TALK ABOUT TOWN

Do you love children's clothes?

Kilian Buffier is a Wikidz Children's wear party plan consultant.  After seeing the Wikidz range at a friend's house she said 'I can do that!' and now, just a few months later, she's a consultant ñ having a ball, earning great money and winning great prizes.

"The best thing about Wikidz is I can work around my family at ease," Kilian says. "My daughters, five and two, love modelling the clothes and enjoy coming with me to daytime parties. I enjoy meeting other mums, attending Wikidz social events and having an interest outside the home. It's wonderful doing something just for me. I love mixing and matching the clothes and helping mums try different outfits on their children."

Kilian gets a real buzz from securing a booking and holding a successful party. She has built up a substantial client base in a short time, with happy customers coming back for more. She finds the paper work easy to manage and describes the support from Wikidz as invaluable.

"The incentives for consultants are fantastic and it's great to feel appreciated," Kilian says, "It's exciting being a part of Wikidz as it grows and spreads throughout Perth suburbs. People often stop me when I'm out and ask where I get my daughters' outfits. I'm always proud to say that I sell the clothes myself through my party plan business."

Earning extra money without putting her children into care has been a blessing for Kilian. "My only regret is that I didn't learn about Wikidz earlier. I thoroughly recommend Wikidz to any mum thinking about re entering the workplace but hesitant to take up full-time employment."

With Wikidz you can earn a good wage, buy half price clothes, enjoy social gatherings and still be a full-time mum.  If you are interested in hosting a party or would like to become a consultant, call Wikidz on 9361 3411, email: party@wikidz.com.au  or visit www.wikidz.com.au

A personal photo gallery all year round

  Enjoy your most treasured photographs by including them in a Keepsake Calendar. Each calendar features twelve specially chosen photographs and highlights special birthdays and anniversaries, so youíll never forget those important dates.

Keepsake Calendars are beautifully presented in a free-standing, ring-topped binder. Each page includes one photograph adjacent to that month's calendar and special dates are highlighted and detailed. They make perfect gifts for parents, grandparents, friends and relatives for your desk, in the kitchen or anywhere in the home or office. 

Calendars can commence from any month of the year and run for twelve months. All you need to supply is 12 photographs and a list of special dates.

Updating your calendar for the following year is as easy as providing new photographs when ordering refills. Keepsake Calendars cost $60.00 each and can be ordered by contacting Narelle Sisley on 0413 666 319.

Childcare vacancies ñ donít miss out!

Whitford Occasional Care Centre offers affordable day care by the hour for children aged 0-6 years.  This licensed, community-based centre is located a stone's throw from Whitford Shopping Centre and provides quality child care from Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 3.30pm. Childcare rebate is applicable.

The centre's mature staff members are qualified carers specialising in Early Childhood Learning.

Of special interest are the three and four-year-old programme, a separate sleeping area, three age-appropriate rooms, shaded outdoor play areas, special needs capability and Eftpos facilities.

Vacancies are available for all ages, especially in the afternoons from12.30pm - 3.30pm with permanent and casual bookings available at all times for 0-2 yr olds.  For more information, contact Sarah on 9307 4977 from Monday 31 January. The location is 21D Endeavour Road, Hillarys.

Boosting grades through better hearing

Josh sits in the classroom, staring out the window. All through his schooling he's been labelled a 'daydreamer', even though he's obviously a bright child. He can't stay on task and doesn't finish his work in time. "He's not naughty, he just doesn't listen" says his mother. Truth is, Josh has problems hearing in class, where there's usually a lot of background noise. Josh claims the teacher speaks too softly.  Would you believe Josh has normal hearing.

Even with excellent teachers, children may not hear what is being said well enough to comprehend the message, so their grades may be affected. The reason can be the distance they sit from the teacher or the amount of room 'echo'. This can lead to poor concept formation, limited positive classroom involvement and poor literacy skills. Children who sit towards the back of the class are most at risk as the high pitch sounds of speech, which are critical to understanding, fade most quickly over even this short distance. Younger children, or those with learning difficulties such as auditory processing disorder and 'glue ear' are at an even greater disadvantage.

A classroom amplifier called 'ClassMate' projects the teacher's voice evenly across the room over one or more speakers. The teacher is therefore able to be in many places at once and gain the attention of the whole class, without raising his or her voice.

Research shows that sound field amplification improves word and sentence recognition, class participation and on-task behaviours. Teachers' voice boxes are preserved and they experience less stress from raising their voices.

