Let’s talk about mental health and domestic violence… Looking after your mental health and wellbeing doesn’t have to be hard and you definitely don’t have to go through it alone. Living through the uncertainty and isolation of the Covid pandemic has meant that these issues are being experienced by more people globally.
When someone speaks up about how they feel or what they are going through, this is the first step on the journey back to health or safety.
Although our society is much more accepting and understanding of mental health issues, people can still be ashamed or embarrassed to speak up. The more we as a community talk about mental health and wellbeing, and the more local services there are for support, the more people suffering in silence are likely to seek help.
Respecting ourselves and others is vital to our own health and to those around us. We need to stop disrespectful behaviour and educate people that violence of any kind is not ok. Anyone in a violent relationship needs to urgently seek support.
Beyond Blue is one of Australia’s most well-known mental health organisations. It is a safe place for people to access information and find support no matter where they are sit on the mental health continuum. They have a dedicated Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support service available 24/7. We’ve also listed some local services below that you, your children, your family or friends might need for support.
Mental Health and Domestic Violence can happen to anyone at any time. It’s important to have conversations to help reduce stigma and embarrassment. Everyone has the right to feel safe and to live without fear.
If you feel that your life is in danger, please contact Emergency Services on 000.
You can find some important information and resources on our blog about perinatal mental health if you are a new or expecting mum. Ask for help and look for support to get your mental and emotional wellbeing back on track.
If you have a little runner on your hands – or you want to be able to relax knowing your children are (somewhat) contained – a fenced playground (and a coffee) is essential! Below is a list of the must-visit playgrounds in the Melville area that will keep both you and your wannabe escapees happy.
Kadidjiny Park, Melville
The “Dr Seuss” park (nicknamed for its distinctive red and white stripy poles) is a firm favourite with mums and kids alike, and it’s easy to see why. The brightly coloured play equipment and rolling hills make this playground a fun place to be, and there is a real focus on nature play. There are lots of different play spaces – slides, traditional swings, nest swing, roundabout, spider web climbing frame, musical equipment, and more!
There is some natural shade cover provided by the trees but parts of the playground can get very hot in the summer months. Within the fenced area, there is ample seating and BBQs available for use. Toilets are located just outside the playground.
There a few good coffee shops nearby where you can pick up your take away coffee. Lawley’s Bakery in the North Lake Shopping Centre or Blend Cafe and Pizza Bar both serve great coffee and snacks.
You can find Kadidjiny Park at Kitchener Road, Melville(on the site of the old Melville Primary School). Read the full review for Kadidjiny Parkon our blog section, Parks & Playgrounds.
Somerville Park, Winthrop
Somerville Park is located at the heart of Winthrop and is set within a huge reserve that has a cycle/walking path. The path is perfect place for your kids to practice their scooting and bike riding skills. Dogs are permitted on the reserve, just be sure to clean up after them.
The playground is completely enclosed and has a large grassy area within the fence. Perfect for kicking a ball around or just letting the little ones use up some of that energy in a safe space. The covered play equipment includes a slide, spider web climbing net and rock wall, plus there is a swing set located at the other end of the play area.
Unfortunately there are no public toilets at the park itself, but Winthrop Village is only 500 metres away, if needed. The Village also has a few cafes where you can pick up your much needed take away coffee from.
You can find Somerville Park at 151 Somerville Boulevard in Winthrop
Bicton Quarantine Park, Bicton
This gem of a park sits on the site of the former animal quarantine station and boasts an absolutely amazing view out to the river. The playground has high fencing all around and benefits from natural shade cover provided by the surrounding trees as well as additional shade from the sails.
There are two slides, a fireman’s pole, monkey bars, a climbing wall, swings and a spring rocker so there is plenty to keep the kids entertained.
Toilets are located down the hill next to the riverside car park, and there are BBQs and picnic tables available close to the playground.
Stop off before or after your playground visit for a coffee and babychino at a near-by cafe. A short drive away you can find Puck Expresso in the Bicton Central Shopping Centre or try Little Stove in Bicton.
You can find Bicton Quarantine Park at Braunton St in Bicton (a separate car park can be accessed via Phipps St)
Other Fenced Playgrounds in Melville
John Connell Reserve – Dundee St, Leeming
Jeff Joseph Reserve – The Strand, Applecross
John Dickenson Reserve – Birdwood Circus, Bicton
Bibra Lake Regional Playground – Progress Dr, Bibra Lake
If you have visited either of these playgrounds, or we’ve missed off a great fenced playground in the Melville area, leave a comment below or let us know in theMelville Mums Facebook group. For more playground and park reviews visit ourParks & Playgroundsblog.
