TALK ABOUT TOWN

 

Youíll be rapt when you get up close with Perth Zooís reptiles this winter in the under-cover Alinta Reptile Encounter, with special kidís activities during the July school holidays every day between 10am and 3pm.

Discover a range of different reptiles with fascinating keeper talks and special presentations, and meet one of the Zooís newest additions ñ the stunning Fijian Crested Iguana.

There are plenty of reptile-themed activities for the kids to enjoy during these holidays. Take the ëRapt in Reptilesí discovery trail for an adventure through the Alinta Reptile Encounter and up to the top of the Zoo to the Homestead Barn.

The Homestead Barn will feature a reptile friendly garden with tips on how to make your garden at home more appealing to native reptiles and how to save energy in your home this winter. Kids will also have the opportunity to paint a picture of their favourite Perth Zoo reptile and create a reptilian jigsaw puzzle to take home!

Fremantle Prison  ñ for brave and adventurous kids! 

ìStep inside and do timeî at Fremantle Prison.  Built in the 1850s the Prison was used continuously as a place of incarceration for almost 140 years.  Decommissioned as an operating maximum-security gaol in 1991, the empty prison is a monument to a system of punishment that is uncomfortably recent. 

Every day kids can join experienced guides on an entertaining journey of daring escapes and colourful characters on a choice of Prison Day Tours including the ëDoing Time Tourí or the ëGreat Escapes Tourí.

For a completely different perspective brave kids can explore the darker side of Fremantle Prison on a spooky Torchlight Tour. These run Wednesday and Friday evenings.  Make sure you hold your torch tight!

Older kids (12+) with a sense of adventure can wear hardhats and harnesses and explore the labyrinth of tunnels 20 metres underneath Fremantle Prison by foot and by boat. 

Walkiní in a winter wonderland 

Children will be treated to an enchanted experience in Forrest Place during the July school holidays as part of the City of Perth Winter Arts Festival. A magical Russian Winter Wonderland is being created, featuring ice sculptures, towering turrets modelled from Red Square, forest scenes with deer and other winter creatures and a village streetscape.

A variety of Russian-themed activities will entertain and educate children, including Cossack dance workshops and performances, traditional Russian childrenís stories and egg painting.

The Russian Winter Wonderland is free and open to children up to 15 from 10.00am to 3.00pm, July 4 to 16.

The hugely successful City Playground Pass returns for the July and includes three new partners with generous offers. City Sightseeing Perth, for example, will give pass holders 40 per cent off their day ticket to tour the city on a double-decker bus. Other attractions include the WA Museum, Scitech and The Perth Mint, Timezone, tand WA Art Gallery. Food and beverage discounts are offered by Subway, Morish Nuts, Jesters Jaffle Pies, Java Juice and Bakers Delight.

Darkzone ñ the ultimate laser adventure 

Get the kids off their computer games and into Darkzone Laser Games.  Darkzone is like being inside the game, where you become your own hero, only now the fun and excitement also includes some great exercise ñ just what the doctor ordered.

Players must find their way through the darkened, misty, multi-level maze to locate opposing players and outposts to score points for themselves and their team.  At the completion of the mission each person is awarded a game card showing all the stats from the game.

Darkzone is suitable for ages six to adult. For those who arenít up for the challenge there are screens in the foyer showing all the action as it happens.

Darkzone is great for school holiday fun, birthday parties, sporting wind-ups, corporate events and family fun, and is even played as a competitive sport.  Northbridge ranked second at the Zone National Titles Tournament in 2004.

Darkzone, 248 Newcastle Street, Northbridge, call 9227 1511. 

The Kids Big Gig ñ three fun days in July 

Kids of Perth, get ready for The Kids Big Gig, arriving at the Burswood Dome this school holidays. With six sessions over three fun days, 14 to 16 July, The Kids Big Gig will be the hottest ticket these school holidays.

