Educate

Talk to most adults these days about their early years and they’ll tell you stories about climbing trees, building cubby houses and making mud pies. They weren’t just having fun and playing outside – they were making decisions about taking risks and learning from their mistakes. Fast forward 30 years and rather than spending time outside playing, research reveals the average eight-year-old has already spent one year of their life in front of a digital screen, choosing the indoors over the outdoors. Other research reveals more than 80 per cent of children don’t meet the physical activity guidelines of 60 minutes of exercise a day. We’ve had a chat with Goodstart Early Learning’s General Manager, Pedagogy and Practice, Sue Robb, and she explained that not only is physical activity vital for development, but it also encourages risk taking. “We know that encouraging children to take risks in a safe environment is a good way to build confidence and self-belief,” says Sue. “As an early learning provider, one of our responsibility at Goodstart Early Learning is to ensure that the risks children are exposed to are as safe as they are possible. “For example, children exploring an obstacle trail where all the equipment is well grounded and there is adequate supervision allows the children to take a risk as well as learning to balance,” explained Sue. “When children have strong balance, it helps them with jumping, with riding a bike and learning to surf and ski and many other things that children enjoy and love.” Sue went on to explain that most people and children have a built-in policeman that lets them know their risk appetite. “Many children know when they don’t want to climb any higher or travel further away from their parents. It’s our opportunity to support children to thrive as learners and rounded human beings to take a risk, learn from mistakes and be bold in what you want. “These are all life lessons that will help them as they grow and develop. It builds confidence and a sense of self belief in their own decision making,” says Sue. Tips for encouraging risky play: · Allow your child to learn to ride a scooter or bike on tarmac, on sand or on grass. · Allow them to explore at the park within your sight, allowing safe boundaries to take risks, find their threshold and their tolerance. · Let young children crawl around on different textures such as mud, sand and water to encourage physical development. · Let them smell and taste a variety of textures and foods. As Australia’s largest social enterprise, Goodstart Early Learning is committed to ensuring all children have the learning, development and wellbeing outcomes they need for school and life. This includes having access to physical experiences which will support their development. Head to their website goodstart.org.au or call 1800 222 543 to find your nearest centre and learn more about how you can join one of their happy little communities.

Combining movement, music and sensory Star Academy‘s new Mini Stars will aim to develop your little one’s confidence, imagination, coordination and rhythm. Parents and caregivers can be a part of the fun too, joining in on classes to help and support the children’s learning! Not sure if your little one is born to dance? To see if they want to get into the swing of things Star Academy is inviting you to their Mini Stars Open Day on Tuesday the 12th of February. Come for a complimentary session for you and your child! There will be 2 classes on offer:– The “Mini Munchkins” class for 6 month olds – crawling age is 10am – 10.45am.– The “Mini Movers” for toddlers – 2 and half is 11am – 11.45am. All children attending the open day sessions will receive a special “First Mini Stars” session certificate and a small gift! Mini Munchkins Class Little ones from 6 months old are provided with lots of opportunities for safe exploration with colour, music and movement in the “Mini Munchkins” program! Carers provide an essential role in the class as they guide, support and nature their small children through the program. There is an emphasis on props, toys and storytelling in a relaxed and welcoming environment helping to build little one’s confidence to explore more and learn! It gives a positive introduction to the routine of a structured activity while also providing children with lots of fun and laughter and bonding with their carer. Mini Movers Class A magical, colourful and exciting introduction to the world of dance and music! Todlers experience jazz and ballet dance techanique through an inspired curriculum creted specifically for their developmental needs. You’ll never miss a step as parents/care givers attend each class to support and encourage their little ones. Mini Movers develop their dance and rhythm in a series of structured yet relaxed sessions with music, singing, props and imaginative play. Our activities support children’s coorindation, strength and flexibility while also encouraging confidence, creativity, language development and social skills. This program also segways intot the Star Academy ‘Fairy Ballet’ and ‘Funky Dance’ classes which are attended by children once they are ready for a more formal dance class. staracademy.com.au Open day RSVP’s to info@staracademy.com.au!

