Are they exhausted, getting sick, falling apart, over it! It’s such a tough time of year.

Last week my daughter woke up, practically slept walk out of her room with big bags under her eyes and for the first time ever asked if she could have a day off school.

She told me later that day that she was surprised that I agreed to her taking a “wellbeing day” but I explained that I could see that she desperately needed that day, a day away from addition and subtraction, all the noise and school yard politics…

She stayed home and played the piano, watched her favourite shows, ate her favourite food, read books and lazed about all day. By the time evening rolled around she was herself again, pepped up and ready for her nippers training session.

I had given my daughter permission to relax every fibre of her being and, in doing so, reclaim her fight.

And that’s something I’ve found about self-care, we often need someone else to jump-start it for us.

Giving ourselves permission — to rest, to recharge, to realize self-indulgence isn’t actually self-indulgent at all.

This is a concept I know is especially hard for women.

We ALL need to remember to exhale….we’re all pushed to do too much, we all need a break. Kids and parents alike.

We don’t want our kids to learn from us that they have to work their butts of all the time until they burn out. We want them to tune in to what they really need and grant themselves permission to take a break.

As busy mums though, how do we take time out when we don’t seem to have five minutes to ourselves from sunrise to sunset?

Let me ask you an important question.

Has your busy-ness become the thing that defines you? Has it become a badge of honour?

Our culture has decided that we need to be Wonder Women and so we believe that being busy is what makes us worthy.

We need to SHAKE THIS IDEA OFF!

Because while we remain slaves to our to-do lists and exist in get-it-done mode, we are forgetting to live a meaningful and healthy life meant to be enjoyed.

How do I shake it off though Brenda? Who’s going to get it all done for me?

Well, I suggest you take a good look at your to-do list and make some honest decisions about what’s really non-negotiable and what you can say bye-bye to. Eg: Do you really need to organise those birthday photos into a special album? Or go to that event if no one is going to get hurt by your absence?

And/or..

Find some support in the areas you feel like you could use some help, then decide who you can ask to support you in those areas. Eg: My mum comes over once every fortnight and I never say no to her bringing food for my family which usually lasts a couple days and creates some much needed time and space. Say YES to help!

I’d also love to invite you to join my FREE LIVE WORKSHOP which I host with Naturopath Naomi Judge on what we consider to be the most important topic when it comes to Women’s health and wellbeing – and that’s the importance of self care.

After all, having too little rest is a major contributor to expanding that waistline, IBS, gas, bloating, headaches, depression, heart problems, decreased sex drive ……

WHY YOU NEED TO LEAVE GUILT AT THE DOOR AND EMBRACE SELF-CARE
Learn to love, nourish and respect yourself with these 5 smart habits

In this workshop we explore: 

• Where this guilt comes from and why we feel it (so important to recognise this so you can move on).
• How lack of self-care creates stress and some serious health issues you shouldn’t ignore.
• How you can get clear on a specific, urgent WHY, your sense of purpose, your capacity to fulfil your mission and do what brings you joy.
• The telltale signs of stress (it’s not necessarily what you may think!).
• 5 easy ways to create sustainability and resilience in your life so you don’t become ill and burn out (this is gold!).
• Plus there’s a Q & A with us at the end.

Please share this workshop with your friends, I have a sneaking suspicion they’ll be thanking you later!

Bren x

Grab your FREE copy of my 'CALM YOUR CORTISOL' recipe book to soothe your cortisol and start your journey to high energy, fast metabolism, and feeling like yourself again!

Guest Post by Amy Williams

Is praising a child with a treat for a job well done an appropriate reward or blatant bribery? Some feel rewards undermine motivation and do nothing more than encourage negative behaviors by reinforcing them. Others strongly believe implementing a reward system helps establish work ethic, instills a sense of pride in doing something well, and provides positive reinforcement for appropriate behaviors.

The front side of the argument believes offering rewards, especially edible sugary ones, can lead to multiple negative effects, including health risks such as weight gain, cavities, increased risk for type II diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and elevated cholesterol levels. It also can lead to emotional eating, the encouragement of overall poor eating habits, and the creation of a nearly insatiable sweet tooth, all of which further perpetuate those health risks. Coexisting with this negative health argument is the fact many people see rewards as a way to get children to stop a negative behavior, instead of encouraging a positive one in the first place.

The other approach to the argument is the idea that a reward is a positive consequence for doing the right thing. Implemented appropriately, rewards can be used as an incentive for making good initial decisions and demonstrating acceptable behaviors.

