FREE!

JULY 2013

Holiday Fun

for the kids

Play parks in

The

hawkesbury

Getting on top

of your savings

Your Free Parenting magazine in the hawkesbury

School holiday special issue

Plus real life story “i had

a caesarean without

anaesthetic!”

Contents Regulars

Letter from the Editor Ask a nurse - questions from readers Monthly Recipe - Apple and Blueberry Yogurt Bars Your Story - “I had a caesarean without anaesthetic!” Make a change Business Directory Kid’s fun Community Noticeboard

5 12

15

18

20 29 30 32

Articles

Getting on Top of Your Savings The pressure to be perfect For a Laugh Healthy Eating Tips and Suggestions for Kids in the School Holidays Avoiding colds and flu this winter

10

13 16 27

28

Special Features

7 22 24

A-Z of Holiday Fun Draw and Tell with Simone Yuen Hawkesbury Play Parks - Keeping the kids entertained for free during the school holidays

4

July 2013

5

Small Steps Parenting Magazine

www.smallstepsparenting.com

www.facebook.com/smallstepsparenting

Letter from the Editors

Dear Reader,

Welcome to the very first edition of Small Steps. We started this

magazine because we wanted to provide a community magazine for the

families of the Hawkesbury. We know how amazing it is to be a parent

and the amazing blessing that comes with having a child but we also

know that at times it can be challenging and at times lonely. This maga-

zine is our way of providing you with interesting articles, fun activities

you can do with your children and a way to hopefully build community -

all for free!

This month we have lots of interesting articles and activities relating to

the school holidays. Check out our A-Z of holiday activities as well as our

Hawkesbury park special, and how about having some family fun baking

and try our delicious recipe on page 15.

We would also love to hear from you. Please contact us through our web

site or facebook and let us know what you would like to see in our maga-

zine. This magazine is for you and your input is important to us.

We hope you enjoy our very first issue. Please share it with your friends

and family. We look forward to doing this season of life with you.

Until next month….

Julie-Anne England and Lauren Cadet

FREE help to save power and money Winter is here and inevitably as temperatures fall, our energy use behaviours change. The challenge is to keep warm without increasing electricity costs. The NSW Government’s Home Power Savings Program has already helped more than 178,000 eligible pensioners and families on a lower income to reduce their power use and save money on their power bills. This FREE program is available to NSW residents who have a Centrelink Pensioner Concession or Low Income Health Care card, a Veterans’ Affairs Pensioner Concession or Repatriation Health (Gold or White) card, or who are on a hardship assistance plan with their energy retailer or who rent government or community housing.

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FREE Personal Power Savings Action Plan

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in-home power assessment and join other members of your community who are living sustainably and saving on both their power use and power bills. For more information on the Home Power Savings Program, visit www.environment.nsw.gov.au/households

6

Z

7

ABC Family Book

Create a family photo ABC

book by taking photos with

things beginning with each letter. Put all

the photos together for a great holiday

keepsake.

Bike rides

What could be more fun

than spending the day bike

riding with the family?

Ride around your street or neighbour-

hood or even find some bike trails.

Camping in the backyard

Pitch a tent, grab some sleeping

bags and have a family camp

out. Not only do you get to have

a free holiday but the kids will love it -

don’t forget some camp stories and

marshmellows.

Do something for someone

else

These holidays take your mind

off yourself for a bit and do

something nice for someone else... per-

haps a gift for an elderly neighbour or a

meal for a new mum. Check out our Be

the Change section on page 21 for more

ideas.

Exercise

Nothing gets the kids going like

some good exercise. Not only is

it really good for them (and

you) but it will help them expel some

energy which will make for more peace-

ful nights. Try dancing, jump rope or

chasing games.

Feet painting

What kid doesn’t like paint?

Grab some non toxic kids

paints, a roll of paper and a flat plastic

tray. Get the kids outside and have them

stand in the paint and walk up and down

the paper. Okay, so maybe not the clean-

est of activities but who can care when

the kids are so happy?

Gardening

Pass on some gardening tips

by letting the kids plant their

own little garden. If you don’t

have the room use some pots and maybe

plant herbs that you can then cook with

later on.

Historic dig

Get some small toys or even

better some toy dinosaur bones

and bury them in the sandpit.

Have the kids find all the pieces again.

Invent a Board Game

Get some posterboard and

coloured textas and get creative.