Sonic Hearing has a School Support Programme that addresses listening, acoustic and learning challenges at school. This includes hearing and auditory processing disorder assessment, Fast ForWord, speech pathology and the ClassMate sound field amplification unit. After excellent experience in 2004, Sonic Hearing is again offering two-week trials of ClassMate to Perth schools in 2005. Sonic Hearing 1800 188 338

Playgroup in the north

Beaumaris District Playgroup has been operating from Beaumaris Community Centre, Constellation Drive, Ocean Reef, for over 10 years. The playgroup, a member of Playgroup WA inc, offers four sessions per week catering for children 0-5 years and their families. 

Sessions run for two hours Monday to Thursday during the school term, providing a fun atmosphere where children can learn new skills, do art and craft, play freely and interact with other children of their own age.  Playgroup is a great opportunity to socialise for mums and kids alike.

The playgroup is currently taking registrations for 2005 sessions.  If you are interested, contact Samantha on 9402 5353.

Plan now for your childís future education

Children are priceless but costs related to their future education will stretch family budgets. Latest research for the Australian Scholarships Group (ASG), Australia's largest member-based friendly society, has found that families can expect to pay at least $165,000 for each child's education from preschool to completion of a three-year tertiary qualification.

These estimates are based on a survey of ASG members across Australia. The price tag of $165,000 comes as a shock to many families, especially if they have been considering private schooling for their children, which would cost substantially more.

ASG is a co-operative of parents that has been helping families to plan for their children's future education for the past 30 years. ASG can help new families to plan by using the calculator in a new booklet, "The Power of Planning" available free from ASG centres in Perth later this month. For more information telephone ASG on 1300 367 777.

Children to learn about bushfires

A series of devastating bushfires across southern Australia has prompted calls for children to be taught to prepare for them in school. The report of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) national inquiry on bushfire mitigation and management, released by the Prime Minister on 24 January, made 29 recommendations to improve bushfire preparedness across Australia.

The Howard Government called the national inquiry after fires killed 10 people and more than 21,000 head of livestock in 2002 and 2003, destroying more than 1,200 buildings including 500 Canberra homes.

"We cannot prevent bushfires but we can be better prepared so we minimise their impact on life and property," Mr Howard said when launching the report.

The inquiry found that the principal cause of the 2002-03 fires was a prolonged drought combined with above-average temperatures and a high than usual incidence of lightning strikes.

The report urged that children be taught bushfire education in the same way that they learn to swim, as part of a plan for a new national approach to bushfire management.

Tamu is two!

Perth Zoo's rhinoceros calf has already reached her terrible twos. Tamu was born at Perth Zoo on 22 December 2002, after a 16-month gestation and a seven-hour labour. She arrived small, grey and wrinkly, weighing in at only 70kg.

Now filling all that extra skin, Tamu is growing up rather fast, weighing in at over one tonne. Her diet has changed too. She no longer depends on mum Sabie for milk, instead eating a mixed diet of oaten hay, straw, lucern hay, ungulate pellets and a small amount of fruit and veg.

Tamu is also spending a lot less time with her mum Sabie as she likes to venture on her own or spend time with Perth Zoo's other adult female, Katala. This separation is good news for Sabie as she is preparing for the arrival of yet another calf.

Blood tests indicate that Sabie is around twelve months pregnant and if all goes well should give birth this May. Perth Zoo is part of an Australasian breeding programme aimed at trying to secure and build on a genetically diverse population of the Southern White Rhinoceros.

 Why not visit Perth Zoo and see for yourself just how big Tamu has grown? As a bonus Commonwealth Bank Zoo Twilight Concerts are not far away.

Every Saturday night from 26 February to 26 March 2005 don't miss some of WA's most popular tribute bands introduced by comedy improvisers Hallmark. The animals are on display until 6.45pm, and entertainment begins at 7.00pm. Visit www.perthzoo.wa.gov.au  for further details.

Bringing the toyshop to you

Just imagine being able to shop for toys and gifts without having to line up at checkouts, or struggle back to the car park with bundles of bags and with no kids demanding this or that.  Picture instead a group of friends getting together in the convenience of your home, having a nibble, a drink, a laugh and bringing the fun back into the phrase ëparty planí.

Toys@Homes is a new and very exciting toy and gift party plan company now operating in Perth. With a Toys@Home party you get great personal service from knowledgeable and experienced consultants, something rarely available in toyshops today.

This is also an excellent opportunity to earn an income while having fun and getting in on the ground floor of this fast growing company. Best of all, as a host you reap the benefits of generous rewards including free products.

For details or to join Toys@Home's friendly team, call Mary on 9250 5509. Anyone who books a party from this editorial will receive a double Thank You Gift. Gifts are valued at $30. Condition apply.