There’s something bittersweet about transitioning from having your little one with you every waking moment to when it’s time for them to start early learning. Bitter, because you know you’ll miss them an incy-wincy bit and sweet, because you can now breathe, live, eat and exist as an adult without a dependent for at least a small portion of the day. The transition into early learning is a big step for little people so it’s very important to get the right fit. The market is saturated with options and sometimes it’s hard to know what you’re getting. Goodstart prides themselves on forming close partnerships with families and providing as much information and communication as possible to ensure that parents are informed every step of the way. Goodstart recognise that having a successful start in their centres can often come from understanding and following the routines that families follow at home. Their Storypark app also helps them to stay connected with families through daily updates and photos of each child’s learning journey. Goodstart Early Learning has nearly 50 centres across Adelaide, with six new centres scheduled to open in the coming 12 months. Their new centres aren’t ‘traditional’ childcare centres: they o er purpose built environments, such as outdoor nature playgrounds, alfresco eating and socialising hubs, kitchen gardens and a variety of environments to support the children’s learning and wellbeing. The facility has been designed with careful consideration to provide children with the opportunity to interact with their peers in shared areas and have the opportunity to learn in a variety of settings with children of different ages. A typical day for a child at Goodstart: • access to dramatic and imaginary play• sensory play• technological exploration• gross motor activities• activities to assist literacy and numeracy development• social and emotional learning• art, dance and music• excursions to visit community partner and special events in centre• rest and relaxation time• a primary educator who respects their rights and cares for their wellbeing What can parents expect from Goodstart • Flexible, long daycare hours with the convenience of our 9, 10 and 12 hour sessions• Government-approved Kindergarten program• Play-based early learning program• Qualified experienced educators and teachers• Nurturing, stimulating, indoor and outdoor learning environments• Healthy, nutritious and diverse meals created by a qualified cook including breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and a late snack.• Nappies, bedding and sunscreen• The Storypark app delivers updates and photos of your child’s learning journey direct to you throughout the day The Goodstart Difference Goodstart Port Road, Cheltenham, Centre Director, Romana Deangelis joined the early learning sector 15 years ago: What is it that sets Goodstart Early Learning apart? I’m really proud to be part of a not-for-profit social enterprise. We exist solely for the benefit of the children in our care, and the wellbeing of their families. We invest heavily in our infrastructure and sta training, but also in research to ensure we stay at the forefront of what works best to help children reach their developmental and educational potential.What’s your favourite aspect of Goodstart Port Road Cheltenham and why? The Art Studios in the Pre-Kindy and Kindergarten rooms. I have a passion for the Arts and also a background in Graphic Communication. It o ers children an amazing format to express themselves. The other area would be the outdoor alfresco Hub where children can gather together for meals,which is such a beautiful time to sit together and reflect on the day. New Centres Opening Soon! Goodstart Port Road Cheltenham, 963 Port Road, Cheltenham. Now Open Goodstart Clearview, 242-244 Hampstead Road, Clearview. Now Open Goodstar tMagill, relocating to15 Penfold Road, Magill. Now Open Goodstart Plympton, relocating to 247-251 Anzac Highway, Plympton. Open February 2019 Goodstart Blair Athol, 452-454 Main North Road, Blair Athol. Open late March 2019 GoodstartUnderdale,185 Holbrooks Road, Underdale. Coming in mid 2019 Head to their website goodstart.org.au or call 1800 222 543 to find your nearest centre and learn more about how you can join one of their happy little communities. Images by Meaghan Coles Photography 

When my son Alexander was born in July of 2017, like any new mum, I was both desperately sleep deprived and equally desperate to make sure that my precious new bubba was healthy, happy and developing well. I Googled incessantly, read all the books (cheers, Kaz Cooke, for helping me learn to laugh at my own craziness) and drove friends and family up the wall with constant questions. “Lynds, aren’t you supposed to, you know, know about this developmental stuff?” my long-suffering best friend finally asked me. You see, in addition to being the mum to the world’s most adorable little boy (my completely unbiased opinion, of course), I also happen to be a neuroscientist. And in my post-baby haze, I had completely lost sight of how much neuroscience can teach us about child development and parenting. One of the most amazing aspects of the developing brain of a child is how plastic they are- meaning that our brain function can change depending on the experiences that we have. In other words, there are a number of key windows of time when development happens in the brain regions responsible for particular functions. These periods of time are called critical periods and they represent when experience is likely to have the maximal effect for a child acquiring a particular skill or behaviour. In infancy, there is a critical period for the development of sensory functions, such as vision. As our children age into toddlerhood and early childhood, they enter the height of the critical period for motor and language development. Finally, as they continue to grow into later childhood and adolescence, they reach the height of the critical period for the development of higher cognitive functions, such as reasoning and planning. During these periods, brain cells, called neurons, in the brain regions responsible for particular behaviours form connections with one another called synapses. Mirroring the critical periods, this process first occurs in parts of the brain responsible for sensory functions, such as seeing and hearing, followed by areas important for language comprehension and production, and, finally, regions of the brain critical for higher cognitive functions, such as the prefrontal cortex. The formation of these synapses, as well as the later pruning away of unused connections in order to make the brain function more efficiently, is dependent upon the specific experiences that we have during these critical periods of time. Intriguingly, once these critical periods end, the core parts of a behaviour or skill are, for the most part, unaffected by subsequent experiences. Meaning that if our children are not exposed to appropriate stimuli during these critical periods, the behaviour may not develop normally and it may be difficult, or even impossible, to later remedy this, since the brain circuits that underlie these behaviours become less plastic. Let’s take the example of language. In order for normal language production and comprehension to develop, we need to have exposure to language from birth. So when you coo at your precious bubbas and encourage them to babble back, you’re doing more than interacting with them – you’re actually modelling language for them and helping them to develop the brain circuits that are important for this function. The brain circuits responsible for language appear to change rapidly during early life, with some researchers suggesting that the critical period for language development is the first 8-12 years of a child’s life. This was disturbingly shown by the case of a little girl named Genie, an American child born in 1957. Genie was a victim of severe neglect and social isolation until she was 13 years old. During the first 13 years of her life, she was locked alone in a dark room, was not spoken to and was discouraged from making noise. As a consequence, she never acquired language. When she was finally removed from the home, despite intensive training, she was unable to fully acquire a language. While she became quite good at nonverbal communication, acquired a significant vocabulary and learned to string two or three words together, she was unable to advance beyond this or use language in a meaningful way. While Genie’s case is extreme (and terrible), it still has given us great insights into the development of language and there are a number of lessons that parents can take from this. First, it is important to engage in conversation with your children from their very first days. Tell them about your day. Go for a walk and describe what you see along the way, pointing out the objects as you name them. Have a “conversation” and leave a pause where you are expecting your child’s response. All of these are powerful ways to encourage the development of the language circuits of the brain. Perhaps as importantly, put down the tablet and turn off the television. The Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years stress that there should be no time in front of a screen for young children. What’s wrong with a bit of screen time? Well, firstly, there are no proven benefits of media exposure for infants and toddlers. In fact, research looking at TV exposure has shown that early screen exposure can lead to language delays. Even high levels of exposure to background TV can negatively affect language use and acquisition, as well as attention and other aspects of cognitive function. When children are in front of a screen, they are not engaging either in face-to-face interaction, which minimises critical exposure to language and social skills, or in play, a key way that children learn. And more concerningly, we still don’t fully understand what effects the bright, flashing lights or noise of a screen can have on developing visual and hearing circuits. Just like with language, parents can also learn lessons from the other critical periods. For example, during infancy, it is important to surround children with bold, bright colours and other visual stimuli, in order to encourage maximal development of vision. Similar lessons apply to the other

