Hello everyone, welcome to our July newsletter! As always, we will be providing a preview of what is happening in our little community. This month we focus on you, Australia’s dedicated parents.

The shortest day of the year has come and gone, but for most Australians, it is not getting any warmer. However, sitting around the fire or sharing a hot pot of soup with your family is a great way for a bond during the Winter months.

Send us an email to let us know what you think of this newsletter. We would love to hear any suggestions, which articles you enjoyed, and what you would like to see more of!

As a parent, you are your children's’ single most important influence. The way you behave and raise your children will significantly impact their development. As they say, “the apple never falls far from the tree”.

However, healthy parenting is no easy task. This tiring, never-ending job does not have a black-and-white rulebook. You are rather left to respond, in real time, whatever your child throws at you.

Your actions and behaviour will shape your child’s mind, so you will want to be at the top of your game. However, this is an unrealistic expectation. Like all humans, parents have their ups-and-downs, and will not deal with every parenting situation perfectly.

For this reason, we are focusing on parents this month. We want to help you manage your parenting responsibilities in a healthy manner, so that you do not become overwhelmed by this mammoth task.

At the end of the day, happy parents who manage their child-rearing responsibilities in a healthy manner will be better placed to make rational parenting decisions. So tune in for a few tips on how you can improve your life as a parent.

Author: Bianca Wordley

When your child is sick, you are there with a hot cup of tea and some much needed moral support. But what happens when you get sick? You still have kids to watch over, and they are not going to nurse you back to health.

At the end of the day, you need to make the time to rest, otherwise, you will never recover. This will mean finding help and may require pushing some things to the side for the meantime.

Make use of professional healthcare, but don't be afraid to call in a few favours from friends. They should be more than happy taking care of your child while you recover in bed.

Read on for more specific recovery advice.

Authors: Pamela Kruger

Having children can take its toll on your romantic relationship. A whole host of new, demanding responsibilities leave you exhausted and with little time for your partner. Furthermore, conflicting decisions about parenting issues you both feel passionate about can be a source of conflict.

On the flip side, raising your child with the person you love can be an incredible bonding experience. A healthy relationship between parents, including those that are separated, is also beneficial for a child’s social development.

This article interviews Philip Cowan, Ph.D., professor of psychology and director of the Institute of Human Development at the University of California at Berkeley, as well as his wife, Carolyn Pape Cowan, Ph.D., adjunct professor of psychology at Berkeley. They have been studying the effect of children on couples’ relationships, as well as what couples can do to maximise satisfaction with their relationships in such circumstances.

Read the complete study for more information.

Author: Byron Devin

As a parent, one of the biggest decisions you’ll have to make in the first few years of your child’s life is what type of care they’ll receive. Whether you want to go back to work, need the extra time to recharge yourself, or perhaps you’d like to expand your child’s personal development, it’s an important step.

But with so many child care options to choose from, which one is right for your family? The Australian childcare landscape is complex, with a multitude of different offers catering to a range of needs.

This article unpacks the various childcare options available to Australian parents, from long day care to family day care, preschool, kindergarten, family daycare, and a host of other childcare options.

Refer to the original article to learn about the types of childcare available in Australia.

Authors: David T Smith, Katie Attwell & Uwana Evers

The issue of vaccination has been thrust into the spotlight with the recent measles outbreak. Media coverage in the aftermath has meant many of us learning about concepts such as herd immunity, further illustrating the importance of widespread immunisation.

Australia’s ‘No Jab, No Pay’ policy clearly outlines the government’s stance. Through financial incentives and subsidy exclusions, it encourages parents to vaccinate their children. Furthermore, schools and childcare providers are beginning to follow in the government’s footsteps, refusing to accept unvaccinated children.

This study illustrating how Australians support the government's vaccination policy. Ultimately, this bodes well for educators looking to implement vaccination policies.

Refer to the original study for more specific details.

Author: Araine Beeston

Even during the first year of life, your child is sharpening his/her communication skills by listening, mostly to you. The way you talk will therefore have an affect on your child’s communication skills, but what encourages the development of communication skills and what could hinder this?

‘Baby talk’ robs a child of the opportunity of learning from correct speech patterns. Although nonsensical sounds may be treated with smiles and laughter, they do not help a child who is learning to communicate.

On the other hand, verbosity is also problematic. For optimum development, parents must use functional, yet simple language. Furthermore, tactics such as clear pronunciation and a slow speech wouldl be of further assistance.

Refer to the original article for more information.

