FREE!

NOVEMBER 2013

Thanksgiving

Fun for the kids

Games for family

bonding

Making time

For family

Your Free local Parenting magazine

Kids

birthday

parties

On a budget

Cnr Hawkesbury Valley Way & George Street, Windsor

Raising money for Breast Cancer Research

McQuade Park Twilight Market

Sat 7th December 2pm-7pm

Petting Zoo

Jumping Castle

Stalls

Food

Band

Plenty of fun for all!

Plus join us for the World’s biggest community colouring in!!

Artw

ork d

esigned

and d

onated

by S

tacey P

egrem

Contents

Special Features

18 24 25

Christmas gift giving guide Thanksgiving crafts A new arrival in the family

November 2013

Regulars

Letter from the Editor Did you know? Ask a professional - ques-tions from readers Monthly Recipe - Home-made sausage rolls Your Story - The death of my Father Make a change Kid’s fun Business Directory Community Noticeboard

5 6

10

11

14

17 26 27 28

Articles

Making your family a priority Kids birthday parties Kids and safety - through the eyes of our children Doulas - to hire or not to hire Family bonding games

7 8

12 21 22

Cover photo is by Louise Blake Photography

4

5

Small Steps Parenting Magazine

www.smallstepsparenting.com

www.facebook.com/smallstepsparenting

info@smallstepsparenting.com

Letter from the Editor

Dear Reader,

As the weather warms up and the year comes to an end we need time to

relax and unwind. This time of year begs us to focus on our families as

we plan for some much needed time off.

This issue focuses on families and how we can do a few simple things to

enjoy the time together and really bond.

Check out our family bonding games article on page 22 and maybe make

some delicious homemade sausage rolls together for a family meal (see

recipe page 11).

We are excited with the response we have had from our

readers regarding our new website and our panel of experts.

Please make the most of having these professionals on our

team. They are there to answer your questions and give you

advice when you need it. If you would like to ask a

question or get in touch with any member of our team,

please send as an email and we will get in touch with

you as soon as we can. You can usually expect a

response within 2 business days.

Enjoy the warm weather and stay safe.

Until next month,

Julie-Anne England SAVE THE DATE!

Saturday 7th December

Charity Twilight Market

See page 3 for details

Did you know.....

2 and 3 years old are unable to share because they do not think about

what others want or feel. So, mums and dads, please don’t get stressed or feel embarrassed when

your 2 and 3 years old don’t want to share. Have 2 identical trains, one

for each of them and let them enjoy playing with their own train.

Did you know....

Occasionally 2 and 3 years old are able to share but don’t expect them to share

all the time. You can introduce the concept of sharing to your children with the

following activity: You hug her teddy and then give it to her to hug and return to you. You kiss

her teddy and then give it to her to kiss and return to you. Your child will begin to learn that taking

turns and sharing can be fun and that giving up her things doesn't mean she will never get them

back.

Did you know....

Sharing introduces your children to the concept of division. Saying ‘one for you’,

‘one for you’ until nothing is left shows them sharing out is about division. Here’s a simple activity: “Can you share out the cake for everyone please? One for

you, one for mummy, one for teddy and one for Peachy. Good sharing darling!”

Did you know…?

Tahlula’s Eclectic Bazaar

Shop 3, Lachlan Court

100 George Street Windsor

www.tahlulaseclecticbazaar.com

Phone Liz: 0418 664 227

Handmade

Vintage

Retro

Upcycled

Recycled

Unique

Now in a

brand new

shop!

Written by Simone Yuen,

children’s book author,

www.rainbowballs.com.au

Replace your blue book cover

with Bubbafly Beautiful Baby

Folders

www.bubbafly.com

Wholesale opportunity available

Making your family a priority These days life sometimes feels like it is

going at hyper-speed and we lose our breath

trying to catch up. We get caught in this

never ending cycle of washing, cleaning,

cooking, working, paying bills…. The list

goes on. I think that it is often hard to feel

like you have had enough time leftover to

give to your family.

I know there are days where I sit down at

the end of the day when the kids are in bed

and I wonder whether I was a good mum

and wife. I sometimes feel like I have so

many things to do that I lose track of my

real priorities. At the end of the day, what is

really important? Will it honestly matter if

your house is a bit messy, if your washing

isn’t folded but you had a great day simply

playing with the kids?

I know we can’t live like that all the time

but my point is that we need to make time

for those that are important in our life - our

family. So here are some tips to making

your family a priority in the midst of our

busy lives:

1. Plan some quality time alone with your

partner every day. This may sound diffi-

cult but a good relationship between you

and your partner will create stability and

better parenting. Even if some days this

is only half an hour, acknowledging the

priority of this relationship will build a

firm foundation for your children.

2. Make time to eat one meal per day to-

gether. I know many families can’t or-

ganise dinners together because of work

commitments or after school activities

but maybe just sit down to breakfast to-

gether for half an hour before beginning

the day. Talk about your plans for the

day and what you are looking forward to.

