summer time they have a water

park that will entertain the kids for

hours with fountains, sprayers and

more.

Hawkesbury and Nepean Rivers

For those of you who love the water, why not hire some canoes and go paddling down one of

our local rivers. Both Nepean and Hawkesbury Rivers have boat points where you can enter

the water and there are several local canoe rental places that get you off to a great start.

The Penrith Regatta Centre has hire facilities for as little as $15 for a one person canoe and

allows you to use the boats on or off site.

Just remember that this is a great outdoor activity for the adults as well as kids but extra care

needs to be taken with children under 10 around any water activity. Some centres may have

limits for boat hire with very little ones.

Ask a Professional...

QUESTION: The days with my 18 month old daughter seem very long when I am on my

own. What are some things I can do with her to pass the time?

Combos Slides Obstacle Castles Slushie Machines

Phone: (02) 4571 1240 or 0402 100 681

Email: tomcatjim1@bigpond.com

Birthdays/Corporate Events/Preschools/Fetes/Christmas/New Years

Toddlers often seem difficult to entertain as they are too old for baby toys but not old

enough to do many of the things we do with preschoolers. When you are able to give

them some one on one time you will actually find that there are plenty of things you can

do to keep your toddler occupied. Here are a few suggestions of some fun yet simple

activities to keep your toddler happy:

Give her a small bucket with a handle and go on a nature walk - this only needs to be

around the yard or down the street. Encourage her to collect leaves, rocks and flow-

ers and put them in her bucket.

Give her a paintbrush and a small cup of water and let her paint the sidewalk.

Give her a few small bowls and some objects to put in and out of them—just be sure

the items are not too small to be swallowed.

Stick together a few toilet rolls and make a ball out of aluminium foil. Show her how

to roll the ball down the inside of the toilet rolls.

For other ideas please check out our blog on the website.

This answer has been supplied by Julie-Anne England who is trained in childcare.

Learn more about Julie-Anne on our "About Us" page on our website.

Method

Place 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the onion

and cook until softened. Add the mixed herbs and cook for a further minute

Reduce heat to low and add the garlic, beans, chickpeas, corn, tomatoes and

tomato paste

Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove lid and cook

for a further until the mixture has thickened (approx. 5 mins)

Serve vegetarian chilli with warm tortillas or steamed rice and sprinkled with

grated cheese (optional)

11

Monthly Recipe

Vegetarian Chilli

Ingredients

Serves 6

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tsp mixed herbs

2-3 garlic cloves, crushed

420g can mixed beans, drained

and rinsed

420g can chickpeas

425g tin corn kernels

425g can diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce

This recipe comes from Healthy Kids Association. For more

healthy recipes check out their website www.healthy-kids.com.au

10 things you can learn from your

children We spend so much time teaching them how to live and act…. Ever stop to

think that maybe we can also learn from them?

12

1. The wonder of the outdoors - children

seem to find magic everywhere they go

but even more so when they are out-

doors. As adults we get content with

staying inside and avoiding the ele-

ments. Having children can remind us

that nature is a great place to be. Watch

them as they explore through the grass,

collect rocks, dig in the dirt and run

around the open spaces. Try joining

them and see what they see. Encourage

their exploration and be enthusiastic.

2. Unconditional love - there is nothing

quite like the love of a child. It is so

innocent and pure. All they want is your

time and attention and you will have

their complete and utter devotion.

3. Forgiveness - a child tends to forgive so

much quicker than many adults. While

we can hold a grudge even for years, a

child will move on and allow the rela-

tionship to continue. Taking on this trait

can do a lot for us and the other people

in our lives.

4. Joy - why feel any emotion when you

can be happy? Kids love to see the best

in things and tend to view the world

through rose coloured glasses. Rather

than picking at the reasons why your

day will be bad try to focus on the good

things that have already happened and

move on from there.

McGraths Hill Children’s Centre Inc

69 Andrew Thompson Dr, McGraths Hill Ph: 4587 7141 or email: mhcc@westnet.com.au

Open 6.30am-6.30pm

From birth to 6 years

Nutritious meals daily

Community based - Not for profit centre

Preschool transition programs

5. Excitement - remember those magical

hours of Christmas morning? Nothing

is as exciting to a child as waking up

knowing there are presents to open. As

we grow up we stop being as excited

about life and its experiences and get

caught up in the task of being an adult.

Allow yourself to have time to enjoy

yourself and get excited about things

again.

