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Becoming A Parent
When you become a parent, everything changes. Just like that. There isn’t a book, video or pep talk that can wholly prepare you for the responsibility of bringing a little being into the world, then bringing them up. Becoming a parent is also a very emotional experience, especially if you’re a first-timer. That said, it […]
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Chipping In to help
Name: Dawn Likouresis Dawn Likouresis first came to the remote South Australian town of Coober Pedy when she was just 20. After what was originally meant to be only a three-day visit, Dawn decided to stay in Coober Pedy and is now an integral member of the community where she has lived for the past […]
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A Splashing Good Time
With the warmer days approaching, it won’t be long until we’re all heading down the local waterhole, river, creek, swimming pool or beach to cool off and unwind. The water can be loads of fun, no doubt about it! But it can also be dangerous. We need to be aware of the dangers and take […]
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Number One Mum
Name: Maryanne Malbunka Maryanne Malbunka received an extra special gift for Mother’s Day this year when she was named the national winner of the 2004 Barnardos Australia’s Mother of the Year Award. The award was announced last month at the Avillion Hotel in Sydney, where Maryanne was presented with a brand-new car as her prize […]
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The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Ever heard of Ugly Parent Syndrome? No, it’s not something that turns a parent into a hideously ugly beast – it relates to the way a parent acts when watching their child play sport. We’ve all seem them – parents who stand on the sidelines and scream abuse at other players, referees, fellow spectators and […]
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Keep ‘Em Active
Name: Charlie Wilson When it comes to kids, Charlie Wilson should know what he’s talking about. After all, he’s got five of them! Charlie and his partner Barbara are the proud parents of Charlie, 11; Lachlan, 9; Andrew, 8; Ottalie, 3; and Nazareth, 1½. “Sure, it’s hard work, but I love it,” Charlie says with […]
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Talk Tactics
It’s important that children feel comfortable discussing things with their parents. Sometimes a parent may feel awkward or unsure about discussing drugs with their children; however there are ways to make it easier. Here are some tips from the Department of Health and Ageing. Make time for your kids. Take an interest in their lives […]
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Flying Solo
Name: Catherine Pross Being a single parent is never easy, but becoming a single mother at just 20 years of age is a tough situation. Catherine Pross was only 20 when her relationship with the father of her son, Tindah, broke down. “She was absolutely shattered by it,” says Catherine’s mother Christine. “She was so, […]
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A Growing Concern
Drinking alcohol can damage your unborn baby. Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is brain damage and other disorders that can be caused to children through women drinking during their pregnancy. This is because alcohol interferes with the normal development of a foetus (the baby growing in the womb). FASD includes: Foetal alcohol syndrome Growth retardation; […]
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Super Mum
Name: Kerrie Patterson Motherhood is about as challenging and demanding a responsibility as you could find. No matter what you have on your plate in terms of work or other commitments, no one can deny that raising a family is a full-time job in itself. Many mothers, however, raise their children while juggling other responsibilities. […]
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Life Lines
Suicide is not the way out. Don’t be shame to ask for help. Suicide used to be rare among traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Sadly, it has become a lot more common in recent years. In fact, suicide now occurs more frequently in Aboriginal communities than among non-Indigenous people. Suicide is more common […]
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Practiced Parents
The program, called Strong Families, is being run through the Apunipima Health Council, who recently received a three-year grant from the government to fund the project. Apunipima is an Indigenous health organisation that has mainly focussed on addressing chronic disease in Indigenous Cape York communities. However, through their work, health workers identified gaps in services […]
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Mentor For Young And Old
Name: Aunty Honor Cleary In traditional language, ‘yelangi’ means ‘meeting place’. At the Yelangi Pre-school at Indooroopilly in Brisbane, Aboriginal kids have been meeting Aunty Honor Cleary for more than 25 years. Not only does Honor help the “little people”, as she likes to call them, the centre is also a major resource for the […]
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WA welfare trial announced
The Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Ms Jenny Macklin has today announced that the West Australian government will join with the federal government in imposing welfare payment management in selected Indigenous communities in and effort to combat parenting and behavioral issues. As part of the trial, funding will be provided to establish parent responsibility teams to […]
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Laurel Is Tops
Name: Laurel Hutchinson Laurel Hutchinson of Kempsey is already raising eight kids but she doesn’t mind if more of them drop in or come to live with her for a while – she just really, really loves kids. Laurel, who turns 34 this month, has packed a lot in to her busy life, but she […]
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Jodie’s A Super Mum
Name: Jodie Bell Jodie Bell leads a very busy life. Yet she’s never too busy to lend a helping hand to friends and family in need. “I’m the rock of the family,” she says. In fact, this mother of two often goes out of her way to pick up friends’ kids on the way to […]
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