Author: Yvette O’Dowd

Misinformation continues to circulate around babies and their need for milk. While the Australian Dietary Guidelines recommends that babies are breastfed for at least 12 months, the World Health Organization recommends that breastfeeding continues past two years of age.

In reality, just 28% of Australian babies are still breastfeeding when they turn one. That figure falls to 9% at 18 months old, and just 5% at two years old.

This article debunks the myths around children's’ milk needs, underlining the importance of breast milk. It describes the limitations of baby formula, cow’s milk, milk alternatives and baby bottles, showing how they fail to effectively replace breast milk.

Continue reading to learn more about the importance of continued breastfeeding.

Author: Rohit Garoo

During speech development, many children fumble their words, struggling to pronounce certain sounds. This is completely natural and part of the normal development process.

However, around 5% of children struggle significantly more than the rest. Chronic breaks in speech and the repetition of sounds make it difficult for these children to communicate, ultimately leading to anger and frustration.

This article covers stuttering’s common causes and symptoms, its distinguishable features, when one should seek assistance from medical professionals, how doctors diagnose and treat the condition, and how parents can help their children overcome this issue.

Refer to the full article for a better understanding of this speech impediment.

Author: Manuel et al.

End each day with your sweet child, lying in bed with a familiar book. Although you have probably already read this story 4 times in the past week, watching your child drift away to ‘la la land’ means that this part of the day remains a treat.

Reading to children each night has long been positively associated with literacy development. Furthermore, children who hear stories each night are more likely to develop a personal passion for reading.

However, parents also benefit from this nightly activity. Preliminary studies by Rutgers University, published in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, have identified additional benefits from shared reading. These include a stronger parent-child bond and less harsh parenting.

Read on for a deeper analysis into the way storytime can improve bonds between parents and children.

Author: Lisa Milbrand

Climate change is a hot topic for upcoming generations. It is a problem our children have inherited, but will be tasked with dealing with its consequences and carrying out the various solutions that aim to rectify this environmental crisis.

But how do you educate your children about global warming and climate change? Firstly you will need to fully understand the issue yourself. Then you will need to figure out a simple way to show your child how this complex issue functions. Exercises or games will be more effective than lectures.

Once your child understands the issue, the next step is to teach him/her how to minimise their ecological footprint. The best way to do this is by getting the whole house involved with environmentally-friendly activities, such as creating eco-bricks from unrecyclable plastic and avoiding imported products.

Refer to the original article for further guidance on introducing your child to climate change.

Author: Sherri Gordon

A healthy and loving relationship between a boy and his father is beautiful. Often built on shared experiences, this life-long bond reduces the likelihood of antisocial behaviour.

However, such a relationship does not always develop spontaneously and can require effort, especially if you do not live with your child. Although you always pictured playing sport with your son, he may not share your interests.

This article suggests ways in which fathers can foster a healthy and loving relationship with their sons. From opening communication channels to taking up a common hobby, these tactics will help foster loving father-son relationships.

The complete article lists father-son relationship building tactics.

Author: Matthew Utley

Much progress has been made to address gender norms that have historically discriminated against females, sometimes promoting subservient roles that erode confidence. And although we have attempted to address this issue, society is still pushing many young girls into traditional roles.

However, parents can address gender bias, helping their daughters develop into confident young women, ready to take charge of any situation. Encourage your daughter to take up leadership positions and share their ideas, whether they are on the playground, partaking in sports, or singing in their first school play.

More than that, you should make sure your daughter feels heard and understands her right to set boundaries, especially related to her body.

Refer to the original article for further details.

Transport your children to the 1960’s with tie-dye shirts. There is no wrong way to create tye-dye shirts, just endless patterns to discover. Make sure you equip your child with an apron before he/she begins throwing dye around.

Read on for further instructions

While blanket forts will always be a hit, you can now go one step further and build a garden fort. All you need is a frame, vine seeds, and patience. It can take a full season for the vines to creep over the whole fort, so you will need to manage your children’s expectations until everything is ready.

Detailed instructions provided here

Chalk art has been around forever, giving children the freedom to express themselves on the street. Take your street art to the next level by creating murals that feature your family as part of the artwork. Take photographs of your child featured as part of his/her artwork to make it last forever

See examples of this new kind of chalk art.

Welcome guests into your home with a watermelon doormat. Add a dash of colour to your front porch by painting and stamping slices of watermelon onto your previously bland doormat. Sponge stencils make the process easier and ensure your watermelon slices all look the same.

Continue reading for exact directions.

Made with love by

Reply to let us know what you think of this newsletter.

Like our Facebook page for more childcare information.