Let’s break it down more specifically. Offering a treat to stop a negative behaviour, commonly known as bribery, most often happens during a time of chaos or crisis. Think of it as a desperate negotiating ploy to just make them stop. For example, you are at the doctor’s office and your child is pitching a fit and bouncing off the walls. You have no choice but to sit and wait for the doctor to see you, all the while the older women in the office are giving you dirty looks, and the men are offering you unsolicited advice on how they would handle the situation. You are likely to bribe your child with whatever she wants if she will just stop the behaviour NOW. Lo and behold, the pack of cookies from the vending machine does the trick, she quiets down, and you get to wait for the good doctor in relative peace. The problem with this in the long run is you didn’t control the situation, your child manipulated it. She got exactly what she wanted, when she wanted it, and you were played. This will likely become a strategy she will use again because it worked for her. But it doesn’t modify her behaviour in a positive way; it reinforces the negative action.

On the flip side of this, rewards are not discussed and negotiated in the heat of the moment. Ideally, a reward system is thoughtfully planned and tangible rewards are laid out ahead of time as an incentive for appropriate behaviours. Much like an adult receives a paycheck for doing a job and doing it well, rewards are concrete “payment” for your child following through with what was previously laid out in your expectations. Instead of bribing them to stop a negative behaviour, it is her “paycheck” for doing the right thing. When coupled with praise and encouragement, rewards can be highly effective in promoting similar behaviours in the future.

However, for a reward system to work, some careful consideration needs to take place before a reward is ever offered. Together, parent and child should create a list of possible rewards and the necessary expectations required to earn them. This instills motivation and incentive to earn them, and by letting the child help determine the rewards, she will be more willing to work for them. Rewards can range from a special activity with Mum and/or Dad, to a favourite outing. The key is to balance the reward system with conversation about appropriate behaviours, teaching and modelling the expectations to earn the rewards, and keeping the rewards reasonable in both frequency and cost. If the reward isn’t earned on these expectations, it should not be given, or the system will be invalid and ineffective.

With thoughtful planning, and firm boundaries, a reward system can be a powerful tool to help shape your child’s behaviours. It can help instil motivation, purposeful intent, and acceptable social skills that can be carried over into all aspects of a child’s life.

Do you have a reward system in place when it comes to encouraging positive behaviour in your kids?

Amy Williams is a free-lance journalist based in Southern California and mother of two. As a parent, she enjoys spreading the word on positive parenting techniques in the digital age and raising awareness on issues like cyberbullying and online safety.

We stayed three nights from Friday night. I was a little nervous as I’ve only ever visited the Hunter for wine-tasting and fine dining and I wasn’t sure there would be enough to keep my kids (11 and 12yrs) entertained, especially since I banned all their devices accompanying us on our family holiday!

Doing my research paid off and I can safely say that it was one of the most enjoyable short breaks we’ve had and I highly recommend it for kids of all ages.

Accomodation

Elfin Hill is a gorgeous, quaint, tasteful property in the heart of Pokolbin. It was within perfect proximity to all our attractions, yet offered the beauty and tranquility we all craved for some down time. The weather was perfect the whole weekend and on arrival the kids enjoyed a refreshing dip in their rainwater pool.

Our hosts were warm and welcoming and the breakfast they provided for us was simply delicious.

Here I am looking happy because well, look at those Elfin Hill grounds!

Chillaxing in the common area with a view.

Crisp and sunny breakfast each morning.

A Continental breakfast was included in the price. With offerings like delicious bircher muesli, almond milk chia seed pudding, yoghurt, fresh fruit, croissants with home-made jam and green and pear tea.

Cooked breakfast options like this Breakfast Bruscetta are available for an extra price.

Lots of space for morning stretches.

Beautiful rose bushes…

… with adorable, tiny frogs living in them! The kids were enamoured.

ACTIVITES

On Saturday my golfing boys enjoyed 18 holes at The Vintage .

While the girls went horse riding at Hunter Valley Horses.

Followed by the Handmade in the Hunter Markets …

…where we discovered this stall Nutso with THE BEST allergy free cookies. Gluten and Dairy Free and made with lots of organic ingredients too. We bought a packet of almond fig & ginger biscuits. They didn’t last long! 

My daughter loved the art stall below where the lovely stall holder, Vanessa from Apothecary Artist,  taught her all about gold leafing. The little gold leafing kit we bought occupied her for hours once we got back to our accomodation.

These smoothies were so much fun, we couldn’t figure out what they were exactly! They are actually candles made by Sweet Wicks Candles and they smell just like the smoothie they represent! I shudder to think of all the chemicals used to create these, but honestly, the joy they brought everyone who happened upon them, including us!

The markets were small, so we only stayed for a short while then headed to the Hunter Valley Gardens for some lunch and an afternoon of strolling around the stunning gardens. 

My favourite gardens were the Story Book Gardens, such fun for young and old alike. Brought back so many childhood memories. Check me out with Humpty!

Georgie Porgie pudding and pie, kissed the girls and made them cry ?