Draw a path with a start and a fin-

ish and add some creative obsta-

cles. Make some tokens and get playing!

Jelly Desserts

Kids love to cook and what

is easier (and more fun) than

making jelly? Mix it up a bit

by making some different colours and

creating layers or put pieces of fruit in-

side.

A of Holiday Fun!

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

8

Kite flying

Need something to do on a

windy day? Grab a kite (or

better still - make one) and spend a few

hours outside with the kids. Make sure

you have a big enough area to run

around.

Lazy Days

Everyone needs some time

out from the busyness of

everyday life. Have a lazy

day at home - stay in your PJs, eat pan-

cakes and play board games (and forget

all about the chores).

Movie night

Grab a family movie, some

popcorn, shut off the

lights and enjoy

some family time.

Nature Walk

Its important to teach the

kids the beauty of the Aus-

tralian outdoors. Pack

some bottles of water, put on some sun-

screen and enjoy a nature walk. Maybe

collect some leaves or flowers for a col-

lage and don’t forget your camera!

Outdoor Time

Fancy a walk along the

beach or a picnic in the

park? Get

some fresh air and plan

a day outside with the

family.

Photo Booth DIY

Make a simple photo booth by

using a large box and a camera

on a tripod and take some fun snaps of the

family. This is a great memory maker for

the holidays.

Quality Time

Set aside some uninterrupted time for

the kids - this means no phones, no

emails and no social media. Kids

grow so fast and special time with you will

be something they will always remember.

Rainy Day Fun

What to do on those cold rainy

days… If you don’t mind a

mess why not collect all the

pillows and blankets in the house and

build a cubby. The kids will love it and it

will keep them entertained for hours!

Scavenger Hunt

Hide items around the house

and then have the kids find

them all by following your

handmade map with some fun clues.

Toy Swap

Kids getting bored of all their

toys? How about do a toy swap

with some of the neighbours or

other friends. Something new to play with

can be just like a holiday.

K

L

M

N

O

p

Q

R

S

T

Under the Sea Theme Day

Use streamers to make

“water” hanging from the ceil-

ing and make paper plate fish.

Volcanoes

Kids love these colourful

volcanoes - just fill small

cups with vinegar, add food

colouring and then add heaped tea-

spoons of baking soda.

Water Play

I know its cold outside and

you may not want the kids

getting wet so maybe turn

this into a bath activity - add cup for

pouring, spoons for mixing and maybe

some bath crayons!

XOXO

Lots of cuddles and kisses

with the kids. Maybe put

them all in bed with you for some early

morning snuggles before starting the

day.

Yarn Art

Get a piece of wood, hammer in

some nails and let the kids cre-

ate some art by wrapping yarn

around the nails. Wrap up the finished

masterpiece for a gift for grandma and

grandpa.

Zero Stress

Use this time to forget about

daily chores, bills and dead-

lines. Take a deep breath and

make a decision to enjoy this time.

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

9

We would love to hear about some of the things you did over the school holidays. Go to our

facebook page and tell us what your favourite holiday activity is. Maybe even post a photo.

10

Getting on

top of your sa

vings

eliminate purchases that don’t end up

being eaten or you don’t really need.

Secondly shop with the specials. If you

see something on special, stock up. Now

obviously only do this if it something

you and the family will eat. It doesn’t

matter how cheap fish is if you are the

only one likely to eat it. Thirdly where

you can, buy in bulk. It really does save

a lot if you can remember to do this.

Then when you get home separate your

food into meal size portions ready for

use – or cook in bulk and freeze ready

cooked meals for those nights that you

don’t feel like cooking. Lastly really

make the most of discount grocery

stores and use dollar shops for items

such as toiletries and cleaning supplies.

1. Aim to pay off debts you have such as

credit cards and car loans. Any extra

money you can put into these loans will

greatly decrease what you owe and save

you lots in the long run. Did you know

that with a $10,000 loan on your credit

card you will be paying back a whop-

ping $39, 200 if you only pay the mini-

mum on a 18.5% interest card. However

if you can pay just an extra 1% of the

balance at each payment you will bring

this amount down to just under $20,000!

That is almost a $20,000 savings just by

paying a little more each month.

2. Write out a budget and stick to it – it’s

amazing how many things you buy each

month that you don’t really need. If it

isn’t in the budget, then don’t buy it.