6. The fun of water - if you are wondering

what can keep your child entertained

for hours on end, then look no further

than water! Pouring, scooping and

splashing will plaster your child’s face

with delight. In order for your to re-

claim this sense of fun, why not join

your children in the pool or put on the

sprinkler.

7. The simple things in life are best -

notice how a baby will spend hours

playing with a box, a sheet of paper or a

pile of rocks. When did you allow your-

self to be content with the simple? Sit-

ting outside in the fresh air? Watching

the clouds? Blowing bubbles with the

kids? It’s easy to get caught up in this

era of technology and forget the basics.

8. How great a hotdog is - it was probably

something you ate a lot as a child but

when was the last time? Why do we

often think that hot dogs, chicken nug-

gets and fairy bread is for kids? Maybe

allow yourself to embrace the inner

child and eat like one (at least once).

9. Being carefree - I know that children

don’t have responsibility like we do as

adults but I think that is why they are

able to be carefree and not worry about

life as a whole. Remembering how free-

ing this can be can reduce your stress

significantly. Why not plan for a day

where you can put aside your worries

and just relax… set up your bills to auto

-pay, switch off the technology and just

allow yourself some time to unwind.

10. Honesty - we can all relate stories when

one of our kids said something straight

up and caused us some embarrassment .

While it’s probably not a great idea to

just start speaking your mind (as tempt-

ing as that may be) we can all learn a

lot from a child when it comes to hon-

esty. Try being honest about your

thoughts and feelings with those close

to you, the more you do it the easier it

gets.

13

14

Your Story

Nellie’s Story - Birth in the country

My husband and I had both grown up in

the city. We married young and worked

hard in our respective jobs, saving for a

house deposit. Typical scenario so far.

We had no plans to start a family at this

stage and life went on fairly predictably

until one day we were enjoying a coffee

on the back porch of our rented home

when John said, “How would you feel

about a move to the country?” Stunned, I

replied, “What country?” Laughing, John

said, “This country. Just think, we could

buy land and build our dream home for a

fraction of the price that it would cost us

in the city.”

To say that I felt overwhelmed by the

suggestion was an understatement. There

were our jobs to consider, our families

lived relatively close, so much to think

about. However, I have always been an

adventurous person and it was not long

before I was anticipating the move with

excitement and looking forward to the

complete change that country living

would bring.

We did quite a bit of research beforehand

and finally decided on a location which

was beautiful but quite isolated. Fortu-

nately, we were able to access the internet

and so our work situations were able to

continue although our overall income had

decreased as a result. Nevertheless, we

were thoroughly enjoying our new found

peace and quiet and our weekends were

spent making our temporary dwelling

comfortable and liveable.

We made friends with some people in the

small township which was 100 kilometres

from our home and life was moving along

at an easy pace.

One morning, I woke feeling unwell. This

was quite unusual as I was basically a

very healthy person. As the day contin-

ued, I began to feel better, and dismissed

the incident from my mind until the fol-

lowing morning when the same thing oc-

curred. The thought that I may have been

pregnant didn’t even cross my mind. We

had been using contraception from the

beginning of our relationship and it was

usual for me to have irregular periods.

The nausea continued, becoming more

severe until John finally insisted that I see

a doctor.

To appease him, I visited the local GP,

well as local as possible as it was a 200

kilometre round trip to achieve this. A

pregnancy test was undoubtedly positive

and the doctor questioned me at length

about my cycle as she felt that I was fur-

ther advanced in my pregnancy than she

had originally estimated. I felt a mixture

of emotions, disbelief, panic, concern---

this was not part of our plan. We had

wanted children in the future, but now the

future had become the present with star-

tling reality.

There were basic ultrasound facilities in

the town and the GP referred me mainly

because of the discrepancy in my size, I

was measuring bigger than she expected

for the period of gestation.

John accompanied me and I watched the

sonographer’s face as she moved the gel

covered probe across my lower abdomen.

Finally, I could stand it no longer. The

silence was deafening and her expression

was unreadable. She answered my anx-

ious question with, “No, nothing is

wrong, but you have 2 gestational sacs”

Even then it didn’t make sense until she

said : “Congratulations, you are expecting

twins.”

We will skip over my response as it was

not very gracious or printable, suffice it to

say, it was quite a while before I was able

to process, accept and finally think of my

babies with love and anticipation.

Thankfully, John was very supportive and

it took him far less time to accept our

coming family with excitement.