3. Try to schedule some one on one time

with each of your children. Now obvi-

ously this is going to be a lot more diffi-

cult the more children you have but there

are several ways to do it…. Maybe just

have 15 mins with your older child while

dad baths the toddler, or plan in a story

time for 20 minutes before bed while the

other kids are doing their homework. It

may only happen once a week but I

promise you that one on one time will

make a difference to your child...and

you!

4. Plan family days where you all do some-

thing you enjoy together. Turn off the

TV, leave the mobile phones off, and

forget about social media. Maybe go

camping overnight, or for a hike through

the bush or plan in a fishing trip. What-

ever it is allow that time for your family

and nothing else.

5. Allow and encourage your family to talk

to one another about their lives and what

is going on in them. This will encourage

children to open up and express their

thoughts. This kind of trust between fam-

ily members can make a big difference in

avoiding or being able to deal with big

issues such as bullying at school or cop-

ing with family changes.

6. Lastly, really enjoy your time together

with your family. This time with them is

precious and should never be wasted.

7

8

Planning the perfect kids

birthday party!

1. Start by choosing a theme - even better,

if the child is old enough, encourage

them to get involved with the planning.

They may easily select a theme they like

such as Buzz Lightyear, Cars or Dispi-

cable Me for boys or maybe Barbie,

Princesses or maybe a craft party for a

girl. If you child is too young to help

plan the party, select a theme that is sim-

ple and easy to pull off. Maybe a colour

theme a theme centred around a type of

food such as icecream or maybe go with

the theme you chose for their bedroom.

2. Write out a guest list. Chances are it will

not need to be too large as it is just a

child’s party, however, don’t forget to

invite their favourite friends or family.

Also try to remember that the party is

for them. Understand that a large party

with a lot of people can be quite over-

whelming for a child.

3. Get planning - plan what food you will

provide, what games you plan to run and

any party gifts or prizes you wish to

have for the guests. Keep a list of these

things so you know where you are at at

each stage of the planning. Consider

buying a folder to keep all the paper-

work in one place (plus you can then

reuse this folder each time you plan a

similar event).

4. If you are having invitations custom

made make sure you plan for this in

advance as you will likely need 6

weeks or more. Otherwise handmaking

your own or finding some free prin-

tables online will do the trick.

5. When planning the time for the

party, consider both the birthday child

and the type of party you are planning.

For example if you have a young child

who takes a nap at 12 noon, consider a

party for around 2pm so the child is re-

freshed and ready to enjoy their party.

Also if you are planning to serve only

nibbles and cake make sure you plan the

party at least an hour or so out of tradi-

tional meal times so guests don’t expect

a large feed.

6. Plan a venue - obviously the best and

most cost effective choice is to have the

Another year has once again rolled around and you are confronted once

again with the birthday child. Now while I don’t think you have to have

a party every year, you will want to plan a good birthday party now and

then. Here are some hints and tips to make the planning more enjoyable

and less stressful.

party at home, however, this doesn't al-

ways work. If you plan to have the party

somewhere else, like a hall or a park,

keep in mind booking in advance and

also back up plans in case of bad

weather.

7. When planning the menu don’t forget to

find out about any child allergies. Also if

you are serving food for a meal try to use

simple foods such as mini pizzas, hot

dogs, vege sticks and dip or mini burgers

that can be eaten quickly and easily with

minimal fuss and mess.

8. Plan the games around the age of the

birthday child and guests. Traditional

party games like pass the parcel and mu-

sical chairs are usually loved by the 3

and 4 year olds. Kids who are a little

older love games like treasure hunts and

games with a little more skill such as pin

the tail on the donkey. Pre-teens may

appreciate crafts or more hands-on activi-

ties such as making their own pizzas or

creating bracelets or building models.

9. Make sure you enlist extra help from

other parents or family members on the

day of the party. It will be much easier

for you to have the help and much safer

to have the extra supervision with the

extra little guests.

10. Take lots of photos. This time will go by

in such a flash you will barely have time

to enjoy it. This photos will make up

some very precious memories for your

child’s photo albums and will be some-

thing you treasure for the rest of your

life. Make sure you are in some of the

photos and try to get at least one photo

with every guest at the party in it.

11. Lastly, don’t forget to say thank you to

everyone who came and for the gifts.

Small cards or notes are a lovely way to

say thank you.

9

Combos Slides Obstacle Castles Slushie Machines

Phone: (02) 4571 1240 or 0402 100 681

Email: tomcatjim1@bigpond.com

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

Ask a Professional...

10

QUESTION: My breast fed baby is 8 months old but still wants to fed during the night. Is

there a gentle way of weaning off the night feeds so he begins to sleep through?

