We hope you have all had a wonderfully relaxing break over

the New Year period.

All 2017 bookings commence on Monday 23rd of January

(unless your child has not yet turned 3 years of age). We have

a huge year planned and hope you all have lots of exciting

stories to share from your holidays.

It’s a great idea to label everything so that it can always find

its way home. Remember to bring along a sun hat, water

bottle, change of clothes and piece of fruit to share. It’s also

wonderful if the children are wearing comfortable clothes

with sleeves for sun safety) that are “OK” to get a little messy

in (we quite often get a little messy;)

AROUND THE COUNTRY

Gantan Sai ----------------------------------1-7th

National Bird Day -------------------------6th

Aboriginal Cultural Showcase----------15-24th

Australia Day -------------------------------26th

Kid inventors day --------------------------17th

Australia Day -------------------------------26th

WELCOMEE HAPPY NEW YEAR!

"WHEN YOU CAN DO THE COMMON

THINGS IN LIFE IN AN UNCOMMON WAY,

YOU WILL COMMAND THE ATTENTION

OF THE WORLD - GEORGE

WASHINGTON

THE PERFECT FROZEN

SUMMER TREAT –

MANGO POPSICLES

TOO MUCH TECH

TOO LITTLE TALK –

TIME TO PUT DOWN

THE SMARTPHONE

MANGO POPSICLES

CHIP Kylie Howarth Best for: Bedtime stories

Chip, like most other gulls, is wild about chips. He likes fat chips, skinny chips, sandy or crunchy or soggy chips. But, most of all, he loves Joe’s chips

from Joe’s Chip Van beside the sea. Chip, like most other gulls, can be a little intrusive on his search for chips. So, one day, Joe erects a sign near his van warning people not to feed the seagulls. Chip is devastated, so he plans a way to get back into Joe’s good books, thus gaining access once more to his favourite food. Will Chip succeed, or has he gone too far this time? The story has engaging repetition of words that welcomes children to join in the reading. The characters are endearing, the story delightful.

CORK ON THE OCEAN Kylie Howarth Best for: Reading out loud.

After riding a sea horse, evading a shark and befriending an exhausted butterfly, Cork meets a wise old whale who shares the secret of staying afloat. Cork on

the Ocean is an uplifting tale of courage friendship and the joy of positive thought. The cheerful message and careful use of sounds and rhythms makes Cork on the Ocean a good book for reading aloud. The illustrations are beautifully simple and the characters whimsical. Children will love this rhyming tale as much as adults will enjoy telling it.

This month it is all

about the animals

and a cork off on a

sea adventure.

PREP 10 min | COOK 10 min | SERVE 10

These simple frozen treats are perfect for a hot afternoon.

With only 3 simple ingredients and basic steps your child can

become head chef and get cooking!

INGREDIENTS

flesh of 2 mangoes

1 cup [250 ml] plain greek yoghurt

½ cup [125 ml] milk

METHOD

1. Place the mango, yoghurt and milk into a blender. 2. Blitz until smooth. 3. Pour into popsicle moulds - add wooden sticks. 4. Freeze for 2-3 hours of until set. 5. Run molds under hot water to easily remove popsicles. SAFETY – Remember to always supervise kids in the kitchen.

AUSTRALIA DAY – 26TH

Every January Australians come together to celebrate their

national day, reflecting on the nation's diversity and

achievements, as well as its past and future. Find an event

near you at www.australiaday.org.au

Meet Kayla, A wife, mum and home cook dedicated to helping you cook with your kids! - Learn more about Kayla’s mission and discover more delicious recipes that get the whole family cooking in the kitchen at www.mylovelylittlelunchbox.com.

Source: Recipe and images belong to mylovelylittlelunchbox

KIDS INVENTORS DAY – 17TH

The birth anniversary of Benjamin Franklin, who invented the

first swim flippers almost 300 years ago at age 12 is

celebrated! To acknowledge past and present

accomplishments of kid inventors; To encourage the creativity

of future kid inventors. How can you celebrate it? Go to

www.kidinventorsday.com to find out.

THE ABORIGINAL CULTURAL SHOWCASE – 17TH

Now in its 10th year, the four-day event was developed to

provide a platform to expose and highlight the talent of

Aboriginal artists and musicians from all over Australia.

See more at www.aboriginalculturalshowcase.com.au

FOCUS ARTICLE: What Parents Can Gain From Learning the Science of Talking to Kids The widening education gap between the rich and the poor is not news to those who work in education, many of whom have been struggling to close the gap beginning the day poor children enter kindergarten or preschool. But one unlikely soldier has joined the fight: a pediatric surgeon who wants to get started way before kindergarten. She wants to start closing the gap the day babies are born.