Allocating a certain amount of money

for rent or mortgage, food, school ex-

penses etc. will allow you to see how

much is going out and how much you

could potentially be saving.

3. When it comes to grocery shopping

there are many ways you can save.

Firstly have a weekly or fortnightly meal

plan. Write out your shopping list ac-

cording to this plan and stick to it. You

will find that doing this helps you

These days we often struggle to save money. There seems to be a constant drain on

our incomes and many women are forced back into the workforce purely because they

cannot afford to stay at home with their children. In this financial climate it is often

difficult just to stay on top of our bills so we put together a short list of things any

family can do to boost their savings accounts.

How much could

you be saving?

4. Collect any change that you have at

the bottom of your purse and put it into a

piggy bank. Now you won’t be tempted

to buy that milkshake or donut and you

will be pleasantly surprised at how a few

gold coins will add up. Not only will

you not miss them but you may be able

to use the money after a month or so for

a well deserved family outing.

5. Have a “spring clean” around the

house and sell off items you don’t really

need or use. Use the money to pay off

credit cards quicker or save for a holi-

day.

6. Have a savings goal. Having a place

to aim makes it easier to get there. Get

the family involved by thinking of ways

to reach that goal whether it is cutting

back on something, doing some jobs for

the neighbours for a little extra pocket

money or selling used items on

the internet or at a garage sale. Have

some small rewards as incentives such

as taking the kids out for icecream when

you have paid off the credit card. To

make it even more fun you could even

draw up a money thermometer and col-

our it in as your savings increase.

11

Ask a Nurse...

12

QUESTION: I am pregnant with my first child and I have the flu.

Can this affect my baby?

Pregnant women can become quite sick with the flu (influenza)

virus and are at an increased risk of complications. Overall the

symptoms such as coughing, aching and chills should not harm

your baby, however, symptoms such as high fever can present

a problem. If you think you may have the flu or are presenting

flu-like symptoms is it always important to give your GP a call

so they can assess you to make sure that you and your

baby are otherwise well.

For more information on the flu and colds you may like to

have a look at our article on page 22 - Avoiding colds and flu

this winter.

This answer has been supplied by Ruth Bosanquet who is a

registered midwife. If you would like one of your questions

answered please send us an email or contact us on our face-

book page.

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Phone Liz: 0418 664 227

As I drop by the shops to pick up some

groceries with my week old baby I get

stopped by other shoppers. Comments

such as how cute my baby is make me

feel happy, but why do people feel the

need to give me piles of advice or make

remarks on what I’m doing wrong? This

is my first child but believe it or not I

actually have some idea about what I’m

doing. I have been caring for children

since I was fourteen, I worked full-time

as a nanny for more than eight years and

I’m a trained childcare worker. Never-

theless people feel the need to tell me

what I’m doing wrong. Apparently my

child should be wrapped in a warm

bunny rug - never mind the fact that is

35°C and most people are scrambling

for the air-conditioning.

I find that as soon as you hold your first

child in your arms the advice begins:

How to hold them, how to bath them,

what temperature the bath should be,

whether they should be given a dummy

or not, when to toilet train…. The list

goes on.

There is such a strong pressure on par-

ents to be “perfect”, only what is per-

fect? Anyone who has more than one

child will know that no two children are

the same. While one sleep routine may

work for your first, your second may

require something completely different.

Then there are the debates on disci-

pline… to smack or not to smack? How

about sweets? Television watching?

Circumcision? Bedtimes?

The thing that people need to realise is

that these are our children, not theirs.

They may have some lovely stories

about why something worked well for

them or some horror story about what

not to do but what they don’t focus on is

that as parents ultimately we are aiming

to do our best for our children. We do

what we feel is right but even at the best

times parenting can be hard. There is no

manual that comes along with the new

baby.

Now I am a mum of two and I’ve come

to realise that there is no pleasing every-

one. I need to let go of the pressure of

being the “perfect” mother and spend

my time enjoying the blessing that I

have been given to parent a child. There

is no such thing as perfect and I will

continue to learn on this amazing jour-

ney of parenting and do what works for

me and my children at the time, and if it

doesn’t work? Well I’ll try again next

time.

Written by Julie-Anne England

The Pressure to be Perfect

13

14

Have you heard about the new

internet craze called Baby

Mugging? It involves taking

photos of your baby or child

while holding a mug in front of

them to look like they are sitting

inside it. So cute!