March is recognised worldwide as Endometriosis Awareness Month. A simple yellow ribbon represents the disease that affects roughly 1 in 10 women worldwide. Endometriosis Australia is a national charity that endeavours to increase recognition of endometriosis, provide endometriosis education programs, and provide funding for research. They host a worldwide campaign to raise awareness of Endometriosis during the month of March – “The Worldwide Endo March”.
The campaign and its events are all run by volunteers who are passionate about creating change for those with endometriosis to raise funds, increase education and raise awareness.To find out more, head over to http://www.endomarch.org
What is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis (Endo) is a common disease in which the tissue that is similar to the lining of the womb grows outside it in other parts of the body.
11.4% of women suffer from endometriosis at some point in their life with the disease, often starting in teenagers.
Symptoms are variable and this may contribute to the 6 and a half year delay in diagnosis. Common symptoms include pelvic pain that puts life on hold around or during a woman’s period. It can damage fertility.
Whilst endometriosis most often affects the reproductive organs it is frequently found in the bowel and bladder and has been found in muscle, joints, the lungs and the brain.
Source: The Music Network
Emma Watkins formerly known as the Yellow Wiggle, is a proud ambassador of Endometriosis Australia. Take a look at Emma Watkins’ story “The Show Must Go On” where she shines a spotlight on Endometriosis.
Ten Endo Facts
There is no cure for Endometriosis
Teenagers are not too young to have Endometriosis
Hysterectomy is not a cure for Endometriosis
Endometriosis can not be prevented
Endometriosis does not always cause infertility
Period pain is not normal
Getting pregnant will not cure Endometriosis
Endometriosis can only be correctly diagnosed through surgical intervention
Pain levels are not related to the extent of the disease
Endometriosis is not an STI. You can not catch it.
Support Groups
Suffering with Endometriosis can feel isolating, please know that you are not alone. There are national online groups that you can contact for resources or support. Australian Women with Endometriosis Support Group
There is also a huge recognition of Endometriosis in WA and below is a link to the WA Facebook Support Group Endometriosis Western Australia
How you can help
There are many ways to be involved with Endometriosis Australia. From national events, on your own or in a group. Funds raised will go towards research, awareness and ultimately putting an end to Endo. You can help by fundraising, volunteering and donating. Have a look at the different ways you can help.
Melville mums share their stories
From the Melville Mums Facebook group, we have some amazing mums who have shared their experiences with Endometriosis in the hope that their stories let other women know they are not alone and to have the courage to seek help until you get an answer.
“I was diagnosed via laparoscopic surgery in December 2019. I have had painful periods as long as I can remember but it wasn’t until after the birth of my daughter that they became unbearable, to the point of vomiting in pain. Generally if opiate medication couldn’t relieve the pain it would result in a hospital trip. Whilst I was lucky in the sense that only minimal lesions were seen, endometriosis affects everybody differently. There could be someone with stage 4 endometriosis who experiences little to no pain, to people with minimal endometriosis suffering to an extreme level and vice versa.
Unfortunately I believe that my endometriosis has returned (and with it the extreme pain throughout the month, not just during my period, along with PCOS and adenomyosis). I am awaiting a new appointment with an excision specialist to discuss treatment and hopefully gain relief. I previously was treated via ablation, hence my wanting to see an excision specialist to try and prevent needing surgery, as I potentially will this time.
It is great that endometriosis is gaining exposure (especially during it’s awareness month), as there are so many misconceptions and false information that are spread. I really urge anyone who experiences painful periods to seek help and not just suffer thinking that it is normal.”
“Looking back I always had ‘problems’ with my period since I was young, however after having my first child at the age of 34, I noticed that post c-section my periods became unbearable and my iron levels were plummeting. I had bladder and bowel symptoms on-top of everything else and I was in pain for at least half of the month. GPs put it down to healing of c-section even 6 months post birth, suggesting using contraceptive pill to help, but I knew something was wrong.
I asked for a referral to my obgyn who suggested it was unlikely to be endo as I just gave birth. He agreed to a laparoscopy and found and ‘burnt’ the endo he could see and passed me onto a specialist. There was a few months wait and I felt significantly worse after the surgery. Thankfully the specialist was an ‘excision’ specialist and I had another surgery only 3 months after my laparoscopy and was diagnosed with stage 2-3 endometriosis including on the bladder (thankfully not bowel) which was excised (burning is not recommended, I since discovered).
I was also diagnosed with suspected adenomyosis. I fell pregnant again after a few months and had quite a lot of pain and cramping most likely from healing tissue etc but after birth I was fine, especially as breastfeeding for 6 months kept my period away.