UPDATE: 5th April 2018

Go-karting was recommended to us at Go-Karts-Go (they also have putt putt and archery), where my husband raced my daughter around a massive 850m long track! Not for the faint hearted this one, with lots of speed demons on the course. Hubby was relieved that he beat his daughter (for now!)

And while my son is an avid golfer who plays off a handicap of 8.8, he’s still completely obsessed with putt putt! There is a great spot for putt putt and aqua golf at the Hunter Gardens. Fun for the whole family.

Wine-tasting (done sneakily so the kids would enjoy it too!)

Greatest idea ever is hiring bikes from Grapemobile Bicycle Hire cellar door in Pokolbin and cycling around the dirt tracks to visit some wineries. NB: If you have younger kids you can hire a tag along trail bike and baby seats.

My kids had an absolute blast cycling the day away, and hubby and I got to stop into 5-6 wineries, to find some previously undiscovered gems like Worthington’s and Calais wines.

Best Part – you can order wine from most of the wineries on the bike tour, and they deliver them back to Grapemobile where you can collect them when you return your bike, pop them into your car boot or onto Grapemobile’s complimentary return bus service.

Worthington’s Vineyard where we tasted some delicious semillions. Love this space.

Scarborough Wines are well known to us, but we’re glad we stopped in because the service here was impeccable. The staff sat us down on the verandah with sweeping views of the vineyard and served us a cheese and dried fruit plate whilst pouring us endless wine to try. All the while the kids played on the grass with all the apparatus provided  like hula hoops, balls, ….needless to say we ordered a case of our faves to be sent back home to us in Sydney. Cheers!

The chardonnay at Calais Estate was a revelation and the Gourmet Picnic Hamper we purchased from there and enjoyed on the vineyard certainly hit the spot for the four of us after a long day of cycling.

We had picked the bikes up at 11am and by 4pm the kids were exhausted, but with Audrey Wilkinson closing in half an hour, we returned the bikes, jumped in the car and zoomed over to taste some of the best wines we’d tasted that day. Soaked in some of the best views too.

UPDATE: 5th April 2018

On our second Easter visit to the Hunter Valley, we found a different bike hire provider, Sutton’s Estate Electric Bike Hire, and this time were able to experience the amazing wineries, cheese shops, chocolate shops and restaurants by electric bikes (which made cycling up hills much easier for the lazier members of the family!). The views along the bike track they mapped out for us were honestly just so beautiful.

They also offer on road servicing and can pick up and drop off from your accomodation on request, and also will run around and pick up all your wines and food for you to take back to your accomodation.

Full of beans at Sutton’s Estate and ready for our bike ride winery tour.

Tintilla estate

Dining

If you book Elfin Hill online then their continental breakfast is complimentary, so we didn’t really venture out for breakfast and really only dined out for dinner on two nights.

The aim was to find delicious local food, whilst avoiding the fine dining price tag. On our first night we drove 20 minutes to Lillinos Bar and Trattoria, because Italian is always going to be a winner with the kids. It didn’t disappoint. We had Gnocchi al Pomodoro, Pizza with Proscuitto, Roast Potato, Mushroom and Rosemary, Tagliatelle all Ossobucco and a lovely St Clements Merlot 2009 to wash it down. 

Photo courtesy www.winecountry.com.au

On Saturday night we had a fabulous dinner at The Royal Oak Hotel. Our hosts at Elfin Hill recommend eating in the bar section for a more affordable option (though one day I hope to eat in their fine dining restaurant in the back).  We arrived early around 6pm before it quickly filled up. My daughter and I enjoyed every bite of our simple but perfect meal of Pan Fried Tasmanian Salmon served with green beans, chips (proper hand cut ones!) and aioli,  hubby and son where stealing the beans off our plates they were so crisp and tasty. Everything on the plate was cooked perfectly. Our son surprised us (not) by ordering the House-Made Classic Beef Burger with Jack cheese, caramelised onion, tomato, spinach, pickles, ketchup and chips and my husband ordered the best dang Gourmet Margherita with local ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, buffalo mozzarella and olives. Audrey Wilkinson also made a guest appearance : )

Now for the moment the kids had been waiting for, a visit to the Sabor In the Hunter Dessert Bar. This was planned as their Easter indulgence and it did not disappoint.  I think the website and the photos below says it all! 

Lemon Curd Meringue

Toblerone chocolate cheesecake with vanilla bean ice-cream. Yep, you read that right!

UPDATE: 5th April 2018

A newish restaurant to open in the Ben Eaton/Lindeman Estate, was Baume, pronounced (bow-may). A lovely family-style restaurant with large meals for everyone to share as you can see we did here. We ordered Saganaki Prawns to share as a starter (not pictured), and for mains, a 16 inch chicken and mushroom pizza plus spanner crab pasta and a delicious and fresh rocket, fennel, orange and pecorino salad. Yum! Highly recommend this place.