Small Steps wants to see your

baby mugging photos. So grab a

camera, your baby and a mug and

get snapping! Email photos to

info@smallstepsparenting.com

Our favourites will be displayed

in our August issue!

Would you like to see your recipe featured here? Go to our webpage or facebook and share your favourite

recipe with us.

15

Monthly Recipe

Apple and Blueberry Yogurt Bars

Ingredients (serves 12)

1 1/2 cups self raising flour

1/2 cup dessicated coconut

1/2 cup caster sugar

1 1/4 cups reduced fat vanilla yo-

gurt

2 eggs

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon

rind

1 granny smith apple roughly

chopped

1 x200g punnet blueberries

Method

1. Whisk flour, coconut and sugar in a bowl to

break up any lumps.

2. Whisk yogurt, eggs, oil, vanilla and lemon to-

gether in a separate bowl and then fold into the

dry ingredients until just combined, taking care

not to over-mix.

3. Spread mixture into a lightly greased and bak-

ing paper lined 28cm x 18cm slice tin. Press

apples and blueberries into the top of the slice.

Bake at 180°C for 30-35 minutes until golden

and cooked through. Cool for 5 minutes in pan

before transferring to a wire rack to cool com-

pletely.

4. Slice into 12 bars for serving and store in an

airtight container until required.

Q: Name the four seasons.

A: Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.

Q: Explain one of the processes by which

water can be made safe to drink.

A: Flirtation makes water safe to drink

because it removes large pollutants like

grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists.

Q: How is dew formed?

A: The sun shines down on the leaves and

makes them perspire.

Q: How can you delay milk turning sour?

A: Keep it in the cow.

Q: What happens to your body as you

age?

A: When you get old, so do your bowels

and you get intercontinental.

Ever wonder

what our children are

being taught at school?

These are real answers

given by children on

school tests.

Q: What causes the tides in the oceans?

A: The tides are a fight between the Earth

and the Moon. All water tends to flow

towards the moon, because there is no

water on the moon, and nature hates a

vacuum. I forget where the sun joins in

this fight.

Q: What are steroids?

A: Things for keeping carpets still on the

stairs.

Q: What happens to a boy when he

reaches puberty?

A: He says good-bye to his boyhood and

looks forward to his adultery

16

For A Laugh For A Laugh

Q: Name a major disease associated with cigarettes.

A: Premature death.

Q: How are the main parts of the body categorized? (e.g., abdomen.)

A: The body is consisted into three parts---the brainium, the borax and the abdominal

cavity. The brainium contains the brain; the borax contains the heart and lungs, and

the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels, A, E, I, O, and U.

Q: What is the fibula?

A: A small lie.

Q: What does "varicose" mean?

A: Nearby.

Q: Give the meaning of the term "Caesarean Section"

A: The Caesarean Section is a district in Rome.

Q: What does the word "benign" mean?'

A: Benign is what you will be after you be eight."

17

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?

Tell us what you think of

Small Steps Parenting Magazine

We would love to hear from you

to answer your questions or hear

about how we can make this a

better magazine for you

info@smallstepsparenting.com

www.facebook.com/

smallstepsparenting

?

contractions, trying to get as much rest as I could, but when morning hit they stopped. The

following night the same thing happened only more intense and more frequent, but once

again stopped in the morning. A third night of this happened, way more intense than the first

two nights and I spent some time in the shower to ease the discomfort in my lower back.

Once again by morning they had stopped.

I went in to the hospital to be reviewed a few days later. Unfortunately my scans showed that

the same thing that happened with my first daughter was happening again. The doctor told

me he was concerned for my baby’s safety and was confused as to why my labour was not

progressing. He said I needed to go in for another emergency caesarean.

I felt disappointed but agreed to the surgery, not wanting to risk this new baby’s life. Within

minutes I was wheeled off to theatre.

In theatre I told the anaesthetist of my medical history - I have a rare genetic disorder in

which topical anaesthetics don’t work for me. He assured me that it would be fine and pro-

ceeded to place the needle in my back to numb me from the waist down. Immediately I

started to tingle in my feet. “This is good,” I thought to myself, “It took a very long time to

take effect last time (my first caesarean)”. Then they laid me on the operating table. I started

to feel slightly concerned. I could still feel them arranging me and touching my legs. The

feeling was slightly muted but definitely still there. The doctor placed ice on me and asked if

I could feel it. I said yes but it was slightly less than when he touched my shoulder. He said

that was good and told me they were going to start. They made the incision and I felt nothing

I was really excited when I found out I was pregnant. I

already had a beautiful little girl who was 14 months

old and now I was going to add to my family.