Fast forward another year or so and I am in agony again unfortunately. Therefore, no…pregnancy didn’t ‘cure’ me at all, which is a common misconception. A recent scan has indicated my ovaries are stuck together (adhesions), an endometrioma discovered on ovary and my uterus is increasingly large and spongy. After review from another specialist, I have decided to have a hysterectomy. Unfortunately this will not cure my endometriosis, however it will cure me of the suspected adenomyosis and eliminate the heavy periods. My ovaries will be released and any endometriosis will be excised again.
Fingers crossed for improvement but it’s hard to know what will happen next as I will be keeping my ovaries. It’s terribly sad that such drastic measures need to be taken by women. Unfortunately for me I do not respond well to hormonal treatment (which I have tried many times over the years) and iron infusions twice a year is not my idea of fun!
I encourage women to not take no for an answer. To not feel like they are imagining, over reacting, being dramatic. It is NOT normal to be bed ridden with your period or ovulation. Advocate for yourself and if you don’t get answers from one doctor, see another until you find the right one.”
“I’d always suffered from heavy, painful periods. I just assumed that it was normal. It wasn’t until I was 38, I woke up one morning with the worst pain I could imagine. I eventually went into A&E but after a few hours, some morphine and being poked and prodded, I was sent on my way with a discharge note that stated I had “left-side pain” (this was in the UK…god bless the NHS!)
About a year later, after two ultrasounds and two more trips to A&E, I was eventually referred to a gynaecologist who reviewed the reports which had identified ovarian cysts. I had a further ultrasound with his team, and they found the cysts were irregular and had changed since the previous ultrasounds. He agreed to take me in for an investigatory laparoscopy.
I was in theatre for 6 hours. I had severe endometriosis, a 10cm and a 4cm ovarian cyst, and I bleed so badly I needed blood transfusion. I spent 2 days in HDU and a further week in hospital with an infection.
I underwent 2 further laparoscopies, one to “tidy up” the endometriosis and the second for a full hysterectomy. Luckily, I was able to go privately for the later, and my gynaecologist managed to save my womb (although he had to remove my fallopian tubes as they were too badly diseased) and confirmed my right ovary had escaped the worst of it, although my left was like a “raisin”.
I had convinced myself that I’d never have children but after the care I was (eventually) given, lots of heart ache and pain, (and not to mention a large amount of money!) just before my 45th birthday we were blessed with our amazing wee boy!
More needs to be done to educate people about endometriosis; what it is, how it can affect women and that there is help out there. I wasn’t fortunate enough to have a good relationship with my mum, so it wasn’t the sort of thing I could discuss with her. I had no idea what it was when I was diagnosed. I had no idea that it was the reason I couldn’t conceive naturally. But I am grateful for where I am now and the support I had along the way.”
If you have been diagnosed with Endometriosis, or are experiencing symptoms, there are lots of online and local resources you can access. You can find local Health and Medical Practitioners listed in our business directory.Or you may enjoy our interview with Claire Gasper, a local dietician who talks about wellness and nutrition.Just remember you are not alone.
Your child’s anxiety about school, the dark or about being away from mum and dad is a normal part of their development. But watching your little ones eyes fill with fear or anxiety is one of the most heart-breaking moments you have to endure as a mum. So, how can you help your kids manage their anxiety?
It’s important as a parent to acknowledge how your child is feeling and give it a name. Explain that what is happening to them is normal and what it means to be anxious or fearful. Encourage them to ask any questions they have about how they are feeling. This type of open communication between you and your little ones will help them understand and manage their anxiety better.
A great way to start this type of conversation is with books or stories. They are a powerful tool that allows you to communicate with your little ones in a calm, simple and fun way. We’ve put together a list of 8 books that you can read and discuss with your kids when they are feeling worried.
Kids can do amazing things with the right information. Understanding why anxiety feels the way it does and where the physical symptoms come from is a powerful step in turning anxiety around. Anxiety explained, kids empowered.
This beautifully illustrated book is a wonderful resource to help teach your kids what happens in their bodies when they feel anxious. It also gives them ways to cope with worry when it comes over them.
Cora is constantly worrying about everything. Because of this, the Whatifs love her. They sneak up to her and give her all kinds of doubts: big or small, silly or frightening, likely or impossible.
What if my dog runs away? Or what if I forget my homework? What if the sun stops shining?Or what if my crayon breaks?
As Cora prepares for an upcoming piano recital, the Whatifs cling on tighter and drag her down, making her anxious about messing up during the concert. Will she be able to change her worry-filled thoughts into hopeful ones? Find out in this timely picture book about overcoming anxiety.