It is not unusual or uncommon for an 8 month old baby to feed overnight however, try these gentle tips. Consider the food and fluids he has through the day. Is he tak-ing a cup? If not, introduce one with water to play with as he learns to drink and tran-sition from the breast. A cup with a straw could also work. Offer smaller more frequent snacks and fluids throughout the day to be sure you satisfy his hunger and thirst. Let him have a long breastfeed at bedtime. Wear your partners PJ's or shirt/top that was worn that day while snuggling him in with a dummy. He knows it's you but the smell of your partners clothing may distract him, offer a dummy or drink of water as you cuddle him to sleep. Ask your partner off to cuddle him to sleep on their on their days off after a drink or a dummy if this helps. Things won't change overnight and it takes patience. Breast-feed and settle if he becomes too distressed and try again the next night. Good Luck This answer has been supplied by Lynne-McKensey Hall IBCLC who is a also a reg-istered nurse and midwife. Learn more about Lynne-McKensey on our "About Us" page on our website.

Would you like to see your recipe featured here? Go to our

webpage or facebook and share your favourite recipe with us.

11

Monthly Recipe

Home-made

Sausage rolls

Ingredients:

500g sausage mince

1 teaspoon of mixed herbs

1 brown onion, finally chopped

1 small carrot, grated

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

1 egg

1/2 cup of bread crumbs

1 tablespoon of barbeque sauce

2 sheets ready made puff pastry

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 190°C.

2. Place the sausage mince, herbs, onion, garlic and carrot into a large bowl. <is until

combined.

3. Add the egg, barbeque sauce and breadcrumbs and mix again until completely com-

bined.

4. Divide the mixture into four equal portions.

5. Cut the pastry squares in half so you have four rectangles. Using one sausage portion

at a time, roll it between your hands into a long tube shape. It should be the length of

the pastry rectangles. Lay it in the middle of one of the pastry rectangles.

6. Repeat with the remaining sausage mixture.

7. Roll up the pastry around the sausage mixture and push together to secure. Turn the

sausage roll over so that the seam is underneath.

8. Cut each of the rolls in four equal pieces. Sprinkle them with sesame seeds and bake

in the oven for approx 20-25 minutes or until pastry is golden and flaky.

9. Serve with homemade potato wedges and a fresh salad.

Through the Eyes of our Children

Child safety is no laughing matter, just

when you think you have child proofed your

home those gorgeous little cherubs find

something else to get into. It’s like they just

know exactly where to look to find mis-

chief. Kind of like secret mischief school

for kids or something.

Have you ever wondered what it is your

child/ren are actually looking at? Why they

find things so fascinating.

I actually decided to try and find out what

these cherubs see from their level. Just to

get more of an understanding as to how else

I could effectively child proof my home.

There were 2 small children at home with

me, my toddler daughter and baby son who

had just started crawling and pulling him-

self up.

So, in order to see from the kid’s perspec-

tive, a day was spent literally down at their

level, on my hands and knees. Following

them around, yes it was a wonderful game.

While crawling around with the kids for the

day, I discovered little hiding places. Under

the cushions in the lounge, behind the TV

unit, behind the lounge, under the mat, and

the ever so awesome TV cabinet.

The TV cabinet I had at the time was a low

line cabinet so the kids were able to easily

access the DVD player and stereo. Not to

mention the pretty lights that flash and

change colour. How fascinating, I sat back

and watched the kids’ faces as the TV was

turned on and the channels changed and as

the DVD player went from standby mode

with the red light to on with the green light

flashing before the solid green light stayed

on.

Then when they go over to explore the

pretty lights, there is the noise that the box

makes when they hit the player to see what

it is…this is the way all children learn,

through exploring and trying different

things out. They don’t realise that these

items are run by electricity and may give

them a zap, or be broken easily. Remember

the good old VCR players? Pretty sure al-

most every family has stories of what toys

or items have been found in the family VCR

player.

The kitchen is usually the heart of the home,

when you are down on the child’s level

there are so many things in there that are

just so fascinating, there are all those things

that mum and dad go to the cupboards for.

When we stop and think about it, the main

cupboard would be the pantry, closely fol-

lowed by the cupboards under the sink.

Unfortunately this is where a lot of poison-

ings occur, the kids are completely unaware

that those liquids and powders under the

sink are poisonous. They see their carers

going to those cupboards, their understand-

ing of why has not yet kicked in yet so they

think it’s a great place to explore. Another

thing I remember from when my 1st was

very young was the importance of turning

pot handles inward or at least away from

hanging over the edge of the stove. Kneel

down at the kid’s level and see how tempt-

ing it is to reach up and see if you’re tall

enough yet to grab the handle.

What about in your laundry, how are the

12

laundry products stored. Up high, under the

sink?

Is there anything in the bathroom cupboards

that could be potentially dangerous? What

about the drawers. Any drawers, how many

have seen the kids get their fingers closed in

drawers? Are there any razors, medicines or

other items that could be dangerous to the

child?

We now have baby number 4 at home, we

are now in a rental so putting anything per-

manent in place (e.g. holes in the walls for

safety gates etc) is just not possible. It took

me until the 3rd baby to fully understand the

importance of child safety around the home.