This time around was going to be different too, I as-

sured myself. I had had a difficult time with my first

pregnancy and had nearly lost my daughter because

the placenta died, resulting in an early emergency cae-

sarean. The doctors told me it was unlikely to happen

again this time around and I was looking forward to

trying for a normal birth.

As the pregnancy progressed I focused on my natural

delivery and did a lot of research on successful VBAC

(vaginal birth after caesarean). I exercised to stay fit

and spent plenty of time on the exercise ball at the end

of my pregnancy to prepare my body for birth.

Finally my pregnancy reached it’s due date and I excit-

edly awaited the labour process.

A few days after my due date I awoke to strong con-

tractions. I spent the night in bed sleeping between

18

Your Story

“I had a caesarean without anaesthetic!”

Your Story is a real life story from someone in our community. If you would like to share

one of your own stories, please send us an email or message us on facebook.

so I relaxed and waited for my baby to be born. My husband stood by my head with his hand

resting on me. A few minutes later I began to get my feeling back. My husband was watch-

ing my strangely. “You’re in pain.” He said. I brushed him off and told him I was fine - I

didn’t want him to worry and the pain wasn’t that bad - yet. As the operation continued I

began to feel more and more. By the time they had nearly reached my baby to pull her out, I

had full feeling back, I could feel exactly what they were doing. Tears filled my eyes but I

focused on my newborn, just listening for that first cry. It was a girl! They had reached her

just in time… the cord was tightly around her neck which is why my labour wasn’t progress-

ing and there was meconium in the fluid (this means that the baby has had it’s first bowel

movement and can mean that the baby is in distress). My husband left the room with my new

daughter and I was now by myself.

Once she was out the pain became unbearable. I told the anaesthetist that I was in a lot of

pain but he wouldn’t believe me. I could now feel them inside me pulling my uterus back

together and beginning to stitch. I told the anaesthetist what I could feel and he finally be-

lieved me. He gave me more pain relief but nothing was working.

A nurse came and stood by my head and tried to coach me through my breathing. I tried but

nothing could stop the searing pain through my stom-

ach. After trying various pain relief the anaesthetist

was stumped. “Sweetie, its only 15 more minutes

and we will be finished,” he said to me. 15 minutes!

I didn’t think I could handle even two more minutes

of this agony. Eventually they finished closing me

up and wheeled me to recovery. I was still in agony

and they tried once again to give me pain relief.

Unfortunately I was allergic to the medication they

gave me and began to vomit. This greatly increased

the pain. I begged to see my new baby girl but they

wouldn’t let me until the pain was under control.

About two hours after my baby was born I was finally allowed to be with her. She was

screaming from hunger but settled immediately as I put her to my breast. As I watched her

quietly feeding I began to feel the trauma of her birth begin to melt away and I allowed my-

self to simply enjoy this moment.

So I never got to experience my natural birth. The birth of my daughter was something I

never thought I would go through, but when I look at the beautiful children I am blessed to

call my own, I realise that their little lives are worth more than any birth experience. As

mum’s we all have our stories of how our baby’s were born. I may never have given birth but

no one can ever tell me I had my babies the easy way.

Author’s name withheld to protect their privacy.

“...nothing could stop

the searing pain

through my stomach”

19

20

We would love to hear how you have helped someone in your community or hear how

someone has made a difference to you. Please write to us and share your story.

Change Change Make a

Here at Small Steps Parenting Magazine we believe

that each one of us has the power to make a difference

in our world. Make a change is about that. It is about

doing one thing each month to make a difference in

someone else’s life and create a change in the atmosphere

in our own community.

This month being about school holidays is to watch out for single mums and dads or fami-

lies doing it tough financially. What can you do to show them you care? Here is a list of

simple things that you can do to make a difference to someone this month. Imagine if we all

did one thing on this list how many people we could impact.