The Whatifs give your little readers a great visual representation of what their worries and anxiety can look or feel like. The message that your negative whatifs can be turned into positive whatifs, is simple but powerful. A great read for your little readers and for the mums and dads who have a few whatifs of their own.
Meet Ruby — a happy, curious, imaginative young girl. But one day, she finds something unexpected: a Worry. It’s not such a big Worry, at first. But every day, it grows a little bigger . . . and a little bigger . . . . Until eventually, the Worry is ENORMOUS and is all she can think about.
But when Ruby befriends a young boy, she discovers that everyone has worries, and not only that, there’s a great way to get rid of them too . . . she just has to share her feelings.
The bright illustrations and simple messages of this book allow you to start a conversation with your budding readers. Tom Percival’s book beautifully reminds your little ones that they are not alone. They can manage their worries by talking about them with someone they love.
Wilma Jean worries about everything. She worries about missing the bus, doing a math problem wrong, having friends to play with, and getting carrots in her school lunch. Wilma Jean’s teacher helps her figure out what worries she can control and those that she can’t and what to do about both types of worries
This fun and humorous book is highly relatable for children of all ages who are dealing anxiety. It offers easy to follow and creative strategies for parents and teachers to use to help lessen the severity of anxiety. It lets the reader know there is way to manage and control their worries.
Sometimes Sophie worries – not during the day when she is busy with family and friends, but at night when everything is calm and quiet. Her family all try to help, but somehow they just make her worries worse. Until her mother thinks of a new approach … that might just involve an elephant or two! But wait, don’t think about purple elephants, whatever you do! Whimsical and humorous, this little girl’s story of finding a way to ease her worry will resonate with children and parents everywhere.
This charming book with colorful illustrations is a perfect bedtime read for those little readers who feel their anxiety more at nighttime. This book offers a wonderful way to calm your kids (and yourselves) before they go to bed.
One night just before the lights went out, Worry snuck into Maya’s mind. Worry grew bigger and bigger until there was no space left for anything else. Just darkness and fear. Join Maya as she finds Courage, through the form of a calming breath, and learns how to break free from Worry’s hold.
This beautifully illustrated book is perfect for young and old worriers alike that need reassurance that its possible to manage your anxiety. It explains what happens when you feel worried and how you can tell it to go away.
In this relatable and reassuring contemporary classic, a mother tells her two children that they’re all connected by an invisible string. “That’s impossible!” the children insist, but still they want to know more: “What kind of string?” The answer is the simple truth that binds us all: An Invisible String made of love. Even though you can’t see it with your eyes, you can feel it deep in your heart, and know that you are always connected to the ones you love. Does everybody have an Invisible String? How far does it reach? Does it ever go away? This heartwarming picture book for all ages explores questions about the intangible yet unbreakable connections between us, and opens up deeper conversations about love.
This beautiful book is especially helpful for little ones who are dealing with separation anxiety or have experienced loss or grief. It reassures your little ones fact that whatever is happening in their lives, they are never alone.
My Magic Breath: Finding Calm Through Mindful Breathing
Do YOU have the magic breath
Let’s see…Take a deeeeeep breath in…and BLOW it out…
…and like magic, you can feel better just by breathing! Sometimes it’s hard to feel happy. But with this interactive picture book, children breathe along as they learn how to make angry or sad thoughts disappear.
In a world that is sometimes too busy, with too many things going on, My Magic Breath will help steer children into a serene space of mindfulness, self-awareness, and balance.
This is a perfect picture book that introduces easy techniques that your little ones can follow to help them manage their worries. It starts with a breath in….and out.
Let us know what your favourite book is that you like to read with your little ones that helps them calm down when they are anxious. Leave a comment below or join the conversation in the Melville Mums Facebook group.
Next time you’re planning a trip to the beach, there’s no need to leave your furry family member at home. We’ve listed some of the local dog friendly beaches in and around the City of Melville that you can take the whole family to!
The very mention of a trip to the dog beach will usually send tails wagging. The magic of a day at the beach is not lost on your dog. There is something about the freedom of an off leash run and all that socialising that makes your dog’s smile just that little bit bigger.
Helpful Tips for Taking Your Pooch to the Dog Beach
You can let your dog off the leash at most of the dog-friendly beaches we’ve listed, but remember you must still have control of your dog. Here are some other things to keep in mind when planning your next beach trip with your dog.
Make sure you pack plenty of poo-ch pouches.
Check that your dog has its collar on and their ID is attached to it.
Bring fresh water and a dog bowl for after a long run on the beach.
Look out for rips or rough waves when you arrive at the beach if your dog likes to go for swim
If the sand is too hot for your bare feet, it’s probably too hot for your dog’s paws.