This will be the biggest and best line up in kidís entertainment ever seen under one roof in Perth, fun for the whole family, featuring:

ï Dorothy the Dinosaurís Dance Party, with Dorothy Dinosaur, Wags the Dog, Henry the Octopus and    Captain Feathersword.
ï You canít split these bananas. B1 & B2 will also be performing their fantastic show.
ï DohÖ. We almost forgot that The Simpsonís Bart and Lisa have flown in just for The Kids Big Gig.
ï Carnival rides, BMX displays, dance party and so much more.

For more information visit The Kids Big Gig website at www.kidsbiggig.com or call 08 9451 5415. Tickets from BOCS, only $36.30. But hurry, limited tickets for each session. Hurry, they really are selling fast.

A farm in the city! 

The Landsdale Farm School provides a unique entertainment concept. This small farm complex is home to a variety of animals that city kids may never have seen!

At Landsdale youíll find goats, sheep, horses, a talking cocky and many more friendly farm animals. The farm is open seven days a week from 9am to 3pm. Entry is only $3 per person with children under two free.

Take a walk through the herb garden and smell and identify the various plants. You will be amazed at the different aromas and the kids will love the gnome trail activity.

You can enjoy a cart ride and in the school holidays try some freshly made billy tea and damper with a dash of honey for only a $1 per person extra. Take a break from the activities to play in the shaded playground or get some refreshments from the onsite cafe.

Visit Landsdale and enjoy the July school holidays. Located at 80 Landsdale Road, Darch, call 9343 1222.

Baby signing ñ the gift of communication  

ìBaby signing is the new must-do in the world of babies,î says Karen Boylen, Speech Pathologist and co-founder of Sign Speak Australia.

As parents of three young, signing children, Karen and husband Derek are passionate about the positives signing has brought to their family life. Two decades of research has shown that benefits include higher IQ, advanced language and cognitive skills, closer bonding, reduced tantrums and increased self-esteem and social confidence.

Sign Speak Australia offers unique programmes committed to helping parents maximise their childrenís language development. Sign Speak parent workshops teach parents the magic of baby signing, and play classes give families the opportunity to immerse their children in the Sign Speak experience. Toddle Talk, a programme for parents of children aged 18 months to four years, aims to enhance verbal language development in the preschool years.

Bookclubs for children

 Foster a lifelong love of books in your children through participation in a bookclub! All you need is a group of like-minded readers and some enthusiasm.

Each month a different member chooses a range of books and hosts the meetings. Votes are taken on each book and those selected become part of the ìpoolî. Members choose books to last them the month and the rejected books are returned to the bookseller.

For mums with young children, this is an inexpensive way to ensure a steady supply of good reading and a great way to get together with parents of similarly aged children.

This style of bookclub offers many benefits for the older child. Apart from the fun of being part of a club and the subsequent bonding that ensues, readers always have the newest books to enjoy. They learn to participate in meetings, discuss and share ideas, negotiate club finances and handle responsibility.

Work from home with an award-winning international company 

Why should anyone make the awful choice between a rewarding career and good parenting when there is a way to do both?

If you want to nurture your children in their early years, if you want to be home when they return from school or pick them up there, if you like to attend your kidsí after-school activities, if you want to work on a beach or at a park on sunny and warm days, if you like to work after your children are in bedÖ starting your own home based business is a great way to balance work and family.

Opportunities are available to work with one of Business Weekís top ten growth companies of 2004, which is publicly traded on the US sharemarket (NASDAQ) and has been voted the best company seven years in a row by MLM Insider.

More than just a mums group

The Post Natal Depression Support Association Inc (PNDSA) provides support, understanding and information for women, partners and their families affected by pregnancy and childbirth related stress, anxiety and depression.

PNDSA self-help groups are held at four different locations: Bentley Parenting House, Granny Spiers Heathridge, Raphael Centre Subiaco and at Midland Womenís Health. The fortnightly groups provide an opportunity for mothers to talk, with others, on what they are going through. A crËche is available at all centres for a small fee.