As SA’s Commissioner for Children and Young People I think I have hands down, the best job. I get to listen to kids across our beautiful state from the city to small country towns and hear their amazing insights into what is happening in their lives and the wisdom of the solutions they have to things that perhaps aren’t working so well. Every day is different but a typical week involves having conversations with children, writing speeches, presenting at conferences, letter writing, meetings and speaking with my staff and administration. Since taking up the position in 2017 I have focused on getting out and meeting as many of our children and young people as I can. Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) recognises that all children and young people have rights and should respect the rights of others. It is one of my favourites as it highlights children have the right to have a say in their own lives. I take this seriously and make every effort to listen to as many young people as possible. I meet them in settings they are most comfortable in, where they feel they can share their views and thoughts honestly and openly. I also try to reach those who may not always get a say or who are not used to having their voices heard due to their personal situations or geographical locations. Whilst I’m obviously not the only person who regularly consults directly with children, it’s fair to say that I’m the only person with a law that says I should. When young children ask me why I go out and talk to them, I tell them it’s not only because I like doing it but because they are my boss so I need to ask them what they need. This usually leads to requests for later bed time or no chores, but it does make them think about my role. Meeting face-to-face and listening is an important part of what I do, it’s what SA children said they wanted their Commissioner to do; take them seriously, stand up for them and educate adults about their rights and needs. The general consensus is that they’re happy, active and feel respected by adults, they value learning, their family, pets, friends and participating in their communities. However, the main struggles facing young people in this state, centre around mental health concerns, not feeling included, financially secure or prepared for the future. Parents and caregivers have a huge part to play in raising strong, resilient children and this starts by being present and listening. A consistent takeaway from my interactions is that family relationships have enormous impact on their lives; they want parents to listen, be role models, talk to them, show interest in their lives and realise that life is different for kids today. My vision is for SA to be a place where the wellbeing and development of our children is a community priority with their best interests front and centre in our thoughts and actions. SA children have informed my strategic agenda for the next four years, they are the reason I have completed a report into bullying which came about because children told me (on my Listening Tour) they wanted me to do something about it. Next year I will embark on a major study and report into what children think about poverty – again, the direction my work takes has been informed and influenced by children. I will be reporting back to the children of SA in my annual report. I’m sending a poster report to all schools in SA, so they know what I’ve been doing in their name. Helen Connolly became South Australia’s first Commissioner for Children and Young People in April 2017. Throughout her career, Helen has taken an active advocacy role on the main policy issues that impact the wellbeing of Australian families and children, with a strong focus on early intervention and prevention strategies. Helen lives in Adelaide and has five adult children. If you’re a child, young person or parent and there’s something you think I should be doing to make things better for the lives of kids in SA, please get in touch! commissionerCYP@sa.gov.au

