Educate

By Amy Graham  This summer, you might be preparing for your child to start school or move into a new class. This can lead to a mix of feelings: excitement, sadness, trepidation, uncertainty. I could swear it is harder for the mums and dads than the kids! But did you know there is so much you can do as a parent to help your child navigate this transition successfully and chances are, it is simpler than you might think. And no, it doesn’t involve flashcards, Jolly Phonics or tutoring. Nothing in the research says that children benefit from flashy, expensive toys or that the activities have to be academically orientated. In fact, the greatest gains are experienced by children who have a wide range of toys and learning materials to explore, opportunities to play with a warm and engaging parent and talk about what is taking place, and a rich and diverse range of experiences out of the home. As parents, we are a child’s first and forever teacher. I know this, both as a parent of three children but also as an educational researcher. We have so much rich knowledge about our child and have taught them since birth, even in nuanced ways. My research explored the tremendous contributions that parents make to helping a child succeed at school, both through their positive and encouraging beliefs and their enriching and diverse preparation behaviours. It reinforced my belief that parents really do matter and they are a crucial partner in a child’s learning. Fundamentally, on every measure, children experience greater success when they have engaged parents. Parental engagement has emerged as the new benchmark to forecast children’s educational outcomes. Some research concludes that parental engagement is the most effective factor in a student’s educational success, over and above factors within the child or school. But it is not a single behaviour, expectation or aspiration by parents that makes the difference nor is it a perfect formula. Rather, it is about communicating the overall message to your child that education matters and that you have high expectations for them. This can be done through simple conversations, where parents and children are positively discussing school and what they can expect in the new environment. It is also about parents spending time with a child to support their learning. If your child is starting school for the first time, and has not attended childcare or an early learning centre, this transition could be more pronounced. My research showed that stay-at-home parents engaged in more behavioural preparation in the year before starting school, than those children who attended childcare services. This could be because parents assume the necessary skills and attributes that are needed to successfully transition to school are taught in these settings, or it could be that working parents are especially time-poor. So what can you do? Pay close attention to your child’s social skills and self-regulation: traits which are often developed more in the social environments of early learning and care. It may be that you could arrange a play date with a friend of your child’s from kindergarten that they will be attending school with, play board games that encourage turn-taking (and modelling how to be a ‘good’ loser) or teach mindfulness to your child. How can parents support their child’s learning at home? · Read to and with your child. Parents in my study were doing this far more than any other preparation activity, and it is a great way to bond and develop an early love of literacy. A recent study found parents who read one book a day with their child are giving their child a 1.4 million-word advantage over their peers who have never been read to. · Spend time playing with your child and show an interest in what they are doing. · Facilitate a range of experiences, both in and out of the home. What can we do to make the transition easier for children? · Make sure they are familiar with the environment in a fun, non-threatening way. Visit the school playground in the holidays, make sure they know where the toilets are and arrive early to show them where to go and where you will be at the end of the day. · In the months leading up to starting school, try to work on your child’s self-care and independence. Ensure they can ask for help if they need, toilet independently, open containers and lunchboxes, and know how to behave in a group. · Save your tears for the car ride home. Kids need to see that you are excited, proud and confident that they will love all that school has to offer.

Whether it’s driving your little ones to kindy, grocery shopping, or adventuring to the playground, you always want to know your kiddos are safe! New parents can often feel overwhelmed when it comes to important things like car seat selection, installation and proper usage. Key questions regularly posed to the Red Cross Baby Seats team indicate that many parents have similar concerns and a common one is; When can I move my child to the next car seat? Babies travel safest in a rear-facing car seat, and are best to stay travelling in that format, until they outgrow the particular car seat in use. This may be until they are two to three years old. Children should stay rear-facing for as long as possible. As your child grows, it may appear that there is no room for their legs, but this is a minor consideration as rear-facing is still the safest position for them to travel. You should only move your child to a forward-facing safety seat, incorporating an in-built harness, when the maximum height requirement on your rear-facing restraint is reached. The Red Cross Baby Seats team has been offering a professional fitting and checking service to South Australian families, local and international visitors, for over 40 years ensuring their capsules, carriers and car seats are fitted correctly. The team consists of staff and volunteers dedicated to maintaining the safety of children in cars. For more information on how the Red Cross could assist you, please call them at 08 8443 9700. Opening hours: Monday – Friday 9am until 5pm. Closed on weekends and public holidays. redcross.org.au