Time waits for no man, or woman for that

matter, and the weeks passed. I had

booked in to the local hospital where I

was reassured that the visiting obstetri-

cian was very capable of handling multi-

ple births and, as there was no reason to

suspect that the babies would be under-

weight, the risk of my giving birth in a

small birthing centre was minimal.

I had reached 37 weeks and was feeling

huge, uncomfortable and was walking

like a cross between a giant penguin and

someone who had had a bilateral knee

replacement—

My longsuffering GP who had provided

most of my antenatal care, interspersed

with periodic checkups from the visiting

specialist, suggested that maybe it was

time to talk about birth plans. She was

understandably concerned about the fact

that we lived a distance from the hospital,

and so it was decided that I would be

booked for induction on the day that the

obstetrician made his weekly visit.

Finally, the end was in sight. I lay in bed

that night, trying to imagine how our life

would change. I was excited but also very

nervous. I had wanted an adventure, but

this was not exactly what I had had in

mind! I was almost drifting off to sleep

when suddenly, my abdomen tightened

painfully. I had been experiencing Brax-

ton Hicks contractions for weeks, but this

15

16

was the strongest one I had ever felt. It was

followed by another and another- there

seemed to be no let up. There was no need

to wake John, he was fully aware of what

was going on.

“Stay there honey” he said. “I’ll throw your

bag in the car and come straight back for

you” I was too busy concentrating on the

very frequent contractions to pay much

attention. John disappeared but when he

didn’t return, I started to panic. The con-

tractions were getting more and more in-

tense and I could feel a pressure sensation

in my pelvic area with each one. I

screamed out for John but there was no

answer. By now I was trembling with fear

and pain. Where was my husband?

Suddenly, at the height of a powerful con-

traction, I felt a rush of warm fluid. My

waters had broken and then an enormous

pushing, pressure. I automatically reached

down and felt a little head, followed

quickly by the body. I held in my hands a

tiny pink baby, thankfully screaming. I lay

her on my bed and covered her with some

blankets. The pain had eased a little and I

grabbed the phone and with trembling fin-

gers called the hospital. Despite their obvi-

ous shock and concern, they spoke calmly

and reassuringly and told me what to do

while an air ambulance was dispatched

urgently.

I was hysterical, not know-

ing what had become of

John, but the midwife ex-

plained that it was very

important for me and my

babies, one of whom was

not yet born, to remain

calm.

I breathed slowly, trying to

gain control. The baby was

breathing and her little

body and face was pink.

The contractions had com-

pletely stopped and I was

grateful for that- I didn’t think that I could

handle anything more right now.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity,

I heard the deafening but heavenly sound

of a helicopter. A doctor and a paramedic

arrived. The doctor disappeared almost

immediately to give first aid to my husband

who had fallen down the front stairs in the

hurry to get me to hospital and hit his head

on a rock. He had been unconscious for a

short time and unable to get up or respond.

The paramedic checked my unborn baby’s

heart rate and assured me that they were

doing everything possible for my husband.

A second aircraft was dispatched and my

baby, myself and husband were all trans-

ported to the nearest major health facility.

I was placed on a drip to stimulate further

contractions and my baby boy was born in

good condition 3 hours after his sister.

Their weights were 3110gm (girl whom we

called Lilly) and 3150 (boy called Harry)

Their dad did well, a head ultrasound re-

vealed no residual damage and after a week

or so of recuperation, he took his turn in

the nappy, bathing feeding regime.

This is definitely a story that will be re-

peated to friends, family and others. I am

so grateful for the assistance of the medical

team. This was indeed an adventure but

next time I’ll settle for a trip to Fiji!!

17

Bumper Stickers

I know you so well yet we haven’t met…

The experience of being in a traffic jam

has shifted quite a bit over the past 10

years, and it’s not just because we need to

be in possibly more places than we did

previously with more sports and more ac-

tivities for the children after school. But

what I am talking about is not how long

you are spending in traffic, I am talking

about the person sitting in the car right in

front of you (possibly not long after read-

ing this column.)

By just looking at the majority of cars in

front of you for (less than 40 seconds) you

will already be able to answer some of

these questions below without even asking

a single question:

How old are they?

What is their name or nickname?

How many children does the person have?

What is their age range?

Are the boys or girls?

How many pets do they have?

What pets are they?

What state do they live in/or come from

Does the mum like shopping?

Is the father more into sport or BBQ’s?

What football team do they support?

Are they a greenie?