The new Paisley Park Early Learning Centre Hallett Cove is throwing open its doors on this Saturday 12th January to host a Community Fun Day for local families looking for quality childcare. Built on 30 years’ experience, Paisley Park provides leading education and childcare with pioneering state-of-the-art facilities. Paisley Park food consultant and leading international chef from Network Ten’s The Living Room, Miguel Maestre, will be making a special guest appearance to cook and educate families around how to introduce fresh, healthy ingredients into children’s meal times. As Paisley Park’s Food Advisor, Miguel Maestre creates seasonal menus for the organisation’s centres nationally. Through this partnership, Miguel will work with Hallett Cove’s onsite chef to create menus that are both nutritious and appealing to children, using fresh produce from local suppliers, as well as the centres vegetable garden. With one quarter of Australian children being overweight or obese, Miguel and Paisley Park are hoping to lead the fight against childhood obesity in Australia, instilling healthy eating habits in children and inspiring a love of cooking. Close to half of Australian parents believe poor food choices are caused by a lack of education and 9 in 10 support schools doing more to promote a healthy lifestyle[1], Paisley Park is committed to the fight by teaching children healthy eating choices from a young age, before primary school. Bringing a meticulous approach to childcare with state-of-the-art facilities for children, Paisley Park will open five centres in Adelaide within the next six months including, Hallett Cove, Mt Barker, Port Adelaide, Royal Parkand Oatlands Park. The childcare brand is offering a standard of centres that other states in Australia already enjoy, delivering unique design, flow, learning curriculum and food philosophy. Opening in a beautifully converted heritage listed house, Hallett Cove is conveniently located between Hallett Cove East Primary School and Lonsdale Rd, its location provides easy pick-ups and drop-offs. At the Community Fun Day, families and local community members will have the opportunity to meet Centre Director, Karen, and the experienced team of caring and passionate Educators. The team of Educators will be on hand to conduct tours of the centre’s new facilities including the discovery nature trail, friendly family pets, vegetable gardens and exciting outdoor playground space, whilst children and parents enjoy sampling the centre’s new summer menu, developed by Miguel. Prospective families attending the Community Fun Day can also take part in several activities including face painting, jumping castle and many more! Paisley Park Hallett Cove will open its doors in early January 2019 catering for children from 6 weeks to 6 years and offering extended hours from 6.30am – 6.30pm. Talking about the Centre, Co-Founder Kat Wieczorek-Ghisso says, “We are excited to be part of the Hallett Cove community providing quality childcare in Adelaide’s southern suburbs. We welcome the community to experience Paisley Park, a place inspired by children’s curiosity and their natural love for learning. An environment where children believe in themselves and know they can achieve anything imaginable. As a founder led business based on extensive knowledge of early learning, we choose to do things differently. We invite you to come and see these differences for yourself.” Community Fun Day Details for Paisley Park Hallett Cove Date: Saturday 12th JanuaryTime: 10.00am – 2.00pmAddress: 49-51 Vennachar Drive, Hallett CoveActivities: 11.00am: Info session “Tips on developing healthy eating habits at an early age’’ with Paisley Park Co-Founder Kat and Miguel Maestre12.00noon: Opportunity to cook lunch with Miguel Maestre1.30pm: Opportunity to cook and enjoy afternoon tea with Miguel10.00am – 2.00pm: Enjoy refreshments and children’s activities10.00am – 2.00pm: Tours hosted by Paisley Park Founders and the team Paisley Park Hallett Cove Centre Facts: – Quality care for children aged 6 weeks to 6 years– Extended opening hours: 6.30am to 6.30pm– Paisley Park is conveniently located between Hallett Cove East Primary School and Lonsdale Rd, making for easy pick-ups and drop-offs.– Exciting playgrounds and discovery areas, family pets and vegetable gardens– Natural, homelike environments where children explore conformably in familiar surroundings.– Healthy and delicious meals prepared daily by our on-site chef using only fresh, local produce. For more information call 1800 PAISLEY (1800 724 753) paisleypark.com.au

Ladies, we must remember how important it is to get checked, finding cancer early improves your chances of successful treatment and long-term survival. Regular mammograms can reduce your risk of breast cancer death by 25%. BreastScreen SA’s mobile screening unit is visiting the Adelaide Showgrounds at Wayville to provide free breast cancer screening (breast X-rays) for around 200 local women. Invite your girlfriends to brunch and follow it with a trip along to your free screening. Screening appointments will commence on Tuesday 8 January 2019 and conclude on Friday 11 January 2019, with the mobile screening unit located in the Wayville Showgrounds under the Stratco shelter at the western end of the Stirling Angas Hall, opposite the CWA building. BreastScreen SA Promotions and Education Manager, Hannah Spackman, said the two biggest risk factors for breast cancer are being a woman and being over 50. “Further, nine out of ten women who get breast cancer have no family history of this disease,” Ms Spackman said. “While breast cancer cannot be prevented, the best way to detect it early is by having a screening mammogram every two years. Screening mammograms can detect most breast cancers, including some too small to be felt.” The earlier a breast cancer is found, the more chance a woman has of successful treatment. “At BreastScreen SA, each woman’s X-rays are read by two, independent radiologists and the results are posted within 14 days,” Ms Spackman said. “Most women are then reassured that their mammogram shows no evidence of breast cancer.” “One breast screen is not enough to last a lifetime. It takes just 10 minutes, and it could save your life,” said Ms Spackman. “If you’re a woman aged 50 to 74, have a breast screen every two years on the mobile screening unit while it’s visiting the Wayville area.” Appointments can be made by calling BreastScreen SA on 13 20 50, or women can visit the website at breastscreensa.sa.gov.au to find out more about breast cancer screening. BreastScreen SA