After my husband and son played 18 holes at Cypress Lakes golf course, my daughter and I joined them at the bistro for dinner. The vibe was super casual, with live music, a gorgeous view, and great food, everyone was happy. My daughter and I ordered the Pork Belly dish with Quince Aioli and Slaw (crispiest of crackling, this dish didn’t dissapoint), plus we shared a tender and super-tasty calamari. The boys had burgers which were some of the better burgers they’ve had. Prices were reasonable too.

All in all this was a wonderful short break and we’ll definitely be back to do it again.

Have you been to the Hunter Valley with the kids? What activities did you get up to? Let me know in the comments.

Other posts you might like are How to Spend Three Glorious Days in the Blue Mountains and Connecting With Your Kids.

Bren x

I do my best to keep 80-90% of the food healthy, or what they know to be everyday food. We don’t keep any ‘sometimes’ food at home, which is reserved for parties, grandparents, friends houses and other events. The food I provide my kids aims to provide them with energy and nutrition so that they can feel happy and healthy each day and in the future.

So I have provided a list of regular foods my kids will eat in the hope this well help you…

Breakfast

• Spelt and buckwheat pancakes (or they are loving my latest banana pancake recipe, which I will try to blog soon)
• Smoothies – they love the Banana Nut-butter Protein Shake by Quirky Cooking from my free breakfast e-book 
• Anti-oxidant smoothie
• Eggs and soldiers – 2 eggs and soldiers made out of Sonoma Spelt sourdough bread with grass fed butter and cut up veges on the side
• Scrambled eggs made with Barambah cheese and milk with baby spinach and a side of  raw vegetables and avocado sourdough toast
  Egg Muffins
• Fried egg and bacon with cut up raw vegetables
• Bircher Muesli or Mamacino’s Feel Good Buckwheat Bircher Muesli from my free breakfast e-book 
• Golden Ricotta Wraps – from my free breakfast ebook
• Natural yoghurt mixed with lots of cinnamon, vanilla powder, frozen berries or seasonal fruit and a mix of chopped nuts and seeds
• Coco- nutty Granola by Sarah Wilson
• Grass fed sausages with homemade baked beans and a side of raw chopped vegetables
• French toast using sourdough bread
• Brenda’s Brekky Ball with a green smoothie
• Notella on spelt sourdough

Morning Tea/Snacks/After school snacks

• Chopped fruit with nuts and yoghurt
• Healthy treats like Chewy Choc-Banana Biscuits, Brownie Cake,  or Date and Cinnamon Muffin
• Home popped organic popcorn (non-GMO corn) with lots of grass fed butter and sea salt (or cinnamon)
• Leftover homemade pizza
• Plate with nuts/seeds, a Medjool date and natural yoghurt
• Kale Chips
• Frozen blueberries or rasberries with cashews
• Mango sorbet
• Home made ice block
• Super Smoothie
• Dips like hummus, pesto and guacomole with vegetable sticks and a small amount of Eat Rite brown rice crackers
• Mix n match muffins
• Cheese on top of cucumber slices
• Lots of water
• Coconut water from fresh baby coconut
• Muesli slice

School Lunch

• Often these are Mountain bread wraps (spelt, rye or rice) with the following fillings (butter and baby spinach are always on the base):
• Goats cheese and olive
• Ham and cheese
• Eggs and bacon
• Leftover chicken and brie
• Egg muffins or leftover quiche
• Home made sausage rolls
• Cheese and spinach Mountain Bread toasties
• Leftovers like homemade pizza, spanokopita (when mum cooks)
• Lately my son is loving taking a “picky plate” which he prepares himself with ham, swiss cheese, olives (Loving Earth), cut up veges and some buttered buckwheat cruskits
• Za’atar (a big favourite!)
• Savoury muffins
• Vegetable sticks, sliced mushroom, cherry tomatoes

Dinner

• • Always includes lots of vegetables
  • Slow cooker meals are their favourite, particularly lamb shoulder
  • Roast chicken with roasted sweet potato, potato, garlic and onion and steamed broccoli with lots of butter
  • Cauliflower and potato soup
  • Pumpkin soup
  • Lamb shank soup
  • Spelt pasta with home made pesto, sustainable tuna and Loving Earth olives
  • Roast chicken with potato, sweet potato, onion, garlic and salad
  • Frittatas
  • Scrambled eggs and bacon with sourdough toast and chopped up vegetables
  • Pan fried fish with peas and salad
  • Stuffed baked potato
  • Chicken burrito (let them build it themselves)

As you can see they eat mainly a whole foods diet aiming for a good mix of protein, fat and carbs (mainly vegetables and some fruit) at each meal, without relying heavily on just one food group (eg. wheat or dairy).

I would love to hear what your kids favourite meals are in the comments below.