I donít expect my child to be a rocket scientist, butÖ 

ìI donít expect Jordan to be a rocket scientist ñ I just donít want him to struggle at school anymore. I know heís a smart enough kid but for some reason heís about two years behind the other kids in his class. A couple of times Iíve gone into school to help his teacher but both times I ended up leaving the class in tearsÖIt broke my heart to see the blank look on Jordanís face. He really had no idea of what he was supposed to be doing. To top it off, the other kids are nasty to him because they think heís stupid. That hurts him to the point of frustration.î

This is what Jordanís mum, Cathy, had to say before her son was diagnosed with Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD). She had tried everything but nothing seemed to help her son. As it turns out, the interventions were band-aiding Jordanís symptoms rather than addressing the underlying cause for his trouble.

Itís now three months on and youíll be pleased to know that Jordan is doing much better at school and is much happier for it. His ability to understand what he hears has improved no end, simply because Jordanís learning needs are now understood and have been addressed.

Life threatening illness in the family
Frankie Needham, Counsellor & Play Therapist 

Sudden illness disrupts the way a family copes when a member is diagnosed with a life threatening condition. Situations that are not anticipated suddenly place families in a world of hospitals, appointments, and emotional reverberations.

 Such changes always impact on children, who have a wide range of responses. Their sense of security is often undermined and they can become fearful about what is happening; their behaviour may change. They are not being naughty. What they are doing is letting you know about how they feel. It is important for children to have their feelings recognised, and to be supported in times of change.

Not just a gym or playgroup 

Despite popular misconceptions, Gymbaroo centres are not simply ìgymsî or ìplaygroups.î As children roll and tumble, climb and balance, and play on specially designed equipment circuits at Gymbaroo centres, they are not only having lots of fun ñ they are really priming their brains for learning.

The aim of the Gymbaroo program is parent education. Gymbaroo teachers explain to parents how and why Gymbaroo activities benefit their childís future and they guide parent on home activities to reinforce the developmental benefits. 

Sensory motor development forms the foundations for learning. Later learning difficulties are often attributed to breakdown or incomplete development of these foundations.

Gymbaroo shows parents why and how to encourage the integration and development of sensory (seeing, balance, smell, touch) and motor (moving and coordination) skills to provide a secure foundation for childrenís intellectual development.

Programmes sensitive to your childís stage of development begin with BabyRoo classes for infants six weeks old to classes for toddlers and preschoolers.

Gymbaroo parents are those who make the investment in time and effort to prepare their children for their future, today.

All  aboard! 

Thereís been a kidnapping on board the cruise ship, PGS. Enterprising.  Our bumbling hero tries to get to the bottom of it all and finds songs, dances and high drama along the way. But who is behind the crime ñ is it the captain, the cabaret dancer, or even the grumpy old men? Is there something more sinister going on?

The Perth Gang Show is a non-profit theatre group run by the Scout and Guide Associations. Performances will be held over the school holidays from 7 to 9 July 2005. This is a great show for the entire family written, directed by and starring members from the two organisations.

Diabetes concerns for kids 

An alarming number of Western Australian children are being diagnosed with type-two diabetes, a disease previously seen only in adults. Research reveals that one in every 13 West Australians has diabetes ñ a figure that has health experts fearing for the future.

With National Diabetes Week 2005 beginning on July 10, Diabetes Australia WA (DAWA) is urging people of all ages to do more to avoid developing the increasingly prevalent and deadly disease.

DAWAís Director of Health Services, Jo Hart, said the health complications of diabetes included blindness, amputation, heart disease and stroke.

 ìWhile it used to be that only adults were being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, we are now seeing children affected by it, which is very frightening,î Ms Hart said.

ìWeíre desperate for people of all ages to realise that diabetes is too serious to ignore and that there are ways they can reduce their risk of developing it,î she said.

While thereís no cure for diabetes, a healthy diet and moderate physical activity can decrease your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by as much as 60 per cent.

Inheritance : a privilege, not a rightÖ 

If you do not properly consider the terms of your will, you may leave a legacy of bitterness and legal costs for your children.

