Emma

Just when I thought I was getting the hang of this parenting biz (if that’s even possible), bam! Here comes baby #2. Yes, Dad Words will soon surely suffer (or prosper?) when newborn life resumes, when trying to read or watch a movie sits at about #176 on the priority list. So, enjoy these well-rested reviews while they last. And don’t hesitate to contact me for congratulations, commiserations, babysitting offers or shiraz.    READ: SNAKE ISLAND – By Ben Hobson Seeing the premise of this literary thriller (coastal town, harsh landscape, trouble afoot), you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d seen this novel before. But Hobson brings an originality to the crime-laden hamlet tale, and you barely get a breath throughout. Caleb, son of retirees Vernon and Penelope, is in prison and when Vern learns his boy is being bashed (while the cops turn a blind eye) by a member of the town’s violent crime family, he’s forced to act. What follows is a rollicking morality tale, told from the perspective of family on both sides and the police chief, forcing you to reckon with your own sense of what it means to be good, long after the final page. Available from Dymocks, $29.99 READ: THE ALL NEW MUST HAVE ORANGE 430 – By Michael Speechley Picked up this guy from the library recently, and while it’s way too advanced for my son, it contains sage messages about consumerism for six-to-eight year olds. The book follows Harvey in his quest to buy the all-new ORANGE 430 (manufactured by the overlords at Useless Object International or UOI). Why? He’s not too sure, but he knows he needs it! This is a tale about the useless stuff we covet and pile in our homes, when there are much more fun and important things to worry about. Speechley’s illustrations are vivid and fun too. Available from Dymocks, $24.99 WATCH: EVERYTHING MUST GO Will Ferrell’s an actor that divides the punters – you either love him or hate him. I’m firmly in the former camp, so I was rapt to spot this 2010 comedy-drama on a drizzly Sunday night. Ferrell plays Nick Halsey, a salesman and recovering alcoholic who loses his job following a relapse, returning home to find his wife gone, the locks changed, and all of his possessions scattered across the front lawn. Rebecca Hall, who plays a lonely neighbour who’s just moved in across the street, and C.J. Wallace (Biggie Smalls’ son), who plays a bored neighbourhood kid looking for companionship, both turn in ripping performances. But it’s Ferrell (who, if you’ve seen Stranger Than Fiction, is no slouch in dramatic roles) that packs the punches. Just don’t expect standard laugh-a-minute Ferrell terrain. sbs.com.au/ondemand DO: MORPHETT VALE RAILWAY If you’ve got a young grom that loves machines, this place is a no-brainer. Occupying about two kilometres of track in Morphett Vale’s Wilfred Taylor Reserve, the Railway owns a bunch of miniature trains and lays claim to the coveted record of longest and highest model railway bridge in SA (take that, runner-up!). It’s seven bucks for unlimited rides, but one seemed like an eternity – for my bony butt, at least. The little guy? Other than being a tad scared by the tunnel the first couple of goes, his smile went from ear to ear the entire time. mvrail.org.au

We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing. With this in mind, Helping Hand Residential Care in North Adelaide is proving that imagination is ageless. By connecting some of our state’s oldest and youngest residents in a weekly intergenerational playgroup, Helping Hand in partnership with Playgroup SA brings together generations, supporting meaningful interactions between the young and the young at heart (but slightly older in other places) through singing, craft, playtime and stories. The Learning Tree Playgroup connects three generations (elders, parents and children), bolstering the proverbial village it takes to raise a child, while also bringing joy and good old-fashioned fun and laughter to elderly residents living in aged care, as well as the unconditional love that only a child can give. The age difference of decades between them is but a wrinkle in time, with the experience enriching the lives of everyone involved. We chat with Julie from Helping Hand about how it all works. What sort of activities do the children and residents take part in at the Intergenerational Playgroup? The group takes part in a range of activities each week, including arts and crafts, interactive activities like ball games, and sing-a-longs. Sing-a-longs are an important part of our playgroup; we tend to focus on ‘older’ more ‘traditional’ nursery rhymes because a lot of residents are aged 90-plus, but we also sing modern songs from groups like The Wiggles. For story time, we let the children pick a book and a resident will read it, followed by morning tea. Our activities are focused on being easy to achieve, so that toddlers and those living with dementia, for example, can successfully complete them, and have fun while they’re doing it! What makes it such a great experience for the residents? It brings families and children into Helping Hand and provides fun and playful engagement for both the young and the young at heart. It encourages friendships across generations, it’s great to see how the children and residents are drawn to each other and take part in activities together without needing much conversation. It can help residents create social connections