South Eastern

Connect Dec 18 Families

The Families Newsletter of South Eastern Community Connect

Independence, wellbeing and quality of life.

Get your next Connect Newsletter by email

secc@secc.sydney

The Summer

Issue

2

In this issue

3 What’s On

4 Our 40th Party

6 Parents Only

8 SMOOSH News

10 Positive Parenting

12 Classes and

Workshops

16 Calendar

Contact us

South Eastern Community Connect Shop 84, Eastlakes Shopping Centre Newsletter copy & design: Alison Leader

02 8338 8506

Mon-Fri 9am to 4.30pm

secc@secc.sydney

themed activities—as well as the

amazing Hot Potato Band and the

outdoor cinema with colourful

beanbags everywhere. The kids

loved the screening of Sherlock

Gnomes as the sun went down.

We look forward to even more

events in the coming year, and we

hope you’ll share the journey with

us.

Until next issue!

Welcome! Hasn’t this year flown by? Mine

certainly has, with my little one

growing up so quickly! It feels like

one minute ago she was a new-

born… Now she’s a big eight-

month-old, standing up, crawling

and wanting to talk!

Parenting is such an incredible

journey, isn’t it? But it’s far from

easy. In this issue we offer you five

ways to start connecting better

with your little one as you help

them to be happier, less anxious,

and more resilient in a busy world.

We also give you the rundown

on our 40th anniversary celebra-

tion, held as a Locals Picnic on Sat-

urday 10th November. It was an

unforgettable day, with perfect

weather and a big cross-section of

the community taking part. Our

team loved meeting families from

the area and seeing the kids enjoy

drumming, balloon animal-making,

the two jumping castles, outdoor

family yoga, and heaps of carnival-

Catherine Fraser, Editor.

Find us at:

SECC.Families &

SECC.Community

Welcome to the team Tina started as our Aged Care Marketing Coordinator earlier this year, working to develop our Home Care Package offering. She loves seeing people support their families with services that enhance their quality of life. Tina says her favourite treat is the Strawberry Watermelon Cake from Blackstar Pastry. “Fresh, and with my favourite rose smell, it is both romantic and warm!”

Above: Tina Tung

3

What’s On

Wise Choice Kids program

In this specialised program, you’ll learn how to help

your child develop empathy, resilience and self-control

through the day-to-day things they experience.

Running over four weeks from Tuesday 12th February,

the program will cover ways to help your child care for

others, create beauty in the world, think critically,

solve problems, and much more. Call us on 8338 8506.

Play Power for Dads

Sometimes implementing small changes and new

ways of doing things can make a big difference in

the parenting role. We will be running a free

workshop on 9th March which helps dads make

the most of everyday moments with children

from birth to three years. Participants will learn to

build loving relationships with their children and

capitalise on daily routines. There will also be

talks on play; and healthy brain development.

Dads and Bubs Bonding

This workshop will cover the practicalities of feeding, settling, sleeping, infant communication, baby massage and infant play. It will help dads, grandads and carers gain a basic understanding of infant development as well as exploring what it means to be a father today. Mums are also welcome to come on the third week with the baby massage therapist. Held over three Saturdays, Dads and Bubs Bonding is run on 19th February, 23rd February, and 2nd March at Gardeners Road Public School. Contact Bronwynn for more information on 8338 8506.

4

F our decades is a long time in anyone’s

estimation – and that’s how long South

Eastern Community Connect (SECC)

has been supporting the local

community with services that address people’s

needs at every stage of the life journey. It’s been

a fantastic journey—and we thought it was

worthy of recognition in 2018.

Our 40th anniversary celebrations kicked off in

October with a Photo Exhibition in collaboration

with Crown Group and Eastlakes Shopping

Centre. Here, we told the story of the Bayside

area over 40 years, displaying fascinating images

and histories of streetscapes and historic

landmarks around the centre and on shopfronts.