It’s been 8 rounds of IVF, and in just a few weeks, I’ll be approaching my 9th. Am I exhausted – yes. Do I feel like a chicken forever popping out eggs – definitely yes. But, am I used to being disappointed again and again after recurrent losses and failing implants – sadly yes. Every miscarriage or implant failure gets me down – whether you are going through IVF or you are having issues falling pregnant, it just sucks. Infertility just fucking sucks. Regular doctor’s appointments, changes in hormone medications, crying for no reason and trying to explain why you’re crying without sounding like a complete nut, these things happen, and they take their toll. About 2 years ago when I first started our IVF journey I read an article online about another woman’s IVF experience. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but later down the track, those words were invaluable. I’m no IVF expert, but the main ones that stuck with me were to surround yourself with supportive people, don’t play the blame game, trust your gut and practice self care. I always knew I had an awesome tribe of both women and men around me, but really realised how lucky I was when I started embarking on this new path. We talk about my growing ‘follies’, my uterus lining, ultrasounds and countless needles in my podgy belly and there is never a grimace or sigh. Even from the lads. I’ve found that being honest and open about what I’m going through has brought up a lot of questions, and that people have been really interested and intrigued about the whole process. I totally get that talking openly about it is not for everyone, and that it’s a very private matter, but I must admit it’s really helped me this time around. I’ve found myself a ‘folly cheer squad’. Blaming your partner, or yourself, is a very easy thing to do. My man is a bit older than me, so it would be easier to say that it may have been his swimmers that were letting us down. When we kicked off our IVF journey I was 26, and as the doctor said ‘it was the perfect time to have a baby’. But age doesn’t mean a thing. Fast forward almost 2 years, countless blood tests, biopsies and genetic testing and we’ve realised that my lady bits, or ‘oven’ as I like to call it, is very much the problem. Now, at 29, you’d never think you’d have a problem falling pregnant, but here we are. With a higher amount of natural killer cells, surgery for endometriosis and adenonyosis and some immune issues, I refer to my bits as the ‘killer vagina’ at times, as we think it may like to kill off the embryo we put in. Thanks vagina. After 5 rounds of IVF at a clinic I won’t speak of, as well as 2 loads of eggs being taken, I now understand how important it is to TRUST YOUR GUT. It’s hard to compare an experience when you’ve never been through the process before, but if you feel like you know something’s not right, question it. I can’t stress enough that if you have questions, ask them. Don’t let people make you feel stupid – no question is a stupid question. I’ve now found a wonderful clinic and a doctor who is the perfect fit for us. Each visit I bring a list of questions, and whether they are stupid ‘googling European IVF methods at 2am questions’ or suggestions from my acupuncturist, she answers them with honesty and compassion – and most importantly, without making me feel like a complete idiot. And lastly, self care. 5 years ago I would have rolled my eyes at someone preaching self care. But, here I am. The eye roller is preaching; how ironic. I always like to do fun, feel good stuff on the reg but it never used to be built into my routine. But when you’re taking over 14 tablets a day and feel like you’re menopausal at 28, sometimes you just need to love yourself. Everyone has different things that make them tick, and sometimes it’s the simple things that are the best. I find great pleasure sipping the perfect decaf coffee (yes, decaf!), going for long walks, blogging or just talking non-IVF-stuff with my friends. At home I diffuse essential oils, again a new thing for me but I’m now obsessed and it shakes the bad vibes. I’ve also been known to spend a small fortune on underwear, because let’s face it, sticking pessaries up your vag 3 times a day is the best way to take all sexiness away from your life. Bonds lace undies are the best solution, they’re comfortable, a higher cut to hide my estrogen patches and do good things for your ass. Double win. Find what you love and do it. Or, if it’s expensive, find a cheaper option; I’d love to fly to Bali every cycle but let’s be honest, this IVF biz is costly as hell. Most of all, love yourself. Because going through all this shit is going to make you one hell of a stronger woman. Beginners Tips on IVF • Find a doctor that you feel comfortable around.• Ask your doctors and nurses questions- lots of them!• Try and pre plan the financial side of things. It’s expensive and looking at the price of a cycle can be stressful enough, so speak to your clinic about payment and gap options.• Get your head around medicare- speak with the nance department of your clinic, they are generally Medicare gurus.• Surround yourself with supportive people- this is a full on time and you’ll need all the love you can get.• Shop around- there are so many clinics around, so be sure to look at success rates, their doctors, prices and payment options.• Reward yourself daily when going through treatment- I hate needles so after daily