Before you jump back in the car, rinse the salt water off your dog’s coat to stop them from licking the salt and to prevent them from itching. Some of these beaches may have outdoor shower facilities you can use.
Attadale – Point Walter (Dog Friendly Area)
Address: Burke Drive, Attadale
Parking: Yes – verge parking and some marked bays
Poo-ch Pouches: Yes and usually quite well stocked
Café: No (Walters River Café is nearby but no dogs allowed on Point Walter)
East Fremantle – John Tonkin Reserve (Dog Friendly Area)
Address: Riverside Road, East Fremantle
Parking: Yes
Poo-ch Pouches: Yes but supply level can vary so take your own if possible
Café: Yes – Zephyr’s Café
Other info: Great playground next to the river on the reserve next to the café, where dogs are allowed on the leash.
Kwinana – Kwinana Dog Beach
Address: Rockingham Beach Road, Cockburn Sound
Parking: Yes
Poo-ch Pouches: Yes and usually quite well stocked
Café: No
Other info: There are public toilets and showers. Yes, this one’s a little further afield but it’s usually quiet and after your beach walk you can take the very short drive in to Rockingham, for a stroll (dog on leash) along the foreshore and have lunch outside at one of the cafes or a picnic whilst the children play on the playground.
North Coogee – C.Y. O’Connor Dog Beach
Address: Cockburn Road, North Coogee
Parking: Yes
Poo-ch Pouches: Yes and usually quite well stocked
Café: No
Other info: There are public toilets and showers. You can see a bronze statue of C.Y O’Connor and his horse offshore, as well as the Omeo Shipwreck.
North Fremantle – Leighton Beach Dog Beach
Address: Leighton Beach Boulevard, North Fremantle
Parking: Yes and there’s some verge parking when it’s busy
Poo-ch Pouches: Yes and usually quite well stocked
Café: There’s sometimes an ice cream van that also serves coffee and has EFTPOS facilities.
Other info: It can get extremely busy in the summer months so go early.
South Fremantle – South Beach Dog Beach
Address: Marine Terrace, South Fremantle
Parking: Yes
Poo-ch Pouches: Yes but supply level can vary so take your own if possible
Café: There’s a coffee van on the weekends and also the cafés along South Terrace are only a short away with your dog on the leash.
Other info: It can get extremely busy in the summer months so go early.
In the latest Getting to Know blog post, we chat with Charisse Parnell, Director of The Dance Collective. We talk about all things dance, community and managing the mental load as a busy mum.
Hi, Charisse. Please tell us a bit about yourself, your family and your business.
Hi! 😊 I am a mother of two boys (11 and 13) and wife to a Behaviour Specialist … definitely comes in handy raising a family! We moved to Melville from White Gum Valley in 2011 just in time for Finn to start kindergarten at Melville Primary School.
Before starting The Dance Collective, I completed degrees in Marketing and Primary Teaching and worked in both fields, lived and trained in dance overseas, built a successful dance program at Rossmoyne Senior High School, taught at-risk students and simultaneously freelanced as a choreographer/teacher.
What inspired you to start The Dance Collective?
In the beginning it was something small and fun I created outside of my high school work hours to call my own and bring a community of dancers who I had been teaching together.
What do you love most about what you do?
I love connecting people and making people feel part of something special. I love when people are surprised at how far they’ve come or how much they’ve grown, whether it be in dance or confidence. When I hear dancers are happier, their lives have changed, they’ve found new friends, or doing better at school or work because of what they are learning at TDC, I realise this is what I am meant to be doing.
I also love that I’ve been able to combine my marketing, education and dance experience into one role. All the knowledge and skills collected throughout my life has all come into one place. I get to use both sides of my brain – the creative and the analytical!
Finally, the people! TDC brings together the most beautiful humans. We operate and look after each other like family. We all love dance and that love is transferred to care, kindness and acceptance across the company. It’s very special.
Is there anything new/exciting coming up for The Dance Collective?
We’ve got auditions soon for a huge event at Crown in April. It’s for Oasis Ball 25 Year Anniversary – Western Australia’s media and advertising awards night and our client wants dancers from all walks of life – all ages, all sizes and all ethnicities. It’s going to be a great vibe bringing our dancers together and putting such diversity onto a corporate stage.
What are some of your favourite places or things to do in the local area?
We’ve just discovered a gorgeous dog beach at the river near Zephyrs. Our 1-year-old bull terrier Winston loves it there! Mai Thai is hands down our favourite place to eat as a family. My boys always order Massaman Beef and Scott loves the Red Duck Curry.
Do you have any advice for mums looking to start their own business?