We sealed in the front of the TV cabinet

with perspex, also took the glass out and

replaced it perspex and put those latches on

the inside of the doors to stop the kids from

opening them. Remember at their level they

will work out how to open cupboard doors

from underneath the doors, the handles are

not the only way to open doors.

At the time we were home owners and we

put up a permanent gate in our family room.

The breakfast bar stools were also removed.

My daughter proved to be a climber so they

had to go especially after one horrible fall

that drew a loads of blood. That was how

we found out that she was going to keep

trying to climb the things….

How about those cupboard doors that have

the handles close together, there are safety

latches that are available from most hard

ware stores or Big W or Kmart.

There are plenty of ways to protect our chil-

dren, make a game of it one day and get

down on their level to fully appreciate how

they see their world.

It’s loads of fun and you can learn a lot. Not

to mention that it really is a great way to

learn for yourself just how fascinating the

world to a little person is.

Written by MJ Karlson, mum of four, do-

mestic engineer.

13

14

Your Story

Audrina’s Story - The loss of my father

My mother and father were so excited

when they found out that they were preg-

nant with me. My dad from day one knew

that I would be a girl and wanted to shop

for his baby girl. My mom wasn’t so sure

so she wouldn’t allow him to buy anything

just yet. They waited to find out until the

day I was born and while my mom was in

the hospital he went out and bought a pink

frilly outfit for me with pink blankets and

all! He already knew! For the next year or

so, we spent most of our time in the hospi-

tal due to some illnesses that I had. They

couldn’t keep my breathing normal, or at

all, for many months. I spent most of my

first year on heart monitors and breathing

monitors that would set off ear piercing

alarms if my breathing and/or heart rate

changed. Over the years it got better,

though mom and dad were always really

worried and never went far from my side.

My brother always told them that I was his

baby and never wanted to leave me or let

go of me. He was my protector for a very

long time, even to this day, he still is.

When I was 6 years old, I liked to be in

the garage with my dad working on cars

and just getting dirty, listening to music,

and playing with him. One night, his best

friend came over; he had been drinking

heavily while on medications that didn’t

mix well. My mom was out in the garage

with my dad helping him clean up from the

day, when he pulled into the driveway. The

man confronted my mom with a pistol in

hand and smelling badly of alcohol. He

demanded to know where my dad was and

when she refused to tell him, he pulled the

trigger. She had a guardian that night be-

cause the gun jammed. When that hap-

pened, he got so mad that he started hitting

my mom in the head with the pistol. He

pulled back to pull the trigger again. Hear-

ing something happening outside, my dad

ran and put himself between my mom and

the gun, just when the gun fired. Being so

drunk and high on medications, his friend

ran off and was later found by the police.

My dad fell to the ground in my moms

arms and died shortly after. We found out

that he was shot with a hollow point bullet

and when it entered his body, it bounced

around and ricocheted off his bones before

piercing his heart. This friend was tried

and convicted of many different charges

some including attempted murder, murder,

discharging a firearm in the city limits,

assault with a deadly weapon, and a hand-

ful of others as well. He was sentenced to

10 years in jail with no parole. During his

jail time he tried to send people after my

mom and me, stating that he was going to

end my father’s blood line for good. When

that failed due to my mom hiring private

security to follow both my brother and I

anywhere we went, he vowed to finish it

himself.

Each day was a struggle. I spent my

entire life up until that point attached to my

dad’s side as much as possible. We did

everything together; he got me dressed

every morning for school, did my hair, and

attempted to change my earrings. But as

time went on, it got a little bit easier for us.

When it came to be the time that this man

was to be released, my mom had found

someone and fell in love again. We had

made plans to move to Montana with her

new husband when we contacted the jail to

find out when he was to be released. The

jail notified her that he had been killed a

few years back while in jail. We were so

15

happy! I know it is wrong to praise that

someone had died, and we went to confes-

sion that day, but this man had caused us so

much pain and so much hurt, that this was

such great news we had to be happy. A

huge weight had been lifted off of us. We

had made plans to change our names when

we got to Montana so that he couldn’t find

us as easily, now that he was dead, we

didn’t need too.

It has been over 21 years now since my

dad was taken from us. It still pains me to

think about losing him, that he didn’t get

to walk me down the aisle when I found

my true match, like he was for my mom,

he wasn’t there when my children were

born, I didn’t see the light and pride in his

eyes when we would have told him that

we named our second born after him, he

won’t see his grandsons grow up. That

was taken from me and even though I still

have a lot of hate and a lot of anger to-

wards this, having my soul mate next to

me to give me strength, helps me through

each day without my Papa. I truly believe

that my dad watches over me and over us

every day and every night. I believe that he

is the one that brought my husband and I

back together after high school. I believe

that he is the one that has helped us through

our toughest times and celebrated with us

during our greatest times. My father will

always be here with me, with my children,

and with my husband. I send a prayer out

to him to watch over my husband during

his deployments, to bring him home to me

safe. I also believe that he gives me

strength to make it through the deploy-

ments with 2 boys!