Next on the agenda was our Annual General

Meeting, held on 17th October. A cake was cut in

celebration of SECC’s 40th anniversary, and two

new board members were announced. Iris Knight

was awarded the Maisie Foster Volunteer Award

How we celebrated 40 years of

supporting the community It’s been a big four decades for South Eastern Community Connect, and we

decided to throw a big outdoor party last month to celebrate.

for her varied volunteering roles, including

shopping assistant, “grandparent” support at the

intergenerational playgroup, and her work baking

cakes for the Beaconsfield lunch group.

On Saturday 10th November, we celebrated 40

years of supporting the local community with a

Locals Picnic and Family Fun Day. The event was

supported and funded by major sponsors Crown

Group and its subsidiary Eastlakes Shopping

Centre. Running from 2pm to 9pm in Eastlakes

Reserve, the event included a variety of engaging

activities for all ages which reflected and

celebrated the quality and impact of our services.

Visitors were treated to a free performance from

the Hot Potato Band, and the sweet sounds of

Sarah Parkin. Entertainment was also provided by

students of Gardeners Road Public School and JJ

Cahill Memorial High School.

Our staff and volunteers worked hard all day,

providing a sausage sizzle and a range of

workshops including drumming and outdoor yoga

(below). A fantastic day was had by all. An image from the Photo Exhibition

5

At our 40th Anniversary event in Eastlakes Reserve, our drumming workshops attracted participants of all ages.

The Urban Gardening Workshops were popular throughout the day. Our Tai Chi demo reflected our involvement in community wellbeing.

The lines were long for the two jumping castles, which kept the kids happy. The Hot Potato Band had fun roaming the park and engaging with families.

The bean bags, provided by Outdoor Movies Australia, offered endless

entertainment for kids from 2pm to 9pm.

Our 40th Anniversary event finished with a screening of Sherlock Gnomes

under the stars.

6

Parents only

Tai Chi for relaxation

Experience the health benefits of Tai Chi with experienced instructors.

Beginner Classes Wednesday 12:30 to 2:00pm

Advanced Classes Monday 10:00 to 11:30am

Eastlakes Scout Hall

Form-filling support in Eastlakes

Are you having trouble filling out official forms and applications?

We can help you understand the process, guide you through to

completion, and help you submit your official forms and

documentation.

Monday to Thursday by appointment.

COMING SOON: Outdoor exercise classes

Watch this space for an announcement on new exercise classes for the whole community. We’ll help you get fit and stay fit as you socialise with friends and build your strength.

Contact us on 8338 8506.

Community gardeners wanted

Your community garden provides fresh produce and plants to share and connects us with the environment and other people in our community. Do you want to take part?

Contact us on 8338 8506.

NEW Sewing classes for parents

Learn to make or repair clothes, hem uniforms and sew basic projects.

Beginner Classes: Fridays 10am to 12pm during term time.

Eastlakes Shopping Centre

7

Y ou can also find us on

Instagram at secc_eastlakes

or sign up for our email list at

secc@secc.sydney

8

SMOOSH NEWS

Welcome! We hope you’re enjoying the beautiful onset of Summer.

SMOOSH refers to the Safe Multicultural Out of School Hours Childcare Centre program run by South

Eastern Community Connect at Gardeners Road Public School and Eastlakes Public School.

Kindergarten 2019 places are filling fast, so if you have a child who will be starting school in 2019,

please complete your enrolment form as soon as possible and return to the SMOOSH office.

CHRISTMAS PARTY!

SMOOSH will be organising an end-of-year party for all children and families from both services to thank

them for all their help and support this year. The party will be held on 19th December , and Santa will be

visiting SMOOSH to entertain the children on the day.

SUMMER HOLIDAY PROGRAM The Summer program is packed full of wonderful activities to occupy your children over the term break.

A massive range of art and craft to challenge your child’s creativity will be on hand. There will be lots of

great indoor and outdoor water games, and some cooking as well.

To secure a place, please book early. You can download the vacation care form at www.secc.sydney or

call us on 02 8338 9678. We have some new excursions such as Cool Cats indoor play centre, Santa’s

Workshop in Centennial Park and plenty of old favorites such as Luna Park, Sky Zone, and the movies.