In a world-wide first, South Australian owned and operated legal firm Cavalier Legal has today launched an initiative leading up to Christmas to teach kids about the effects and prevention of bullying and cyberbullying using an online Advent Calendar. The initiative, called Kind Minds, is an online platform created to find innovative ways to teach kids to be more aware and vigilant about bullying and cyberbullying. Cavalier Legal Principal Solicitor and Kindminds.com founder Carmine Alvaro, said: “Simply by accessing the website www.kindminds.com.au every day in December and clicking on the corresponding date on the advent calendar, children will uncover a brief fact or suggestion about bullying and cyberbullying and how to deal with it.” Users of the website will then be able to spin a virtual wheel for a chance to win one of over 25 prizes on offer each of the 24 days of the Advent Calendar. Mr Alvaro said: “The purpose of the initiative was to find a new and fun way to get kids to want to learn more about bullying and cyberbullying, why it is happening, and how to prevent it. “There are already some great resources available, both online and at schools, and so this is simply a way to incentivise them to learn more about the issues and why they should use those resources.” The brief facts and suggestions offered in the calendar range from explaining what bullying and cyberbullying may look like, offering “Bullying Hacks” being ideas on how to deal with bullying if it is occurring and providing links to other online resources which offer support to kids dealing with these issues. The website is currently being promoted and offered to students of select schools around the state including Salisbury High School and Christian Brothers College but anyone can access it. Mr Alvaro said: “For this introductory year, all of the prizes have been donated by Cavalier Legal. However, we hope that with the success of this year’s initiative we can grow the idea and that next year we will have more companies willing to donate prizes and be a part of the initiative, so that in-turn more kids will also be incentivised to log on.” Prizes include vouchers to use at Amazon and Dymocks, as well as monthly subscriptions for Spotify and Apple Music. On Christmas eve, if all of the days leading up to that date on the calendar have been completed by the user, they will also have the chance to win a $100 gift voucher to use at the Beachouse in Glenelg. Mr Alvaro said: “There are so many kids and parents who are dealing day-by-day with how devastating bullying can be, as well as its long-term effects. “Lately, we have heard quite a lot about the changing and strengthening of laws surrounding bullying, and cyberbullying in particular, to keep up with modern technologies. Following the tragic suicide death of 14-year-old Amy “Dolly” Everett in January 2018 due to cyberbullying, there was a call for review of South Australian anti-bullying laws last year. However, the Statutes Amendment (Bullying) Bill 2017, introduced into the South Australian Legislative Council in late September 2017, remains unimplemented by South Australia’s parliament. “It is clearly an issue that our government bodies and the legal industry take seriously and hopefully the appropriate action for its prevention continues to be discussed.” “Kind Minds offers a way to take a step back and allow kids to be more engaged and aware about these important issues and how to prevent it from occurring from a young age, while also incorporating the spirit of Christmas and the excitement of winning a prize.” @kindmindskindminds.com.au#kindminds

Commissioner for Children and Young People, Helen Connolly has today announced key outcomes of her ‘Learn to Speak Robot’ Commissioner’s Digital Challenge. Participation was robust with an estimated 19,026 South Australian children completing the Challenge in its inaugural year. This figure represents 217 public and independent schools and 31 public libraries around the State, and equates to approximately one third of primary and combined schools. Of these, 27% of the overall number of participants came from regional schools with 23% from South Australia’s remote area schools. The vast majority of schools are expected to register for the Challenge again in 2020 with positive feedback received from students who participated (see a selection of children’s testimonials below). Adelaide’s Thorndon Park Primary School were chosen as recipients of the major digital reward – a new school website donated by project supporters EWS – when one of their students had this to say about their experience: “Although I wasn’t that interested in things like coding at first, experimenting with Grok and Code.org has made me insanely interested in a future of technology and even an education career in it. So, thank you!” The Commissioner’s Digital Challenge is not a competition, but is designed to encourage children of all ages in South Australia to increase their uptake of digital skills. It is made available FREE to schools, community groups, libraries and families via a dedicated website (commissionersdigitalchallenge.net.au) where hundreds of digital activities curated with input from some of Australia’s (and the world’s) leading digital industry players can be accessed with ease. They include activities from Microsoft’s MakeCode, Code.org’s Hour of Code, Grok Learning, Digital Technologies Hub, CS Unplugged and Code Club Australia. Digital rewards donated by Microsoft, JB HI-FI Solutions, Grok Learning, Advanced Technology Project and Thinkfun Games were awarded to schools and libraries submitting the best testimonials. Strong support for the Challenge has also been provided by Girl Guides, Scouts, Children’s University Adelaide, Public Library Services SA, EdTechSA, the Australian Computing Academy and the Computer Science Education Research Group. ‘Learn to Speak Robot’ re-opens on Day 1 of Term 1 in 2020, at which time the second challenge in the series will also be launched; a Mars-themed design thinking challenge called ‘Space to Dream’. ‘Space to Dream’ is designed to encourage children to ‘lean in’ to their innate creativity and limitless potential. In 2021, the Challenge will expand to include systems thinking, digital literacy and digital citizenship components, with these programs being developed hand in glove with industry to ensure relevance to technological changes and advancements occurring in real time. Details of which SA schools received Digital Challenge rewards: commissionersdigitalchallenge.net.au/digital-thinking/schools-winners/