When Dr. Dana Suskind began doing cochlear implants on infants at the University of Chicago—a cutting-edge surgical technique that allows once-deaf babies to hear—in her follow-ups with families she noticed a stark difference in how the now-hearing children acquired language. Once they could hear, some children’s language skills thrived and grew, while others languished. Why this was so began to nag at her. What was causing some children to leap ahead in their language skills? The difference turned out to be the words children heard from their parents and caregivers, millions of them. Baby talk, explaining and describing, asking questions even when they weren’t going to get an answer — adults “using their words” is the thing that some parents and caregivers do thousands of time a day that builds a baby’s brain. While auditing a graduate-level course on child language development at the University of Chicago, Suskind heard about the groundbreaking Hart and Risley study on the differences in how parents from different income levels interacted with their children. After painstakingly following around families and recording how often they talked to their children, Hart and Risley found that the children of professional parents heard approximately 11 million words in a year, while children from poor welfare families heard only 3 million. Extrapolated over time, Hart and Risley surmised that, by the time poor children turned 4, they had heard 30 million fewer words than their richer counterparts. There was a direct correlation between the children who’d heard a lot of parent talk and how prepared they were to learn once they arrived at school. Hart and Risley wrote, “With few exceptions, the more parents talked to their children, the faster the children’s vocabularies [grew] and the higher the children’s IQ test scores at age 3 and later.” For Suskind, a light bulb went on. “The truth is, much of what you see in children born into poverty is analogous to children born deaf,” Suskind said. “It’s a really important point. The most fundamental science shows that it’s really language, and all that comes with it, the brain-building aspect of things, that makes a difference.” Suskind’s vision was not just to give parents a directive — you need to talk more to your child. She wanted them to understand why. Understanding that you are the architect of your child’s early brain development, said Suskind, is “extremely powerful.” Many parents believe that because they didn’t do well in school themselves, they have no business “teaching” their babies anything. But showing them how simply talking, even baby talking (which Suskind calls “child-directed speech,” and said gets an undeserved bad rap), to their children can make a difference, changes their minds. Of course, some words are more powerful than others. In other words, as correspondent John Tulenko pointed out, “Damn, why do you always make such a mess?” counted the same number of words as “Honey, you are cute, let’s clean you up.” Hart and Risley’s research found the message counted as much as the number of words, and the number of encouraging words also differed across

socioeconomic lines. They found children in low-income families “heard more than double the negative remarks per hour” compared with the children of professionals, who were much more likely to hear “Good job!” or “You’re right!” Suskind found that, once parents understood the science of language building, many were eager to try it out. To show parents how baby brain-building is easier than they might think. Language-building into three steps: Tune in: “Tuning in” asks parents to follow the child’s lead, to stop what they are doing and join their child, engaging and connecting with them. Often this step means parents need to get down on the floor and help build the Lego castle, or color a page in the coloring book. Talk more: Just like it sounds: Use more words and a rich vocabulary. Narrate the changing of a diaper or doing laundry, use descriptive words. Talk about the past or the future. Take turns:. Suskind said many parents say, “But my baby doesn’t have any words! How can we have a conversation?” Viewing young children as a conversational partner means parents can respond to anything — a gesture, gurgle or burp — to begin showing young children how to have a conversation. Here, Suskind slyly slips in a “fourth T”: Turn off the technology to engage with your child. While it’s not realistic to imagine never again getting immersed in a smartphone, understanding why technology doesn’t grow babies’ brains is valuable. Human brains are hardwired for social interaction, and the brain-building benefits of Tuning In, Talking More, and Taking Turns happen when it’s coming from a real human being, not a TV or tablet. Yet there are certain technologies that can actually increase social interaction: “A recent study shows that if you had a Skype with your grandmother,” Suskind said, “somebody on the other side of the screen responding [to your child], that counts! A human being on the other side of the technology works.” Suskind’s encourages educators to tell parents about the science of talking to children, and to explain that any opportunity, even the most mundane, is an opportunity to practice the Three Ts. Especially reading a book together.

{Article edited} see link for full article: https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/10/15/what-parents-can-gain-from-learning-the-science-of-talking-to-kids/

HEALTH & SAFETY: Preventing Parental Burnout (One for the Mums)

Being a parent isn’t only a tough job, it’s also one that’s never-ending. Which means if you don’t pace yourself and take a conscious break, you’re likely headed toward burnout. Author Sean Grover explains that preventing parental burnout is key when it comes to harmony within yourself and in your relationship with your kid(s). Below are Grover’s four simple suggestions for remedying parental burnout that are surprisingly simple and easy-to-do…if you can commit to it. Our suggestion: Tack this list onto the top of your New Year’s resolutions and see how your life (and parenting stress) changes for the better. 1. Say Hello To “Me” Time. No matter if it’s sipping a big cup of coffee while reading your favorite magazine, booking a long spa day, or hitting a new restaurant or museum solo, finding time to connect with yourself and hear yourself think is crucial for well-being. Bring a journal and jot down any thoughts that come to you. Resist the urge to pick up your phone. “Some of the most crucial conversations you will ever have will be with yourself. Slow down sufficiently to make this possible… In solitude we learn to concentrate and imagine, to listen to ourselves. We need these skills to be fully present in conversation.” 2. Get Moving. The benefits of working out can’t be overstated. Getting your heart rate up and breaking a sweat triggers feel-good hormones to course through your body, which directly correlates to a better, more optimistic mood. Add in the fact that you’ll want to eat better afterwards and you’ll be feeling more fit, strong, and confident. The best part: You can start small. “A cardio workout thirty minutes, three times a week can dramatically reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety,” says Grover. Rolling out the yoga mat, hitting the gym, sticking to a plan like the

