I've Been Published!

I am so pleased to share with you that Henpicked have published some of stories and I'd love to share them with you! Enjoy!

Declutter your mind

http://henpicked.net/declutter-your-mind/

"I have an overactive brain. It travels at a million miles an hour and at times I struggle to keep it under control. Life becomes fuzzy, my head feels full and I find it hard to keep functioning.

So I cling on to the mantra ‘everything is going to be okay’." Read more

Discover your inner strength

"There are times in life when most of us just feel we can’t cope. We want to crawl under the bedcovers and hide, hoping that whatever is troubling us will simply disappear." Read more

http://henpicked.net/discover-your-inner-strength/

Go preservative free… and never look back

"You’ve probably seen the words ‘free from preservatives and artificial flavours’ written on all kinds of food packaging, but what does this really mean?" Read more

http://henpicked.net/go-preservative-free-and-never-look-back/

The Gift of Time

The Gift of Time

Life is crazy busy and with the new year starting, the diary is filling up. It is easy to keep moving with the busyness. At late, I have found I am missing things, the small things. I’m too wrapped up in what’s next and what needs to be achieved. I forget to slow down and enjoy the simple things. Life with two small children is crazy but I love it.  I race around wanting to do the best for them but in the process I can sometimes miss out on some of the fun and age they are at. Life is precious and it all goes so fast. I don’t want to miss it. I want to embrace more of it. I’m trying to slow the pace. I am finding more enjoyment in life and more importantly my family. I make sure at least one day a week we have an ‘at home’ day.

On a day I didn’t have much on and deciding to stop and focus on Miss four and Mr six months I embraced their world of fun. I stopped focusing on what needed to be done and decided today is for the kids and me to have some fun. Forget the housework and my lists. As we walked and rolled (the pram) beside the river and fields we talked of what we saw. Birds, trees, colours and what we wanted to do or play for the remainder of the day. On the car trip home Miss four told me about all different things from her trip. As she struggles with her speech greatly, it was a wonderful delight to listen as she tried words and sounds. She had so much to say. She even started singing and this is something she hasn’t done before. She sang and then went hooray at the end. I wanted to say how wonderful it was but I waited until she finished. Delighting in every minute. Any small step is an achievement. By letting her chat, sing and Mr six months interject with his babbling it was a great trip.  Later that day we all sat on the floor and played. It was refreshing embracing my inner child hanging out on the floor building towers with Mr six months and coloring with Miss four. Just for now forgetting all responsibilities.

I love hanging out with my kids and I love to hear what they have to say. It is only by making time to play with them, listen to them I’m going to know who they really are.  I am making a deliberate action to slow down and notice what my kids like doing most and show them new things. The butterflies, the bees, the garden, observe what’s going on. The disabled man who walks by our house every morning on his way to work. The older lady walking her dogs every morning. The simple pleasure of eating produce from our garden. I want to give my kids the gift of my time and attention as much as I can.

Exploring the boundaries in education!

I love to read the magazine, Dumbo Feather. I find inspiration and encouragement in the range of interviews published. I'm taken out of my mind's place to think about others, learn and the variety of lives others live. In a recent interview with Brendan Murray, principal at Parkview College, my mind has taken flight again in his views on teaching. The interview is truly inspirational on educating youths in Victoria's Justice Centre for 10-18 year olds. 

Murray discusses 'how bad behaviour must be met with help rather than exclusion'.  I was particularly interested in his discussion on inclusion in the education. Murray lists examples of how inclusion functions. If someone doesn't fit in the norm they tend to be excluded and he used an example of children with special needs. He says, "we exclude kids with disabilities: 'You go to a special school, it's better for you' Why is it better? Because they have more resources there, they're specially trained'. Why can't all teachers be like that. Unless the child can live in that little bubble, with those kids, how is that better?" Murray continues on about how he'll continue to offer extra help and support to the kids in his school, believing everyone has a right to education. 

It got my little grey cells working as Hercule Poirot says. My darling daughter is not far off being of school age and I found myself examining school systems and the way Faith learns. I've been asked so many times if Faith will go to a special school. I can understand the many varying views on this topic and I only give my opinion in relation to my darling daughter and how she learns. In answer to their question I have said no she won't be going to a special school. 

When you become acquainted with Faith you soon realise her potential, courageous spirit and the desire to learn. She thrives on watching other kids play. She will more likely try new activities if another child is doing it. Her body might not be willing yet, but her mind is trying hard. We see miracles in this every day. 

Faith is kind and gentle. She will use her little finger to gently stroke my eyelashes. Her blue eyes and long long eyelashes gazing intently at you. It is her way of saying I love you. She is afraid of frogs, butterflies and birds but thinks polar bears and dolphins are wonderful. 

If I placed her in a school where I am uncomfortable why would I send my daughter there. Some families have choices and mine is to believe inclusion in a main stream school would help her grow, develop and change. Somewhere and somehow there is a system that will give Faith the maximum capacity for learning in a way that works for her. There is a so many wonderful opportunities awaiting her and I'll do all I can to help her achieve whatever her maximum learning is. 