A life-cycle story aimed at the very young and also those much older. Renowned author Mem Fox and illustrator Freya Blackwood have created this touching and charming story about the journey of life to help our little ones grasp the notion of loss. We asked Mem Fox a few questions to get an insight into the thought process behind her newest book: What inspired you to write this book? I bonded with my grandson the day after he was born. He was premature and was in hospital for the first three months of his life, so he was in a fixed place and couldn’t escape my loving attention, my songs, my reading aloud, and my endless chatter.But it was when he was about three that I came to realise the strength of our bond and I was alarmed about the future. No one in my acquaintance died until I was 38 when a friend died of a heart attack. None of my close friends has died even now, and I’m 73. My parents lived till their very late 80s, and although I was distraught each time, it was time for them both to die, given their dementia. Grief struck me hard when my younger sister died two years ago, but given her circumstances also, there was a sense of relief, for her sake.I didn’t know my own grandparents because I’d grown up in a different country, so their deaths left me unmoved, except for the death of my paternal grandfather, whom I re-met when I came back to Australia. I grew to love him when he was in his 90s and I was in my early 20s, but I didn’t have a bond with him when I was a child.My grandson will experience the death of my husband and me perhaps within the next ten years. The grief doesn’t bear thinking about. It took me six years to write The Tiny Star, so it’s not for him anymore. He’s nine. It’s more for me, I guess, to comfort myself. And of course, I hope it comforts parents and those very young children whose grandparents eventually disappear, and who need a more cheerful ending to the sad ending of that relationship. Do we, as a society, talk about death enough? No, I don’t think we do talk about death enough. If we did, it would be less ghastly for everyone concerned. It’s pointless pretending that everyone lives forever or hoping that the people we love won’t die. I don’t think it’s necessary to talk about death if it doesn’t come up in the conversation naturally, but when it does, or when a death occurs, it seems to me to be almost wicked not to deal with it with the greatest sensitivity, head-on. To avoid it is surely psychologically dreadful. What can shared reading do for a child’s development? Shared reading, from 0-5 and after, provides a bountiful basket of goodies that will nourish a child educationally, socially, linguistically, and scholastically for the rest of their lives. The attachments they form with us when we read to them, through the laughter and the sighing, the excitement and the silence, the love and the comfort, will make them feel psychologically safe, and thrilled to be alive. They will learn to talk early, with sensational vocabulary. They will fly into reading at school. Their success and happiness will be our success and happiness. Far from being a tedious duty, reading to our children is scrumptious fun and helps us, let alone the kids, unwind and totally relax at the end of our very busy days. The Tiny Star is available from all good bookstores.$24.99dymocks.com.au

Congratulations to Walford Mathematics teacher, Ms Deb Woodard-Knight!! Ms Deb Woodard-Knight, has been crowned Australia’s Most Outstanding Mathematics Teacher by the Australian Mathematical Science Institute. At a ceremony in Melbourne last Friday Deb was presented the Award which “recognises an exemplary and innovative teacher who has been instrumental in encouraging students to continue with their study of Mathematics.” Deb has taught at Walford for the past two years predominantly teaching girls in Year 11 and 12, in both SACE and IB courses.  Deb is absolutely passionate about encouraging girls to continue to pursue Specialist Mathematics at school and beyond to university.  She engages and inspires her students and shows them how Mathematics is related to the real world.  She mentioned today in conversation with me, that Mathematics encourages the ability for critical thinking and it is the basis of so many careers that our girls will want to follow.  Deb provides sound advice with respect to appropriate future courses of study and pathways and this has opened up more options for our students in taking STEM related university courses. In addition to teaching at senior mathematics level Deb has been instrumental in introducing MathsCraft to Years 5 and 6 at Walford. Deb’s philosophy is that the development of problem-solving strategies at an early age sets up students for success in Mathematics and in life generally, building students’ resilience and risk taking. Deb lives and breathes Mathematics 24-7, such is her genuine love of her subject. In her own special way she adds humour in her explanations and every day she wears Maths inspired t-shirts, shoes, socks and brooches much to the fascination of her students. Deb scooped the pool with Awards as she was also distinguished with another honour, the Excellence in Teaching Award, for a teacher who is “an engaging and passionate communicator of Mathematics who inspires students to see the beauty and importance of Mathematics.” Rebecca Clarke, Principal The students, staff and colleagues are very proud of the well-deserved recognition that Deb has received on the national stage. Her enthusiasm for teaching and her much-loved subject of Mathematics is contagious!  I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our staff at Walford for their dedication, said Rebecca Clarke Principal For more information head to WALFORD Located at 316 Unley Road Hyde Park