and feelings of inclusion by giving them an opportunity to engage with the wider community. What sort of feedback do you get from parents? Parents have commented the playgroup has brought their children out of their shell and made them more confident around other children and adults. For parents, there’s always something new to learn from older generations. In some instances, the parents don’t have their own parents (their children’s grandparents) or other family members in Adelaide, so it’s a great way for them to interact with an older generation. For the children, it’s an exciting and fun experience to play with a whole new group of people with a different perspective on life. What sort of feedback do you get from residents? The residents look forward to seeing the children each week and have developed close relationships with them. It can help increase their self-esteem and prompts joy and happiness; interacting with the children really does lift their spirits. Some residents may not have grandchildren, or have grandchildren nearby, so it’s good for them to experience the joy children bring via the playgroup. Why would you encourage parents to attend? It’s a great community experience, enriching the lives of the young and the elderly. It’s also a great way to meet other families. We find parents value the parenting knowledge and experience of our residents and in turn, our residents cherish having children in their lives. Do you do any other sort of events that encourage children and the elderly to interact? At Helping Hand North Adelaide, children from nearby kindergartens, primary and secondary schools participate in intergenerational activities throughout the year. Primary students are currently completing a history project involving our residents, speaking to them about their lives and writing their life stories to present back to them. Students have also painted portraits of our residents and completed other art projects with them. Year 10 and 11 students are also a regular feature at Helping Hand and take part in work experience and placements with our lifestyle team. Daphne Age: 80 Favourite thing about play time with the children? I just love being around the little ones, I always have. They make me smile. What have they taught you? I think they remind me to have fun and not to take things too seriously. What have you taught them? They’re very bright, I think they teach me more! But I do like sharing stories with them and trying to teach them things that way. Myra Age: 90 Favourite thing about play time with the children? I love seeing their little personalities develop and how they come out of their shell. What have they taught you? I think modern children often seem to be 12 months going on five – and I mean that in a good way. They seem so advanced in the ways in which they play and the things they know, just watching them even doing seemingly little, you learn so much. What have you taught them? I try and entertain them and they remind me to laugh. I think they want to do so much at once, I also tell them that not everything can be done at one time, that they should be patient. Franco Age: 2 What do you like about playing with the residents? Painting and playing with Play-Doh. What have they taught you? That you don’t need to talk much to have a great time. What have you taught them? Playing is fun! Darcy What do you like about playing with the residents? Colouring in. What have they taught you? That sitting still and reading and singing is fun! What have you taught them? It’s fun to be silly! The Learning Tree Playgroup Who: Between 12 and 16 Helping Hand North Adelaide elderly residents, and up to 10 children with their parent

When you think about it, breakfast radio and motherhood have a few similarities. No two days are the same. Occasionally dealing with a tough crowd. The early starts. Adelaide radio personality and mum, Ali Clarke agrees. “Sure there are the early mornings, but also you start out with a plan every day knowing full well it can, and probably will, be derailed and you just have to go with it. It’s that old adage of being the duck – everything looks serene and under control on top, but underneath you’re pedaling like crazy. I’d have to say the radio audience is probably more appreciative than my son though, after he only gave me a C+ for my joke telling in my mother’s day card,” she laughs. And sometimes, the worlds collide. With her firstborn Eloise (9), Ali was lucky enough to broadcast from home, just six weeks after she was born. “There were plenty of times I was breastfeeding on air or ducking off to change a nappy during the newsbreak. I’d then lie down in the afternoon and feed Eloise and crash out too. Of course there was no such luxury when the second arrived,” she says. Together with her high profile husband Matt Clarke (Crows AFLW Coach and Crows AFL ruck coach), the pair also have Samuel (7) and Madeline (4). The jump from two to three was a bit like interviewing a celebrity on the radio – a little bit nerve wracking, but very exciting. “There’s no doubt two to three was a shock to the system. We were unlucky enough to need IVF for our children, but so very lucky we were eventually successful, so there was certainly no SURPRISE! You’re pregnant! We were probably halfway through the pregnancy with Maddy that Sam finally got out of nappies and I had my first thought of, whoa – hang on this was just getting easier. I