Start small. Trying to do it all at once can be overwhelming. You can upskill as your business grows. I am forever learning new skills to improve the way I do things.
Don’t always make choices for profit. Some of my best decisions are made because they need to happen.
Choose something that is your passion. It can be become difficult at times but if you’re doing something your truly passionate about you will have the courage to push through.
Any other words of wisdom for our mums?
The mental load mothers are under is enormous. Two books I highly recommend which may help!
1) Buddhism for Mothers (Sarah Napthali)
2) How to hold it together when you’re doing it all (Felicity Harley)
And nothing better than sharing how you feel with mothers or business owners in a similar position. You realise our challenges are universal. You are not alone!
For the majority of mums who are reading this blog, dating has led you to where you are now, being a proud mum. As your life as a parent rolls along, everything can seem to get more hectic and stressful. Time, money, waistlines; they all get a little tighter and parenthood can become overwhelming. To regain your sanity and keep your marriage solid, date nights are a must, not just a nice-to-have for other couples to enjoy.
Date nights by definition are unique experiences that you share with your significant other without ordinary distractions – something fun for just the two of you! They’re a chance to take a break from your normal routine and daily stresses. A chance to do something special with your partner.
Parenting is a tough job and one that requires a village of support and encouragement around you. This village starts with you and your partner. Friendship is a huge part of a committed relationship which needs to be fostered so it is not taken for granted. By taking the effort to regularly spend time with your partner, you strengthen your bond, find that spark again and realise how amazing parenthood can be.
How often should we go on Date Night?
Start small, maybe once a month and work up to weekly dates if it’s feasible. The more regularly you can schedule “dates” with your partner, the more of these below benefits you and your whole family will enjoy. It’s a win-win situation!
Increased happiness: After spending time with your partner, being listened to and connecting with them you will naturally feel happier. A happy mum means a happy house.
Lower stress levels: Without any distractions, you can talk through any misunderstandings or miscommunications you’ve had with your partner in a less emotional way. Your more relaxed vibe will be well received by your kids.
Rekindled intimacy: Away from the kids and normal family life, you can relight that romantic spark and have some fun too.
Better communication: Date Nights allow you the time and space to talk about things that are important to you as a person and as a couple. You can catch up on what’s happening in your partner’s life because some days you can feel more like “passing ships in the night” than partners. Communication is a muscle that needs to be worked on otherwise it will get weaker.
Modeling good behavior for your kids: By taking time out for yourself as a couple, you are showing your little ones that family is about different relationships, not just the parent-child relationship. It builds a sense of WE in the family unit, instead of a sense of ME.
Stronger commitment and resilience as a couple: When you regularly work on your relationship by doing something as simple as “date night”, you increase its strength and resilience for handling the tougher times.
It’s too hard to organise!
It may seem like work at first to organise and schedule regular date nights, but just remember the fun the two of you can get up to. Because date nights are a necessity, plan them together and do something you both enjoy to make the process more fun. You can try something as simple and inexpensive as walking to the local park or as extravagant as a weekend away at a spa. Here are some ideas to get your date night diary started, whether you are looking for a night out, a night in or a “date day”.
It doesn’t matter so much what you do on date night but what you feel that is important.
Anon
Date Nights or Date Days out of the house
Catch a movie either indoors or outdoors
Sweat it out together; bike ride, beach walk, surfing, ice skating, hiking
Try sightseeing in a new part of town
Grab a picnic rug and relax
Enjoy a long leisurely grown up breakfast
Share a laugh at a comedy show
Listen to live music
Book a table at a romantic restaurant
Check into a day spa
Have a weeknight getaway at your favourite hotel
Go to a sports game
Stay at home Date Nights (Once the kids are in bed)
Order in from your favourite restaurant and stay up chatting
Find a new TV series on Netflix and snuggle up on the couch
Play for washing up privileges over a games night
Grab a wine and go on a virtual tour anywhere in the world. Virtual museums, zoos, aquariums and art galleries can all easily be found online.
Valentine’s Day looks a little different when you become a parent. It’s usually a little louder and less intimate than when it was just the “two of you”. Valentine’s Day with kids can however give your family a great excuse to show each other how much you care. Here are some suggestions on local family-friendly events and DIY ideas for celebrating Valentine’s Day with kids.
Dinner at Dusk, Bicton
Source: Dinner at Dusk
Where: 5 Honour Avenue, Point Walter Reserve, Bicton
Spend time with your loved ones at Dinner at Dusk Point Walter! Enjoy a night under the stars with the best range of food trucks, live music and an ambience you will love. Bring a blanket and set up with family and friends on the grass, or take up a seat at one of the complimentary tables and chairs.
