parenting advice – Page 3 – Offspring Magazine

Meet the Aussie mums making a career on social media.

Increasingly, new mums take to social media as a creative outlet while adjusting to motherhood, with some building up enough of a following to turn it into a career.

Marketers and brands know that in 2019 audiences are after authenticity, so they flock to these mums who are open and honest about their journey through motherhood – the good, the bad and the ‘insta-worthy’.

These Influencer mums do a lot more than just post cute photos of their kids; they are content creators and successful businesswomen, who share advice on pregnancy, style, health, travel and fitness. They have created a community of mums who can relate to their struggles and learn from their tips and sometimes just share in a laugh.

Here we’ve collected some of our favourite NSW and Queensland Influencers to follow for your daily dose of motherhood, fashion and travel and lifestyle inspiration.

1. @mumpacktravel

In 2016 solo mum Evie Farrell and her daughter Emmie left Australia with a backpack and a dream of spending time together. For more than two and a half years they travelled through Asia, living a completely different life to what they had at home and learning about the world beyond the suburbs. “I was working full time and trying to work out how to spend more time with Emmie,” said Evie. “As soon as I realised it was cheaper for us to travel than stay at home I started packing up.”

It was the best decision she could have made.

“This trip changed us,” said Evie. “We know each other so well now, we’ve spent so much precious time together and we have the most incredible memories.”

Evie and Emmie have been in Sydney for the past six months while they finished their book, Backyard to Backpack, all about their adventures. It’s available for preorder and is in-store from 5 August.

You can find Evie on Instagram at @mumpacktravel and at www.mumpacktravel.com

2. @theconniediaries

Connie, an entrepreneur, mother, step mother and wife living on the Central Coast NSW is passionate about the simple things in life and raising her boys simply in their coastal home town.

Connie and her family travel often in their renovated vintage caravan seeing many beautiful parts of our country. When they’re not traveling, you’ll find them having slow days around home crafting, gardening, cooking or you’ll catch them outdoors by the beach, 4×4 driving or taking a hike.

Between traveling and slow days, Connie manages her travel blog and a popular online business @thetimbatrendandfolk where her husband and herself hand make a variety of shelves for around the home.

3. @allherflowers

Elle Rampling is a photographer and mother to three girls; Audrey, Harriet and Magnolia. A recent sea change has seen Elle and her family move from an area surrounded by horses and paddocks in rural Australia to a sweet old cottage in a sleepy beach town on the Mid North Coast of NSW.

Elle is a lifestyle photographer, specialising in capturing families, but it is her sun drenched portraits of her daughters that captured the hearts of many and has seen her Instagram page, @allherflowers, grow in popularity.

Whether roaming in paddocks with their ponies or frolicking by the sea, Elle loves to capture her daughters as they explore their environment. The girls can often be found dressed in adorable matching outfits, a love Elle says she inherited from her mother, as her and her siblings always had matching outfits growing up.

4. @amothers.love

Jess Stevens is a mother of five from the Gold Coast in Queensland. Jess became a first time mother at the age of just 16 and knew shortly after that she wanted to have a big family one day. Fast forward 18 years and Jess has had her 5th and final baby, giving her 3 beautiful daughters and 2 sons.

Jess is also a Social Media and Lifestyle Influencer on Instagram where you can find them sharing snaps of their everyday life, items and brands they love. Jess and her children have a new love for travelling which has opened the doors to some amazing opportunities. Jess has only recently launched her blog where she shares with her valued followers her family friendly travels in more depth. Watch her space for an amazing adventure coming up in October.

When Jess isn’t changing nappies, shooting content for brands or managing her socials, she likes to shop online, watch Netflix and look for that next adventure to go on with her children.

5. @bybrittanynoonan

Brittany Noonan is a mum, wife, fitness trainer and motherhood blogger from The Gold Coast, Australia.