In a recent case, a deceased estate was divided between four children.  One son had not been provided for in the Will. His application was based, not upon financial need, but upon a moral claim to his fatherís bounty because of previous business and family dealings. 

The case reached the High Court of Australia.  The High Court said that such cases had to be based on need, so the claim failed.

To avoid the potential for problems such as this case, you must ensure your will has been properly drawn.  Willy Loffelmann or Nicole Croft at Meredith Hunter & Associates can guide you through the process.  You will save your children a lot of heartache, not to mention the legal costs.

They just donít listenÖ
Carol Smith Clinical Psychologist
Child and Adolescent Specialist 

One of the most stressful aspects of bringing up children is feeling you have to nag or yell at your children to get things done. Parents report feeling they have lost control of their children but also themselves. When this happens, children seem to bounce back as if nothing has taken place, but parents are left reeling with hurt feelings and exhaustion.

Not only do these parent-child interactions result in a greater possibility of mum having  a nervous breakdown, but youíre stuck with having to nag and yell at your children forever because theyíve become used to it! Children also notice mum is not happy and can become overly dependent and feel angry about being yelled at.  It can be a vicious circle.

Parenting is a fine balance between gaining the respect and control of your children, as well as meeting their emotional needs. Talking so your children will listen involves strategies that will enable you to remain calm, in control and sane.

Children require different approaches according to their emotional needs. Factors such as medical illness, divorce, anxiety, social problems, learning difficulties or traumatic experiences colour the childís perception, and can make parenting a minefield.

A few sessions with a child psychologist can help you make sense of the issues and develop effective strategies to deal with them.

School holiday fun with Mug Mania  

Come down and decorate your very own crazy special mug to take home with you.
You will find all the fun and excitement at:

The Park Centre - ìYou get more at The Parkî
789 Albany Highway, East Victoria Park

Noranda Palms Shopping Centre - ìWhere shopping is easyî 
Cnr Benara and McGilvray Rd Noranda

Bassendean Village - ìYour friendly shopping villageî 
Cnr Guildford Rd & West Road Bassendean

Wednesday 6th July to Saturday 9th July from 10.30am to 1.30pm. Your children will be supervised by professional staff. Come down and go crazy!

Dad - who are you?

What do you really know of your fatherís life story? Do you know of his struggles and achievements, his disappointments and joys and the experiences that have made him the unique person he is today?

The tradition of family storytelling is being lost in the rush of todayís world. The knowledge of personal ancestry is a very valuable inheritance to pass on to your children. It is important to consider the preservation of your family history as carefully as your will.

Trish Robinson, creator of the Your Life, Your Story book, would be pleased to meet and speak with your father, record his history and write his story.

The book will contain historical facts and dates, woven together with the challenges and achievements of your fatherís life, to reflect his true personality. Additionally, your fatherís voice can be recorded on tape, a photograph gallery and his handwriting can be included.

Trish offers very reasonable rates and an obligation-free quote along with examples of his work for you to view.

This is the perfect opportunity for you to offer a very special gift to your father, a beautiful and unique Fatherís Day present that would be treasured for generations to come. Gift vouchers are available.

The one-stop kidsí shop

The brand new Kids Central store at Claremont has only been open a month and already it has established itself as the ìone stop kidsí shopî for Perth. This unique retail concept showcases some of the worldís favourite childrenís brands under one roof.

Resembling a mini department store for children from newborn to six years, Kids Central is specifically designed to cater to the needs of parents and gift givers alike. What makes it different is that when you shop at Kids Central you are dealing directly with the brands themselves and will receive the most informed customer service and best availability of stock anywhere in Australia.

At Kids central you will find the complete product assortment such famous brands as OshKosh, Treehouse and Early Learning Centre, as well as a selection of the best individual products from a wide range of other brands including Absorba, Bebe, Living Textiles and Bertini.

From 1 June, the Kids Central store will be commencing their end-of-season sale, with fantastic offers throughout the store. Now is the time to visit Kids Central, open seven days a week (Sundays 11am ñ 4pm). Shop 8, Claremont Court, 44 Gugeri St. Claremont.  