How do we find out all of this information

about someone from just a glance of their

car? It’s certainly not just one thing, it’s a

few. These include the use of different

stickers, stick families showing who is in

their family, their gender, if their children

are babies, teenagers or toddlers, their

number plate showing their name or nick-

name and in some cases birth year!

Spooked out completely yet?

It’s a pretty amazing thing, that in today’s

society where in some cases we feel it

isn’t safe for our children to walk to

school, yet we still feel safe enough to

showcase to the general public intimate

things about our lives on the back of our

cars. It’s either a great thing that we feel

safe enough or we just didn’t realise how

much information people can really get

from just looking at your car!

It’s safe to say times have changed in the

traffic world, especially when you can (in

some cases) have a fair idea of their reac-

tion if you bump into them eek!

18

My baby was almost six months old and we

were travelling overseas to visit my hus-

band’s family. I was actually looking for-

ward to the trip, not the flight, but just get-

ting out of our normal every day routine.

My daughter was not a settled baby but I

figured that since parents travelled with their

kids everyday, I would also manage.

Our first hiccup was at the airport (yes, we

hadn’t even left the country). With so many

things in my hands I hadn’t realised that I

had dropped my daughter’s toy bunny. It

was her attachment item and it was one of

the only ways to settle her. I begged security

to let me back through the gates to look for it

but they had no intention of letting me - not

even when I pleaded. I told them she would

scream without it. They didn’t care but then

why would they? They wouldn’t be on the

flight.

We boarded the plane and used the overhead

bins to store our stuff. We had a short flight

of four hours ahead of us followed by a stop-

over then another 11 hour flight.

Flight number one went well. My baby was

calm and happy. Then came the second

flight…

After a long layover and one flight under our

belt my baby was becoming increasingly

fussy. As we boarded the second flight they

settled everyone in and switched off all the

lights for take-off. I breathed a sigh of relief.

This is exactly what my baby needed. I fed

her some milk as we took off and she settled

quickly and peacefully went to sleep.

Just half an hour later the cabin crew

switched all of the lights on to serve dinner.

It was already well after midnight in our

time and the bright lights were like an alarm

to my baby. She started to scream, very

loudly and uncontrollably. I did everything I

could to pacify her - rocking, dummy, pat-

ting, walking the aisles…. If only I had her

bunny!

An hour later she was still screaming! I

couldn’t make eye contact with anyone. The

stewardess kept asking if she could take the

baby for me but I knew that wouldn’t help.

“She just wants the lights off.” I told them.

They told me they couldn’t switch the lights

off while people were eating their meals. I

told them that they would just have to eat

while she screamed.

Eventually the cabin crew removed every-

one’s trays and settled the cabin down for

the rest of the long flight. With that they

switched off the light - and like another

switch my daughter closed her eyes and

stopped crying. Relief was not a strong

enough word to cover what I was feeling. I

was exhausted myself and just longed for a

soft flat bed to curl up in.

The truth about travelling with kids

19

The rest of the trip was like a rollercoaster. I

thoroughly enjoyed seeing my husband’s

family and showing off our new addition but

my sleep quota was dramatically lower than

it had been at home. My daughter was clingy

and only wanted me and I found the only

way she would sleep was directly against my

chest for half hour intervals.

Needless to say I was exhausted!

Our six week trip ended with a six day stop

at an island paradise. It was here that I was

able to resume some sense of normalcy.

I grabbed sleep whenever I could and at

times slept so deeply that even my baby was

unable to wake me.

Finally the trip was over and we returned

home.

Looking back I have both good and bad

memories from our trip - and some missing

memories from the lack of sleep, but I feel

that I was able to learn from the experience

and apply that knowledge to other trips we

have done since.

Now as my children continue to grow our

trips are getting easier and more enjoyable. I

look to the future fondly and picture what

trips we will take and what memories we

will make.

Some people have an easy job of travelling

with kids, for me that wasn’t the case but I

refuse to let it taint my future adventures.

I have realised that a holiday with children is

very different than a holiday with just your

partner but I thank God for these little peo-

ple in my life and I embrace the next season

that encompasses travelling as a family.

Written by Julie-Anne England.

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20

I would like to share my pas-

sion regarding teaching. As

parents, you have the opportu-

nity to contribute greatly to

your child's education. As a

teacher, I was all about making

learning fun! When children

are enjoying themselves, you

would be amazed at how much

information they absorb. Their

brains become like little

sponges! The more involved

and excited about a book you

are, the more excited and in-

volved your child is going to

be.