9

SMOOSH NEWS

SMOOSH NEWS

SMOOSH won a big award! South Eastern Community Connect has been announced as

the overall winner in the Excellence in Education and Child

Services category of the inaugural Bayside Business Awards.

Bayside Council partnered with the Bayside Business

Enterprise Centre (BBEC) to recognise local businesses that

have made a positive contribution towards making Bayside a

dynamic and vibrant place to live, work and shop.

Bayside Council engaged ACA Research to accept the award

nominations and conduct the judging process. The award is a

fantastic recognition of our SMOOSH service, and we’re very

grateful to our SMOOSH Families and the community for their

ongoing support of our service.

(Left): Our team: Kate, Rekkha, Bronwynn and Ashleigh.

Kicking sustainability goals Sustainability is a continuous part of the SMOOSH

curriculum. We encourage children to use the compost and

help us make sure food scraps are put into the compost

when possible. Children also assist in looking after our

chickens at the centre, which is lots of fun.

New ideas for our

older kids Throughout the term we’ve been discussing with the seniors

(years 5 and 6) what activities they’d like to engage in at

SMOOSH as part of After School Care.

It was clear the children wanted more independence and

trust in their abilities.

Beginning in Term 4, we trialled this program, with one

optional excursion per week that was within walking distance

from the school, accompanied by SMOOSH educators.

10

Positive parenting

When parents play with their children, it helps

boost their self-esteem and teaches them how to

interact with others. So why not brainstorm ways to

play, and enjoy acting like a kid again yourself?

2. Allow your kids to do things

for themselves.

Allowing your child to test the waters will give them a

sense of independence. I know it’s hard sometimes,

but it helps teach them that making mistakes is OK.

Think back to the first time you successfully rode a

bike, or made pikelets. Maybe it took a few times to

get it right. But in the end, you felt good. This is the

feeling you want your child to have. It will help them

try new things as they get older.

Five ways you can start raising

happier, calmer children While kids don’t exactly come with an instruction manual, there are ways

you can improve the happiness levels in your home. Alison Leader reports.

W e all want our kids to be happy,

but sometimes we don’t know

where to start in the journey to

becoming better parents.

It’s well understood that over-scheduling our kids

with sports classes, music lessons, and art classes

can cause kids to be stressed and anxious. But we

don’t always know what the alternative is.

Sometimes we forget that most children are

actually happy by nature. They don’t have the

pressure of the world on their shoulders. They’re

able to experience joy through the small things in

life. They enjoy learning and seeing new places

such as the shopping centre, especially when

they’re young.

So how can we tap into our child’s innate

happiness? How can we form a bond with our kids

that will last a lifetime?

Here are five tips for boosting your child’s

happiness levels in simple, inexpensive ways.

1. Play with your child.

Play is your child’s language. And by play I mean

getting down on the floor and interacting with

them. Take delight in playing with your child. Start

by playing at the park or pulling out a board game.

11

Positive parenting

3. Set limits for your child.

You don’t have to be the parent that says “yes” to

everything. Most children don’t like to go to bed or

do their chores. This doesn’t mean you let them off

the hook. It’s alright if they get upset with you.

Have you considered

SMOOSH? We run a Safe Multicultural Out of School

Hours Childcare Centre (SMOOSH) program

at Gardeners Road Public School and

Eastlakes Public School.

SMOOSH caters for children from the schools

in term time, and all schools are welcome to

participate in vacation care.

Call the number below for more info:

02 8338 9678

4. Read to your child.

Reading helps children’s brains develop and builds the

bond between parent and child. Let your son or

daughter help with picking stories for you to share,

and make a space for Storytime every day.

Make reading a part of your routine and it will

become an activity you both look forward to.

5. Make time for yourself.

As a parent, it’s easy to put yourself last. But you need

to spend time doing things you find fun and fulfilling

outside of the role of Mum or Dad.

Even when you find your time stretched thin, add a

little space for yourself, even if it’s only 10 minutes.

Take a bubble bath, go for a walk, or watch a funny

YouTube video. Happy parents make happy kids.

As parents we need to make time for ourselves

because if we're not taking care of ourselves we're not

teaching our children how to take care of themselves.