Have the kids draw some pictures for an older neighbour who doesn’t have family

Cook a meal

Mind the kids for an hour to give them a break

Take over a new toy for the kids

Invite them over for dinner

Do a load of washing for a busy mum

Pick up a few groceries

Do you have someone in your life who is doing it tough? Nominate

them this month via email (info@smallstepsparenting.com) and we will

be choosing one nominee to be blessed with the following gift package

kindly donated by some of our local businesses:

A $50 Coles gift card from Angel Babes (see ad next page)

A beautiful floral bouquet from McGraths Hill Florist

Handmade and quality children’s products

Mention this ad to

receive $5 off any

purchase in July or

August

www.angelbabes.com.au www.facebook.com/myangelbabes

Fabric dolls

Quality gift items

Plush toys

Baby and toddler clothing

22

Drawing and telling a story is a great

activity to make school

holidays FUN for the

whole family, writes

Simone Yuen

School holidays are looming and you need to keep your children busy. Let me show

you a fun activity to do with your children. Draw and Tell is a simple but effective way

to tell a story using colours, lines, shapes and letters. It is particularly beneficial to visual

learners and to those whose listening skill is yet to emerge. Children love watching and

listening until the end of the story to find out what the picture is.

Here’s how simple it is to do a Draw and Tell story:

* you will need plastic cups, paints, paintbrushes, felt pens, smocks, butcher paper, pegs

* get your children to help you pour paints into the plastic cups

* let them help you peg a large piece of drawing paper to the fence, or lean a board to-

wards the wall or fence to make an easel

* go to www.rainbowballs.com.au and download your free eBook ‘Draw and Tell –

Robin’

There is no right or wrong way to do a Draw and Tell story, just be creative as you go.

The important thing is to involve and engage your children.

Let me suggest a few fun things you can do with your children with ‘Draw and Tell –

Robin’. You can sing a rainbow song; make chirping sound like a bird; make other

sounds like ‘ribbit’ for a frog and ‘hoppit’ for a grasshopper.

23

You can ask your children what their favourite colour is;

whether they know any names that start with the letters C

and R. You can ask them where they think Robin lives. If

one says “the tree”, you can draw a tree and ask him to col-

our it. If another says “the sky”, you can ask her to paint a

sky. Remember, the purpose is to have fun and be creative.

If your child says “a house”, you can ask him to draw a

house for Robin and let him design it.

Don’t be surprised if your children are inspired to create

their own Draw and Tell stories after the experience. Invite

one child at a time to present his Draw and Tell story whilst

everyone else listens and cheer him on and you can also enjoy a cuppa at the same

time! If you feel like a bit of exercise, why not play catch with your children after-

ward? After all, that’s one of the things that Robin loves

doing with his friends and it is FUN too!

To find out more about the benefits of reading with your

children, visit www.rainbowballs.com.au and

www.raisingchildren.net.au

Simone holds a degree in Bachelor of Teaching (Birth to 5

Years) and is the author of fourteen ‘Draw and Tell’

eBooks. You can preview her Draw and Tell eBooks on

www.rainbowballs.com.au

Are you a Mother?

Small Steps Parenting Magazine is doing a

study on birth experiences for an upcoming

issue on pregnancy.

We would love you to be involved…

We are interested in discovering more about the

emotional side behind birth and its importance

to women.

Please go to our Facebook page and click on the

birth survey link and answer some questions.

All answers remain completely anonymous.

Survey results will be revealed in our August

issue.

24

Hawkesbury Play Parks

Its school holidays… the kids are bored, you need some time to relax, you don’t want to

spend any more money and you really want to get out of the house.

So Small Steps brings you this little gift….

Here is a list of 8 of our favourite playgrounds in the Hawkesbury. So get in your car, take

a drive and go and check out some new places for your kids to play.

Richmond Park

March St, Richmond 2753

This park sits on the edge of a large field

and provides a large play area for chil-

dren. The play equipment spans a large

area where children can swing, climb,

slide and rock it is sure to keep your

littlies busy for hours.

Ham Common Bicentenary Park

Hawkesbury Valley Way, Richmond

(Opposite the RAAF Base)

One of our top favourites, this park

comes fully fenced and has plenty to

keep the kids entertained. It covers a

large area to allow for running around

and is situated next door to the Hawkes-

bury Visitor Centre and Café.

Macquarie Park

Bridge Street, Windsor

This beautiful park is located high on the

banks of the Hawkesbury River on the

way to Freemans Reach. Quite new and

well maintained it includes some fun for

the older kids such as spinning equip-

ment and a large web for climbing.