Summer Screens, Bicton
Source: Hawaiian
Snuggle up with your loved ones and watch a family movie under the stars this Valentine’s weekend. Hawaiian’s Melville is hosting a FREE Summer Screens series so pack a rug, cushions and picnic dinner, or treat yourself to a delicious dinner from one of the delicious food retailers, and enjoy the show!
This is a free event but please register to attend – details can be found on the website.
The City of Melville’s free Summer Music series will feature performances from some of the best artists in WA across four stunning outdoor spaces in Melville. The concerts will run from Saturday, 13 November 2021 through to Saturday, 26 March 2022.
The family-friendly concerts celebrate the best of summer – outdoor picnics, food trucks and live music, all against the backdrop of a beautiful sunset.
Where: Yagan Mia Wireless Hill Park, Kadidjiny Park, Limestone Amphitheatre and Piney Lakes Reserve
Love is in the air this Valentine’s Day! There will be live music by Jacob Pihema Music and a host of delicious vendors including:
Oishii Modern Japanese Street Food Peter’s Cà Phê Merlion Seafood Street Hot Jam Doughnuts murphys.spuds Juice Station Jumplings
So, if you’re celebrating Valentine’s, or just want a great vibe with delicious food, head to South Perth with family and friends, relax by the river with views of the gorgeous city skyline.
Where: Sir James Mitchell Park, Coode Street, South Perth
Observe good hand hygiene and use the hand sanitiser where provided
Maintain social distancing
Check-in upon arrival, using the SafeWA app – look out for the QR codes around event or use manual check-in if available
DIY Valentine’s Day Celebrations
If an organized family outing isn’t feasible, we have listed some ideas to help make your Valentine’s Day celebrations with your kids just as special as they are.
Talk about Love
Take the opportunity to tell your child how much you love them and what love means to you. You can also ask them questions to get them thinking about family, friendship, and love. What do they love? How do they show their family that they love them?
Write love notes filled with what you love about your kids and tape them to their bedroom door for them to wake up to
Give each other 10 compliments throughout the day
Read stories about love
Bake with Love
Make pink heart shaped pancakes for breakfast
Put a bit more pink or red in your little ones lunch boxes
Bake heart shaped cookies or a Valentine’s Day cake with the whole family
Create a love themed mocktail to enjoy together – use cranberry juice to make it red
Make “Lovely” craft
Make Valentine’s Day cards together
Each paint a picture of someone you love
Give out vouchers for a one on one date with Mum or Dad
Paint love hearts on rocks
Make these cute Fingerprint Heart Poem Keepsakes from Simply Today Life
Design a Valentine’s Picture Frame – take inspiration from Design Improved
Spend time together
Go for a picnic
Enjoy a special meal at home – dress everyone in their best clothes and use the good plates
Go for a walk as a family – head to the beach, King’s Park or find a new bush walk to try
Take a trip to the Swan Valley and enjoy some time in a family-friendly winery
Book a staycation for the whole family & relax
However you choose to spend Valentine’s Day, we hope it’s filled with lots of love, hugs and kisses xx
For more local events, head to our What’s On page.
Carawatha Park playground is everything you need for kids of all abilities and ages. Although personally, I think bigger kids will have a better time than little ones at this playground.
The carpark is small with only one accessible parking bay, however there is heaps of street parking available near the playground.
There are lots of established trees here, making the playground quite cool and breezy, even on a hot summer day! If the day is extra hot, there are a few picnic tables and benches that are also in the shade (or part shade, depending on the time of the day).
There is a fantastic water play area. Little kids love getting water pumped out of the water pump and then watching as the water makes its way down. Just remember to bring a change of clothes.
There is also a sand play area for little kids with a little sand pulley system. Kids can climb up the little bench and pull on the chain or stay down in the sand and shove sand into the little sand carrier. Sand play is good fun, until the kids get into their car seats and then there’s sand everywhere!
Carawatha Park playground has the usual slides but it also has a large slide mound with wide polished concrete custom slide. It’s wide enough for at least two kids to come down the slide together, landing in mulch. There are large rocks beside the slide, teasing and challenging kids to climb up on them.
This playground really is inspired by nature and boasts balancing beams, stepping stones and logs. The beams and stones are in mulch and sand, so a fall can be slightly softened. Kids can definitely practice balancing and improve their agility. There is also a little bridge for kids to run up and down on.
As if the playground does not have enough rocks and stepping stones, it also has lots of blocks to climb. Additionally, there is also an arched climbing frame over a stepped feature log. The landing is soft as the area is mulched.
