Dance & Drum Saturdays In Ballan

Post Separation Cooperative Parenting Program

Post Separation Cooperative Parenting Program

· Group workshops

· Counselling and support

· Information and referral for separated parents



The workshop aims to:

· Assist parents to understand the effects of ongoing parental conflict on their children

· Helps parents understand their children’s needs, following separation

· Help separated parents to manage parenting arrangements in a child focused manner

· Improve communication skills in order to change the ongoing cycle of conflict in their relationship

· Assist parents to support their child and/or children’s relationship with the other parent



For more information regarding this program please contact CAFS ( Child and Family Services Ballarat)

on 5337 3333

cafs.org.au

To Freerange Or Not…

Photo Credit: Karin Calvert

by Nichole

I have just recently subscribed to receive two emails from websites dedicated to childhood. With common threads, the sites discuss a range of childhood issues, and highlight some of the restrictions that parents and society now place on children.

What I remember as a child, walking to school, playing in the street, riding my bike until dark, playing on the monkey bars, investigating the natural environment including creeks and tadpole puddles, and taking risks, is for many children something they have never, and may never experience.

Bubble wrapping kids and sanitizing their childhood experiences is like an epidemic. Fear of what might happen is pushing many parents to restrict their children’s experiences to those they feel they can control, and to inside, sedentary activities.

Without allowing our children a degree of risk taking, natural consequences, problem solving, success and failure, navigating life and learning from their experiences, what skills and messages are we arming our children with to meet the wide world as they grow? How do our children incrementally learn to navigate their way, if we don’t incrementally allow them freedom to try, make mistakes, and learn?

As I write this on the day before school goes back, I wonder, why is the park empty at 3pm, and where are the kids? The answer may well be in front of a large screen TV with an electronic device.

So if you lean more towards being a free range parent, the websites below might speak to you too, or if not they may challenge your way of thinking. And if you have an opinion on the subject, let us know too. How do you feel about your town and how child friendly you would like your community to be?

Free range kids

rethinking childhood

Juggling Parenting And Work

It never ceases to amaze me how much of a learning curve parenting is and the very distinct stages we go through as parents. In the early stages of my daughter’s life, the advice I got from my doctor, Maternal Child Health nurse and that wonderful book called What to expect when you’re expecting were invaluable.

The adjustments from focussing entirely on baby to juggling parenting with work, followed by the sources of advice and information were added to by other parents in playgroup, childcare centre professionals, and then school. The last has been far more supportive to both my daughter and me than I ever anticipated, not only with her learning challenges but also after school care and family guidance.

There were other huge contributions to my own little family world with the discovery during preschool that my daughter has a disability. Added to the professionals were counsellors and therapists through organisations such as Pinarc and CAFS, as well as specialists including regular paediatric consultations.

I have always felt very fortunate living in a community such as Moorabool Shire because without these resources, the whole parenting experience would have been terrifying to me in these initial years, particularly as a single mum.

Halfway through my daughter’s primary school years though, I am now anticipating a new era of challenge and concern. There are two major concerns. The first is what arrangements can working parents make for their children when they are too old to participate in after school care and holiday programs? The second involves the decisions I must make about my daughter’s secondary school choices as a child with a disability, but that will come later.

Juggling work with family life surely is one of the greatest challenges modern parents face.

In Victoria there are no laws which state a specific age at which children may be left at home alone. There is, however, laws covering the responsibility of parents and guardians to keep their children safe. Therefore, a responsible albeit young teenager, could be left at home alone in afternoons after school without infringing on any laws. However, how many parents would be comfortable with their children going to an empty home after school when they are aged only 12? (This is a typical age at which after school programs discontinue admittance).

Some parents make informal agreements with family and friends for the care of their children until they get home from work. But not everyone is able to find people available to do this on a regular basis.

What options do parents have open to them for the care of their teenage children? Is this a gaping hole in the support network currently available to local families?

Do you have stories to share about the challenges you face as a working parent?