You’ll never find anything less than her real self on her socials and blog. Brittany openly shares her struggles and low times through her mental health battles and her everyday motherhood struggles but she also shares her happiness and the things that give her joy and peace.

Brittany’s dream is that through sharing this real, unedited version of herself and her passion and knowledge for fitness and wellness, that she can inspire and help women everywhere to accept and embrace themselves and live a life they love.

Brittany is forever on a mission to find the balance between being a busy business owner, fitness lover, mother, friend and of course herself and just wants to share her experiences and to help you find that balance too.

6. @storyandco

Joanne Zammit is an educator, content creator and fashion lover who is obsessed with guiding others to find their purpose and live a life of gratitude.

Jo has an interesting story. Whether it was struggling with an unknown chronic illness for 20 years, losing her mother very suddenly the day she found out she was pregnant with her now eldest son, having degrees in marketing and primary education or being voted one of Google’s top 20 educators across Australia and New Zealand. Joanne’s goal is to help and inspire others whilst documenting her story for her children, from their mother’s perspective and as a legacy for her late mother.

Story and Co is a collection of stories, education, age old wisdom, curated interiors & fashion which Jo has learnt from her late mother, her journey as a mama and experience as a teacher- all with a healthy dose of gratitude.

Jo lives on acreage in Sydney with her Husband Adam and three children, Hunter, Archie and Evie.

7. @theorganisedhousewife

Katrina Springer is the ‘Organising and Checklist Queen’, and she is also the woman behind The Organised Housewife, one of Australia’s most popular parenting blogs.

Created nearly a decade ago, The Organised Housewife has grown into a one-stop-shop for a daily dose of domestic advice that makes life simpler, tidier, and less chaotic. Kat’s passion and skill in helping other mums create an organised home resonates deeply with her audience, which explains why nearly a million people tune in to her blog each month.

As a mother of three, Kat credits her accomplishments as an award-winning blogger, author, and celebrity ambassador to her children. Her honest and authentic approach has touched the hearts and homes of mums across the country.

This year Kat has released her first cookbook, taken home the 2019 Gold Coast Women of the Year People’s Choice Award, and been appointed Celebrity Ambassador for the Give Me 5 For Kids Campaign.

You can follow Kat on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

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HEALTH

The benefits of meditation for families

By N/A August 14, 2019

Have you been hearing people ‘stress’ the benefits of meditation to you? Here’s why.

A growing amount of Australian parents are looking to meditation to alleviate stress, whilst research is praising its effects on the behaviour and educational performance of children.

Meditation helps with memory. Studies have shown that consistent meditation can slow the aging process of the brain.

For mums, multitasking is a way of life. Meditation aids focus by reducing
worrying and restless thoughts.

Many Australian mums struggle with overwhelming stress and anxiety, regular meditation decreases the volume in the area of the brain that governs fear, anxiety and stress.

It makes you happier. A study done on Buddhist monks found that while they were meditating the part of their brain that controls happiness (the prefrontal cortex) was extra active.

Heart disease is the leading killer of Australian women and having high blood pressure during pregnancy can lead to a range of complications. There is increasing research that suggests meditation assists with lowering blood pressure.

HOW CAN MEDITATION BENEFIT CHILDREN?

Pre-school Aged Children: Meditation grows the place in the brain that affects self-regulation. It helps children manage their impulses. You can try and use meditation methods in your pre-school aged children before and after Time Out.

Primary Aged Children: Schools are increasingly trialling ‘short meditation breaks’ and some are even replacing detention with meditation. Over in the US, a Baltimore school has seen an increase in attendance and a reduction of suspensions after introducing mandatory meditation rather than detention for poorly behaved students.

High School aged children: Meditation can
increase student’s performance in school, help with mental health conditions which are increasingly prevalent among high-school aged
children such as ADHD, depression and anxiety.

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LIFESTYLE

Here’s an app for that! Our top 8 app picks for parents

By Brooke Evans-Butler August 7, 2019

Parenting doesn’t come with a manual, but there are lots of useful apps to make various stages of parenting a bit easier.