Bren x

For our bodies and minds to function properly, the fuel we put into our bodies needs to be of the high-octane whole food and nutrient-dense variety, rather than the processed, packaged kind.

But there is far, far more to food than simply eating the stuff!

Using the ritual of meal time to bond as a family is one of the great joys of being a parent.

It’s that little window during the day (usually at the end) where the family as a unit is gathered in one place, and generally with undivided attention (hint: turn the TV off for best results). And when you can make yourself heard over some of the weird and wonderful snuffling, snorting noises that generally accompany kids and food, you can actually have a decent conversation. Maybe even find out a bit of ‘the goss’…

But more than that, it’s a time where subtle lessons can be taught and learned, and where the kids can find and appreciate themselves and others.

Here are some of the wonderful benefits of a simple, but regular, family meal time:

Family Time

Quality family interaction is so underrated! And can actually be a lot of fun (granted, not always).

Life’s busy, we all appreciate that, but a little bit of ritual doesn’t go astray. So sit down at a regular time, have a laugh and a joke, and have chat about what’s going on in each other’s lives (try not to lecture your kids about what they aren’t choosing not to eat). This sort of regularity forms strong bonds, strand by strand.

The routine of making time for each other also offers the opportunity to set an example and teach kids subtle lessons or life skills with undivided attention – about food, about manners, about connection, or just everyday issues.

Building Self Esteem

Being heard breeds confidence and self worth within a child. They intuitively understand they are valued for their conversation, thoughts and opinions, and by the very people who love them the most. This is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children.

This type of validation is more likely to encourage and equip them to speak more often in class and/or group situations.

Improved Linguistic Skills

Talking is a rather specific skill, believe it or not. When a child is allowed the space to really converse and express themselves, it helps them to develop their speech, vocabulary and conversational skills, build complex arguments and support their case fluently, and to organise their thoughts on the run.

Growing up with ethnic family and friends, it never ceased to amaze me how we could converse in our ethnic tongue so fluently and expressively, even if we couldn’t read it or write it. That was school’s job.

Language and Vocabulary Development

Language development, including slang and the common usage of words in their proper context helps to expand vocabulary, particularly of food & kitchen-related items (which is also a great benefit of letting children help in the kitchen). For younger children, saying a word as you engage in an action (like stirring or cutting) helps enhance their ability to infer.

Listening Skills

How many of us are good at this? I mean, truly? All of us need work in this area I would imagine, so why not expose the kids to this virtuous trait early on? Yeah, I know, it’s possibly harder than programming a Space Shuttle for NASA, especially when the little foghorns hit the volume, but we can only try.

Learning how to listen is an enormously beneficial cognitive tool, helping kids follow and engage in conversations as they extract and exchange important and/or interesting information. They learn the commonly accepted (or not, in some cases!) values of politely talking in turn and not interrupting excessively.

I’ll bet most people haven’t really thought about all these aspects of a simple family meal. And it’s not over thinking it either – all of these benefits happen daily to various degrees .So take advantage of meal times. While you’re busy having a bit of fun, you can also be mindful that your example and counsel spread out over the years actually mean something.

Do you have any rituals in your family? I’d love to hear from you.

Bren x

Peace and quiet and freedom, I’m talking about, not a working internet connection, though there’s no way to disturb tranquility quite like your Wifi bludging on the job!

So, when Hubby took the kids away for a few days to allow me to fully concentrate on a busy work schedule, I made the most of it. Granted, it felt kind of odd initially. Not having the family around for an extended period of time is very rare, and it’s not something I seek out. But as the general background noise flittered away, as did the feeling of responsibility to anyone but myself, I kind of got into it and my displacement disappeared. Ok, ok, not having to repeat myself every five minutes and a lack of screeching also helped!

My first (excrutiatingly difficult) decision was to go for walk. A sense of peace washed over me. How naughty – an afternoon walk. I never do this! Working all day, spending time with kids and/or prepping dinner is the usual fare in the afternoon.

It was liberating knowing I  had  nowhere to be. I could stop and talk to locals (not in a creepy way) as I meandered around the coastline without worrying that I had somewhere to be or duties to perform at home. How good is taking your time, arriving home and pouring a glass of wine (I didn’t want to spill any while I was power walking), and relaxing with a movie on TV?

All in ‘me’ time.

I have friends who semi-regularly take themselves away to a health spa, or holiday with their friends. They can’t recommend it highly enough, and it’s only natural to be just that tinsy bit jealous. But for one reason or another, I’ve found it difficult to seperate from my kids and family, whose company and presence I love so much. Whether part of the reason is being uncomfortable separating from routine, or a mother’s sense of guilt, or something else, it’s something I’d like to explore. After all, ‘me’ time is an important part of all our lives, and more than just a morning walk before re-entering reality.