asked my friends who had three, ‘why didn’t you tell me?!’ but I wouldn’t change the chaos and laughs for anything.” It’s a welcomed chaos, and one that’s become the new normal for the Clarkes. “When Madeline was born I had just been fired from Triple M and really struggled for a period trying to work out where I fit in life. Now our family has found the balance in that Matt gets them off to school and I’m there to pick them up. Sure it’s busy, but I would imagine there are plenty of people who are much busier than us.” While Ali balances her work hat and mum hat with a bit of help from her ‘village’ – aka husband, family, friends and babysitters, she admits it took awhile for her to feel comfortable asking for help. “Actually, if I’m honest I still have to push myself sometimes, but once you find those people who you know want to help, and you want to help them, they’re worth their weight in gold.” “This whole idea you can do it all and be some type of supermum … well that’s not for me and I’ll never pretend otherwise. Having said that, I know I’m a better mum with another focus as well as the kids.” One of her other focuses is, of course, radio. Ali has been a regular fixture on Adelaide radio stations for the last decade. Her impressive resume has seen her broadcast on various radio stations, including breakfast announcer on Mix and Triple M. She’s currently on breakfast for 891 ABC Adelaide – making her the only solo woman hosting a breakfast program in a capital city. And while this may sound like a coup in her career, Ali remains modest and praises her listeners. “I still can’t believe this is what I do for a living, and that people would want to talk to me – so that’s pretty cool. Like when someone takes the time to text or call in. I get to talk to some really interesting people. It’s an incredible privilege being invited into people’s home and cars and I don’t take it likely. I love that with radio you can make a connection with someone. I love both the immediacy and the intimacy.” Apart from broadcasting on the radio or running around after her three beautiful kids, Ali supports a number of charities. She’s an ambassador for Minda and Carer Support, and is passionate about helping people with disabilities. With all of the aforementioned, downtime is, understandably, a bit of a foreign concept. “I’m sorry? What’s that?” she laughs. But with the fun and fast paced mix of radio and motherhood, she still (sometimes) manages ‘independent Ali’. “I love hanging out with friends or going for a walk – anywhere outside. I also don’t mind crashing on the couch watching horrendous reality TV – shhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” she concludes. ALL GOOD IN THE [MOTHER]HOOD What’s the one thing you didn’t know about motherhood that you wish you knew beforehand? That I would never again just grab my purse, phone and keys and walk out the door… now it’s water bottles, wipes, games, books etcetera. Best piece of advice you received when you were new to motherhood? Learn how to say no (not just to the kids, but to others who want your time). Oh, and don’t sweat the small stuff. Who cares if you have a messy house, give yourself a break before running around dusting. Describe your parenting style? I’m pretty strict – I’m a big one on respect and living up to your promises, so I’m always pulling the kids up on manners and making sure they appreciate other people’s situations. Matt is a lot more relaxed … he’s definitely ‘Fun Dad’. A parenting philosophy you stick by? Hear them out first. Especially now that the kids are a little bit older, I’ve found a lot of angst and energy can be saved if you just give them the time and space to get their point of view out BEFORE making

  Doha Khan is a climate change activist. She is currently the coordinator for the South Australian branch of the School Strike 4 Climate Australia and national representative for the State. “Climate change is one of the biggest injustices that our generation is being dealt, and just the fact that I’m under 18 and can’t vote, meant getting involved was the perfect way to make my voice heard,” she says. Students like Doha are protesting between 9am and 3pm every Friday on the steps of South Australia’s Parliament House, calling for 100 per cent renewables by 2030 and creation of opportunities for those currently working in the fossil fuel industry to transition to the growing renewables industry. The climate strikes by SA students are part of protests happening around the globe, started by 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.“No one wants to be missing out on their education, but inaction on climate change has driven us (students) to this. So do your job (politicians) and we won’t strike!” Get Around It is an Instagram account and portable pop-up clothesline which showcases a range of young South Australians doing great things. The thinkers, makers and doers online and on-the-line are between the ages of 14 to 22 and have been recognised for the work they do by the South Australian Commissioner for Children and Young People, Helen Connolly. Follow @getaroundit_sa on Instagram to see what other young South Australians are up to in their own backyards. Or why not nominate yourself or a young person you know who you think would make a great addition to the Get Around It showcase? Send us a message via the Instagram account or email CommissionerCYP@sa.gov.au today!