For further information or to read Brendan Murray's full interview head to
https://dumbo-feather.myshopify.com/collections/back-issues/products/issue-41?_ga=1.171411682.39822931.1408672543

And some interesting research on inclusive learning on children with special needs. http://www.cda.org.au/cda-issue-papers

Christmas Community Spirit

I’m sitting on the steps of a public school hall hearing the band play Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Around me there are children singing, waving glow sticks, laughing and a few tears, elderly men and women perhaps remembering their younger days. There is a craft table buzzing with activity, young and old learning together. A local photographer has set up a nativity scene with dress ups for bubs and siblings. There is nothing like a 7 month old dressed up as a sheep sitting in hay. The atmosphere is sparkling. There is a beautiful community spirit here.

After the past days and weeks of seeing the outcome of the Sydney siege, the pain and suffering in all corners of the world it is hard not to be more vigilant. Who is really sitting next to me in a café or riding the train with me. I’ve noticed I’m locking my doors more. No more freedom of coming and going. Locking myself inside my home and backyard. Is it fear or as I tell myself, I am being cautious not knowing who is around. Protecting my children at all costs. But am I overdoing it? I used to roam the streets exploring when I was a child. I was free. I loved it. It was a different type of community back then. I would know all my neighbours. We’d have bon fires sharing every joy, triumph and challenge and supporting each other. There seems to be less of that these days. Instead there is more TV, computer games and more forms of technology to keep us connected. But are we more disconnected than ever?

Joy to the World is playing now and I realise the Christmas and community spirit are far from dead. Mums and dads are chatting. They are sharing stories and sharing their lives. Life’s challenges are easier to confront when faced together with support and love. There are children making new friends with bonds being formed. We are trusting again and allowing ourselves to be free. Free from the fear. The community spirit might be less in some places but the more we allow ourselves to trust and make a new friend or help a neighbour the world will be better and let the community spirit reign.  

Resolutions

Resolutions

I’ll be honest, a new year scares me. I put so many expectations on it and when I don’t achieve them or versions of them I feel disappointment and let down. Next year I am going to do things differently. I am going to release myself from expectations and the pressures and make smaller goals.  Realistic ones. Something achievable with some way out there dreams too. After having a baby this year and learning how to embrace two children I had to loosen the grip on expectations of myself. Firstly, I’m going to take the opportunity to reflect on the past year and see how far I have come and where I hope to envisage the coming year.

Like most mums, every day has its challenges and it is constantly changing. I am a mother of two beautiful children. Faith who thinks hats should be worn all the time and Mr six months who is a busy boy but hardly ever without a smile. Faith has special needs. This year has been what we call ‘the year of communication’. We have seen her speech grow and her ability to communicate her needs, and definitely her wants. There were other areas I would have liked to have seen improvement but a big lesson I have learned mothering a child with high needs is to celebrate every step forward. Each triumph is going forward not stagnating or going back. Small steps.

This year we added to our family and what a joy it has been to have Mr six months join us. A blessing to us all with his placid and loving nature. There has been a lot of ‘firsts’ for us. We had cuddles moments after his arrival into the world and the simplicity of no medical intervention. The delight of how siblings relate to each other is magical. The loving looks and the sibling rivalry certainly has been useful for motivation and action.

Thinking forward, I want what all mums want and that is too see their children, grow, develop and reach their full potential. I am going to celebrate the small victories throughout the year starting with now, celebrating the goodness of the past year. We have all grown in numerous ways. The New Year has many amazing opportunities, fun, joy, becoming stronger through challenges and enjoy so many more blessings.  What possibilities it holds!

Sampling Freedom: Remote Control Car

'Let's move it'
'Everybody do it'
'Everybody move it to the left and right'

These are the words to the song that plays on this spanking new beauty. There are lights everywhere, twinkling like a carnival ride. There is a horn that has already had plenty of use bossing us around. 

We are yet to hook up a switch (button) so Faith can control the car by her hands. As soon as I can order one we will convert it. For the moment the car is controlled by remote with delightful squeals floating around the backyard.

We were pleased to discover the Squiggles seating system fits perfectly in place of the seat so we don''t need to modify the seating only the controls. 

What joy it is to see Faith be free, on her own seeing the world.

Patience is...

Patience is....

• going with the flow when your kids decide sleeping at the same time is not ok.
• in the middle of the night laughing not crying when the baby wakes and makes the older sister cry and continually waking each other until both collapse from exhaustion. 
• realising that dust bunnies under the lounge isn't going to be cleaned any time soon.
• Have a BIG sense of humour
• the washing pile is never going to be small again and I'll never catch up with it.
• generally not fun.
• smiling when the kids are screaming in the car.
• seeing the funnier side of life when everything is crazy.
• accepting sometimes you can''t control everything.
• taking small steps.
• hope in yourself.
• a day at a time, or divided into hours and minutes in our household. 
• The most important for me is learning to love each season of life you are in even if there are challenges.

Patience is defined as 'the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious. The Oxford Dictionaries