After a few days on my own, which included shopping and catching up with friends (in between and after work!), I can more clearly appreciate the benefits having some downtime and breaking away from the routine. Yes, even from the family every now and then! Now, it’s not like I want my three children … er, husband and two children … galavanting around without me on a regular basis. It just happened to work out that way this time.

It sure is nice to focus on yourself and unwind with a sense of freedom occasionally.

No responsibilities. No guilt. Just me.

Bren x

;

You know you really need one when the increasingly looming departure date feels mentally like it will never arrive. You never quite know how you’re going to survive those last few days without passing out or dead-legging a kitten. But you do, and like a school assignment that is handed in three minutes before being due, your mind and well being are suddenly cleared for take-off!

It’s like magic, which coincidentally describes Noosa to a ‘T’. Our home away from home feels like a warm embrace and a snugly blanket all in one. A place where all deadlines, troubles and responsibilities are denied entry, and we can exist and relax as a family. Stunning beaches reflecting the clear Sunshine Coast skies, wonderful weekend markets, a good book or two, fighting relaxed kids … it doesn’t get much better.

The best part is that there are no timetables. It’s nice when your biggest decisions revolve around pool, beach, and whether to take in the unbelievable sunset from your apartment, or do so over a cocktail!

Fortunately for us, we had our own (river) beach at the end of Noosa Sound, where we would swim, play cricket on the grass, or, mostly, build sand castles. Not just any sand castles, though! An infatuation with another guest’s expert sand castles led to the kids inheriting the spade, trowels and other utensils. We literally spent hours fashioning Inca temples and castles, with the kids honing their ‘stair’ technique without breaking focus.

When we headed for the beach, which was most mornings, the north-facing Main Beach and (more secluded) Tea Tree Bay (main picture) didn’t disappoint. Gentle, rolling waves were perfect for body surfing, boogie boarding and learning to ride a board. Hours passed with what seemed like the blink of an eye.

As a quick thought, I’m often asked about non-toxic sun blocks. Here are the two highly recommended ones we took with us:

Dr Mercola – A natural sunscreen, which is great for the whole family and is free of chemical fragrances, parabens and nanoparticles. It gave great protection for all of us, though but I found the 30+ a little hard to wash off the skin without a good scrub in the shower (if you have an Enjo glove mitt, it gets it off in seconds).

You can buy the Dr Mercola sunscreen from Health Oasis and the Enjo mitt here.

And I love using Mutki which is a tinted 15+ sunscreen, it is also free of any nasties and is safe to use all year round. In fact, the healing antioxidants in it are always good for the skin.

The coverage was perfect and felt like velvet on my skin, giving me an even, subtle coverage. The colour I used was a medium tint, but it also comes in fair. I used this on the days when I was traipsing around Eumundi markets, shopping on Hastings Street or walking to a cafe for breakfast or lunch.

The beaches being so close to Hastings Street is always a bonus. Home to boutiques, cafes, restaurants and ice-creameries like the amazing Massimo’s, you’re never short of a good sticky beak, snack, or, in my husband’s case, a good coffee!

A highlight along the strip is Bistro C, which has gorgeous views overlooking the beach, and picture perfect for sipping an unforgettable coriander-infused vodka cocktail! A couple days later I enjoyed a mouth watering breakfast there with some of the best wellness warriors the coast has to offer .

For us, a trip to Noosa is not complete until we’ve toured Eumundi Markets – again. And we never get tired of it! Wonderful stalls with clothes, jewellery, furniture, home wares, organic produce, palm reading, caricature drawings, homemade muffins and cakes and coffee await. Not to mention the BEST seafood paella this side of Madrid!

We spent a day recreating a previous holiday to Maroochydore, less than an hour south. There we stalked the Cotton Tree Markets, which are a fraction of the size of Eumundi, though we ended up buying more. Go figure! I tracked down my apron lady and stocked up on some sweet, original aprons for my School Holiday Kids Cooking Classes, before popping down to the ever-sweet Cotton Tree Beach………

The kids are old enough to swim out to the sand bank now, which was an adventure. Or, they could allow the delightful little circular rip drag them out and back to shore within minutes.

My favourite part of every day, though, was watching the sun start to sink on behind the mountain on the horizon each evening. We would have to quickly grab a glass of wine because it was quick to set, but oh so calming …

I read Room by Emily Donoghue while I was there and, as a bit of a claustrophobe, it was quite a confronting and uncomfortable read. But I found the story of a 5yr old boy and his mum who lived in a small (11ft square) locked room totally compelling. I fell in love with the mother, and felt it was a lovely comment on the protective, nurturing love of a mother, and the amazing bond with her child.

I needed a couple of days break after reading this book before I started the transportational The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, a magical, dazzling and deeply romantic ride I didn’t want to get off.

How often do you find the time to read a couple of books in a week these days?