cult-followed Kayla Itsines guides—whatever it is, find what you love and commit to it. 3. Get Creative. When is the last time you used your hands to create something? Flexing our creative muscles is something that often gets pushed to the backburner. However, tackling a creative task can unlock new neural pathways and lead to improved self-esteem and happiness. Pick up your (non-iPhone) camera again, build something, refinish some old furniture…the venues for creativity are endless. Think about how much you encourage your children to do art projects. Now set aside at least 1 hour each week to make something yourself. 4. Get Out Of Town. “When you stop traveling, visiting friends, or going out for a bit of fun, your parenting is headed toward burnout,” says Grover. “You need a break from your kids as much as they need a break from you.” While spending a night or two away from the responsibilities of parenting is ideal, you can start small. Schedule some kid-free time with your girlfriends (cocktails and game night, anyone?), a date night (or day date) with your partner, or an afternoon of solo time (see #1 above). Then, work your way up to a trip away from your kids and the day-to-day household tasks. If you can try to get away somewhere a few times a year, the rebooting effects will be tremendous. Plus, your children will learn that they can survive without you and rely on another loving adult for care—another crucial skill that you’ll want to teach them. Source: http://www.mothermag.com/parental-burnout/

SET PERSONAL & FAMILY GOALS On September 25th 2015, countries adopted a set of goals to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new sustainable development agenda. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved over the next 15 years. For the goals to be reached, everyone needs to do their part: governments, the private sector, civil society and people like you.

Sounds a little daunting doesn’t it? But it doesn’t have to be; even the smallest of changes to your day-to-day living will contribute to the success of the goals. Why not set some sustainable goals for yourself and your family this year. Here are a couple of examples: BUY MINIMALLY PACKAGED GOODS: Yep that easy! BUY FUNNY FRUIT AND VEGETABLES: many fruits and vegetables are thrown out because their size, shape, or colours are not “right”. Buying these perfectly good funny fruit, at the farmer’s market or elsewhere, utilizes food that might otherwise go to waste. Still not sure where to start? See more ideas like this at www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/takeaction/. Whether you’re a ‘Sofa Superstar’ or a ‘Neighborhood Nice Guy’ there are achievable goals for everyone.

RHYMING RIDDLES Materials: You don’t need anything for this one.

Why: Rhyming is a phonemic awareness skill, meaning that it’s all about

manipulating oral language. Rhyming is a precursor to learning how to

read and write. Make up riddles and guessing games using words that

rhyme or words that start with the same sounds.

“What kind of cake would a snake

make? He might make a lake cake.”

The rhymes can be silly and fun and will get your child thinking about words and listening for rhymes.

HOUSEKEEPING INFORMATION – CCB/CCR If you plan on claiming Childcare Benefit or Rebate, please

ensure that you have applied to the FAO and provided us with

both the primary and child CRN details. Full fees are charged

until the FAO formalises enrolments.

As you know, children are more than welcome to bring along

their own lunch, or share in our full platter lunch daily. Our

platters include seasonal salads, tuna, egg, cheese, sliced ham

and sliced chicken served on a variety of breads including

wholemeal Lebanese bread, wholegrain sandwiches, rolls and

pita and crisp breads. We also provide a fruit and milk based

dessert daily. For more information please see our daily menu

on our parent information board (near the fish tank).

If you are bringing along food for medical, cultural or other

reasons, please ensure that there are absolutely no nut

products or “junk” type foods including chips, chocolates,

lollies etc. We also ask that only water is sent along to the

service in the children’s drink bottles.

Finally, a quick reminder that if any of our children have had

any history of anaphylaxis / severe allergy type conditions

please ensure that you bring along a current Medical

Management Plan along with either an Epi or Anapen to store

at the service.

JANUARY WEATHER What January looks like in different parts of the world.

How can we make our newsletter even better? What information would you like us to include?

attungacottage@gmail.com Phone number: 95341625 or 0434721625

Attunga Cottage CCC

Share these images with your children and start a conversation. “Imagine if you had to wear all those clothes here in January!” MOSCOW | RUSSIA: The average January temperature is - 9 degrees Celsius but it can reach as low as -35. The first snow falls in October and remains until the beginning of April. LONDON| ENGLAND: The temperature stays around 5-6 C with almost no variation. Rain is often on the forecast . BARROW| ALASKA: From November 18 or 19 the sun dips below the horizon and it remains there for about 65 days. With an average temperature of -13, Burrow is a cold and dark place in January. DUBAI| UAE: January is Dubai’s coldest month, the average temperature is 24 C (sounds more like nice Summers day) but with an average Summer temperature 41 C it is some nice relief from the extreme heat.

JUMP & BALANCE

Short simple activities to get some active minutes in the day.

You can complete this activity pretty much anywhere. Choose a

leader to begin. They start jumping around the space while the

other person follows then simply stop and balance on…one

leg…tippy toes or even one arm and a leg!

Take turns, and before long you’ll be breaking a sweat.