Icely Park

Clarendon Street, Richmond

This neat little park is not far from the

Richmond RAAF Base with plenty of

room to throw or kick a ball in the ac-

companying oval. So take a picnic blan-

ket and enjoy the sunshine.

Colonial Reserve

Neptune Cres, Bligh Park

This quiet neighbourhood park sits on the

edge of a field and provides play equip-

ment that will keep the kids busy. Includ-

ing two side by side slides the kids can

race around to their hearts content.

McQuade Park

Tebbutt Street, Windsor

What I like about this park is the little

built in “rooms” where the kids can use

their imagination. My little girl loves to

play shops here and will sell her “goods”

to the other children. Although it is lo-

cated next to a toilet block there is no

guarantee it will be unlocked for use.

The Fruit Bowl

2070 Old Bells Line of Road, Bilpin

This park is one of my old favourites and

I have memories of playing here with my

siblings when I was a small child. Right

next door is a market-like shop where you

can buy fresh produce from the orchards,

jams, sweets and crafty gifts.

Memorial Park

Old Bells Line of Road, Kurrajong

This quaint little park is located near

Kurrajong Village shops. Plenty of room

to run around and offering picnic benches

for the adults to sit while the children

play.

28 25

Park Facilities

Richmond Park

Ham Common

Macquarie Park

Icely Park

Colonial Reserve

McQuade Park

The Fruit Bowl

Memorial Park

KEY: Room to kick a

ball around

Picnic tables and

chairs

Toilet facilities

Swings BBQ Facilities

Fenced play area

26

Do you enjoy

?

Have Small Steps

delivered to

your door each

month!

Subscriptions cost only $4.05 per

month (the cost of postage and

handling).

Contact us on Facebook or

info@smallstepsparenting.com

and you’ll never miss out!

School holidays can often be a busy and daunting time for parents. There are so many

things going on, it can sometimes be easier to shop for convenience foods rather than

healthy ones. Below are a list of tips and suggestions to keep your kids healthy and

still have fun this school holidays.

To prevent overeating, encourage your child to continue eating as per their daily

school routine - breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner.

If heading out for the day, pack morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea ahead of

time, this minimises trips to the takeaway store.

When eating out, ask for lower fat alternatives to deep fried foods, instead choose

foods such as wraps, sushi, smoothies and grilled chicken burgers.

Easy and healthy snacks on the go can be diced fruit, nuts, cheese cubes, yoghurt

and vegetable sticks.

Drink plenty of water and if you must choose diet soft drinks and cordial.

It is school holidays after all, so have fun and enjoy treats in moderation, spaced

out over the duration of the break.

For a quick, healthy, easy snack that can be eaten on the go, see the Apple and

Blueberry Yoghurt Bars recipe (see page 13). Yum!

For more tips, or individual advice, contact your local health care professional.

Written by Abby Fleming - a nutritionist in the Hills District.

27

Healthy Eating Tips & Suggestions for Kids (and Adults!) in School

Holidays

7

5

4

3

2

1

6

28

Avoiding Colds and Flu this Winter

The flu vaccine is recommended for

people with low immunities, parents

of small children and pregnant

women. It protects against common

flu viruses. It is free for pregnant

women and is available from your

GP.

If you do happen to get a cold or the flu

stay away from public places to prevent

any spread of the germs, especially be-

ing aware of areas where you might

come into contact with pregnant women

and small children.

Symptoms of the flu include fever,

chills, cough, sore throat, headaches,

muscle ache, severe tiredness and loss of

appetite.

If you do have any concerns regarding

the health and wellbeing of yourself or

your family members contact your local

GP.

When it comes to

dealing with sickness

in the winter months,

prevention is always

better than cure.

To help avoid catch-

ing some of the nas-

ties that are being

passed around, here

are some things you

can do to prevent

yourself from coming

down with a cold or

flu this winter.

Firstly one of the

most important

things you can do is practice good

hygiene, and that means proper hand-

washing. It is amazing how often

hand washing is overlooked and yet

it is one of the proven techniques that

can stop you from getting sick.

Covering your nose and mouth when

coughing and sneezing will help pre-

vent the spread of germs and reduce

the likelihood that your germs will be

passed to your family and friends.