Preparing For Birth Hypno-what? When I first heard of hypnobirthing I assumed it was some weird hippy thing I wouldn’t be able to take seriously. Of course I turned to the source of all knowledge, YouTube, to research, I stumbled across a mum I could relate to telling her positive story about hypnobirthing. I was intrigued. After falling into a long YouTube hole, including the weird and the hippy, I came out the other end determined to try hypnobirthing myself. This led me to My Private Midwife. I am a university educated wanna-be health professional, so I wanted the course I did to be evidenced based and not too much of the fluffy stuff. Kate Bergamasco of My Private Midwife is a University of South Australia tutor and facilitator, a midwife and has a Masters of Nursing, so I knew I was in the right hands. But, don’t worry, you don’t need a degree in health to understand her course, she just knows her stuff and is easily and willingly able to back it up with evidence. What is hypnobirthing, you’re probably wondering. Well Kate describes it as “a type of childbirth education class which promotes birth as a normal function for women. Classes empower parents with knowledge and confidence in the woman’s ability to birth.” Hypnobirthing uses education about the birth process, along with breathing techniques, scripts and hypnosis, affirmations and massage to help women calmly through labour. For me, I found the education, breathing techniques, affirmations and massage to be the most helpful. Knowing my breath and keeping calm was the healthiest thing for my baby was instrumental in me staying focused on breathing through each ‘surge’. I love hypnobirthing and will tell anyone who will listen to me. I love it because it empowered me. It informed my choices and helped me and my husband stand up for them during labour. But to be honest, it was my husband who stood up for me in labour, I was more like “yeah whatever, get out of my face”, and so it empowered my husband too. Kate says, “[partners] help care providers understand what the birthing mother needs to achieve her calm positive birth.” My husband knew all the jargon and he was on the ball the whole time. He could, and did, liaise with doctors and midwifes throughout the whole process. This was the biggest benefit for us, it helped him know what to do during labour. My labour plan before taking the hypnobirthing course was ‘no intervention unless medically necessary’ in bold and underlined. After my hypnobirthing course it was more like ‘no intervention unless medically necessary and I’ll be ok if interventions are necessary.’ And in my case they were. My baby did not want to come out and I was induced 10 days over her due date. Hypnobirthing helped me to understand what was happening during the induction and it helped me to stay calm and positive through the whole process. I didn’t end up having to have the oxytocin drip and started labour after one lot of gels and my waters being broken. This may or may not have been because of hypnobirthing, but I would say it definitely helped. Especially when “hypnobirthing parents are calm and confident, they are conditioned to release endorphins and other natural hormones to help them cope with this very normal function,” says Kate. In the end, I managed to birth my beautiful, big (3.8 kg!!) baby daughter pain medication free. It was a fast and intense labour. I stayed calm for almost the whole time, with one minor freak out, which was quickly calmed by my prepared husband. Hypnobirthing enabled me to trust my body and my baby. I was able to work with my surges and breathe my baby out. I have never felt as strong and capable as I did delivering my daughter. If you’re a soon-to-be mama, research hypnobirthing and better yet, book in with Kate at My Private Midwife. She “work[s] with parents to achieve the calm positive and supported experience that every parent should have.” Hypnobirthing empowered me through the most unknown and vulnerable time of my life, and I will always be thankful to Kate for that. myprivatemidwife.com.au Nick Lawrence Photo 

You are not alone if you are a parent that has watched your child playing at kindy and thought: • Is my child learning anything, aren’t they just playing?• How is playing going to help my child with ‘school readiness’?• Why is my child not being taught anything? There is huge pressure on us as parents to provide the best foundation for our child’s learning. It is not uncommon to look into our young child’s eyes and feel petrified that the choices we make on their behalf regarding their education will either set them on the path for success (whatever we deem that to be, and unfortunately in Western culture that has a direct correlation to status, wealth and power) or to condemn them to a life of destitution and misery – of course that may just be me! Nonetheless, supporting our children’s learning is an important part of our role as parents. Yet again, my take home message is for us to take the pressure off ourselves as parents and the flow on effect will be taking the pressure off our young children to be able to recite their ABC’s and know their numbers, colours and the periodic table as early as possible. Taking the pressure off does not mean that learning, growth and development is not important but I am suggesting that we shying away from teaching academic concepts via rote learning and testing (via questions and performing to others), and to holistic growth and developmentvia engagement and fun – PLAY. In an article called “School readiness (for Early Years) – how to know if your little one is ready for big school” (from the Australian Government Learning Potential website (learningpotential.gov.au) school readiness is defined as the “measure of knowledge, skills and behaviours that enable children to participate and succeed in school”. School readiness is not about your child’s ability to read, write and do basic maths but it is about the development of the whole child. The following areas for continuing development were described: • SOCIAL SKILLS• EMOTIONAL REGULATION• LANGUAGE SKILLS• COGNITIVE SKILLS• PHYSICAL HEALTH AND CO-ORDINATION• SELF HELP SKILLS As parents we sometimes think that play is unimportant or an adjunct to formal teaching. However, guided play is the work of childhood and has been shown to be the most effective method of learning for young children in both educational settings and home. Play provides active engagement with themselves, others and the world and assists in building and strengthening brain pathways. It is impossible to separate children’s play from their learning and development. Learning through play is most effective when a child’s experience is scaffolded when needed, by an interactive adult. For example, a young child cannot be expected to learn via play on their own for an extended period of time, and equally a child cannot fully benefit from play if an adult is continually intervening unnecessarily. Learning Potential highlights that it is important to remember that “every child develops at their own pace and has their own individual strengths, interests, temperament, approach to learning and parenting experience”. PLAY CAN: • Increase feelings of success and optimism• Reduce stress• Increase wellbeing• Allow freedom to make choices and creativity• Encourage mastery, interest and engagement• Enable opportunity to take risks and overcome frustrations, challenges and fears• Promote curiosity, openness, resilience, enthusiasm and persistence• Support exploration, experimentation, discovery and problem-solving• Encourage memory skills and language development• Build relationships and connections with others, develop friendships• Provide learning opportunity to resolve con icts• Develop an awareness and opportunity to regulate emotions @hannabeavenpsychology  hannabeavenpsychology.com.au