BTS with BTN In the News. Winning an Oscar, a Grammy, a Tony, a Pulitzer or even an MTV Award would be great, right? But there’s one award that a lot of people agree is the greatest of them all because it rewards people for helping humankind. I’m talking about the Nobel Prize! It all started with a guy called Alfred Nobel (makes sense). He was a Swedish scientist in the 1800s and his most famous invention was dynamite. BOOM. While dynamite was handy for lots of things like mining or clearing the way for railway lines, it was also used a lot in war. So, legend has it, that one day a newspaper accidentally reported Alfred was dead! He wasn’t. But the article about his life said he’d become rich from killing people. Alfred really didn’t like that, so he decided that when he died for real his massive fortune would be used to set up an annual series of prizes for those who did the most to change the world for the better. The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901 and they’re still given out to scientists, doctors, writers, activists and peace-keepers every single year. Each prize comes with a gold medal and a serious chunk of money – around 1.4 million Aussie dollars! Not bad. Winners often put that money back into research or charity work, because they’re just THAT nice. Nobel Prize winners include some really famous names like physicist Albert Einstein, former US President Barack Obama, The Red Cross and activist Malala Yousafzai. Hmm, I wonder who will win this year… Listen Up Face to Face by Ruel Grab Your Popcorn Jumanji 2: The Next Level Turn the Page Diary of An Awesome Friendly Kid by Jeff Kinney Get Out There Head to the city for the world’s second biggest Christmas Pageant – beaten only by the Thanksgiving Parade in New York City Get Creative Try making gingerbread cookies! They’re my Christmas specialty and decorating them is THE BEST PART (besides eating them… that’s pretty good too) Search Up Finalists of the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards. The rhino snap will make you giggle! On BTN Check out my interview with Prime Minister Scott Morrison! I sat down with the PM and asked him questions sent in by the kids of Australia. Did You Know? The Prime Minister’s favourite superhero is Aquaman. Yup, he’s a DC fan. And in case you were wondering, my favourite superheroes are Wonder Woman and Batman! abc.net.au/btn @behindthenews and @amelia.may.moseley Behind the News youtube.com/behindthenews ABCMe: BTN Classroom on Tuesdays @10am, BTN Newsbreak on weekdays @6.25pm

“How do I help my child have a positive body image?” It’s a question I get asked all the time and the answer is simple – you show them how. A recent study identified the number one issue concerning our children is body image. Say what? Not global warming or war, but instead how they feel about their body. “Too fat” “Too thin” “Not muscly enough” kids are more preoccupied with negative thoughts about their bodies than they are with the joys of being a kid. You know; riding a bike, getting swooped by a magpie, building a cubby house, running naked through the sprinkler. Kids have forgotten to be kids because we live in a world that tells them grow up, tighten up, sex it up and get likes. But let’s not focus on the negative, that will get us nowhere. Let’s focus on what we can do to help our little ones navigate a complex world of toxic messages. Your home is a sacred… We can’t control the messages kids receive when they walk out the front door but we can protect them in our homes. Create a rule in your home that involves a zero tolerance policy for making negative judgments about appearance, towards each other or anyone else (for example watching TV “he looks big” / “she looks old” etc.) Move your body for pleasure – not punishment! Show your kids how much fun you can have with your body. There are a million ways to move your body, exercise should never be punishment for something you ate or for ‘being naughty.’ Move your body because it’s enjoyable to, let your children see that you do it for the endorphin rush, the connection to nature or just because it’s fun – not because you are ‘losing weight’ or getting ready for summer. Talk about the magic of your body – all the time! Eyes that can see, ears that can hear, a heart that beats, legs that dance, arms that can wrap around one another – there are so many reasons to be grateful for our bodies, but for the most part we take the magic for granted. So don’t. Find opportunities to bring a positive perspective about our bodies into conversations every single day, you can even write positive messages and stick them on the fridge or pin board “Thanks legs for all the walking you do!” “Thanks tummy for being a home to my kids!” The positivity you express about your own body will rub off onto them – after all you are their Queen (or King!). Stop commenting on weight loss. A lifetime ago when I trained for a bodybuilding competition and lost a bunch of weight, I’ll never forget how many mums at school came up to me to ‘congratulate’ me on my weight loss. “You’re so inspiring” “Wow how much weight have you lost?” “I need to go on a diet!” So many of these comments were made in front of my kids, the takeaway for my kids – weight loss is inspirational and diets are the way to achieve success. How about we acknowledge that weight loss or weight gain amongst our friends is completely irrelevant, I couldn’t care less what my friends weigh. My connection to them is the energy we exchange and the adventures we share together, not a number on a scale. Finally, try not to feel too overwhelmed, this parenting gig is no walk in the park but you can’t go wrong if you keep it positive and simply do your best! With love, Taryn x FOLLOW @bodyimagemovement for a daily dose of love and inspiration! Charlie’s Angels move to the side because Celeste Barber, Teresa Palmer and Natasha Stott Despoja have joined the Embrace Kids documentary as Executive Producers. Talk about a dream team! Positive body image leggings from BeKeane Healthy and Fit have arrived! Aren’t they glorious! “Born to be me” “Embrace” “Confidence is beautiful” and “Unique” – what powerful pant these are! We’ve been inundated with ‘Embrace bum shots’ from women all around the world and we like it! Embracing your body is so infectious, we hope you catch it sooner than later! EMBRACE YOU STARTS SOON! We are about to kick off my 4-week online program “Embrace You”. Learn how to stop hating your body, start loving your life and best of all you can pass on the life-changing strategies to your little ones, so they can embrace too! Embrace You has a 94% success rate – more time, energy and fun awaits, join www.embraceyouonline.com