Outdoor Inspiration For The Cooler Months

With Winter well and truly upon us, it seems increasingly more time gets spent indoors than out. So I find that if there is a sunny break in the weather and a chance to get outdoors presents itself, I am keen to get the kids gumboots on and the backdoor open for some outside time in the fresh air and a quick run around.
Finding ways to explore the outdoors can be a fun, cheap and simple activity that kids of all ages can enjoy. Moorabool has so many great choices for outdoor places to explore for kids, no matter what part of it you live in. It could be as simple as walking around in the street you live in, visiting the local park or playground, or a bushwalk in a nature reserve or state park.
Ideas to get your kids outside could range from nature walks observing the sights and sounds around you, watching birds, pointing out different trees, hunting 'treasure' from nature and collecting interesting found objects, ball games, chasey with other kids, helping in the garden, playing with a pet outside, flying a kite, digging in a sandpit, making boats to sail in puddles, climbing a tree, riding a bike, any way you can get your kids outside and active and interacting with nature around them.
This week I took my young kids for a walk to Darley park, primarily for a play at the playground, but we ended up mostly in the garden beds collecting leaves and gum nuts, 'fishing' with sticks, and finishing up our visit by walking through the native garden which became 'outer space' and our mission was to find specimens to take back to Earth.

When we arrived back at home we had a little bag full of rocks, bark, gum nuts, leaves of all shapes, colours and sizes and we set them up on a table and arranged them in interesting ways, and then our treasures from nature became a busy city with roads and cars. As an added bonus, this collection has potential to be used in all sorts of art and craft activites, with endless outcomes.


So, basically, the more time you spent outside in whatever capacity encourages your child to use their imagination and is a great psychically and mentally stimulating experience.
It seems obvious to mention, but if the weather looks like it could change in a moments notice, be prepared! Before heading out always grab an umbrella, plus hats and coats for the kids. Sometimes the winter sun can lull you into a false sense of security before it turns nasty in an instant!

If you would like further ideas of ways to explore the outdoors, here are some links to a great (US based) site with plenty of suggestions big and small for kids of all ages to have fun outside. There are plenty more to uncover at this inspiring site but these links are a fantastic start!

50 Ways To Explore Nature In Your Own Backyard


Winter Nature Scavenger Hunt


25 ideas For Turning A Neighborhood Walk Into A Nature Adventure


For A Pictorial Guide To Playgrounds In Moorabool Check Out Our Playground Guide Page!


Natural Attractions In Moorabool

By Daisy

Parenting

1-2-3 Magic is a course that helps parents to manage difficult behaviours in their children. Over two sessions parents learn an easy to use behaviour management technique, look at strategies to encourage positive behaviour, and have opportunities to discuss parenting issues with other parents and staff who facilitate the program.
Moorabool Shire Council is offering 1-2-3 Magic courses each term in 2010. For more information contact Moorabool Shire Council on 5366 7100 or speak to your Maternal and Child Health Nurse.

PARENTING COURSES
A range of parenting courses can be accessed through Centacare in Ballarat.
For more information contact Centacare’s Family Relationship Centre on
1300 303 988
Or check out the 2010 brochure at http://www.centacareballarat.org.au

Moorabool for Mothers Website Funding

Moorabool for Mothers have received funding from the Moorabool Shire Best Start Project to assist with the development of a website. Our aim is to provide information about our group, what we are doing, access to past and present articles from our newsletter, and opportunities for you to have your say.
We will continue to provide paper copies and emails to our contact lists and venues, but hope this will be a way for us to provide more information to families.
In 2010 we will be entering our 8th Year of Moorabool For Mothers!
This is a great achievement for a small group of mums who came together with an idea to publish a newsletter to keep other mothers informed about what is out there in Moorabool communities for them and their children.

Moorabool For Mothers Blog now online!

Hello and welcome to the blog version of the Moorabool For Mothers newsletter.
Coming soon will be our Autumn edition available in paper format and here online!