Feeling feverish? 

A fever is when the bodyís temperature, which may vary within a range from 35.8 and 37 degrees C, rises above normal. A temperature of 38 degrees C or more is a significantly high fever.

Fever is a sign of infection in the body and is an important part of the bodyís defence against the infection. A major cause of fever is a viral infection. Viruses release substances that act on the immune system, give rise to illness and may increase body temperature. Bacterial infection may also cause a fever.

A childís body temperature returns to normal when an infection settles. A fever may also arise where heat production exceeds a childís ability to cool down, such as during prolonged exposure to the sun on a hot day.

Signs and symptoms of fever
Your child may:

ï Feel tired and miserable
ï Have hands and feet that feel cold
ï Have a hot forehead
ï Look flushed and feel hot, or even shivery
ï Have an  increased breathing or heart rate
ï Be quieter and less active than normal

How do I manage a fever?  
Since a fever is a natural response to infection it is not always necessary to treat it. If your child feels unwell or uncomfortable, bringing down their temperature may help. Your pharmacist can assist you with simple measures and medications to manage a fever.

Do you feed a cold and starve a fever?  
This is not sound advice. Good nutrition is important to all kids, especially sick ones.

Both high fever and cold can cause fluid loss. Drinking plenty of water, fruit and vegetable juice will help prevent dehydration.

Settling your toddler into childcare
Jacqui Hunt-Smith 

Walking away with your beloved, if sometimes trying, toddler, screaming and crying out to you is deeply distressing and can cause immense guilt for parents.  Here are some tips to reduce the pain for you and your toddler.

Strange as it may sound, it is more important in the beginning for you to feel relaxed and comfortable with the staff and the centre than to concentrate on your childís reactions.  Researchers talk about a ìtriangle of referenceî, whereby children accept a new adult or situation more readily if they observe a familiar adult at ease with the person or setting.

Take your time ñ for the first week or so, stay awhile and play with your child.  This is an ideal opportunity to observe the centre and its practices.  If there is anything at all that makes you uneasy, this is the time to sort it out or find another centre! 

Decide on a settling routine to be used when you leave your child. When you go, say goodbye, donít sneak out.  Encourage caregivers to acknowledge your childís distress in words.  This is reassuring for children without words to express their feelings.

Show your kids you care when you canít be there 

At every turn it seems something threatens our children. But innovative products such as Lunch Mail for kids can help you maintain a reassuring link and a daily connection between you and your child. In an increasingly negative and disturbing world, loving messages will nourish your childís spirit and help ensure high self esteem.

Lunch Mail boasts six different attractively packed titles with 30 different unique sealed cards in each. Each card pops open to reveal an appropriate, inspirational message.  Your child will love the feeling of discovering the surprise message inside the sealed card.

Hide a card in special places, tuck one under their pillow at night, or in a favourite book. Send them to school with a card inside their lunch box or the way that we like best ñ give them personally with a hug!

Compendium has a complete range of products to help you celebrate life, live inspired, laugh, play and make yourself and others feel good. Life is many things, but mostly it is a celebration. Compendium: ìEnriching the lives of millions ñ one person at a time.î

Feeling stressed or anxious?
- Julie Watts, clinical psychologist 

Do you frequently feel tense and on edge? Is a lot of your day spent worrying? Are your worries keeping you awake or interfering with your enjoyment of life? Anxiety problems are one of the most common mental health problems and have a huge impact on peopleís lives.

Some people may also experience a sudden rush of intense fear or panic, in combination with a number of physical sensations such as tightness in the chest, palpitations, difficulty breathing, sweating, trembling, dizziness or feeling faint. You may think you are going to have a heart attack or go crazy. It is most likely that you are experiencing a panic attack.

As a result of being anxious or panicky many people begin to avoid situations that provoke the anxiety. This can dramatically affect their social, work and daily functioning. Some people may also experience depression.

You can learn how to manage these problems differently so they no longer have such a negative impact on your life. In some cases medication may be useful, but in many others psychological treatment may be equally effective or even preferable.