Another unique piece of play equipment here is the tree deck with a climbing frame. There’s a scramble net for the little spider-man (or spider-woman) to climb through and a bright orange fireman’s pole for them to come sliding down. Bigger kids can climb up the established tree from the tree deck and they would get a bird’s eye view of the playground for sure!
As you follow the footpath towards the back of the playground, you will see the adjoining bushland. Beautiful trees weep down towards the mulch while large logs criss cross each other, inviting little climbers up. There are wood carvings scattered around the bushland and also the park itself.
There are a few outdoor exercise equipment here in the green grass areas. The playground also has abundant garden beds with beautiful native plants and also has a bush tucker theme featuring various edibles and fruit trees like macadamia, lily pily and the irish strawberry tree.
There is a lot of green grass areas for picnics and playing sport. There is also an AFL goal post in the open green space area just before the adjoining bushland. BBQ facilities are also available here. All accessible toilets can be found in this playground too.
Starting school for the first time is a large step into the unknown for your little ones. Not surprisingly, this can cause lot of “first day of school” butterflies for them (and for mum and dad). We have come to your rescue armed with a list of 8 books that can help your little ones understand why they are feeling anxious about their first day at school and possibly turn those butterflies into small jitters of excitement.
Books are such a powerful tool that parents can use to connect with your children and calm them down. They can build memories, strengthen bonds and create an important love of reading and communicating. So find a book and work through the anxiety you and your little ones may feel together, and both enjoy that first day of school.
The Night Before Kindergarten is an uplifting take off on the classic Christmas poem “The Night Before Christmas”. It’s the first day of school and the kids are preparing for kindergarten, packing school supplies, posing for pictures, and the hardest part of all-saying goodbye to Mum and Dad. But maybe it won’t be so hard once they discover just how much fun kindergarten really is.
The rhyme and the beautiful illustrations of this book will both help to take your child’s mind of their nervousness. It will instead get them excited and involved in the process of getting ready for school.
Emily Elizabeth is starting Kindergarten and she’s a little nervous. Good thing that the teacher sent a note home that says each child can bring something from home to make the transition a little easier. But the teacher didn’t bet on a child bringing something or someone as big as Clifford!
The humor and cuteness that Clifford always brings can easily be remembered by your little one when they are having a moment of nerves. Maybe they can bring a smaller version of Clifford along with them in their school bag on their first day.
Are you ready? It’ll be fun! You’ll make new friends. New BFFs! You might have to be a bit brave … It’s the first day of school, but who is the most nervous about the big day?
This is a cute book for all those mums that are just as nervous as their little ones about their first day of school. A book that will reassure both of you that this is the just one of the many exciting “firsts” that you will share together.
Chester, a young raccoon, is anxious about leaving his mother, his toys, and his friends on the first day of school. Lovingly, his mother shares a secret that will help him cope with his new world.
This is beautiful book about the reassurance a mother gives to her child that she is always with them. This is a perfect book for those who children suffer from separation anxiety. It gives you a simple exercise you can use or adapt to help your child cope with their “first day of school” anxiety.
Tim, Hannah, Sunita, Joe and Polly are all off to school for the first time. Would you like to meet them and see how they go? There are new friends to make, fun ways to learn, and lots of different things to discover.
This book perfectly illustrates how everyone has a different experience at school because we are all different. Some children are more nervous because its a new school, or because mum can’t stay or simply because they have to eat out of a lunchbox for the first time. But you all have one thing in common, school can end up being so much fun in different ways.
It’s Llama Llama’s first day of preschool! And Llama Llama’s mama makes sure he’s ready. They meet the teachers. See the other children. Look at all the books and games. But then it’s time for Mama to leave. And suddenly Llama Llama isn’t so excited anymore. Will Mama Llama come back?
This is heart warming story is perfect for your little ones if they are worried about leaving mum and her not coming back. Llama ends up having a great time with his new friends and realises he loves his mum AND school.
When Mothball discovers a new hole, it unexpectedly leads her to the local school. The children learn that wombats love carrots and grass, while Mothball learns that lunch boxes contain very few carrots, that sports sheds can be a good place to have a nap, and that when you’re brown and round, it’s not a good idea to get too close to a ball …
This is a cute and funny book that will put a smile on your little’s ones face. It’s about Wombat accidentally going to school but its funny, cute and easy to read. A great distraction and reminder that school can be fun.
This book beautifully illustrates and reassures kids everywhere that even when things are scary or confusing, there’s always something comforting around the corner.
This is a perfect picture book that is simple to follow and help your little set those first day of school worry’s aside for a while. The lesson of the book can be even taught to older kids who may have the tendency to worry too much.
Let us know what your favourite book is that you like to read with your little ones about their first day. Leave a comment below or join the conversation in the Melville Mums Facebook group.
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