My story, my life was a struggle, but hav-

ing the right people around me to give me

the strength I needed to push on, made all

the difference in the world. I miss him so

much and he will always have a special

place in my heart and in my thoughts.

I write this story so that maybe someone

will read this that is going through a strug-

gle in their life right now, and see that no

matter how your story began, you always

deserve a happily ever after. My story has

not ended by far, but because I had the

strength to keep going, it becomes clearer

each day. I look forward to the future and

see so much happiness and love; I cannot

wait to see it all unfold. Don’t give up on

your happily ever after, it’s there, just keep

getting up, keep fighting, keep pushing.

*A special thanks to my step dad for taking

such good care of mom when I left home;

to my brother for being there and protect-

ing me even when I didn’t think I needed it

and for putting up with me; to my mom for

not giving up and for giving me a great role

model, for protecting us even when we

didn’t know; to my husband for loving me

even though I was so broken and afraid to

let anyone in and for staying by my side as

my strength and my love. To all the others

who have helped me along the way and

kept me on the right path, thank you! *

Written by Audrina, one of our readers in

America, and mum to two beautiful boys.

Small Steps wants to do what they can for community. If there is a cause you would love some

support with please write and tell us. We would also love to hear how you have helped someone

in your community or hear how someone has made a difference to you. Write to us and share

your story.

Change Change Make a

Here at Small Steps Parenting Magazine we believe

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

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

doing one thing each month to make a difference in

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

in our own community.

16

This month we want to focus on services in the community that need our assistance. Today

we want to bring your attention to the McGraths Hill Children’s Centre. This lovely day-

care centre is a non profit organisation that has been running since 1989. All money that

comes into the centre goes back into making the centre the best it can be for the families

and children they care for.

McGraths Hill Children’s Centre is currently in need of some additional finance in order to

update some of their equipment and furnishings and provide educational incursions for the

children. To do this they have been kindly given some fantastic prizes for a raffle they are

having to raise money.

I would encourage you to buy some tickets and tell friends and family too in order to sup-

port your local community and have the opportunity to win some great prizes.

Prizes and further information can be seen on the previous page.

If you are interested in enrolling your child at McGraths Hill Children’s Centre please con-

tact Mary, Jo or Sonya to organise an inspection on (02) 4587 7141 or send them an email

at mhcc@westnet.com.au

McGraths Hill Childrens Centre (Inc) ABN 21 226 389 044 PO Box 554 WINDSOR NSW 2756 69 Andrew Thompson Drive MCGRATHS HILL NSW 2756 Ph: 02 4587 7141 Fax: 02 4577 2632 mhcc@westnet.com.au

18

Our Christmas Gift Guide

A delightful gift for any woman, these soaps look good enough to

eat. They are locally handmade with quality ingredients and their

scent is absolutely divine! These cupcake soaps are only $8.50 each

so are a great gift idea for collegues, neighbours, friends or family.

Planet Yum - Pure Natural Handmade Soaps, Candles and Bath

Luxuries

www.planetyum.com.au

sales@planetyum.com.au

These gorgeous cloth dolls are a must for any young girl. They

come in several different designs and are quality made. Standing

approx 35cm tall, you can add this to a Christmas stocking for

only $30. Check out their website for other styles and more great

gift ideas.

Angel Babes - Quality children’s products at a price you can

afford

www.angelbabes.com.au

www.facebook.com/myangelbabes

julieanne@angelbabes.com.au

A gift with a difference for a new mum is this Australian made

health record holder for young children. Coming in various

designs and costing only $15 these covers were made to re-

place your “blue book” and give it that nice personal feel.

We have two of these to giveaway! To win simply go to our

Facebook page and comment “Bubbafly win!” The first two

people to comment will win! See our ad on page 6!

Bubbafly - beautiful baby health record folders

www.bubbafly.com

www.facebook.com/

BubbaflyBeautifulBabyHealthRecordFolders

Christmas is once again around the corner and begging the question “What

do I get people for gifts this year?”. In order to showcase some new prod-

ucts and support some of our talented local businesses, Small Steps have

chosen 6 items that you can get for gifts this year for under $40. So have a

browse and place your orders for these unique gift ideas.

WIN!!

19

If you are looking for something unique for that baby shower gift or

just a present for a new mum why not try these adorable gifts from

Cherished Moments. What could be cuter than handing over a

baby milkshake and lollypop? With a white onesie and two

face washers this milkshake is only $12. The lollypop,

holding two facewashers will cost you only spare change

at $3.50.

Cherished Moments Baby Gifts & Hampers - Practical baby

gifts for new parents

www.cherishedmoments-bgh.com.au

cherishedmoments.bgh@gmail.com

Stuck on a gift idea for someone for Christmas?

What guy (or girl) doesn’t like chocolates?

These chocolate bouquets will delight even the fussiest

person on your gift list and are made from quality

Australian chocolate. A huge bouquet like this

Christmas one (pictured) will only cost you $35.