It’s nothing compared to the time we get to spend together as a family, though. I can’t wait for the next one … hopefully slightly longer!

Bren x

Perhaps he is just more cunning than I give him credit for, but he really is as useless as a chocolate teapot!

On the other hand, my little helpers, Mr 9 and Miss 7, are more than happy to help out with the cooking. True, it’s a far easier sell when there’s a cake bowl to lick,  but Mr 9 is on board whether it’s a savoury or sweet concoction. I call him ‘my little chef’, which prompts him to ask if he can go get a job in a restaurant and start making ‘real’ money. Mmm, child labour … kids have rights too! You have no idea how it warms my heart to see him collecting chicken bones (unprompted) so I can use them for stock.

Miss 7’s ears prick when ‘baking’ is mentioned. She is also very concerned about her memory and requests I feed her more fish (and now chia seeds!).

They even know the ingredients and proportions that go into making a healthy smoothie, muffin, or biscuit. It has now reached the point where they are actually schooling my husband on kitchen basics.

The other day I was greeted with the look of a (more than usually) stunned mullet after asking hubby to separate the egg whites and yolks. The look on his face suggested this was not one of his underhanded excuses, but was a look of genuine bewilderment. He couldn’t have looked more confused if I had asked him to recall something I said two minutes ago.

Now, hubby is no stranger to egg-related incident and controversy, so while this was not a surprise (in a kind of surprising way), it did add an element of humour to the situation.

One person who I knew could help was Mr 9 – “Stand aside, Dad, let me show you how it’s done”. He may have said “Muppet”, but I can’t be sure …

“Make sure you ….”, hubby couldn’t help himself, before Mr 9 interjected with the talk to the hand movement.

“Ah … ah … watch and learn.”

I am so proud of my little chefs. I love knowing that they are well on the way to looking after themselves. And, loving it!

So here’s my tip: resist the temptation to shoo them out of the kitchen in the interest of time. After all, time with your kids is a precious experience, particularly when you are imparting life skills such as cooking, sharing, creating, measuring, and how to best nourish themselves.

You can be sure they’ll never forget it.

If  you want to read more about the benefits of having your kids in the kitchen check out my blog “What’s Cooking Kids”

Bren x

By responding to a personal challenge with an open heart, she’s managed to build a business that helps not only her own family, but many others as well.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m very blessed to be married to my best friend for the last 13 years, we are parents to two very spunky and lively little ones ( a boy and girl) who came to our family through intercountry adoption.

I am also the owner of an online children’s lifestyle store called Lime Tree Kids www.limetreekids.com.au  which keeps me busy! My son has some needs that require him to be gluten, dairy and “numbers” free .

This is a huge part of our lifestyle now, sourcing great food for us all to eat that doesn’t affect his behaviour or health!  I’m also an avid believer in play and that all great things start with fun! Bonding, learning, growing in all areas are so much easier when it’s in a relaxed manner.

Why did you create Lime Tree Kids?

Basically I started Lime tree kids as a way of bringing all of the products I had searched and located for using with my son and his play therapy. When he first came to us he had some attachment issues and needed help learning to trust and bond with us as his main caregivers (parents).

We did this by spending hours of time playing with him every day and developing a relationship through fun and eventually laughter! He learnt to trust us as we developed a relationship through play and meeting his needs continuously.

When I was searching for toys and items to play with it was so hard to find toys that were wooden and long lasting rather then plastic and flimsy. I found that things like sleeping bags and baby carriers and anything else I needed like sandwich cutters to help make eating fun etc where spread all over the internet and that no one store had everything I needed .

So I decided to start a “hobby” out of my bedroom and opened an online store that sold most of these products. It pretty quickly grew into what it is today. We just turned 2 and  have just moved into our first office warehouse facility , have over 250 brands and 1500 products lines. I’ve bought on board my brother as a business partner and he looks after the warehouse and packing of orders , my niece is in charge of Customer Service / Admin and we have another lady , Louise as well helping out doing accounts .

Why is play important for kids?  

I believe that children learn through play and it’s all they need for that stage in their time.  Play is like children’s work, they learn skills like interacting, sharing , communication , how far their boundaries can go , that they are safe or unsafe , encourages fine and gross motor skills which in turn help them with every day skills we use as adults every day.

There are so many reasons why just playing is important. Its impossible to list them all!  I remember being shocked when I learnt that the reasons that things like chalk boards and children using them and painting and  drawing on a board using up and down strokes, actually taught them to use the strokes that they use when learning to draw and write .. things like that amaze me !

What does healthy eating mean for you & your family?

Healthy eating to me and my family generally revolves around my sons dietary needs. We have managed to keep him off behaviour medication and turned around his ASD diagnosis by tweaking his diet.