Holiday fun for animal lovers at the RSPCA 

Looking for some school holiday fun for your children?  Enrol them in the RSPCAís holiday program, and give them a unique experience theyíll never forget. 

The RSPCA Education Unit offers a wide variety of activities for every age group.  For kindy and pre-primary children ëOur Petsí provides a hands-on encounter with the RSPCAís animals.  Those interested in pet care and the shelter facilities might want to try ëPassion for Pets.í  For the more creative at heart, thereís ëCreate a Pet,í while those eager to pamper their pets may want to indulge in the ëCreature Comfortsí session. 

ëBe a Volunteerî is always a popular program with 11 to 16 year olds, while for 10 to 14 year olds who are ëWild About Animalsí the RSPCA and Perth Zoo are jointly presenting two sessions at the zoo. The new holiday session, ëBehind the Scenesí is for 11 to 16 year olds who would like to know how animals are adopted from the shelter. It takes them ìbehind the scenesî at the RSPCA.

Spaces are limited and bookings are essential. To request a brochure or to make a booking contact the RSPCA Education Unit on 9209-9325 or email education@rspcawa.asn.au  

Amazing Russia at the Art Gallery of WA 

Learn all about the exciting history of Russia at the St Petersburg 1900 exhibition, opening on 10 July. More than 230 artworks, dating from the last decades of the Tsars through to the 1917 revolution, are coming all the way from the city of St Petersburg in Russia to the Art Gallery of Western Australia for this very special exhibition.

See the colourful paintings, theatre costumes and decorative arts from this historic time and take part in the great range of activities for children and families during the exhibition (10 July to 23 October 2005). Visit the Friends Red Room for Children, where you can draw or stamp your own designs onto a ìrocking duckî to take home; design costumes for special Russian characters on the magnetic wall, and listen to traditional Russian folktales and songs at the DVD viewing station. The Friends Red Room is free to visit during normal opening hours.

On Sunday, 28 August, enjoy free activities at the Friends Winter Wonderland Family Day. Take part in theatrical workshops, get creative at an art activity, learn more about the exhibition at a costumed presentation, or relax and listen to professional storytellers and see enthralling Russian dance performances in the concourse. Donít miss the Russian food tasting on the gallery terrace, where you can learn how to make ìblinyî and sample some Russian drinks.

Make sure your school knows about the special education program that will be running during the St Petersburg 1900 exhibition. Call (08) 9492 6644 between 8.30am and 4pm weekdays or email educate@artgallery.wa.gov.au

Entry will be $15 adults, $12 concessions and $6 children. Family entry (two adults and three children) is $35.

Organic home spa 

This winter, treat yourself and your friends to an organic spa party with organic mums Justine and Sharon. Using the Miessence range of absolutely pure and unique skin care, Justine and Sharon will pamper you with an organic facial spa (valued at $50).

Whilst feeling relaxed and revitalised in the comfort of your own home, sample the range of Certified Organic skin, hair, body and cosmetic products made from certified organic, cold-pressed plant, fruit, nut, herb and flower extracts and essential oils. These beautiful products not only smell nice, but are made up of 100 per cent beneficial ingredients, have no synthetic chemicals and are safe, clean and pure for you and the kids.

Max and Milly solve the ëHarvest Day Mysteryí 

Itís Harvest Day on New MacDonaldís Farm and Max and Milly are off to collect the vegetables theyíve been growing throughout the summer. But when they get to the fields, all the vegetables have mysteriously disappeared? Who could have taken them? Join Max & Milly as they investigate all the clues to find out who the Harvest thief is!

New MacDonaldís Farm is the show that pre-schoolers are watching on Channel 9 at 3:30pm (five days a week). The live stage performance is a non-stop action show. Itís fun, entertaining and educational including singing, dancing and full audience participation, based on the hugely popular series. Not only do the kids get the show, but there is also a meet and greet with Max and Milly at the end and a special after show appearance by Jay Jay the Jet Plane!