We look at some great options – whether you are a new parent or raising teenagers.

Our top app pick for pregnancy : Sprout Pregnancy 

Having a baby is such an exciting time, and with great pregnancy apps, you can access daily information about you and your baby, and access handy tools, including a contraction counter for when you go into labour.

For details go to www.sprout-apps.com/sprout-pregnancy-iphone-app

Our top app pick for new parents : Feed Baby

Are you a sleep-deprived new parent?

This app allows you to keep track of your baby’s feeds, nappy changes and routines. It clearly fills a gap – it has been downloaded over one million times.

For details, go to www.feedbaby.com.au

Our top app pick for toddlers: Macleans Nurdle Time

Do you struggle to get your young child to brush their teeth?

This free app features a catchy song and reward points (so they can ‘buy’ clothes and accessories to personalise their ‘Nurdle’) to encourage your child to brush for the whole recommended two minutes.

It features a countdown timer, so your child can see how much longer they have to brush.

Parents will love that it even features some simple tips about brushing properly before the start of the song.

For more details, go to www.macleans.com.au/kids-products/macleans-app.html  

Our top pick for educational apps : ABC Reading Eggs 

This is a fantastic app that helps your child learn to read.

It’s self-paced, fun and suitable for children from 2-years-old.

If your child wants something fun but you want to ensure it is educational, this might be a good compromise.

For details go to www.readingeggs.com.au/apps  

Our top pick for parenting apps : Calm Kids, Connected Parents 

Parenting expert Maggie Dent has released an app, Calm Kids, Connected Parents, so you can easily access Maggie’s pearls of wisdom.

The app gives you access to Maggie’s weekly tips, audio, videos and articles to connect stronger with your children.

For details go to www.maggiedent.com/calmkids

Our top pick for screen time apps : OurPact 

Managing your child’s screen time on their devices can be a challenge – but OurPact allows parental control so you can block apps you do not want your child to have access and manage the amount of screen time you want your child to have (without having to hide the charger or confiscate the device).

For more details go to www.ourpact.com

Our top app pick for parents of teens: Life360

If you are parenting teenagers and find yourself sending multiple texts to make sure they arrived at school, their friend’s house or their sports training safely, then this app could give peace of mind.

Simply save your usual locations and your family or friends in your customised ‘circles’ will be alerted when you arrive at or leave the location.

The free app also has a chat function.

For more information check out www.life360.com

Our top pick for First Aid apps: St John First Responder

You might have heard of the First Responder app (which allows people with First Aid qualifications to sign up to be notified when someone has called for an ambulance within 500 metres, so they can respond.

But did you know you don’t have to be a ‘First Responder’ to get use from this great app?

The app features First Aid instruction, First Aid tips and features a handy Triple zero calling feature that sends your GPS location so an ambulance can easily locate you.

It is a great app for parents who want to be prepared.

For details go to www.stjohnwa.com.au

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PARENTING

Are You Unintentionally Encouraging Sibling Rivalry?

By N/A September 14, 2018

Sibling rivalry happens in most families, and for a number of reasons, but could parents be encouraging it by measuring one child against the other?

Siblings and sibling rivalry are often hot topics of discussion amongst parents. Every parent is constantly looking for ways to help their children overcome this issue. Sibling rivalry may stem from various reasons: academic achievements, personal reasons, and, as I recently witnessed: from parents.

In this article I will share how parents unknowingly encourage sibling rivalry, how to create healthy competition and friendship, as well as a special tip for fostering cooperation and kindness among your children.

Are You Comparing Your Children?