South Australia’s Commissioner for Children and Young People Helen Connolly, today launched her C3 Poster Design Competition with a total of $500 in prize money up for grabs. The competition is open to all South Australians aged 14 to 22 and is inspired by her Youthful Adelaide Report in which young people defined what they believe are the essential elements of a youthful city. Their answer – a youthful city is one that is ‘Connected, Creative and Confident’ – and therefore the theme of the Commissioner’s inaugural 3C’s poster competition. The winning entry will need to reflect all three elements in one single poster design. The winner will receive $350 and have their poster design featured on the front of the Commissioner’s Get Around It Zine, full of young ‘thinkers, makers and doers’ who have been selected to be part of this year’s Get Around It Showcase – an initiative of the CCYP published on Instagram and on the Get Around It Travelling Clothesline. The Commissioner will judge the poster competition alongside renowned Adelaide artist Dave Court, up-and-coming designer Lucinda Penn, and art curator Laura Gentgall. Best entries will be featured on CCYP’s Facebook page to determine second and third place winners, who will be selected via a People’s Choice Award with $100 in prize money for second place and $50 in prize money for third place. Entries close Sunday 3 November, 2019 at 11:59pm (ASCT). Visit ccyp.com.au/postercomp for full details. Competition Details The Design challenge:Come up with a poster design that represents what it means to you to be “Connected, Creative and Confident“ in South Australia. Artwork Specifications:Finished artwork completed to A2 Poster size (420 x 594mm).Minimum 150 DPI (6300 x 8910px) and Maximum 300DPI (12600 x 17820px).Acceptable file types: JPG, AI, PDF or packaged INDD file.Hard copy entries will also be accepted via post. Key Competition Dates:The Commissioner’s C3 Poster Comp is open from Wednesday 9 October through to Sunday 3 November, 2019, inclusive. Entries will accepted via email up until 11:59pm (ACST) or if sent by post, date stampedFriday 1 November, 2019. Late entries cannot be accepted. Eligibility:Entrants must be aged between 14 and 22 years and be a resident of South Australia.(Please note: proof of age and residency will be required for prizes to be awarded).Closing Date:Sunday 3 November, 2019 at 11:59pm (ASCT). Judging Panel:Commissioner for Children and Young People, Helen ConnollyRenowned Adelaide artist, Dave CourtUp-and-coming designer, Lucinda Penn; andArt curator, Laura Gentgall. Prizes:1st place: $350 with the winning design published in the CCYP Get Around It Zine;2nd place: $100 in prize money (People’s Choice via Facebook)3rd place: $50 in prize money (People’s Choice via Facebook) Submitting Your EntryYou must complete the online entry form via the link below before submitting your poster design. Alternatively your physical poster entry can be mailed to 251 Morphett St, Adelaide SA 5000 by the closing date, enclosing a printout of the completed online submission form with your entry. ccypsa.wufoo.com/forms/commissioneras-c3-poster-comp/

  The passionate team from MumKIND have been working with womens charity Catherine House – on a life changing project that will provide a beautiful, safe home for women escaping homelessness. The MumKIND team lent their time and support to renovate a newly acquired cottage which will provide a homely safe space for women to recover after experience homelessness. “This project represents a new strategic focus for MumKIND providing a tangible long-term outcome to support for women experiencing homelessness in SA. We will continue to deliver our shorter-term campaigns and projects throughout the year, but we recognise the powerful outcomes that this cottage will deliver to those who spend time here and it brings us much joy to have been part of this. It was a pleasure to manage this project and style this cottage” says Felicity Baj of MumKIND.   This cottage was allocated to Catherine House from the SA Housing Authority and now sees their Emergency Accommodation Program increases from 20 to 22 rooms. Overall, Catherine House provides a safe and secure environment for 54 women. The occupancy rate is constantly at 100% and the waiting list is approximately 25-30 women at any given time. This cottage does not receive any government funding and the ongoing case-management support for the women who stay in this cottage will be funded through the fundraising and the generosity of the community. Women are now 44% of all people experiencing homelessness and women 55 years and over are the fastest growing cohort of all people experiencing homelessness.   “At any given time we have women in their late teens right through to their late 60’s- early 70’s”. We know that homelessness can and does affect anyone, no matter your age, where you went to school or grew up, no one is immune to homelessness”, says Jaylee Cooper, Fundraising and Events Manager, Catherine House. “Allowing women time to recover after experiencing homelessness is crucial in their recovery journey. There are so many reasons why women experience homelessness and every woman who comes to Catherine Hose presents a variety of complexities and challenges. It is our job to work with her one-on-one with care and support, to guide her step by step to end her homelessness – for good. Importantly, we work with her to start building her confidence and to find her voice and strengths.  We provide every woman with  education and employment pathways to enable her to make a positive change in her life. Every opportunity Catherine House provides is a stepping stone to rebuilding her life” For more information on how you can support these incredible causes head to: mumkind.com.au catherinehouse.org.au