Big Bad Feelings
Carol Smith Clinical Psychologist
Child and Adolescent Specialist

Feelings give meaning to life.  All the things we do are aimed at making us feel good.  But for some people feelings control their life, and can get in the way of enjoying life.  When feelings such as anger, fear or sadness are intense and ongoing, life is a battle.

People start to get a handle on their feelings in childhood, and most progress is typically made from 2 to 5 years.  If all goes well, your tantrum-throwing, clingy, whingeing two-year-old should transform into a five-year-old that can contain basic urges (e.g. hitting) and is generally socially competent.

The younger the child the more they need their parents help to manage big feelings.  As children get older they rely on other techniques to cope, such as thinking about it, talking to friends or working hard.

However, sometimes the tactics a child adopts are not helpful and may make the big feeling worse.  For example children with low self-esteem could bully others, eat less, withdraw socially, or become a perfectionist.  Children with behavioural problems often have underlying anxiety issues.

So if your child is struggling with big bad feelings, it is important to look beyond the behaviour, to understand the underlying feelings and provide effective help.

Carol is happy to discuss any concerns (big or small), please call 0407 828 944.

Capture them when they're small

Everyday I am growing tall, so here are my feet when I was small. Dab them with paint, give them some style. Special forever on an Inky Feet tile.

Inky Feet is the most creative innovation in kiddy keepsakes in years. Unique and original Inky Feet is a funky, affordable way to keep those memories forever.

Brightly colored paint is sponged lightly onto a child's hand or foot and pressed gently onto a clay plaque. Each plaque is etched with a special personalised message, then professionally glazed and fired to ensure it will withstand the test of time.

ï Commemorate each birthday

ï Ideal gifts for Mothers Day or Fathers Day

ï Grandparents just love it! 

ï Gift Vouchers available

Inky Feet tiles are currently available in three sizes: 10x10cm ($30), 15x15cm ($35) and 20x20cm ($40).

Call Brenda Farr on 0422 086 141 or email brenda.farr@inkyfeet.com.au  or visit the Inky Feet website: www.inkyfeet.com.au 

Book early for Mothers Day! Present this article for $5 off each plaque.

Heaps of fun at Toddler Town!

Toddler Town is Perth's premier children's indoor play centre designed exclusively for 0 to 6 year olds ensuring there are no big kids to injure or push the little ones around.

Visit their fully renovated and upgraded entertainment centre where they offer:

ï A safe and fun experience for kids

ï A clean, relaxing and enjoyable environment for parents

ï A fully stocked cafe

ï BYO food if you wish - leave the mess to Toddler Town!

Toddler Town guarantee that if your child isn't having fun after the first 30 minutes, your money will be cheerfully refunded. But be prepared - Toddler Town will keep both kids and adults amused for hours.

A stone's throw from Morley Galleria, Toddler Town is under new management and has had a major facelift. With a bouncy castle, cubby houses, bikes, x-box machines, animal dress-up suits and a separate play area for 0 - 18month olds, kids and parents alike can beat the summertime blues. Every table offers a full view of the play area, so you can keep an eye on the little ones while enjoying a coffee, the paper and light snack.

Toddler Town also has a number of party packages available. Ring for details on 9275 8585 or visit them at 10 Boag Road, Morley. Open 7 days a week.

But the bank said noÖ

"We often hear that," say Sunil Ainger and Nicholas Burston of House and Home Loans. "People walk into their local branch to get a loan and get knocked back because they donít meet that particular bank's requirements. They often lose out on buying a new home or investment property because they think no one will lend them money. That is where we come in."

Simply walking into a bank restricts you to that bank's products. Often people do not realise the number of different lenders available. What's more, it can get very confusing trying to pick out the right loan.

Let House and Home Loans do the work for you. They have access to over 30 different lenders - and their products. They will find a loan that suits your individual needs and requirements. You'll get good advice and service, which costs you no extra.

Give Sunil or Nick a call on 0404 381 453 or 0414 288 287 and find out your options. They promise to look after you.

Exciting, educational & fun products for kids

WigWag Designs is a new and exciting Australian company specialising in high-quality, affordable childrenís educational products. Natalie Gartside and Jenny Wishart started WigWag Designs in August 2003. Using their experience and knowledge of raising children themselves, they created an outlet for a range of exciting, educational and fun products for children. 

All WigWag products are of the highest quality and made from 100 per cent cotton and felt. With a large number of beautiful educational products, including books, charts, fun learning items and accessories in different shapes and bright colours, this exciting range is appropriate for newborns to primary school children.

WigWag Designs is a home demonstration/party plan idea. It's a great way to have fun and peruse each of the products at your leisure, ask any questions you may have and learn about the many different ways the products can be used.

Career opportunities also exist within WigWag Designs and right now they are looking for sales consultants who are interested in working their own hours whilst earning an attractive commission.