Here are some of my ideas of

how you can bring the book to

life:

Don't be afraid to have fun.

Add inflections in your voice

and change your tone. Act out

different voices for the various

characters in the story. For

example, you can create a

scary voice for the evil mon-

ster, or a silly voice for a

quirky character. Both my

children and my students

would just giggle whenever I implemented

this technique, and if for some reason I

didn't incorporate the voices into my read-

ing they invariably always would beg for

me to read with the funny voices. Children

love it when we aren't afraid to be goofy.

Another approach you can use to bring

the book to life is to act out your favorite

scenes in the book. I will use examples

from my book, “A Midnight Song,” but

you can use this technique with any book.

If you live near a beach or you know you

will be vacationing at the beach, you could

go down to the shore and search for your

own pirate booty (seashells and sea glass)

like Sam and his mother. You can also

make a hut out of appliance boxes like the

huts in Kiki and Baruti's village. Use your

imagination on how you want to decorate

the box to look like a hut. If you have a fire

More than just story time...part 3

pit outside or a fireplace indoors, you can

pretend that you are at the Whale Festival

and you can dress up in colorful clothes

and create your own ritual dance. The

ideas are endless. There is a good chance

that your child will start coming up with

their own ideas. Yay! You definitely want

to go with their ideas. They are showing

you how they are relating to the story and

what they are getting out of it.

Remember, the more you make reading

enjoyable and fun, the more your child is

going to want to read. And the more they

read, the better reader they will become.

Pay attention to your child's interest. If

they are not interested in a particular activ-

ity or book, do not be afraid to revisit it at

another time. Their moods and interests

are always developing and growing. I

strongly recommend that you make learn-

ing fun! Try some of my learning activi-

ties from the Small Steps Parenting Maga-

zine blog www.smallstepsparenting.com

Just one final reminder: our children are

unique and wonderful individuals. As

individuals they possess their own

strengths and weaknesses. Please do not

compare your child's accomplishments

with those of other children, even their

siblings. Our abilities and timing in the

learning process all vary, just like our tal-

ents. As parents we need to celebrate the

uniqueness that is in our children and in

ourselves as well. We all have gifts that

contribute to making the world we live in

a better place.

Written by C.L. Peck, author of “A mid-

night song”. Win a copy of this gorgeous

book by sending your answers to the ques-

tions below to our email address. Winners

will be drawn next month.

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

info@smallstepsparenting.com 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”

22

We all have dreams of the children who

will be born - ideas of who they will be,

what they'll enjoy, what they'll achieve.

For most of us, those dreams fade gently

and slowly away as the child grows and

exerts his or her personality, so that we

almost forget the dreams we had before

they were born. For others, those dreams

are challenged immediately the child is

born, or shortly after.

When your child is born with something

extra, it means more than the difficulties

that might be faced in the short term. It

also means looking into the future, a future

that can't be controlled or managed. It's

worrying about pain that might exist

someday, or loss, or fear.

Both my children were diagnosed with hip

dysplasia at six weeks old. While this is a

mild, manageable condition in most chil-

dren, for some it does mean operations and

pain later on. Most people couldn't under-

stand why I was so upset at the diagnosis -

after all, it's just a hip brace, isn't it? But

for me, it was the fear of the pain my chil-

dren might have to face if things didn't go

so well, it was the fear of what they might

have to face, what they might have to miss

out on. It was also the dream of what a

newborn would be like that disappeared

that day. I couldn't cradle my babies in my

arms, due to the brace; they couldn't wear

the little onesies I'd bought for them, and

people stared at them.

It's ok to grieve the loss of the dream,

whether the child has something mild or

something more significant. It's important

to recognise that you're mourning the loss

of your imagined child, and to give your-

self time to go through each aspect which

you're mourning. She doesn't look the way

you expect; he doesn't love being cuddled

the way you'd hoped; she won't be follow-

ing in your career footsteps. It's ok to

mourn and move on, then grieve again

later.

At the same time, though, the very same

time the perfect imagined child is lost,

something else is gained - and that's the

true child. Slowly, as your children grow,

you discover who they are. She's funny,

he's loving, she's adventurous, he's a book-

worm. Each tantrum and each achieve-

ment provides a new window into person-

The Dream-Child

23

ality, into who this little person actually is.

The balance of loss is in the person you

love.

If you've got a friend whose child has

something extra, let them grieve for the lost

perfect child. And look for the person, the

unique individual, that the child will be-

come, and honour and love that person.