When those little baby teeth fall out it may be time to brace yourselves… literally! Irregularities in teeth and jaws are not uncommon, especially in young developing kiddos, but sometimes it can be difficult to decipher what the problems and solutions are. That’s why we have the experts! The wonderful team at Transform Orthodontic Care are here to answer all of our Orthodontic questions. The Transform team is led by Dr Daniel De Angelis, a father of two and a South Australian accredited Specialist Orthodontist, who has been straightening teeth and correcting bites for over 20 years. We ask Dr Daniel about payment plans, how to know when to go, and more: How do you know when it’s time to see an orthodontist? For kiddos and adolescents: *You have a kiddo aged 7 – 10 years of age and you’re concerned about their teeth, or they are showing signs of the following characteristics:– Early loss of baby teeth (before age five)– If their teeth do not meet properly when biting– Mouth breathing and/or snoring– If your child’s front teeth are crowded (around age seven or eight)– Protruding front teeth– Biting or chewing difficulties– A speech impediment– If your child’s jaw shifts when he or she opens or closes their mouth– If your child is older than five years and still sucks a thumb or finger For adults: – You want to straighten your teeth!– You need help with a jaw problem which has impacted you in adulthood (orthodontists can help with some forms of sleep apnoea) Why should my child see an orthodontist? · Only a specialist orthodontist has the training, experience and expert knowledge to determine the most appropriate treatment options for straightening teeth and correcting bites.· Dr De Angelis has the training (an extra 3 years on top of a general dental degree), experience (20 years worth) and expertise to accurately determine what’s normal, and what isn’t normal, particularly when assessing the development of a child’s mouth. Do you have payment plans? We sure do! We can arrange 0% interest free payment plan solutions to suit your budget and we also offer discounts for those who opt to pay in full at the commencement of treatment and for kiddos in the same family. I have private health insurance, can I claim my orthodontic treatment? A portion of your orthodontic treatment may be covered as part of your ‘extras’ cover with your private health insurance company. We can’t directly liaise with your private health insurer on your behalf but we can provide you with all the information you need to discuss any rebate to which your kiddo may be eligible. If you’re a specialist, does that mean I need a referral? The great news is you don’t need a referral from you or your kiddo’s dentist! But we work with your dentist and keep them informed of your assessment and/or treatment. Maintaining your general dental health with your dentist is really important. TOC patients get a movie ticket if they see their dentist every 6 months! 5 dot points of prepping your kiddo for the orthodontist  Just like the dentist, your kiddo will sit back in a reclining chair, except there are no needles or drills in sight (yay) Dr De Angelis will assess your kiddo’s face, jaws, mouth and teeth with a mirror. Mum and Dad will be in the room too. X-rays may be taken on the day Dr De Angelis will discuss any concerns Mum or Dad may have and then talk you through the best personalised treatment option (if treatment is required) One of our friendly Treatment Coordinators (Di or Tracey) who will be in the same room, will go through cost, timeframes and answer any other questions you or your kiddo may have. The Clear Alternative to Braces – Invisalign! Dr De Angelis was one of the first providers of Invisalign in Australia! More than 1000 patients have had their teeth straightened with Invisalign by Dr De Angelis and it’s for all ages. Transform Orthodontics have both young kids and patients in their 50s straightening their teeth with Invisalign. You’ll find TOC at St Peters, West Lakes and Modbury.133 TOC (133 862) transformorthocare.com.au@transformorthodonticcare

Firstly, I think it is important to acknowledge that while I am writing an article about fatherhood, I am not a father myself! I do, however, support fathers in my perinatal psychology service, I have a father, I am married to and co-parent with my children’s father and I know many fathers. The role of a father has evolved over time, and while this evolution has brought with it many positives, it has also created some challenges. I believe more than ever, parents are under great stress and pressure to ‘do it all’. Modern fatherhood has progressed from men being mainly observers and disciplinarians of their children to being integrally involved and very hands-on with raising their children. Families have also evolved from the nuclear family to a rich diversity of many wonderful variations. As a result, fatherhood can take many forms – fatherhood within a partnership, single fatherhood, part-time fatherhood, step-fatherhood, stay-at-home fatherhood, working fatherhood etc. Becoming a dad brings inevitable changes to every area of a man’s life, for example, his view of himself, his role in life, his relationships, and so on. While many of the changes of becoming a dad are exciting and joyful, they can also be overwhelming and stressful. Therefore, it is essential to provide support not only to your partner, but to also ensure your own self-care. Our parenting style (authoritarian, permissive, disengaged or supportive) is largely shaped by the way we were parented! Other influences are: generational expectations regarding masculinity and fatherhood, social media, culture, religion, friends and family, life circumstances, the amount of support available and so on. While these factors influence your parenting, it is up to you to decide what is best for your child(ren) and how you choose to raise them. Fathers should engage in each stage of parenthood: Pregnancy:– Listen to your partner and her thoughts and feelings about pregnancy and parenthood and share yours too– Attend the antenatal scans, appointments, parent education classes– Learn about the development of the baby– Talk, sing, play music to your baby as they grow within your partners amazing body Birth:– Listen to your partner and their expectations, thoughts and feelings about birth and share yours– Attend birth preparation classes– Learn about:  The process of birth, what your partner may experience both physically and emotionally, what your partner may want during birth and be an advocate for her,ways you can provide physical and emotional support throughout the birth – to avoid feeling helpless Newborn:– Listen to your partner about their thoughts and feelings regarding their experience of parenthood and share yours– Skin to skin contact with your baby– Support your partner and actively participate (without being asked) in caring for your baby: feeding, settling, bathing, changing, playing (looking at, talking, singing and reading to your baby) and so on– Support your partner by taking the baby for a walk in the pram or a drive in the car– Assist with household tasks like cooking, dishes, laundry, cleaning and so on– Self-care activities for you and your partner Important things to consider regarding fatherhood:– Fathers can struggle with the level of selflessness being a parent requires – it is no longer about what suits you best but what is going to be best for the whole family– Fathers can feel more responsibility after having a child and more pressure to provide financially for their new family– Fathers can feel left out or jealous of their new baby – due to their partner’s focus on the baby and not seeming to have time for them anymore– Fathers can feel criticised by their partner when they are doing the “wrong” thing with their baby, and this can lead to a lack of confidence in caring for their child– Fathers often develop a stronger bond once their baby is more interactive– Fathers can struggle with their own big feelings that arise frequently in their role as parents, like despair, frustration and anger– Fathers might need to buffer wider family stressors– Fathers may have to support their partners and / or their own mental health while adjusting to parenthood Your partner may resent you for things like:Always suggesting the baby needs a feed when they cryGoing to work – being able to go to the toilet on your own, consume hot beverages and converse with other adultsFor sleepingFor being able to escape the house without being tied to the babyIf you come home a minute lateIf you ask “what did you do all day?” Help online: Childbirth education for dads at the pubbeerandbubs.com.au Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia (PANDA)panda.org.au Beyond BlueHealthyfamilies.beyondblue.org Gidget Foundationgidgetfoundation.org.au Centre of Perinatal Excellencecope.org.au MensLine Australiamensline.org.au Having trouble falling pregnant? Need some advice for life at home? Learn more about Hanna’s services here: Hanna Beaven Psychology