We eat organic when we can, fresh vegetables and meat. We don’t eat anything with preservatives or additives if we can help it. I’ve learnt to cook a lot better and search the internet for resources ! If there are skin issues we address what food he has been eating and try adding or deleting that food.  It’s a constantly evolving thing as I wasn’t raised thinking of food as a source of nutrition and goodness.  I’m also a terrible cook so those skills are being tested as well !!

What are 5 of your kitchen pantry essentials?

Coconut Oil

Almonds (for flour or cooking)

Coconut milk

Rice pasta

Rice cakes for snacks

What do you indulge in?

Coffee – I’m trying to give it up at the moment but I just LOVE coffee !!

What are some of the things you value most in life?

Some of the things I value most in life are my husband and our marriage and relationship. My children and their needs, my good friends who are always ready to hear my crazy stories! My family, and creating memories with them as well as my friends. And SLEEP !!!

What is your favourite quote?

Everybody is a genius but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid !  – Albert Einstein.

Do you find time to nurture yourself? What does this involve?

I am very, very bad at this. My idea of nurturing myself at the moment is to take a bath, to go to bed early with my son (whom I lie down with each night and listen to sleep music) . I am about to start Yoga though so I can take some time out from everything !

What do you and your kids like to do on the weekend?

We lead a very busy life, so generally on the weekend, we will hang out around the house and just chill out, staying in our pj’s and slothing around. We will also go to the market and get some fruit and vegetables and do grocery shopping (woot woot!) . Every second weekend we catch up with extended family and have lunch and a play together.

Would you like to share one of your favourite healthy recipes?

One of our favourite family recipes is from Quirky Cooking Jo’s blog. http://quirkycooking.blogspot.com.au/2009/08/thermomix-fried-rice.html

I hope you enjoyed getting to know Shelley as much as I have.

You can connect with Shelley here:

www.limetreekids.com.au

www.facebook.com/limetreekids

www.pinterest.com/limetreekids

Is the string section in your head already cueing the dramatic score that coincides with pulling out that lunchbox as if it’s ticking?

It’s disappointing when your child hasn’t eaten the food you have lovingly prepared, and it hurts to waste good food. I feel I’m turning into my father when I lecture my kids about people less fortunate. Anther step in that direction and I’ll have a funny laugh, electro-hair and wear pants that are too short.

Check out these 7 easy ways to help reduce lunchbox stress and turning into your parents : )

Build a Framework For Your Kids’ Lunch

So let us all silence our inner soundtracks before they turn into Meatloaf, breathe deeply, and reboot. Let’s explore different ways in which we can encourage our children to eat healthy foods.

Because kids burn up tons of energy growing, learning and playing, they need healthy meals to properly fuel them and keep their teachers sane.

With a little imagination and the right tools, lunch can be a surprise they look forward to.

Keep it fun & interesting

Rotate the lunch menu. Variety is exciting! Choose from pasta salads to green salads, mini-pizzas to egg muffins, pancakes, dips and crackers, fruit kebabs, and so on. Or, try breakfast for lunch in the form of a healthy bircher muesli!

Always include at least 1 favourite.

Use sandwich cutters to make different shapes.

Organise in advance

Batch cooking with the kids is fun and time-thrifty! The result is yummy food that they have actually prepared.

Preparing meals from scratch does take extra time, but you can multitask. Listen to a podcast or some of your favourite music. It is special bonding time with the kids where they have your full attention.

Freeze home-made muffins, yoghurt, pancakes, soups, individual egg frittatas.

Prepare the night prior with cut up fruits & vegetables, thaw frozen items, or peel hard-boiled eggs.

Kids choice

Allow the kids input into what they would like to eat (keep the boundaries tight, Mamas!). This makes them feel important, independent and confident. And more likely to eat the nutritious food!

Go Seasonal

Fruits & vegetables that are in season are fresh, tasty and cost-effective, while offering natural variation to our diet.

Keeping it safe

Make sure you use an ice brick or thermos or insulated containers as required during warmer and colder months.

Keep it clean

Simple, wholesome, nutrient dense whole foods in your kids lunchboxes help kids to concentrate, provide energy, help them to grow and allow them to function at their best.

Remember to include a big bottle of water.

Avoid nutrient deficient products that are processed, artificial and refined, particularly hydrogenated oils and trans fats, preservatives and grain products and sugars.

Healthy lunchbox basics

Home-made hummus and Mountain Bread chips with vege sticks
Spelt & Pancakes smeared with some raw honey, pureed apple and a sprinkly of cinnamon
Home-made raspberry, raw honey  and chia seed frozen yoghurt
Sushi
Egg Muffins
Home made pizzas
Bliss Balls
Fruit kebabs
Leftovers
Air popped popcorn with organic butter and sea salt
Homemade muffins

Remember, variety in healthy meals begins at home. So introduce kids early to the whats and whys of nutrition, and lunchtime will become far easier.