Rather than overscheduling our kids, we need to raise

resilient kids who know how to rest and recuperate—

and whose parents know the value of self-care.

As a parent, you’re doing the best you can. Nobody

expects you to be perfect. We all make mistakes.

Psychologists often tell parents that “good enough”

parenting is the goal. A good-enough parent is a

parent that makes mistakes. It’s OK to mess up

sometimes, and it’s even better if you can admit to

your child that what you did was wrong.

Remember to go easy on yourself. Talk to your

friends and family about your struggles. Be open, and

ask for help when you need to. Maybe your friends

need your support too, and you can share each other’s

burdens. We’re not meant to do this journey alone.

12

Classes and workshops

What else is on offer?

CPR and First Aid for Babies and Children: 13th February, 27th March, and 8th May. When? 10am-12pm.

Early Communication in Babies and Children: 18th June, 10am-12pm.

Playgroup fun ahead

Mondays

10AM to 12PM

Gardeners Road Supported Playgroup,

Gardeners Road Public School

Term 1: 4th February till 8th April

Term 2, 6th May till 1st July

Tuesdays

10AM to 12PM

Eastlakes Supported Playgroup,

Eastlakes Public School

Term 1, 5th February till 9th April

Term 2, 7th May till 2nd July

Wednesdays

10AM to 12PM

Kensington Park Supported Playgroup,

Kensington Park Community Centre, Kingsford

Term 1, 6th February till 10th April

Term 2, 8th May till 3rd July

Thursdays

10AM to 12PM

Green Square Supported Playgroup,

Green Square Community Centre, 3 Joynton Avenue

Fridays: Coming Soon

10AM to 12PM

Lexington Hub Supported Playgroup, 3-7 Lexington

Place, Maroubra

We offer a range of supportive and expertly run

playgroups for the community Why not join us?

Need a bit of extra support?

We offer Family Case Management

assistance to families who need a little

extra help. Call us on 8338 8506 to find

out how we can support you.

13

Classes and workshops

SECC’s English Classes

South Eastern Community Connect (SECC)

runs English classes with childcare every

Friday for parents and grandparents.

Running from 10am to 12pm during

school term in Eastlakes, the classes include

an interactive lesson which involves both

parents and their children (under five).

For the first 90 minutes we provide an

English class, while our childcare staff take

care of your children. The last part of the

class is an interactive lesson which includes

the kids and involves singing, reading and

learning new words and themes to help

with preparation for pre-school. We also

provide help with parenting, integration

and socialisation. Cost: Only $15 per term.

Triple P Program

We will be helping families address

everyday issues with their kids in a

series of sessions in March. The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program has been shown to help reduce kids’ problem behaviours and also address children’s emotional struggles. The evidence also shows the program helps parents feel more confident, less stressed, less angry and less depressed. Join our FREE seminars for hands-on strategies to raise your child in an environment that’s safe, loving and predictable. If you have children between the ages of 2-12 years, we have the support you need. Tuesdays, 12,19 & 26 March, 5.30pm-7.30pm

14

Survival tips for parents

in The Silly Season

How can you embrace the

holidays while keeping a routine

and structure in place as much

as possible? Here are our tips.

Get the kids involved in

preparations and decorating, or

even making Christmas cards to

send. Help them to feel included

and responsible for a task. Maybe they can even help you shop for

your Christmas cooking, help make the Christmas pudding or cake,

and set the table on the day.

Depending on their age, your kids could write a list of things to do

before Christmas, or a shopping list.

If you don’t have a family tradition for the holidays, make one.

Include the children in the decision making around what the

tradition could be. Give them a couple of choices that you have

already decided upon, such as what to cook for dinner or how the

family is spending their time on Christmas Eve. Maybe you could

agree to open one present on Christmas eve.

Don’t forget to go with your child’s strengths when deciding what

they can help with. This will boost their confidence, self-esteem,

and pride in their accomplishments, as well as making Christmas

happier for all involved.

Happy Christmas,

Bronwynn Jursik, Families and Children’s Services Team Leader,

South Eastern Community Connect

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