The Space Race By Amelia Moseley, BTN Host You probably know a thing or two about the moon landing, right? Like these famous words spoken by NASA astronaut, Neil Armstrong, when he first set foot on the rocky surface: “It’s one small step for man. One giant leap for mankind.” But, did you know the whole moon landing thing started with a race? Actually, it sort of started with a round, silver ball thingy called Sputnik 1. It was Earth’s first ever man-made satellite and it was launched in 1957 by the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union doesn’t exist anymore, but it was a collection of states that all lived by a set of ideas and rules known as communism. The biggest Soviet Union state was Russia and it did not get along with the United States. In fact, the two countries were in the middle of a war. The Cold War. It was called ‘cold’ because the two countries never actually fought each other directly. What they were doing was stockpiling weapons. That made things pretty tense. So, when the Soviet Union successfully sent Sputnik up into space, America wasn’t too happy. The US government decided to create NASA and the two countries began racing to shoot more stuff into space! They sent fruit flies, mice, monkeys and even dogs! Eventually they sent a much bigger animal; a human (more precisely, a Russian man named Yuri Gagarin). He became the first person to reach space in 1961! But, the race wasn’t over yet. Shortly after that, the US President at the time, John F Kennedy, set the seemingly impossible goal of landing a man on the Moon by the end of the decade. The Russians took that as a challenge to see who could do it first. Putting a man on the moon wasn’t going to be easy. After all, it was the 1960s. There was no internet and computers were about as powerful as a calculator! But that didn’t stop NASA. It got to work creating the Apollo program. It didn’t start well. There was even a terrible accident during a test that killed the crew of Apollo 1. But they kept going. And by 1968, NASA sent astronauts to orbit the moon. Then, a year later, they were ready for the main event, Apollo 11. After years of training and preparation, Michael Collins, Buzz Aldrin, and Neil Armstrong crammed inside a command module on top of the world’s biggest rocket and blasted into space. It took three days to get to the moon, before Aldrin and Armstrong landed their craft on the surface. “The Eagle has landed!” They’d done it! And what’s more – they managed to get safely home again, returning as heroes to a world that would never be the same. Did you know… BTN just celebrated its 51st birthday! It’s the third longest running national TV show in Australian history and it’s all made in Adelaide! #alllthebestthingscomefromSA Watch out for… Me at The Dish in Parkes NSW! Bringing you a very special episode of BTN to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. Listen to… Spirit (From Disney’s “The Lion King”) – Beyoncé Find out more at abc.net.au/btnBTN @10am Tues on ABCMe & Newsbreak @6.25pm Mon-Fri@behindthenews

Young people don’t usually have the chance to be directly involved in allocating public funding to projects about which they are passionate. This kind of decision-making is usually put in the hands of adult administrators who are qualified to ensure the process runs transparently, appropriately and is accountable throughout. I’ve seen firsthand, how if we’re prepared to be bold and trust in our young people, they can do almost anything we ask of them. When I brainstormed with Carclew and landed on the idea of handing a group of young people $10,000 in public arts funding to distribute on the community’s behalf, I knew it was a rare opportunity to demonstrate this capacity, and that we were onto a good thing. The Carclew Futures project saw 10 young South Australians between the ages of 12 and 15 learn the skills of public arts grant funding, supported by experts in this field. Not only were they required to decide which artists would get these funds and for which projects, they also had to define the criteria for their assessment and apply it to the 17 applications they received, including settling any differences of opinion there were amongst them to ensure a consensus was reached. At the project debrief I asked the young people involved to reflect on their personal experiences. They told me the thing they wanted to remember most was ‘how amazing it feels when you’re doing something you are passionate about’. Being ‘outside their comfort zone and finding the courage to try new things along the way’ were great things to learn. They were ‘confused about the budgeting side of things at first’ and ‘why the hierarchy of the group was the way it was’ but later ‘saw how this organisational structure worked well’. They learnt ‘how to be more confident’, ‘how to speak up when they are a little unsure’ and ‘how to take calculated risks that can persuade others to their own point of view’. The young panel decided on the artworks of two local artists, sharing the grant funds equally between then. Fourteen year old Charlee Watt received $5,000 for a large portable backdrop for youth events and indigenous gatherings in her home town of Port Lincoln, and Chad Spencer received $5000 for a hay shed mural along the Mount Compass to Goolwa Road, taking advantage of the stunning rural backdrop this scenery provides. Real artists with real projects selected by a group of young South Australians given full autonomy to do so. What better way to up-skill young people than by creating actual opportunities in arts administration that will help nurture and retain their creative talent right here! If you’re a child, young person or parent with ideas on what you think I should be doing to make things better for the lives of kids in SA, please send me an email at CommissionerCYP@sa.gov.au ccyp.com.au – Helen Connolly, Commissioner for Children and Young People