Avoid public places where you are

likely to come into contact with sick

people, such as doctor’s surgeries. If

you must see a doctor try and leave

your children with a trusted family

member so they don’t have to be

exposed.

Avoid touching your nose and mouth

as the flu virus can be spread this

way.

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Gift ideas

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Baby Shower

29

Kids Fun!

JOKES

What did the big flower say to the small flower?

What’s up Bud?

What kind of hair do oceans have?

Wavy

When is the moon the heaviest?

When it’s full.

A W E W C V B H E R E Y

D H O L I D A Y I A E N

J H O D A N S A W I X C

P A I N T D T E W N P I

L Y T N A L P E H B L M

A A S D K E G H R O O A

Y E X C I T I N G W R G

T N H W D L A U G H I I

I J Q A S F O U N T N N

M O A T R U N N I N G A

E Y A E A R F T E R I T

R A F R G R U A O A N I

F A M I L Y N O R Y N O

G M E S S Y O I N G S N

R E L A X I N G L E K I

K O O V X A C O L D R F

Rainbow Toys Water Laugh

Holiday Exciting Exploring Playtime

Fun Enjoy Kids Messy

Running Cold Relaxing Family

Winter Awe Paint Imagination

30

Help the ladybug find it’s way to the flower

Secret Messages

31

What you will need:

Blank pieces of white paper (two equal size pieces for each secret

message you want to write)

A tray big enough to hold the paper

Water

Lead pencil

Instructions:

1. Put water in the tray so it is about 1.5cm deep

2. Completely submerge one piece of paper until it is thoroughly wet.

3. Stick the wet piece of paper to a window or mirror

4. Place a dry piece of paper over the wet piece and smooth over to remove air

bubbles.

5. Use the lead pencil to write secret messages or draw a picture on the dry piece

of paper.

6. When you are finished remove the dry piece of paper and throw it out.

7. Carefully remove the wet piece of paper and place in a flat place to dry out.

Your message will disappear when the paper is completely dry.

8. To bring the message back simply place back in water.

Community

Our playgroup is open to all mums,

dads and carers.

Join us during the school term from

10am-12pm Tuesday, Thursday and

Friday. Lots of variety for parents and kids

with some fun day trips now and then.

Call us on 0414 377 266

Scribbles Playgroup is held at the

Church Vineyard in the Sunbeams

Room.

Cnr Windsor and Brenan Dams Road,

Vineyard.

Check out our webpage:

www.scribblesplaygroup.com

(02) 4560 5714 www.hdhs.com.au

Free Parenting Groups phone: 4560 5714 for details

Walk & Talk: a pram walking

group for Hawkesbury’s Parents

& Grandparents

Meet & Greet: an information

and support group for first time

parents with babies 0-12 weeks

Sleep & Settling: sessions for

babies 0-6 months

Approaching Toddlerhood: in-

cluding sleep, nutrition, behav-

iour, development, play, learn-

ing

Early Childhood

Health Services for the

Hawkesbury Community

Free early childhood services

are available throughout the

district for families living in the

Hawkesbury LGA & London-

derry.

(02) 4560 5714 www.hdhs.com.au

Feeding, Immunisation and

Early Childhood

Development Clinics

phone: 4560 5714 for details

2 Day St Windsor (02) 4560 5714 www.hdhs.com.au

Rhyme Time @ Central

Library Windsor Every Monday 10am (except during

school holidays)

Rhymes, songs and craft for 18 months

to 3 years. Session runs for about 45

minutes, siblings welcome.

FREE - No bookings

required

Preschool Storytime Windsor every Tuesday @ 11am

Richmond every Thursday @ 11am

(except School Holidays)

Themed stories, rhymes and craft for

3 to 5 years. Session runs for about

60 minutes, siblings welcome.

FREE - No bookings required

Central Library Windsor

Richmond Branch Library

Noticeboard

34

All articles in Small Steps are for editorial purposes and not necessarily the opinion of the publisher.

Small Steps does not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any of the information, content,

or advertisements contained on, distributed through, or linked, downloaded, or accessed through this

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or other materials displayed, purchased, or obtained by you as a result of an advertisement or any other

information.

In no event shall Small Steps be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, punitive, or consequential

damages of any kind whatsoever with respect to the service, the materials, and the products. You are

encouraged to exercise discretion while browsing the Internet. No part of this publication or the corre-

sponding website is to be copied or reproduced without permission.

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