At a Diwali party last week, after stuffing ourselves with too many appetizers, the hosts started the ‘introduce yourselves circle’ where each family introduces themselves to the rest of the group as many were meeting for the first time. As one particular family’s turn came, the mother described her two daughters as such: “This is my eldest daughter. She is a friendly child and a top-scorer at school…and this is my younger daughter. She is very shy and studying is always the last thing on her mind.” Her comment drew chuckles from the crowd, but my heart went out to the poor child who had just been ridiculed in front of a huge crowd. As the party went on, I noticed the ridiculed child keeping to herself and the top-scorer child with several friends. I could not help but wonder if this was the start of a sibling rivalry caused by a parent?

A top rule for parents should be not to foster comparisons. As tempting as it may be to get your poor performer to model himself on his top-scoring sibling, don’t compare.

Comparisons can really intensify a rivalry. Your job is to help your child do his best. If he brings home a C+ over his regular C-, it calls for praise and reward. Teaching your children to respect each other’s achievements is a good way to foster friendship amongst siblings.

It’s Not All About Grades

If your less academically inclined child feels outshone by his sibling, encourage him in other areas. Encouraging him to develop his other talents will help him establish his own identity and boost his self-esteem versus him having to compete with his sibling on unfair grounds. This way, each child will have something to learn from the other. This gives more room for friendship rather than rivalry.

Remember to prioritize education rather than grades. Even if your children have different levels of intelligence, it’s important for you as a parent to consider all of them as intelligent. When you begin to expect all your children to be smart and appreciate a challenge, they will actually be less competitive with each other.

Encouraging him to develop his other talents will help him establish his own identity and boost his self-esteem versus him having to compete with his sibling on unfair grounds.

No childhood is complete without some sibling rivalry. More than in the academic ground (young kids often turn a deaf ear when compared academically with their siblings or other kids), there is always some friction in the personal ground. While bickering is common and natural, it’s good to look out for issues that may grow bigger and alter a child’s personality in the long run. For example, all parents say that they love their children equally. My mum used to say that she loved me and my brother like her right and left eye. Which would you love more? But in truth, a parent always loves her children differently. Immensely and unconditionally yes; but almost always, differently.

With the youngest one automatically becoming the pet who gets away with murder, the oldest child is usually left carrying the burden of responsibility and blame. The little adorable baby that big brother always wanted soon becomes the object of rivalry. Such situations, if not corrected early enough, can lead to life-long rivalries. On the personal front, the older child will be wary and cautious in future relationships; while the younger one will always be in the habit of having his way.

A Special Tip: Fostering An Atmosphere of Cooperation and Kindness

A wonderful way for families to keep sibling rivalry to a minimum is to adopt something I once read about in a magazine. I did not have children then, but the idea seemed so simple I promised myself I’d use it when I had children of my own. In the magazine article, a parent of six (yes, six!) noticed that her children always seemed to be struggling with conflict. Instead of using the traditional method of parenting – lecture them about the rules, give them a smack or two, punish them – the tired parent thought of a more creative approach: documenting acts of kindness. Everyday, the children were required to look for kind acts happening around them. Each child was given a coloured paper on the fridge and soon there were long lists made. After being made aware of the acts of kindness around them, the children started to mirror these acts, creating a calmer atmosphere in the house. Reminding yourself of acts of kindness creates kindness in your heart.

In Conclusion…

With so much negativity stressed on sibling rivalry, many professionals believe that sibling rivalry is not all negative – in some cases it can lead to positive and healthy competition as well. Being competitive can bring out a child’s strengths when it comes to sports and other activities. A little coaxing to see if your child can beat his sibling’s score at a game of chess isn’t all bad.

There is always, however, a fine line that parents need to draw and maintain. There should never be competition in receiving a parent’s attention or love – some parents think it’s ‘effective parenting’ to display less affection to a child they are upset with and at the same time show extra love to the child’s sibling. Not only will the poor child start to dislike his sibling (who is an innocent party), the parents are probably next on the list too!

The article was originally published by koobits.com and has been republished with permission. View the original article here.

KooBits develops digital tools and platforms to help children learn better. Visit koobits.com for more information.

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