Every woman remembers the first time that they got their period and the whirlwind of questions that came with it. Thankfully, today’s pre-teens have more and more resources at their fingertips. For 23 years Dr. Melissa Kanghas was the voice behind the Dolly Doctor in the sealed section of Dolly Magazine. Remember that time when 12 year olds weren’t walking around with iPhones and the Internet didn’t even exist? Woaaah! Curious teens would rip open the perforated pages to reveal a world of sticky questions and sexual queries that might have been too uncomfortable to ask in person. Now we have another way to handle bleeding like a boss! The brains behind Dolly Doctor, Dr. Melissa Kanghas has teamed up with ABC’s Yumi Stynes to create the ultimate menstruation manual for pre-teens (9-12 years). Welcome to Your Period is a modern, funny, inclusive and big-sisterish guide to getting your period… and what to do once it comes. Okay pardon us, we’re a little bit star-struck, but we managed to get a one-on-one with the Dolly Doctor! Here are some questions that you may have been wondering yourself: Over the many years of receiving questions as the Dolly Doctor, did you find that the nature of the questions you received changed? Yes and no. There was a sort of cosmic reassurance that adolescence didn’t change – readers’ questions suggested that it remained full of angst and introspection and terrifying awareness of metamorphosing bodies, as well as the joy of discovering new found romance, sexual awakenings (mostly in fantasy), and the importance of peers and parents. The great majority of questions were about puberty-related body changes and seeking reassurance that everything was normal. The most noticeable change over time related to more explicit questions about genitals – such as pubic hair removal (how, how and how) and the consequent alarm when one’s labia (vaginal lips) became noticeable. This was without doubt due to the rise of accessible pornography and the normalisation of pubic hair removal. Were you ever alarmed by reader questions? The most alarming questions were not because of a dramatic revelation or disclosure, but rather the realisation that the double standard remained alive and well – girls feeling pressured to look or be sexy, and to please boys. Many questions showed that girls knew how to experience (solitary) pleasure and enjoy new sensations that came from their adolescent bodies, but not necessarily believing that this was something they were entitled to. Most Dolly readers were too young to be sexually active, but even for these young ones, there were sad stories about being ostracised or having rumours spread about them by boys. What made you decide to help write this book? It was an incredible opportunity to put everything I’d ever answered for Dolly Doctor into one place, with diagrams and illustrations. It was also wonderful to work with Yumi whose sense of humour and commitment to women’s issues were present in equal measure throughout. I wanted to help demystify and destigmatise not only periods, but our comfort in talking about them. How can parents help alleviate the stigma around periods? It’s good to start with oneself – to be aware of our own feelings about periods, and about our children growing up. Periods and puberty are naturally associated with sexuality, and this can be uncomfortable for parents. Yet – periods are so natural, half the population has them. If parents can feel comfortable first that will help reduce the stigma or taboo. Being a good listener – your pre-teen might be worrying about something you didn’t have any inkling of – have conversations with them where you’re curious, wanting to understand what’s on their mind rather than jumping to conclusions. Taking your child to the supermarket and showing them where the sanitary products are, buying them together openly and not making a fuss. Asking and talking about periods, sharing our own stories. Basically, feeling that periods can be part of any conversation. Are there moments when girls are more likely to get their period for the first time? E.g Travel, school camp. Why is this? Many people are surprised at what an anticlimax the first period is. Sometimes it’s just a brown streak and nothing more. It’s no more likely to happen away from home than anywhere else and it’s unlikely to be anything dramatic – but it’s often a girl’s worst fear. The book tackles this fear and also what to do if you are caught out. Can you give me five quick tips on how girls can prepare for getting their period for the first time? · Learn the signs of your body getting ready – the most obvious one is an increase in vaginal secretions over several months, sometimes a year or more· Get a hold of some period products (eg pads, tampons) and take a couple out of their packaging – have a look at them, feel comfortable handling them· Get your period pack ready and keep it in your school bag or handbag· Talk! To your friends, your parent or carer· Read up on periods and look for answers to any questions you might have Welcome to Your Period by Yumi Stynes & Dr Melissa Kang is now available at all good book stores.RRP $19.99Hardie Grant Egmont