Is there anything Justine Clarke can’t do? We just love her and so do the kids! We threw 5 fast questions at the performer, actor and songwriter. BEST ADVICE YOU WERE GIVEN BEFORE YOU HAD CHILDREN? Best advice I was given was never give advice! WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE DANCE MOVE? I’ve always been partial to some popping and locking. IF YOU COULD HAVE ONLY 5 THINGS ON A DESERTED ISLAND, WHAT WOULD THEY BE? They’d all be food related. A sharp knife, an endless bowl of salad, olive oil, bread and a never ending supply of tea bags. (With a splash of milk!) IF YOUR JOB GAVE YOU A SURPRISE THREE DAY PAID BREAK TO REST AND RECUPERATE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH THOSE THREE DAYS? I’d go somewhere quiet and still. I’d eat good food, listen to the trees and sleep. Maybe that desert island…. FAVOURITE THING ABOUT A LIVE AUDIENCE? The sound of a room full of people of all ages singing together is one of the loveliest sounds in the world. justineclarke.com.au

The 2018 OzAsia Festival program is busting with family friendly activities, visit the Lucky Dumpling Market, Moon Lantern Parade or see one of the many performances! With over 190,000 people expected this years festival is celebrating its largest program yet. Held over 18 days, the festival program presents the very best in contemporary dance, theatre, music, visual art, film, literature, food, family events, workshops, talks and more from across Asia today. Cerita Anak (Child’s Story) is a must-see on your OzAsia family hit list. Cerita Anak takes children and their adults on a sea journey never to be forgotten. Climb aboard the specially made boat and be rocked and rolled across a strange ocean. Dive to the bottom of the sea, hear stories on the wind and in the currents of the water and face great danger before coming to safe harbour. This immersive theatre experience draws its inspiration from the seafaring history in Java and the true tale of arrival in Australia told by a small boy. Combining puppetry, song, shadow imagery and sound, the show bustles with all the life of the ocean. Audience members, both young and old are passengers and storytellers on this exquisite adventure. ‘An emotional overflow thanks to the sheer beauty and interactive fun of this simple yet superbly executed production.’The West Australian Recommended seating in the boat is for children 2-7 years of age. Children must also be accompanied by an adult when in the boat. It is best for children 8-12 years of age to be in seating, not in the boat. Children under 2 years of age are FREE on knee. Tickets available here  OzAsia 

Simple Steps to Boost your Pre-School Child’s Reading Readiness Raising pre-school aged kiddos can be equal parts challenging and rewarding. As parents we’re bombarded with information and expectations of what our children should be doing and how we should be aiding their development. Should we be reading more bedtime stories? Should we minimise the iPad time? What is the magical recipe for success? Importantly, where are we getting our information? Does that mummy blog really have credibility? There’s good news: the best ways to support your child’s reading readiness are quite simple. Evidence based research tells us that one of the best things you can do to prepare your child for school is to help develop their phonological awareness. Strong literacy skills will set students on a successful path. Why wouldn’t you want your child to have a head start to making sense of how sounds and letters operate in print? It can be hard to find the time in our fast paced world to read stories, sing songs and nursery rhymes and engage in the art of conversation. But, these are critical activities that our children need to be exposed to and engaged in. Learning support teacher Jo Hirst from St Peters Woodlands tells us more about Phonological Awareness and supporting children to be ready to read: What is Phonological awareness and why is it important? Phonological awareness is the conscious awareness of the sound structure in our language. Children need to become attuned to speech sounds in order to lay the foundations for phonics instruction when they start school. How do I know if my child has phonological awareness? The skills involved in phonological awareness include children’s ability to rhyme, segment or break sentences into words, words into syllables, and recognise onset and rimes. Children develop these skills sequentially throughout their pre-school years. Your child may or may not be able to do these things. What should I expect when my child is just getting started? In the early years children will begin with general sound discrimination in the areas of environmental sounds, instrumental sounds and body percussion. Environmental AwarenessWith environmental sounds, children’s awareness of the sounds around them is focused on developing their listening skills. There are simple ways to focus on developing environment sound discrimination like going on a listening walk, drumming on di erent items outside and comparing the sounds, and making shakers.Instrumental AwarenessInstrumental sounds develop children’s awareness of sounds made by various instruments and noise makers. You could compare and match sound makers, play instruments alongside a story and make loud and quiet sounds.Body PercussionBody percussion enables children to develop an awareness of sounds and rhythms. Make time to include singing songs and action rhymes and listen to your favourite music together. These activities develop both skills and opportunities to create precious memories with your child. Are there other areas we can help to develop? Rhythm and rhyme in speech are other areas to be explored and developed. Reading rhyming stories, singing nursery rhymes, playing rhyming bingo, clapping out the syllables in words and playing odd one out are great ways to reinforce this awareness. Reading nursery rhymes seems too easy? Is this really going to help? There’s strong evidence to support the link between nursery rhyme knowledge in pre- school children and their future success in reading and spelling. It’s nice to know that the simple things are also helpful. What can I expect as my child gets older? As students continue to develop the focus turns to phonemic awareness, which is an important sub-skill of phonological awareness. Before children learn how to read and write they need to understand how the sounds in words work. It is critical that they understand that words are made up of speech sounds. Parts of phonemic awareness include sound isolation, identification, categorisation, blending, segmentation, deletion, addition and substitution. Working on your child’s phonemic awareness is all sounds based and can be done anywhere…..in a car, on a train or on a plane! Children find the art of rhyming, playing around and manipulating the sounds in words fun. Playing a simple game of I-Spy is a great way of helping your child identify initial sounds in words. You can also practise oral blending by saying sounds, such as ‘c – a – p’ and then see whether your child can pick out a ‘cap’ from a group of objects. For segmenting practise, you can hold up an object, such as a cup, and ask your child which sounds they can hear in the word ‘cup’ (c – u – p). Doing these things together adds to the relationship you are building with your child, which is what is it all about! Reading at SPW St Peter’s Woodlands has a sequential and systematic approach to reading from ELC to Year 7. Phonological awareness is one part of a comprehensive reading program that also includes phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. SPW follows Phase One of the Letters and Sounds Program when teaching phonological awareness. To enquire about St Peter’s Woodlands Early Learning to Year 7 contact: Joanna Gray08 8295 4317spw.sa.edu.auSt Peter’s Woodlands Grammar School 39 Partridge Street, Glenelg Meaghan Coles Photography 