A lolly cupcake (pictured) starts as low as $20.

Delicious Buds - Chocolate & Candy Bouquets

www.deliciousbuds.com.au or 02 9634 7509

www.facebook.com/deliciousbudschocolate

This delightful story by Lisa McDonald, an Australian au-

thor, tells of the fun adventures of a cute little tea cup pig

around the farm. It will capture even the young ones as you

read this story aloud and point out the beautiful illustrations.

We have two signed copies of this gorgeous book to give-

away! For your chance to win go to our facebook page and

tell us who you would like to win this book for. First two to

comment will win!

Book can bought be bought on Amazon for $19.79 or you

can get signed limited copies for $25 from Lisa.

lisajones14@htomail.com

www.facebook.com/

TheAdventuresOfPenelopeTheTeaCupPig

WIN!!

Come and check out our brand new website!

Find out about our latest news and events

Follow our awesome blog - full of crafts, interesting articles and activities for the kids

Read our monthly magazine online - catch up on issues you missed or re-read your favourites!

www.smallstepsparenting.com

Find us on Facebook

The word ‘doula’ comes from the an-

cient Greek meaning “a woman who

serves” and is now used to refer to a

trained professional who provides

continuous non medical physical,

emotional and informational support

to the mother before, during and just

after birth. Doulas, also known as a

labour coach or labour assistant, are

not well known in Australia. When I

tell people I am a doula I often get

confused faces and am asked “what?

What is a doula?” In short a doula is a

pregnancy, labour and postnatal sup-

port person. A doula will support the

mother and her partner/family

through the labour and birth of their

baby. A doula supports the mother

through ensuring her needs and wants

are met, that her birth plan is re-

spected and followed. The labouring

mother is able to rely on her doula

and know she is in good hands and

that her birthing experience is what

she has planned... A doula mothers

the mother. Many doulas offer addi-

tional birth related services or are

complementary therapists. Some in-

clude belly casts, massage, birth plan-

ning and education, capturing the

birth through photos or video and so

much more! Each doula offers sup-

port, knowledge and experience in

different areas. Some doulas have ex-

perience with VBAC (vaginal birth

after caesarean) and others with loss

and multiple births etc. It is important

to ‘shop around’ and not just go with

the first doula you find. You need to

be able to feel comfortable with your

doula and feel as though you can trust

them when you are most vulnerable.

It is also important for your partner to

meet any possible doulas so you

know if you will all click and be able

to work together to achieve the same

goal, which is a positive birth experi-

ence. It was said that “If a doula were

a drug, it would be unethical not to

use it.” (Drs. J. H. Kennell & M. H.

Klaus). Doulas can have such a posi-

tive impact on a birth. Studies have

shown that a supportive doula can

lower the chances of:

* Caesarean birth

* Forceps or vacuum

* Use of synthetic oxytocin for induc-

tions or augmentations

* Epidurals and other pain medication

* Postpartum depression and labour

length

As well as increasing the success of:

* Breastfeeding

* Mother-infant interaction and bond-

ing

* Self esteem and satisfaction in

achieving the birth the mother

wanted.

A quick search on the internet is all it

takes to find a doula in your area.

Written by Alicia Bennetts, a trained

Doula.

Doula’s - to hire or not to hire

21

22

Family Bonding Games

Would you rather? This is a fun way to

learn more about your family and their pref-

erences. Basically all it is to ask the question

“Would you rather?” with two different op-

tions…. For example, “Would you rather

holiday at the beach or in the mountains?”,

“Would you rather eat a snail sandwich or

spiders legs?”. It can get quite creative and

quite interesting. Keep an eye on our blog

for a good list of would you rather questions.

20 Questions. Simply choose an object and

allow your family members 20 questions to

which you can answer “yes” or “no” until

they figure out the object.

Geography game. This is a good game for

families with kids pre-teen or older. All you

do is choose a geographic location some-

where in the world, for example, “London”.

Then the next person has to choose another

location that starts with the last letter of the

previous word. So for this example it could

be “New York”. See how long you can keep

playing for.

Card games. Depending on the age of the

children in your family you may choose

more simple games like “Go fish” or mem-

ory, or more difficult ones like “Uno” or

poker.

Board games. Who doesn’t love board

games? There are many great board games

to play together as a family. Try Monopoly,

Pictionary, Game of Life or even better

make your own. Simply get a large piece of

cardboard, draw a path and add challenges.

Use photos of each of your faces to create

your moving pieces, add a dice or two and

get playing!

Playdough fun. For this game you simply

need a couple of tubs of playdough and a

children’s picture dictionary. Form teams of

two and give each team a lump of play-

dough. One person in each team goes to one

end of the room and together picks an object

in the picture dictionary (each team member

must have the same object). On the count of

three they must mold their object out of

playdough while their team member guesses

what they are molding. The first team to

guess correctly wins!