Words – Thomasina Williams “We all know children play. What I think we sometimes forget as adults, is that play is not simply just a way to pass time – play is an essential component of child development and helps form the basic building blocks of their communication.” Working as HenderCare’s Senior Play Therapist, Thomasina Williams is a passionate advocate for the role of play in child development. With a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and a Master’s in Child Play Therapy behind her, Thomasina (or Tommie as she prefers to be called) has witnessed firsthand the benefits of implementing play therapy interventions. “Play therapy can be particularly beneficial for children living with a disability, learning difficulty or other social challenges,” Tommie states. “For these children, a play therapy program implemented correctly can be used to address specific therapeutic goals which relate to a child’s wellbeing.” Working with children aged two to 12, HenderCare’s play therapy service develops bespoke play-based interventions focused on the individual needs of the child. HenderCare’s Play Therapist uses a range of directive and non-directive play therapy modalities to assist the child to express explore and resolve social, emotional, cognitive and behavioural challenges.For parents or caregivers who may not immediately understand the difference between play therapy and regular play, Tommie says, “Play is a child’s language and toys are their words. Play Therapists meet children at their level. They undertake years of training to be able to understand, assess and communicate through play. This gives them a window into the child’s world helping them understand the child’s feelings, needs, experiences and behaviours”. Therapeutic services are in demand across the state as the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) continues to roll out. A part of HenderCare’s allied health services (which also includes physiotherapy, psychology, speech pathology and occupational therapy) HenderCare decided to offer play therapy to help ensure families had access to the services they needed. As Tommie points out, early intervention is the key, “when a family is seeking support for their child, getting access to allied health professionals and services like play therapy is essential to avoid developmental delays. In offering this service we hope we are able to improve the outcomes for many young children in South Australia. Getting to know Tommie HenderCare’s Senior Play Therapist, Thomasina Williams is a mum herself and passionate advocate for the role of play in child development. Here’s what you need to know about her:I have a Bachelor of Early Childhood Educator and a Master’s in Child Play TherapyI’m a registered practitioner with the Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association (APPTA)I’m the mum of a three-year-old, so I’m an expert (and slightly tired) negotiatorI’m completely dedicated to helping children with disabilities or social challenges experience improved wellbeing – it’s absolutely the best part of my job Play Therapy FAQs Here, Tommie answers some of the most common questions she is regularly asked about play therapy. What is play therapy?Play Therapy is a developmentally appropriate approach for working with children. Because children’s language development lags behind their cognitive development, children make sense of their worlds through play. Play is a child’s natural language and Play Therapists are specially trained in this language. Play Therapists use play to communicate with children and assist them to express and explore their feelings, needs, behaviours and experiences supporting them to achieve optimal growth and development.What are ‘directive’ and ‘non-directive’ play modalities?A directive approach is one in which the therapist will largely direct the activities and pace of the play therapy session. Whereas, a non-directive approach sees the child take the lead and have more control in the direction of the session. Do Play Therapists have to be qualified?No. Currently there is no minimum qualification to be a Play Therapist. Many people call themselves Play Therapists who have done little training. It’s essential when selecting a Play Therapist that you make sure you confirm their qualifications; ensure they have postgraduate training in play therapy or look for their registration with a relevant industry body like APPTA (Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association) or APTA (Australia Play Therapists Association). What are some of the benefits of play therapy?Depending on the needs of the individual child, your play therapist will work with you to set therapeutic goals. Examples of these goals could include: enhance and develop; relationships, play skills and self-esteem, improve; social skills, self regulation and coping skills, assist with processing and expressing emotion, cultivating empathy towards others, and assist in developing new and creative solutions to problems. Do I need a Doctor’s referral for my child to see a Play Therapist?No referral is required.Is play therapy available under my child’s NDIS funding?Depending on the supports outlined in your NDIS Plan, you may have access to use your child’s NDIS funding for the sessions. Private paying families are also able to attend. To find out more about HenderCare’s play therapy service or other allied health services, please call 1300 764 433 or visit hendercare.com.au.

By Stuart Aitchison A classic game that we’ve all played is ye old ‘staring competition’. An uninterrupted look into someone else’s eyes, the game lost by the one that blinks first. As optometrists, our job is one big staring competition and our favourite contestants are your children! At National Pharmacies Optical we believe strongly in the importance of your children’s eye health in their development. So you might be interested to find out, what are we actually looking at when we’re staring into your child’s eyes! And what can you, as their parent, also help look for. Are they squinting or frowning? When a child is struggling with their vision they will often squint or frown, which is the body’s way of trying to achieve focus. If you see your child doing this when reading, on the computer or watching television, an eye test is a good idea. Are they tilting their head or moving it from side-to-side? Children are remarkable at finding ways to cope with not seeing properly – without even realising they’re doing it! Moving their head up and down, side to side, or holding it on a tilt while concentrating is another sign they’re struggling to see clearly. Do their eyes look red or irritated? If you see your child rubbing their eyes regularly, or they complain of ‘sore eyes’ there can be lots of reasons (for example, hay fever) but dry, irritated eyes can be another sign that something isn’t 100% with their vision or overall eye health. Are both their eyes focused on the same spot? It’s an interesting fact that each of our eyes can develop at a different rate to the other, meaning it’s not uncommon that at any stage of your child’s development, they may be struggling to focus. Correcting this can be as simple as some at-home eye exercises, but a proper eye test will determine the best course of treatment. What can they tell us? The most important part of our ‘staring competition’ will be actually talking to your child about how they see the world. In a child’s eye test at National Pharmacies Optical we will talk to you about your concerns, but it will be the conversation we have with your child, combined with the tests that we do, that can help us to determine how your child can have the brightest outlook on life. And the best part is if your child does need glasses to support their vision, as a family member of National Pharmacies, your child will receive a FREE pair of glasses every year until they turn thirteen. Yes, FREE. Now that’s a word worth staring at! To book your child”s appointment head online nationalpharmacies.com.au/2020by2020 @nationalpharmacies