If you have a child with something extra

yourself, perhaps this will resonate with

you, perhaps it won't. Every family and

every child is different. But we're all the

same in one way, looking to know our chil-

dren better each day, through their actions

and their lives, discovering who they are,

who they will become.

Did you know…?

Written by Simone Yuen, children’s book author, www.rainbowballs.com.au

Painting can tell a story. It helps

develop children to be effective communicators. Spend time painting with your child

and ask her what she is painting.

her answers may surprise you!

When your child paints both sides of

his/her brain are engaged, helping the right and left brains make connections. When both sides of the brain work to-

gether it releases potential. Sometimes, the painting does not have

to represent anything at all, simply let

your child paint freely.

Painting enhances brain develop-

ment. Research shows that art stimulates the brain centres that control emotion, cognition and

memory. Peg butcher paper to the fence and

let your child finger-paint or with a

paintbrush and leave the activity

there for a few days for your child

to revisit.

24

My 2014

This month in my 2014 money challenge I

am focusing on the children’s bedrooms in

our temporary home. If you have been fol-

lowing along with my in my money chal-

lenge you will have learned about my sav-

ings goal, the fact that we just bought our

very first property - an acre of land and that

we are living in a mobile home while we

save to build our dream home.

Last month I showed you how I renovated

our bathroom for under $1500! My next

priority for our modest little home was the

children’s bedrooms. My budget for both

rooms was $400.

When we moved in, the kids rooms were

filthy. There were marks on the walls,

holes in the plasterboard and

stains all over the carpet. My aim

was to transform them into clean,

appealing rooms for the children

to sleep in.

First step was cleaning. I wiped down all of

the walls and the ceiling to remove any

dirt, dust or spider-webs. I cleaned the win-

dows and scrubbed the window frames.

I used plaster to fill all the holes in the

walls and sanded them until they were

smooth. The large unfinished hole in the

wall in the nursery was replaced by a

handyman.

Next I began painting. I started with some

high gloss cream coloured paint for the

window sills. I found this in the garage

during the move so it didn’t cost me a cent.

The walls were my next priority. I gave

both rooms a white undercoat. My 3 year

old’s room was then painted another coat

Money Challenge

BEFORE

AFTER

of white to make it fresh and inviting ($30

from Bunnings). In my baby’s room I used

a soft blue which I also found during the

move. I wanted it to represent sky and I am

planning on (eventually) painting a rainbow

across the wall.

For a feature wall in the white room I used

painters tape to mask lines from the ceiling

to the floor. I used a gorgeous bright pink to

paint ($30) over the whole wall and then

removed the painters tape. It left a fantastic

bold feature wall that really added to the

room.

With the rooms now feeling fresh we ripped

up the carpet and had brand new carpet laid

by a professional (costing us about $100).

We managed to get carpet for both rooms

for approx $200 from POCO in Blacktown.

Now the rooms had a brand new feel. I felt

happy that the kids could play in a nice

clean environment and was pleased that

once again I managed to stay under budget.

I am using things that I already have to ac-

cessorise the rooms. I found some butterfly

wall stickers in my craft room for the nurs-

ery and I made artworks myself for each of

the children and simply put them in a $10

frame.

All in all, a pretty successful job.

25

BEFORE AFTER

Kids Fun!

26

a b c d e f g h i j k l m

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Magic messages Use the following code to decode the mystery messages below.

Then try using the code to come up with your own secret messages.

I love playing Outside on a sunny day

playing with My friends makes Me happy

27

Questions?

Comments?

The team here at Small Steps would love to hear from you regarding

our articles, regulars or special features. Your feedback can help us to

make a better magazine for you.

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panel of experts? Please write in and your question may be answered in

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Email us at info@smallstepsparenting.com

Write in this month

to win a $20 Coles

Gift card!

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,

secure 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

For Aboriginal Children and

their Parents/Carers.

Monday Morning

9.30am – 11.30 am

(During School term)

Windsor South Public School

(Entry from Cox St gate near the cor-

ner of Campbell St)

Morning tea provided.

For enquiries please call

Merana Aboriginal Association for

the Hawkesbury Inc.

4588 5144

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How to prevent

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Easy makeup for

Working mums

Women in business

The danger of

Labelling our kids

Tender loving care for the whole family right from

the start

Relax with our remedial massage or pregnancy massage

Learn infant massage in the comfort of your own home or in small classes

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