Digital hot potato. Remember the classic

hot potato game where you pass the ball as

quickly as you can? Well this is an updated

version with a lot more laughs. Simply use a

digital camera and set it on the timer mode.

Then have each person pass the camera

around the circle pointing it at themselves

for a few seconds before passing it on. When

the timer goes off and takes the photo that

person must show everyone the picture be-

fore playing again. Makes great fridge snap-

shots!

Video game showdown. Pull out the old

game systems and get playing some fun

competitive video games, My favourites

include Mario Kart and Donkey Kong. Take

turns to play other members and stay involve

even when you are not playing… cheer on

Struggling to keep your family time fresh and exciting? Here are some

games to play to learn more about each other, provide time to talk about

things and create a nurturing and loving environment.

23

the other players and encourage the ones

who are struggling.

Puzzles. Puzzles are a great way to bond

with family as you work together to build

the puzzle. Why not make it even more fun

by having a family photo printed onto a puz-

zle? The kids will enjoy seeing pictures of

themselves and their family members com-

ing together to create one large image.

Never ever. Get the family into a circle and

each hold up ten fingers. One person starts

by saying “Never have I ever…” and then

lists something they have never done. For

example “Never have I ever jumped out of

an aeroplane.” All of the players who have

done this thing must put one finger down.

The game continues until only pone person

is left with fingers still up.

Scavenger hunt. Divide your family into

teams of two or three. Write down a list of

10-15 objects. Give a list to each team and

start the timer. Each team has to race around

and collect each of the items on the list and

get back to the meeting place (the dinner

table or lounge room) as fast as they can.

The team who gets back first wins! You may

also like to play it where you have to put the

items back as fast as you can too! Another

variation is to use a digital camera and take

photos of the things on the list. This way you

can have larger items on the list such as a

tree, a car etc. When you get back to the

meeting point you have show your photos to

the other teams.

If I had. This game lets you learn more

about the other players. One player starts by

telling the other players what they would do

if they had something… e.g. a million dol-

lars, a pet giraffe, a large house. Encourage

the kids to get creative. Then have the next

person tell what they would do with the

same thing. Once you have all had a go,

change to something new.

For more ideas see our blog or Facebook

page.

Thanksgiving crafts

So I know that we don’t celebrate thanksgiving in Australia but as my husband is Ameri-

can, it is a tradition in my house, and I think it is a nice tradition each year to find things

that you are thankful for. Here a couple of kids crafts and activities for those of you who

might like to change it up a bit this year… or just enjoy a new craft.

Turkey handprints -

Simply dip your child’s hand in paint and

press it onto paper. Once it is dry, cut out

a small oval shape and cut off the bot-

tom. Glue it onto your “hand” turkey and

then add a crest on its head and little feet

at the bottom.

The kids will love this craft and probably

insist on doing many of them. Maybe use

them on the front of cards as a thank you

gift!

Chocolate turkeys -

Even for those of you who don’t celebrate

thanksgiving… who can resist these cute little

chocolate turkeys? Simply use two oreo cookies,

two Cadbury chocolate pieces from a roll and a

Malteaser. Then “glue” them all together with

white icing and draw on the features. Allow the

icing to dry to hold your creation together.

Makes a great edible decoration for the dinner

table.

Thankful leaves -

As it is Autumn in America, a tradition is

to decorate with leaves for Thanksgiving.

For this little craft simply cut leaves out

of paper, write the things you are thankful

for and hang them on string around the

house. I think this is a nice idea to teach

the kids to be thankful for what they have.

If you want to make the craft fit more

with the Australian season you may want

to do flowers or handprints or something

summery like swimming costumes.

24

A new arrival in the family The birth of a baby is a wonderful event that family members hope to share in. This includes helping the new mother transition into her new role of mother-hood as well as admiring the new baby! In many cases partners take leave after the birth of the baby to spend time with their partner and the new arrival. Partners are keen to help but may be unsure of how to, especially if the mother is breastfeeding. If either or both the baby's grandparents are helping with household chores and cooking, partners may feel further displaced about their role while at home. Cuddling the baby to sleep after a breastfeed is the most pleasurable and useful role a partner can have. Cuddling provides a wonderful bonding opportunity, the baby feels secure and the new mother can eat, drink or sleep knowing her baby is asleep and safe. While it is hoped families are happy, close and united in the care and support of the

new family, tensions can arise when well meaning but ill informed advice is offered to the new mother, in particular. Science has opened our eyes to the myths around breastfeeding and early parenting skills that will in most cases contradict family advice and opinions. We all know the saying "it takes a vil-lage to raise a family" so it makes sense to promote harmony and peace within the family based on the same advice so everyone can share in the joy of the new arrival. Written by Lynne-McKensey Hall. Lynne is a registered nurse, midwife, educator and IBCLC (lactation consultant) and author of a series of books titled Breast-feeding and Baby Matters. She is also a professional on our expert panel. You can learn more about her on our web-site.

25

Kids Fun!