SPOT Paediatrics is a Speech Pathology and Occupational Therapy Clinic that works with children and their families on developmental areas such as language, speech, fine motor, literacy, sensory processing and social skills. They use a fresh and fun approach to child therapy and are continuously looking to collaborate with schools and other professionals in the allied health community. We asked SPOT for some advice on ‘School Readiness’: ‘School Readiness’ is a term that is o en used to describe the set of skills necessary for transitioning to school, but it may be hard to determine if your child is “school ready” if you are not sure what to look for! As well as reading there are a range of skills crucial to giving your child a comfortable start at school. While knowing numbers, colours and shapes are helpful, school readiness is also about whether a child is ready from a fine motor, communication, social/emotional and behavioural perspective. If you are wondering “is my child ready?” there are a number of skills and behaviours that need to develop in the pre-school years to ensure a child is “school ready”. For School Readiness we Consider the Following Skills LISTENING AND UNDERSTANDING • Follow instructions of up to 3 parts to allow children to independently complete tasks• Understand many types of questions to help at story time and group discussion times SPEAKING • Speak with appropriate use of speech sounds so that almost 100% of listeners can interpret what a child is saying• Express thoughts and ideas clearly to help children form friendships and successfully engage in conversation with their peers• Understand and use a wide vocabulary to support early literacy skills and accessing the curriculum SOCIAL INTERACTION • Understand and participate in turn-taking and waiting• Use social greetings and engage in back and forth conversations FINE MOTOR SKILLS • Hold a pencil with appropriate grasp to allow a child to participate in drawing and colouring activities without fatigue• Write their name. Children put their names on everything! Being able to mark which work is yours is important• Using scissors for simple cutting to support participation in learning activities ATTENTION AND CONCENTRATION • Attention and concentration are important so that children can attend to spoken and visual information, concentrate, follow instructions, listen to a speaker, learn and access the curriculum• Regulation supports attention and concentration and children need to be well regulated in order to learn, and sit in a group The SPOT Paediatrics team of Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) and Occupational Therapists (OTs) are able to help and support children and families with the transition to school by developing school readiness skills. SLPs may typically focus on: Following instructions Building vocabulary Teaching age appropriate grammar Correcting speech sound errors Developing social skills OTs may typically focus on:  Writing name Scissor skills and pencil grip Making sure self-care skills are age appropriate (toileting, dressing, feeding) Regulation These are just some of the many skills that SLPs and OTs work on to support children’s development, participation, and ability to access their community. If you have any concerns about your child’s development or school readiness don’t hesitate to contact SPOT! They are more than happy to answer any questions or chat about concerns. info@spotpaediatrics.com.auspotpaediatrics.com.au@spotpaediatrics

Join Goodstart to celebrate the opening of their Port Road Cheltenham branch! Sunday 21 October 10am – 1pm963 Port Road, Cheltenham Meet the Goodstart team and explore their inspiring learning environments and natural playgrounds. There will be Family fun for all ages including face painting, clowns, balloon art, activities and children’s yoga. Bop til you Drop will host a session from 10am – 11.30am and parents will also be able to enjoy complimentary barista made coffee. For event updates: facebook.com/ goodstartportroadcheltenham/ Goodstart Early Learning Goodstart Early Learning has nearly 50 centres across Adelaide, with six new centres scheduled to open in the coming 12 months. Their new centres aren’t ‘traditional’ childcare centres: they offer purpose built environments, such as outdoor nature playgrounds, alfresco eating and socialising hubs, kitchen gardens and a variety of environments to support the children’s learning and wellbeing. The facility has been designed with careful consideration to provide children with the opportunity to interact with their peers in shared areas and have the opportunity to learn in a variety of settings with children of different ages. Goodstart Early Learning