For further details please contact Jenny Wishart or Natalie Gartside on (08) 9361 1554, or visit their website at www.wigwagdesigns.com.au

Toys that teach

Discerning parents, who wish to buy toys that develop early learning skills and equip children for school and life in general, often find that locating them can be a challenge.

Leisurefun is a company specialising in quality educational toys, books and jigsaws. Their comprehensive range of products gives parents easy access to top brand educational toys such as Little Tikes, Ravensburger, DK, Chicco and more.

Positions are currently available for new Consultants to market this much sought after product range via party plan. Consultants benefit by providing a much needed service to the community as well as earning a great income working their own hours with no pressure.

To celebrate Back to School Month, Leisurefun is offering any one who joins Leisurefun in February, a starter kit with $600 retail value in toys and stationary for the amazing price of only $150. This offer is strictly limited to February only so hurry!

For enquiries on how to become a consultant or to host a Leisurefun party in your home, contact State Co-ordinator Kristie Pring on 9309 9367.

Stem the tide of toddler drownings!

Figures show that the number of toddler drownings in WA more than doubled from 2002 to 2003. Ten toddlers drowned in 2003 in WA, compared with four in 2002 (2004 figures not yet available).

Seven of the toddlers drowned in home pools, one in a bath, another in a nappy bucket and the last in a river. A lapse or absence of supervision was identified in all cases and fences were found to be inadequate in four of the seven pool deaths.

Here's a better statistic: No drownings in 33 years. Thatís the enviable record of the swimming pool safety net, invented and first installed in 1972. Aquanet Australia, established in 1988 has installed hundreds of safety nets on pools, spas and fish ponds.

While vigilant adult supervision is the ultimate protection, it is impossible to watch children 24 hours a day. Fitting an Aquanet safety net will provide peace of mind - just in case.

Please call Roger at Aquanet, all hours, on 9335 6986

Keep children out of adult psychiatric institutions

Recommendations to prevent children being held with adults in psychiatric institutions may be ignored by the State Government during its review of the Mental Health Act in WA. According to the Government's report: "Legislating in this area may give rise to unintended breaches, when there may be no alternative than caring for a minor in a facility with adults."

The suggested alternative is for the Chief Psychiatrist to conduct a review of a minor's admission when it is impossible to comply with the agreed guidelines. But conducting a review of a minor's admission after they have been harmed as a result of being admitted with adults will be too late for the child, according to the Citizens Committee on Human Rights (CCHR).

"Under no circumstances should children be treated in a psychiatric hospital with adults, especially in a hospital holding unstable adults," said CCHR spokesperson Ron Carlisle. "To consider exposing children to such an environment displays pitiful respect for them and lays them open to abuse in an environment where there is insufficient supervision."

To support CCHR's campaign to protect WA children, contact your local Member of Parliament and the Health Minister. For further details, contact CCHR on 9228 0960.

Walk Against Want

Oxfam is calling on Perth people to keep up the good work and join its Community Aid Abroad's Walk Against Want on Sunday, 13 March. The event raises much needed funds to money to help change lives in poor communities around the globe.

Walks will be held in 10 locations in WA, with the main Perth walk kicking off from Burswood Park, Burswood at 8:00am.  Up to a 100 Walks will run simultaneously across Australia.

"More than one billion people survive on less than US$2.00 a day, two billion people have no access to clean water, and 15 million boys and girls will never go to school," says Natalie Long, WA Walk Against Want Coordinator.

"The money that the people of WA raise will go a long way. Just $20 will pay for seeds for planting for four East Timorese families; $50 pays one monthís salary for a teacher in a remote village in Sri Lanka; $100 will train someone to manage an underground water supply tank bringing clean water and improved health to nomadic families in Somaliland."

To register, call 1800 034 034, visit an Oxfam Community Aid Abroad Shop or register online at: www.oxfam.org.au/walk

Save money and energy

In 2003, 200 households in the southern metropolitan region of Perth saved 53.5 tonnes of greenhouse gases in just five months, saving an average of $80 each on their energy bills. How did they do this? By participating in Greenhouses.

Based on research by Murdoch University, the award winning Greenhouses program provides useful information and techniques to help families reduce their energy and water use in their homes. 

In the months of February and March, six seminars will be held to help households reduce their water use.  Enrolments are essential.  Places are limited and preference will be given to residents from surrounding regions.

ï Canning: 28 February, 7-9pm

ï Cockburn: 21 February, 7-9pm

ï East Fremantle: 24 February, 7-9pm

ï Kwinana: 10 February, 6:30-8:30pm

ï Rockingham: 14 March, 7-9pm

ï South Perth: 17 February, 7-9pm