26

S U M M E R I C R A F T

A A O M G Y U O E R B A

N E V P R E S E N T S D

D F I Y T E A D G F H V

O O E C B W G T J L R E

D F S A N D A E A O W N

Y Y L I M A F T B W T T

F A M I L Y R D E E E U

H B S T L K E D A R N R

S O E P L A Y F C S J E

Q W L E R T F G H V O E

C H R I S T M A S H Y D

Q A S D D F G H J K M R

S I N G V A E T F T E D

V H J F S W Y Q F G N E

J U M P I N G S P E T V

Summer Flowers Holidays Enjoyment

Water Beach Adventure Play

Jumping Sand Christmas Sing

Movies Family Presents Craft

JOKES -

Q. What's small, furry and bright purple?

A. A koala holding its breath!

Q. Why did the emu cross the road? A. To prove he wasn't a chicken!

Q. What's a crocodile's favourite game?

A. Snap!

Business Directory

Playtime Plasters Birthday & X-Mas packs available Quality plaster activity packs Paints & brushes included qualityplastercasts@hotmail.com 0433 018922

Windsor Mall Craft Market

Are you stressed at work? Or a hard-

working parent? If yes, you are in need of a revitalising

massage at cost price!

Accredited Massage Therapist Remedial Massage MOBILE

1 hour $65 1/2 hour $30

Hot stone therapy

1 hour from $85-$115

Call Natarsha 0450 011 980

Shazam Photography

www.shazamphotography.com.au Ph: 0416 957 592

Mention this ad for a FREE 8x12 print with each package purchased

Contact Lisa 0416 030 584

Perfect for

Weddings

Baby Showers

Parties

Any full set only

*November only

Appointment only, mobile service available

South Windsor NSW 2756

www.angelbabes.com.au

Advertise your

business here for as

little as $45 a month

Kids wear

Gift ideas

Cute accessories

Baby Shower

info@tuttifruttilollybuffets.com.au

Community

This 5 Week program will leave

you feeling more confident and

competent and ready to deal

with common child behavioural

and emotional issues.

Dates: Wed 6th, 13th Nov

Time: 10:00am—12:00pm

Where: South Windsor Family

Centre, 6 Greenhill’s Way, South

Windsor

Ph: 4577 9804

Do you have children aged

0-8 years? Peppercorn Family Services

offers support for you and your

family for a period of up to 3

months - Home Visiting

- Answering questions & provide

advice on parenting

- Links to other services

- Behaviour management & child

development.

This is a FREE community

service. Ph: 4577 9804

McQuade Park Twilight

Market

Sat 7th December 2pm-7pm

Raising money for Breast Cancer

Research

Petting zoo

Stalls

Jumping Castle

Band

Plus the World’s Biggest Col-

ouring In!

Go to our website or Facebook

page for more information www.smallstepsparenting.com

Noticeboard

CHRISTMAS PARTY

BRUNCH Are you a parent/carer of a child

0—8 years?

Or are you expecting a child?

Photo with Santa Children’s craft

Yummy food A surprise visitor

Christmas gifts for everyone!!!

Date: Wed 11th December

Time: 9:30am—11:30am

Where: South Windsor Family Cen-

tre, 6 Greenhill’s Way, South Windsor

Ph: 4577 9804

FREE EVENT

PLAYGROUPS: Free, fun activities

facilitated by a Family Worker

An opportunity to meet parents

in your local area

Information on child develop-

ment and parenting

Hobartville Tuesdays 9.00-11.00am

Windsor South Thursday 9.30-11.30am

For more information call:

Peppercorn Family Services

(02) 4577 9804

SURVIVING CHRISTMAS Four week group for parents and their children aged 5 years and under

with Summer & Christmas topics:

* Making Festive Food on a Budget

* Women’s Bush Fire Awareness

Lots of Parent and Kids Christmas craft including Gingerbread Houses,

Christmas tree decorations, Cool Magnet Gifts, and more

Dates: Four week group on a Thursday

7th, 14th, 21st & 28th November

Time: 9:30am—11:00am

Where: South Windsor Family Centre, 6 Greenhill’s Way,

South Windsor Ph: 4577 9804

FREE EVENT. Please call to book by 1st November

30

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

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

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

magazine or the corresponding website or facebook page, nor the quality of any products, information

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

information.

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

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

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

sponding website is to be copied or reproduced without permission.

Full page

advertising

from

only $260

per month

Half page

advertising

from

only $180

per month

Quarter

page adver-

tising from

only $120

per month

For affordable advertising packages, take this

opportunity to be a part of this quality local

magazine at Small Steps - call our office today to

plan your advertising!

Build Your Business today!

Download our Media Kit from our website or

request a copy on Facebook

Use your Qr code reader on

your smartphone or tablet

and scan this image to go

to our Facebook page.

39 39

Don’t miss next month...

Christmas and holiday special

Handmade and quality children’s products

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

Fabric dolls

Quality gift items

Plush toys

Baby and toddler clothing

Looking for a unique gift

this Christmas?